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Konosuke Matsushita

Also Known As Matsushita

founded PanasonicMatsushita Electric Industrial Company, Ltd.

Education

  • Graduating degrees in electrical engineering and computer science - summa cum laude from Princeton University

Overview

Kōnosuke Matsushita was a Japanese industrialist who founded Panasonic, the largest Japanese consumer electronics company. Matsushita is referred to as the "God of Management" in Japan

Matsushita Electric Industrial Company :

Members of Matsushita Electric Housewares Manufacturing Works. Back row from left, Kōnosuke Matsushita, Toshio Iue, Mumeno Matsushita (c. 1918)

In 1917, Matsushita left Osaka Electric Light Company to set up his own company. Without capital, a formal education, or experience in manufacturing, it would appear the company would fail before it even began. He set up his shop in the basement of his tenement. With his wife, his brother-in-law, and several assistants, he began creating several samples of his product. He attempted to peddle the samples to wholesalers but was unsuccessful because he did not offer more than one product.

Matsushita's assistants left his company and he was left with only his wife and brother-in-law, Toshio Iue, who proved to be a capable salesman and manager. Matsushita would have eventually become bankrupt but he was "saved by an unexpected order for a thousand insulator plates for electric fans." From there, Matsushita was able to continue producing his light sockets. They became popular as wholesalers realized the product was better in quality and less expensive than comparable products in the market. The early years of the company were difficult: he once had to pawn his wife's kimono when he found himself short on money. Matsushita's products were originally marketed under the name brand of "National" and later moved on to the more recognizable names of Panasonic, Quasar and Technics.

One of Matsushita's best products was his invention of a more efficient battery-powered bicycle lamp. During the 1920s, bicycle lamps were candles or oil-burning lamps. They were highly inefficient as they usually only lasted for three hours. He created an oval lamp that used a battery for power and a lightbulb for illumination. He had to personally market his products to retail bicycle shops.

Early Life

Kōnosuke Matsushita was born on 27 November 1894 in Wakayama Prefecture. His father was an affluent landlord in the farming village of Wasa (part of present-day Wakayama city) and was one of the wealthiest men of his community.

Career

  • Panasonic - founded
  • Matsushita Electric Industrial Company, Ltd. -

Recognition

National honours :

 Japan:

 Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers (29 April 1987)

 Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (29 April 1981)

 Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure

 Recipient of the Medal with Blue Ribbon

 Recipient of the Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon

Senior Third Rank (27 April 1989; posthumous)

Foreign honours :

 Belgium:

 Commander of the Order of the Crown (1972)

 Malaysia:

 Honorary Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (P.M.N.) (1979) 

 China:

Recipient of the China Reform Friendship Medal (18 December 2018; posthumous)

Reference

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