Alliance Capitalism: The Social Organization of Japanese Business

Business practices in Japan inspire fierce and even acrimonious debate, especially when they are compared to American practices. This book attempts to explain the remarkable economic success of Japan in the postwar period—a success it is crucial for us to understand in a time marked by controversial trade imbalances and concerns over competitive industrial performance.

Gerlach focuses on what he calls the intercorporate alliance, the innovative and increasingly pervasive practice of bringing...