There is a very strong tendency on the part of Americans, whether in government or business, that you really have to establish some achievement of your own. In Japan, there is emphasis on continuity. Unless there is something wrong, I build on what my predecessor has built. In the U.S., the new man comes in and very often the value of that man is judged by the things he does differently from his predecessor. This is very destabilizing—you start from scratch. In manufacturing, there is a great deal that can be achieved by continuity.

Yotaro Kobayashi, President, Fuji-Xerox Corp., in Resources, #2