Konosuke Matsushita Official Website

Biography

Konosuke Matsushita (1894-1989) was a Japanese industrialist, widely known as a founder of a global company, Panasonic Group. Despite being handicapped by poor health, lack of formal schooling, and the early loss of his parents and siblings, he managed to overcome such adversity and achieved a substantial success in the world of business. Besides Panasonic, later he also founded PHP Institute, Inc and The Matsushita Institute of Government and Management.

In 1964, an American weekly magazine “LIFE” introduced him as a person who had five faces: top industrialist, biggest money maker, philosopher, magazine publisher, and best-selling author. Even today, he is often praised as “The God of Management” in Japan, and remains one of the most influential and inspirational leaders ever.

By John P. Kotter, an author of “MATSUSHITA LEADERSHIP”, Konosuke was described as follows: “Instead of decelerating after gaining some degree of wealth and fame, he grew to be a strong business leader, an even more unusual builder of a huge business institution, and finally a statesman and philosopher who far transcended simple economic interests.”

In 2021, his representative work “The Path” set a national record as the most published business book in Japan that sold over more than 5.5 million copies.

What is PHP?

"PHP" stands for "Peace and Happiness through Prosperity".

In November 1946, with the desire to achieve peace and happiness through prosperity, Konosuke Matsushita founded PHP Institute. At that time, Japanese society was in deep poverty and chaos brought about by the defeat of the World War II, and he, who witnessed people's miserable life, often thought, "Is this the original face of human beings?" After much deliberation, he concluded: "Through both material and spiritual prosperity, humankind should be able to achieve a peaceful and happy life.” Then he sought to explore the path to prosperity by collecting wisdoms, and keep appealing them to people for the realization of a better society.

PHP Institute mainly studies the ideas of Konosuke Matsushita, as well as conducting research on specific policies for the realization of PHP society in terms of philosophy, economy, politics, etc., and actively proposes opinions on these research results. In addition, we also deal with publication and social activities.

Publications

THE PATH (2018)

Sold more than 5.5 million copies over the past 50 years in Japan, this long-standing book gives readers enduring insights by Konosuke Matsushita into how to live a meaningful life as a human being. His time-tested thinking will surely be a useful guideline when making decisions in the course of your life.

THE MILLION-DOLLAR KNACK FOR SUCCESSFUL MANAGEMENT (2012)

This book summarizes Konosuke Matsushita’s timeless essentials of business management gleaned from more than 60 years of business experience. As you will learn from Matsushita, “Grasping the knack of management is worth a million dollars.”

MY WAY OF LIFE AND THINKING (2011)

This is an autobiography that provides insight into his approach to life and philosophy of management and is a testimony to his lifelong pursuit of entrepreneurship, leadership and an idealistic vision that began at an early age. The implications of his story are powerfully relevant today to people seeking to question what it is to live a meaningful life.

PRACTICAL MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY (2011)

This book sets forth his basic thoughts on how to manage an enterprise based on 60 years of experience and lessons learned. It is a compilation of practical lessons, which will surely create the foundations for success for any company.

THE HEART OF MANAGEMENT (2007)

How did Konosuke Matsushita concretely deal with the full range of functional areas and concepts of corporate management, including basic management principles, organization, product development, production, sales, accounting, and personnel? This volume attempts to answer those questions by presenting a compendium of good management.

NOT FOR BREAD ALONE (1984)

Selection of 71 essays culled from experiences described in 4 books Konosuke Matsushita published in Japanese. Not for Bread Alone is the ideal reference for anyone running a business. It provides a balanced and thoughtful look at the ethical and business issues facing every manager today.

THOUGHTS ON MAN (1982)

This book will give us hints and ideas to the question “What is man and how should man act in society?” He said, “I have limited my discussion in this volume to what seems to me to be the most basic and important aspects of man. I sincerely hope that this book will make a small contribution to the realization of peace, happiness and prosperity.”

Contact

PHP Institute, Inc