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Naoki Yasuda: The Humanness of Corporate Behavior

Publish: June 12, 2024

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  • Naoki Yasuda

    Other : Associate Professor, College of Business and Graduate School of Business Design, Rikkyo University

    ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ alumni. Specialization: Macro-Organizational Behavior

    Naoki Yasuda

    Other : Associate Professor, College of Business and Graduate School of Business Design, Rikkyo University

    ÎçÒ¹¾ç³¡ alumni. Specialization: Macro-Organizational Behavior

One research method in business administration is an approach that analyzes data on corporate behavior to find laws governing that behavior. From this corporate behavior data, we can catch a glimpse of a certain kind of "humanness."

For example, when a company introduces a certain system, it is generally assumed that there is economic rationality for that company, but it is known that companies also act for social reasons, such as because other companies are doing it. This is the case when a company tries to introduce a side-job system simply because its competitors have done so. From the perspective of corporate strategy, by concentrating on existing businesses that have been successful in the past, a company may become unable to adapt to changes even when the environment changes and flexibility is required, clinging instead to those existing businesses. Despite the environment changing and past experiences no longer being applicable, they rely on those past experiences. This can be called an organizational dilemma in the sense that both consistency and flexibility are required.

These kinds of tendencies in corporate behavior can be seen as the same when applied to our individual behavior, whether in our private lives or at work. This is the reason for the "humanness." Our daily actions are partly influenced by others. Even if we don't usually care, the psychology of wanting to go to a shop just because there is a line is one such example. Furthermore, in the course of our work, it is not easy to negate the successful experiences we have built up in the past and adapt to new things. It is truly difficult to discard what we have cultivated over time.

Thinking this way, understanding corporate behavior leads to understanding human behavior. The reverse is also true; understanding human behavior deepens our understanding of corporate behavior. Since organizations are collections of individuals and organizational decision-making is carried out by humans, it may be natural for there to be "humanness" in corporate decision-making. However, one of the interesting aspects of business administration lies in taking a scientific approach to this "humanness" visible in corporate behavior. I believe it is important to use these insights as an opportunity to understand the essence of human society.

*Affiliations and titles are as of the time of publication.