THE FOUNDER

A frail, sickly bicycle apprentice who survived

 

unspeakable childhood tragedy, Konosuke

 

Matsushita lacked formal education, wealth,

 

charisma, connections and even a special talent.

 

Yet, early hardships produced hidden strengths

 

which opened Konosuke Matsushita‘s mind to the

 

collective wisdom of others. The author reveals how

 

a lifelong thirst for learning fuelled the passion that

 

led this humble, shy 5-foot-5-inch humanitarian

 

idealist to pioneer management practices and

 

advance his philosophy that the mission of a

 

manufacturer is to relieve poverty and create

 

wealth, not only for shareholders, but for society.

KONOSUKE MATSUSHITA

 

1972

Toot-a-Loop Radio R-72

In the early 1970s, the Apollo

11 had just landed on the moon, signalling the start of the new space age, Volkswagen Beetles ruled the roads and roller skates were a must-have. The Toot-a- Loop fashion radio, with its objet d‘art theme, unusual design and fun colours, embodied the sense of fun and youthfulness of prevailing pop culture.

1980

R

r SL-10

Ahi-fi audio craze gripped Japan from the late 1960s through to the mid-1980s, as music lovers sought high- fidelity sound that was true to the recording studio. The remarkable SL-10 employed a linear tracking system, where the needle traces the grooves at the same angle as the blade that cut the record

in the first place.

2006

Blu-ray Player DMP-BD10

The concept of a black box was of something that looks very simple from the outside, but which is extremely functional and intelligent on the inside. In order to realise this in a form that most people could easily recognise and understand, the design team agreed that the first step would be to develop a design that evoked “simplicity in both

form and materials”.

03

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Panasonic LCD Flat Panel TV specifications 1972, Founder