Mr. Electronics: Morita Brings Sony to Life
Mr. Electronics: Morita Brings Sony to Life
But, Morita was confident that his country could not only pull through, but could also become a leader in the global marketplace, and he wanted to be one of the ones to help. He began to talk with his good friend Ibuka about how they could put their combined knowledge of physics and engineering to some use.
In 1946, Morita and Ibuka finally found a solution; they created the Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation). Based in Nagoya, Japan, the company was established with initial capital of just $350 in a bombed-out shop that had been abandoned after the war. Even after hiring 20 employees, Morita and Ibuka were still not exactly sure what products their business would focus on as of yet, but what they did know was that they wanted to create innovative and high-quality consumer electronic products that would put Japan back on the map. No longer would the tag “Made in Japan” necessarily mean low-quality and cheap products.
At the time, Morita was just 25 years old, but his age proved no obstacle on his company’s massive rise to success. In 1949, Morita and Ibuka developed a magnetic recording tape, which led to their first product the next year – the tape recorder. It was the first ever of its kind to be sold in Japan. So far, Morita and Ibuka were doing modestly well in their home country of Japan. But, Morita wanted more.
“I knew we needed a weapon to break through to the U.S. market,” Morita later told TIME Magazine, “and it had to be something different, something that nobody else was making.” That something different came in the form of a walkman. In 1957, the duo’s company released a pocket-sized radio, which was the world’s first full-transistorized radio. In order to broaden its appeal to the Western world, Morita and Ibuka also changed their company’s name to Sony (a combination of sonus – the Latin word for ‘sound’ – and Sonny – a mainstream American nickname).
In 1961, the Sony Corporation of America became the first Japanese company to ever be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Over the years, as the company continued to develop new and innovative consumer electronic products, such as the CD player, and the digital audio tape player, it also expanded its reach by acquiring such other companies as Columbia Pictures and CBS Records.
In 1994, Morita suffered a cerebral hemorrhage while playing tennis, and subsequently announced his resignation as Sony chairman. He continued to work, writing a book called “Never Mind School Records,” which emphasized that success is not dependent on one’s school grades. Morita also published an autobiography, called “Made in Japan.”
Five years later, at the age of 78, Morita died of pneumonia. His legacy lives on in the company he founded, the company that continues to be one of the world’s most renowned manufacturers of consumer electronics.
Mr Electronics Morita Brings Sony to Life
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World War II may have ended, but for many countries, the years following proved to be the even more difficult ones. Japan was one of those countries. Almost every single large city in Japan had been damaged, along with their industries and transportation networks. Food shortages were rampant, not to mention the fact that nearly 3 million able bodied workers had been killed during the war. In short, Japan was devastated and, if it was going to recover, it would have to start rebuilding from scratch.
But, Morita was confident that his country could not only pull through, but could also become a leader in the global marketplace, and he wanted to be one of the ones to help. He began to talk with his good friend Ibuka about how they could put their combined knowledge of physics and engineering to some use.
In 1946, Morita and Ibuka finally found a solution; they created the Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation). Based in Nagoya, Japan, the company was established with initial capital of just $350 in a bombed-out shop that had been abandoned after the war. Even after hiring 20 employees, Morita and Ibuka were still not exactly sure what products their business would focus on as of yet, but what they did know was that they wanted to create innovative and high-quality consumer electronic products that would put Japan back on the map. No longer would the tag “Made in Japan” necessarily mean low-quality and cheap products.
At the time, Morita was just 25 years old, but his age proved no obstacle on his company’s massive rise to success. In 1949, Morita and Ibuka developed a magnetic recording tape, which led to their first product the next year – the tape recorder. It was the first ever of its kind to be sold in Japan. So far, Morita and Ibuka were doing modestly well in their home country of Japan. But, Morita wanted more.
“I knew we needed a weapon to break through to the U.S. market,” Morita later told TIME Magazine, “and it had to be something different, something that nobody else was making.” That something different came in the form of a walkman. In 1957, the duo’s company released a pocket-sized radio, which was the world’s first full-transistorized radio. In order to broaden its appeal to the Western world, Morita and Ibuka also changed their company’s name to Sony (a combination of sonus – the Latin word for ‘sound’ – and Sonny – a mainstream American nickname).
In 1961, the Sony Corporation of America became the first Japanese company to ever be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Over the years, as the company continued to develop new and innovative consumer electronic products, such as the CD player, and the digital audio tape player, it also expanded its reach by acquiring such other companies as Columbia Pictures and CBS Records.
In 1994, Morita suffered a cerebral hemorrhage while playing tennis, and subsequently announced his resignation as Sony chairman. He continued to work, writing a book called “Never Mind School Records,” which emphasized that success is not dependent on one’s school grades. Morita also published an autobiography, called “Made in Japan.”
Five years later, at the age of 78, Morita died of pneumonia. His legacy lives on in the company he founded, the company that continues to be one of the world’s most renowned manufacturers of consumer electronics.
Mr Electronics Morita Brings Sony to Life
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Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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