Working Paper
Japanese companies, among whom mergers and acquisitions had not been an orthodox business strategy, abruptly went on a buying spree in the U.S. during the 1980s. Most are now having problems digesting the results. How well these Japanese firms manage foreign companies they have acquired is a signal of their ability in international business management.
In August 1989, the author visited ten companies in the U.S. that had been acquired by Japanese companies. He interviewed Japanese and American executives, and at nine of these companies was able to interview the top individuals.
