Soichiro Honda (Soichiro Honda)

Many people dream of success.
I believe that success can be
achieved only through repeated failure and introspection
. In fact, success - it is only 1 percent of your work,
. and the remaining 99 per cent - is a failure.
. Soichiro Honda
. From a speech at the time of
. honorary doctorate
. in Michigan in 1974.
. When Honda was a child, he had a dream
. He dreamed of one day become the owner of the car. It is unlikely that he had assumed that not only will have a car, and will become one of the titans of their industry producing. Honda was destined to influence the fate of the motorcycle and car industry more than anyone else in the world.
His influence was a radical change not only production but also the entire market of the product. Extremely 'on his conscience,' the creation of a motorcycle, which has received such wide acceptance in society, which served as the formation of a vast new market segment. Production of Honda was designed for both women and men, and is designed for the middle class, who had never taken into account manufacturers.
Power Honda was in the technical elegance, beauty, design and market intuition. He had no engineering training or experience (completed only eight classes). He knew nothing about marketing, finance and distributorship; child agrarian Japan, Honda had no idea about big business and international trade. He succeeded in spite of the opposition 'zaibatsu' (Japanese conglomerates), who considered him an outsider and a rebel. Not only the Japanese stunned his success - the same can be said about the pedantic Germans, who owned a rich snob on the market and the Americans, who belonged to all the other markets.
. Elegant solutions proposed by Honda for complex problems, based on the pursuit of more simple ways
. This is typical of the other great innovators of the world. He had no education, did not know all the technical nuances that enabled him to go empirical 'trial-and-error', as well as Edison. By the early 80's Honda was third among the largest car manufacturers in Japan, and by the end of the 80-ies - the third in the world. Already in the 60 he has dominated in the manufacture of motorcycles (70 per cent of the market), to 1990, he produced more than three million motorcycles per month and still holds 60 per cent of total world market. Not bad for a man with vosmiklassovym education, who had a dream and, in addition, the persistence to make it happen. George Gilder says Honda unique, the most brilliant and successful entrepreneur in the automotive industry since Henry Ford ". British 'Sunday Taymc' in his Auto review in the 80's, wrote: "The accuracy of the technical solutions Honda, similar to the work of a goldsmith, astonished every engineer, with whom I had the privilege to speak"
. Honda undertook another 'impossible' breakthrough, proven by experts that they are wrong, arguing that American workers are not able to collect high-quality car at the Japanese
. In the mid 70's he built a factory in Merisville, Ohio, and has destroyed the myth, firing machine completely corresponded to the quality standards of the Japanese model of assembly. This is the machine - 'Honda Accord' - in the late 80's became the top selling vehicle in America and holds that status in the 90's. And thanks to her Honda became the first Japanese leader, noted in the Hall of Fame of the American automobile industry.
Personal History
Soichiro Honda was the first born in a very poor family who lived in the Japanese agricultural province Hamamatsu. He was born Nov. 17, 1906 not far from Akio Morita, the founder of the 'Sony'. Morita was born into a wealthy family, who owned the tennis courts and other advantages, and Honda was the son of a poor blacksmith, was engaged repairing bicycles. This early involvement in sports transport was largely determined by future interest to Honda motorcycles. Lessons my father, during which he got the skills to solve technical problems, have become an important factor in his initial training. His family was so poor that five of the children died of hunger still in its infancy.
Soichiro was a poor student and often truant from school work, because the hated formal learning process that a proposed school. He preferred the technique of experimentation and is better learned from experience and mistakes. He had always loved machines and mechanical devices and was literally mesmerized by when, as a child, first saw the car. Here is a quote from his biography:
Forgetting about everything, I ran after the car ... I was deeply moved ... I think it was then, although I was very young, I had the idea that someday I will make the car itself (Sanders, 1985).
In the early 50's Honda created a company and entered the crowded industry for the production of motorcycles. Within five years he has successfully destroyed the 250 competitors (50 of them were Japanese). His car 'Dream' ( 'Dream'), presented in 1950, was the exercise of his children's imagination to build a better machine. This followed a model of 'Super Club', launched in 1955 in Japan and in 1957 in America with already known, an advertising slogan: "The best people to ride a Honda. Due to these unique products, an impressive advertising campaign, Honda has achieved sustained success and changed this industry, which at one time was at a standstill. By 1963 the 'Honda' became a dominant force in the motorcycle business in virtually every country in the world, plunging 'Harley-Davidson' and Italian companies producing motorcycles in the dust.
. Honda was the man who turned the motorcycle industry in the market with an annual turnover of 3 billion
. dol. His original ideas in design and marketing were the catalyst that changed the image of the motorcycle from the attribute of people in 'black leather jackets' cultured' Harley ', to' gay family vehicles for the middle class ". 'Honda' first began producing similar products, and we therefore affirm that it was she who changed the industry and dominated it to an extent which could not achieve any one firm in the world, neither before nor after.
