Konosuke Matsushita

Manager. Born as the third son of a farming family in Wakayama Prefecture. Dropped out of elementary school at age nine and went to Osaka to work as an apprentice. In 1910 (Meiji 43), he joined Osaka Electric Light Company as a construction worker and inspector. In 1917 (Taisho 6), he left the company and started his own business, manufacturing and selling improved sockets. The following year, he founded Matsushita Electric Appliance Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (later Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., now Panasonic), and produced battery lamps for bicycles and electric irons, achieving great success. In the 1930s, he also solidified the company's growth by making full use of innovative management methods such as the divisional system, the federated store system, and the fixed price sales system. After World War II, he succeeded in reducing costs through mass production, and as he expanded his sales network, he grew Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. into a top-class company. Although his skills were so highly regarded that he was called the "god of management," he retired from the front lines of business in 1973 (Showa 48).

He also devoted himself to ideological enlightenment movements, and played a leading role in the PHP (Peace and Happiness through Prosperity) movement. Another example of his interest in politics is his founding of the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management in 1980. He is known for his management philosophy of "Philosophy of Water Supply" (increasing supply capacity will make any necessary commodity virtually free).

[Kenjiro Ishikawa]

"My Resume: Business Person 1" (1957, Nihon Keizai Shimbun)" ▽ "Best Selection of Konosuke Matsushita's Sayings, 10 volumes (PHP Bunko)" ▽ "Konosuke Matsushita's Ambitions, by Mitsuru Ohkubo (1975, Nami Shobo)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

経営者。和歌山県の農家の三男として生まれる。9歳で小学校を中退し、丁稚(でっち)奉公のため大阪に出る。1910年（明治43）大阪電燈(でんとう)に入社し、工事員、検査員となる。1917年（大正6）同社を退き、改良ソケットの製造販売を行い独立する。翌年松下電気器具製作所（のちの松下電器産業、現パナソニック）を創業し、自転車用電池ランプ、電気アイロンを製造し、大成功を収める。また1930年代に事業部制、連盟店制度、正価販売制など斬新(ざんしん)な経営方法を駆使し、その発展を確固たるものにした。第二次世界大戦後は大量生産でコスト切下げに成功し、販売網の拡充とともに松下電器産業を超一流企業に成長させた。「経営の神様」とよばれるほどその手腕は高く評価されながら、1973年（昭和48）事業の第一線を退いた。

　思想啓蒙(けいもう)運動にも尽力し、PHP（Peace and Happiness through Prosperity事業活動の繁栄によって社会の平和と幸福を達成しよう）運動などにも指導的役割を果たしている。また政治への関心を示す一例として、「松下政経塾」の創立（1980）があげられる。経営理念として「水道の哲学」（供給力の増大によっていかなる必要物資も無料同然となる）が有名である。

［石川健次郎］

『『私の履歴書　経済人1』（1957・日本経済新聞社）』▽『『松下幸之助発言集ベストセレクション』全10巻（PHP文庫）』▽『大久光著『志伝・松下幸之助』（1975・波書房）』

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