ジャック・ウェルチにみるCEO(最高経営責任者)の思考と行動 : アメリカにおける「成功」と「競争」の理念
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In this paper, the writer depicts an American business executive, Jack Welch, and attempts to verify a hypothesis that he is a person who embodies certain American be-liefs: namely, the quest for "success" and "competition". The writer's approach will be critical of these two concepts and their functions in modern society as well as of Welch's thoughts on human nature and business. Jack Welch is a former chairman and CEO of General Electric Co., and has been praised as "the best CEO in the 20th century" for his accomplishments during his twenty-year-tenure. The writer believes that it is worthwhile to single him out, as a typical American personality who bears these traditional American values and cultural traits, which are the legacies of Benjamin Franklin of the 18th century, Andrew Carnegie of the 19th century, and many other entrepreneurs. Also, as Alex de Toc-queville pointed out that America has been a country with a strong business-oriented passion, it seems logical to pick out a CEO and consider his or her way of thinking and behavior in order to observe contemporary American society. The paper begins with a review of Welch's management at GE. He joined GE in 1960, became CEO in 1980, and retired in 2001. His management and strategy are introduced. including his drastic restructuring program, "number one & number two" business strategies, his "work-out" program aiming for a "boundaryless" organization, and the "human factory" concept based upon his conviction about human nature that variance is everything and that human beings have to be evaluated and differentiated in a very competitive situation. Then one of the key concepts of American values, "success", is reviewed and in this connection some basic American beliefs as well as the American enthusiasm for the "self-made man" are considered as well. Reading through his autobiography, the writer tries to learn how Welch is considered an archetypical successor to Franklin and Carnegie. For instance, he claims himself to be the self-made man, and. argues that his predecessor (GE's former CEO, Mr. Jones) belongs to the same category, introducing Mr. Jones as a self-made man from working-class roots who worked and fought hard for what he achieved. The next concept is "competition". When President Bush, Jr., first visited Japan in February 2002, he made an official address at Japan's joint Congress. In this speech he declared proudly that competition is not only a part of the American spirit but also of its ethics, and it should be shared by everyone in the world. Jack Welch must have shared the same view, as surmised from his several episodes and beliefs introduced in his memoir as well as some of his other various writings. Notably, Welch states that the competition to succeed Mr. Jones (former GE chairman and CEO) had been brutal, complicated by heavy politics and big egos, his own included. In conclusion, Welch's beliefs and behaviors are once again reviewed and it is noted that there are some distortions and differences from the traditional values. In this contemporary society, we have to realize that competition has become very severe and that success and competitiveness are inseparable from each other. However, the writer suggests that there has to be a good balance between these ethics and other fundamental ones, such as "compassion for others," even in business.