. Having consolidated position in the motorcycle industry, energetic and ambitious Honda decided to conquer the automotive market and made a bet on the race cars
. The first racing car made its debut in 1962. The Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry told him that Japan does not need another car manufacturer. Honda, in his inimitable style has ignored them, as in his time and market experts predicting it will soon defeat. In 1970 he joined the competitive car business, which saw the successful introduction in 1925, when the role of a neophyte at this difficult market and the capital ratio was Walter Chrysler. In between these events - entering the market Chrysler and Honda - as a minimum, ten companies have failed, including 'Packard', 'Hudson', 'Studebaker', 'Kaiser', 'Willis', 'Tucker', 'Krosli' and not so long ago 'Deloran'. 'Honda' not only did it, but destroyed those who have been on her way.
. One of the first areas that comes under attack 'Honda', was the most 'narrow' space industry - standards of cleanliness of exhaust gases, established by the U.S. government
. None of the giants of industry could not cope with this huge problem, not the American companies - 'GM', 'Ford' and 'Chrysler', nor the Japanese giants - 'Toyota' and 'Nissan', nor the German authorities - 'Mercedes Benz' , 'BMW', 'Porsche'. They came out of the situation, creating a catalytic converter. Honda has put this issue at the forefront and. certainly bypassed these giants, providing the first engine with a low level of contamination - 'WSSCC'. This device, which decided to gracefully pollution problems, Honda has established a model of 'Civic', put into production in 1975 and instantly became a hit.
. Honda graduated from high school in 1922 and immediately went to Tokyo, where an apprentice in workshops
. After six years of apprenticeship, he collected money in order to open the first repair shop in his native city (1928). In the same year he received the first of hundreds of its patents for the idea to replace the wooden spokes of a car wheel on the metal. It was Honda's first excursion into the world of inventions that paved the way for his future incredible technical solutions. Almost each of them - a simple solution to complex problems. Honda was an ordinary man, but his genius was the ability to find simple solutions to any problem that arose in connection with its products.
. Business and personal survival
. Honda has become known thanks to the invention in 1938 of a piston ring
. He formed a new company that produces these rings for the company 'Toyota' in Tokyo. This continued during the war, while his factory was not damaged in the bombardment. An earthquake in 1945 destroyed it completely. Honda was upset, sold everything and went to work part-time. His arrival on the market of motorcycles was completely random.
. Once, in 1946, Honda was faced with a problem - he had no petrol for cars, then he took one of the motors in a variety of abandoned U.S. military, and attached a it to your bike
. This engine was filled with kerosene. These simple but elegant solution of fundamental problems - this is the usual style of Honda. Then he began to make their scooters at the request of friends. Completing a dozen such orders as might be expected, anxious to all new Honda suggested that the market for such machines can be considerably more. In 1948 he founded the 'Honda Motor Co.' to design and manufacture of mopeds.
His first motorbike Honda has equipped engine 'D' (from the dream - a dream). Model 'E' type 'Dream' was launched into production in 1951 and 1958, when the U.S. started its 'Super Cub', Honda became the largest producer of motorcycles in Japan, leaving behind fifty competitors. Model "Super Cub" was a unique step of which is very attracted to adolescents and women. Soon, thanks to an advertising campaign 'The best people ride a motorcycle Honda', this model has revolutionized the industry. The campaign, which cost 5 million. dol., became a hit in 1962 and successfully completed its task, creating the image of a biker, promote the popularization of the motorcycle. Since then, the image of 'Hells Angels' in a black leather jacket left in the past. Marketing research has confirmed that this bike in the spirit of 'Launis' became a technological breakthrough. Thanks to the effective image, low price and excellent quality of performance, the market has expanded this model to millions of units.
In 1961, the 'Honda' produced by 100000 motorcycles a month, and by 1968 in the United States was one-millionth bike. By the mid-eighties 'Honda' holding in his hands 60 percent of the world market, and by 1990 the annual output has reached three million units. This guy saw how the dream of his childhood and was preparing to conquer new markets.
Honda came to the car market in 1970 with the car 'Civic'. He continued to equip their models, technological innovations, as well as he did when the won market motorcycles and also still a favorite son of the Japanese mechanical engineering industry. He was a true rebel, especially apparent when in 1974 oil crisis hit Japan and the Japanese manufacturers agreed to reduce production and raise prices. But Honda refused and did everything the contrary, in the tradition of Henry Ford. He did the unthinkable, denying the economic model Galbraytiana, said that the production should be reduced. Honda to double their production and cut prices more than fifty years ago, Ford. Honda, which even had no idea of price elasticity, was right. Sales of companies 'Nissan' and 'Toyota' fell by 40 per cent, sales of 'Honda' grew by 76 percent and continued to grow rapidly. By 1987 'Honda' has become the fastest growing company in the world.
Characteristic behavior
In his youth, Soichiro Honda had behaved recklessly, and was a ladies' man. He was known as the 'Playboy of the Hamamatsu', the person who responded to any provocation. His love of fun and carelessness led to the fact that he once fell off a bridge with two geishas in the car. He saved them, throwing out the window.
This Extraverted personality was known as' Mr. Thunder 'among civil servants for his emotional explosions in response to something stupid employees. They loved their Honda, but feared his wrath.
