ntation of such strategies.
Ohmae also stated, however, that the time when an emphasis on the competition, as opposed to an emphasis on the customer, will lead to success had passed. He illustrated this point by describing the predicament of Japanese manufacturers who, by 1988, found themselves sandwiched between manufacturers in Korea and other newly industrialized economies (with whom the Japanese manufacturers could no longer compete within in the context of price) and manufacturers in Germany (with whom the Japanese manufacturers found it quite difficult to compete with in the context of high priced quality). In such an environment, the approach of seeking further cost reductions would not work, and the approach of pursuing upper level market niches was stymied by corporate cultures that simply were not attuned to such a strategy. A different solution to the problem was required if the firms were to survive.
1Kenichi Ohmae, "Getting Back to Strategy," Harvard Business Review, 66 (No
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