Watching World Cup soccer games may give corporate managers a good clue about productive organization. Shunsuke Takahashi, an expert on human resources management, said that in a "soccer style" organization, team members work autonomously and flexibly. Even defenders can take shots on goal.
This contrasts with a "baseball style" organization, where roles, such as that of the pitcher, are fixed.
Japanese companies should adopt soccer-style management to win in an increasingly volatile business environment, Takahashi, a 47-year-old professor at Keio University Graduate School of Media and Governance, said in his recent book "Seika Shugi wa Kowaku Nai" ("Don't Be Afraid of Performance-Oriented Management").