The spirit of freedom inherent in many developments Honda, confirms that he is really thinking about their offspring constantly. He had the spirit of freedom and fought against the tradition throughout their careers. He refused to hire the firm 'Honda' professionals who have received formal education for many years, since felt that their dogmatic thinking is a hindrance in the search for new. His dreams of truth and the vision of the world reflected in the popular novel Pirsidzha 'Zen Buddhism and the art of existence by Motorcycle' (1964), where the motorcycle used as a metaphor for freedom. 'Motorcycle, which you create is identified with a'. This expression describes a visionary innovator Soichiro Honda, who knew this truth better than anyone and was stubborn to improve their personality and their products.
. Honda was the extrovert, intuitively felt business prospects and use of analytical thinking in solving problems
. He had the temperament of Prometheus, coupled with strong convictions and a stable life position. For him, were characterized by: restlessness, rebellion, resistance, defeat, this man will never surrender in the face of another problem. Honda was intolerant to conventional and traditional methods. He resisted the influence of world traditions in 'Honda Motors', which was dominated by his principles. He blamed the formal education in that it trains specialists, risk aversion. He believed that academic education empowers professionals distrust of intuition and the use of new methods of solving problems. He admitted his mistakes, as is evident from his speech at the Technical University of Michigan:
Looking back at my work, I feel that I did nothing else as an error, a series of blunders, serious shortcomings. But I am proud of the achievements and. Although I did one mistake after another, my mistakes and failures never occurred on the same occasions.
. Honda paid much attention to experimental work and resisted any attempt to control him or his firm through the traditional caste system
. 'New York Taymc' he said: 'Government officials have always protect the public interest. But they are always opposed to when you're trying to do something new '. This innovator operated right-thinking, its permanent establishment experiment are crazy. He was opposed to hierarchical forms of management that is clear from his following quotes: "In general, people. work harder and more innovative if they are not forced, quite a different picture, where they strongly suggest what to do ". What insight. Since then, psychologists have proved that he was right, and new management styles are close to the methodology of Honda.
Tendency to pucky
Honda liked really risking. In the mid-thirties, he was almost killed in a race. He won the race after suffering an accident at the finish, and held in the hospital for three months, after which he was forbidden to participate in competitions. In 60 years, Honda has learned to manage his own helicopter and its passengers so scared that he had to give the pilot's seat to professionals.
His passion was legendary. He did not admit defeat and could risk everything for the sake of their beliefs and ideas. His refusal to mid-seventies to reduce the volume of production in connection with the oil crisis, OPEC was the strongest step on what was only possible to go. 'Honda Motors' would have long since gone down in history if he doubted its correctness. But he did not do this and 'Honda' became a huge force in the industry.
History of biography Akio Morita 'Made in Japan' (1986) is an indisputable proof of a gambling nature Honda. Morita spoke about his strong, risky, competitive spirit of Honda. When he thought about entering the car market, 'Yamaha', his mortal enemy in the manufacture of motorcycles, saw an opportunity to select markets in 'Honda', playing on its financial vulnerability. 'Yamaha' developed many new models and greatly reduced prices, knowing that Honda cars are too busy to answer. They were wrong. Honda responded by using all its resources, as if it was a war for life and death.
According to Morita:
Guide 'Honda' replied instantly, despite the difficult financial situation. They fought, releasing new models every week during the year. 'Yamaha' could not stand it, and, eventually, and was forced to make substantial replacement of senior management.
Impersonation persistence
Honda motorcycles made for the fact that Henry Ford did for cars. He took the inactive stagnant market and made it current and dynamic. His insistence on the implementation of the dreams of a perfect machine embodied in the elegant cars. 'Honda' was constant trendsetter in the design of motorcycles around the world since the mid fifties to early nineties. Car 'Akyura' firm 'Honda' became the best-selling vehicle worldwide in 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992, according to a magazine 'Car End Track' ( 'car and the road'). In 1991, they have also a very popular sports car - 'En-Es-Ex'. In 1993 they again won praise from J. D. Power's - 'Akyura' again was named the most popular model in the United States. 'Honda' belongs to the status of the largest of the educated after the Second World War, companies in Japan.
. In March 1988 the magazine 'Motor Trend' rating was the most popular machines in the world and the first three positions were occupied by car companies' Honda '-' C-Ar-Ex ',' Civic ',' Prelude
. Another flattering message came from the magazine 'Car Driver's End' ( 'car and the driver'), who called the 'Accord' one of the ten most popular cars in the United States. At the press have got information that the 'Honda' plans to convert it, the editor responded: "It's like a small refinement of the Sistine Chapel or the Acropolis, we can not imagine a more stupid now '.
. This recognition and success - achievement emerged from a pauper in a small Japanese town man with a modern mentality and willingness to take risks in search of new, who liked the Americans
. In Japan, a country where public loyalty is put at the forefront, Honda was a true nonconformist. His nickname, 'Mr. Thunder ', seemingly so inconsistent with the small growth and incomprehensible behavior of a typical Japanese manager. He is an example of perseverance, modesty, pleasant manner and ability to accept mistakes as a valuable asset.