Matsushita Kōnosuke
Kōnosuke Matsushita (松下 幸之助, Matsushita Kōnosuke, November 27, 1894 - April 27, 1989) was a Japanese industrialist who founded Panasonic, Japan's largest consumer electronics company. In Japan, Matsushita is known as the "God of Management."
Kōnosuke Matsushita was born in Wakayama Prefecture on November 27, 1894. His father was a wealthy landlord in Wasa, a farming village in present-day Wakayama, and one of the wealthiest men in his community.
Matsushita left Osaka Electric Light Company in 1917 to start his own business. Matsushita would have gone bankrupt if not for a "unexpected order for a thousand insulator plates for electric fans." Matsushita's products were initially marketed under the brand name "National," but were later rebranded as Panasonic, Quasar, and Technics.
Konosuke Matsushita continued to be involved in Panasonic operations until his retirement in 1973. Matsushita has also had a significant stake in JVC since 1954, thanks to an alliance. It still holds a 50% stake today. Matsushita spent his retirement developing and explaining his social and commercial philosophies, and he wrote 44 published books. Over four million copies of one of his books, "Developing A Road To Peace And Happiness Through Prosperity," were sold. At the age of 84, he established the Matsushita School of Government and Management to train future Japanese politicians and businessmen. He received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers in 1987.
His death from pneumonia on April 27, 1989, at the age of 94, was caused by chronic lung problems. He died with personal assets worth $3 billion and a company worth $42 billion in revenue.
