Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

A peek inside Japan's largest “Dagashi” store

one-from-nippon.ghost.io

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

81–90 of 136 posts

Re: A peek inside Japan's largest “Dagashi” store

#81

Post by TFYS »

modernpink wrote: post #55
kizunajp wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is there anything I can read to understand this better? Naively, I would think making a profit is not strictly necessary to serve society as long as the business makes as much money as it pays out?

My favourite explanation comes from Hayek [1]. Profit is a signal for other economic actors to move into the market to provide more goods and services. If something is profitable it means people (society) sees value in it so it is right that we would want more of it to be produced. If we say no to profit, it means we extinguish a mechanism by which society can allocate resources. On top of this, it's impossible for r…

While I'm sure Hayek was correct in his time, I wonder if it would now be possible to construct a better way to allocate resources than the price mechanism. Every person now has a device in their pocket with which to instantly communicate their needs, and we have the computing power to calculate at a scale that was unimaginable to Hayek. The price mechanism seems like a slow way to transfer information, and produces (possibly unwanted) side effects like wealth concentration.

Re: A peek inside Japan's largest “Dagashi” store

#82

Post by grecy »

kitsunesoba wrote: post #61
jaipilot747 wrote: post #2

> "Very few people know that I had to do that thing which no business owner should ever do – lay people off. And I've had to do it twice." The difference in how other countries view laying people off, contrasted with the US labor market is worth highlighting. I understand the arguments about how at-will employment brings flexibility and opportunity for both employers and employees but seeing a CEO feel actually respo…

I remember reading that some Japanese electronics company, I want to say it might’ve been Panasonic, kept the TV wing of their business going for many years after it ceased to be profitable because they didn’t want to displace all the employees working in it. Japan has problems with work culture (off the books overtime, obligation to go drinking with coworkers, etc) but the increased corporate loyalty towards employe…

Just like when Toyota sent all their assembly plant workers on paid training courses instead of furloughing them like GM and Ford

Re: A peek inside Japan's largest “Dagashi” store

#83

Post by camoleon »

danielscrubs wrote: post #16
minebreaker wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> seeing a CEO feel actually responsible for his employees in a downsizing is refreshing Too naive. This is a Japanese way of saying "I don't give a shit."

Weekly afterworks and 12 hours work a day will force you to feel like a family wether you like it or not. Also if your mindset festers they will stop being polite which is way worse.

I took that to mean that if you fail to continue to be productive then your colleagues will cease to be polite to you, is that correct?

Re: A peek inside Japan's largest “Dagashi” store

#84

Post by RajT88 »

awongh wrote: post #77
wrp wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I lived in Tokyo and it was years ago, so I don't know if I'm describing the current situation. It was very common to see largish buildings in residential areas which would have some barely functioning retail shop on the ground floor. Some elderly relative of the building owner would maintain the shop, and would have practically nothing to do since the shop got almost no business. I heard the whole motivation for thi…

yeah, I like the vibe of these shops too but maybe there’s a bit of japan fetishization for a kind of commerce that anywhere else wouldn’t make sense to have. One of the reasons for the Japanese economy’s stagnation over the last 20+ years is a lot of government spending on things that are not contributing to a healthy economy. I’m thinking about huge infrastructure projects but I’m sure this extends too many other a…

Like extending the Shinkansen to Hokkaido?

That comes to mind anyways as "Big Infrastructure".

Re: A peek inside Japan's largest “Dagashi” store

#85

Post by jaipilot747 »

camoleon wrote: post #83
danielscrubs wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Weekly afterworks and 12 hours work a day will force you to feel like a family wether you like it or not. Also if your mindset festers they will stop being polite which is way worse.

I took that to mean that if you fail to continue to be productive then your colleagues will cease to be polite to you, is that correct?

It's up for debate how productive Japan's companies really are.

Studies show it is one of the least productive/efficient among developed economies, with all the unnecessary meetings, lack of quick decision-making, and outdated processes.

Re: A peek inside Japan's largest “Dagashi” store

#86

Post by [deleted] »

modernpink wrote: post #49
zelphirkalt wrote: post #31

> When asked about the future of the business, Hideyuki says he has no intention of doing business (in pursuit of profits) at all. He believes businesses exist to serve society and contribute back to people in the community. That they make profits are merely a side effect and that somewhere along the line the side effect became the main goal. If only more had his insight.

I, and many economists, would argue that the price signal, profit and "serving society" are more tightly interwound than many like Hideyuki are mislead to believe.

[deleted]

Re: A peek inside Japan's largest “Dagashi” store

#87

Post by cousin_it »

ehnto wrote: post #68
modernpink wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I, and many economists, would argue that the price signal, profit and "serving society" are more tightly interwound than many like Hideyuki are mislead to believe.

You and many economists should probably go to a community centre, or join a hobby group then. Some things don't exist not because they aren't needed, but because the community that needs them can't afford it. As a general rule obviously I agree, but there are clear exceptions all around us.

I think focusing on money misses the point a bit. You can think about "fuzzies" instead, for example if you start a hobby group and people attend, you're bringing value. But if nobody attends, or you run a shop and nobody even walks in, wouldn't you start to suspect that you aren't bringing much value?

Also, people get set in their ways. You should be wary of thinking that you bring value, when you're just following habit. It's quite a trap, especially as you get older. Reevaluate from time to time.

Re: A peek inside Japan's largest “Dagashi” store

#88

Post by gcheong »

“ He believes businesses exist to serve society and contribute back to people in the community. That they make profits are merely a side effect and that somewhere along the line the side effect became the main goal.”

That change came about in 1970 with Milton Friedman’s ideas about the purpose of a corporation being solely to maximize shareholder value and we’ve all been paying the price ever since: https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2019/08/19/why-max...

Re: A peek inside Japan's largest “Dagashi” store

#89

Post by mathattack »

wrp wrote: post #47
makeitdouble wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. A seldom discussed aspect of this is the ability to open a business in a residential area. Many of these small self-owned shop are the first floor of a house or building, and more often than not the owner lives upstairs, so it's less of an issue to keep it open with low frequentation as they're no paying extra rent or suffering hours of transit to get there. That also tremendously helps with the community aspect…

I lived in Tokyo and it was years ago, so I don't know if I'm describing the current situation. It was very common to see largish buildings in residential areas which would have some barely functioning retail shop on the ground floor. Some elderly relative of the building owner would maintain the shop, and would have practically nothing to do since the shop got almost no business. I heard the whole motivation for thi…

Also gives Grandma or Grandpa something to do. Keeps multi-generational families together.

Seems economically inefficient though that’s not really the goal.

Re: A peek inside Japan's largest “Dagashi” store

#90

Post by [deleted] »

TFYS wrote: post #81
modernpink wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My favourite explanation comes from Hayek [1]. Profit is a signal for other economic actors to move into the market to provide more goods and services. If something is profitable it means people (society) sees value in it so it is right that we would want more of it to be produced. If we say no to profit, it means we extinguish a mechanism by which society can allocate resources. On top of this, it's impossible for r…

While I'm sure Hayek was correct in his time, I wonder if it would now be possible to construct a better way to allocate resources than the price mechanism. Every person now has a device in their pocket with which to instantly communicate their needs, and we have the computing power to calculate at a scale that was unimaginable to Hayek. The price mechanism seems like a slow way to transfer information, and produces…

[deleted]
Post reply on HN