Sir Stringer - the first non-japanese Head of Sony

Howard Stringer has stepped in as the first non Japanese CEO of Sony Corporation; it’s a milestone in the history of Sony which has been the epitome of Japanese excellence. It’s a step which will generate a mixed bag of reactions, both from inside the Sony and outside of it. He has transformed the entertainment business of Sony, but as the head of worlds biggest electronics giant, can he once again do the same ? The biggest problem for him is the cultural difference, though his stint as CBS man and later as one of the major performer for Sony must have provided him a lot of wisdom, how to cope with the cultural difference. But here he has difficult task cut out for him, first of all he is an outsider as far Japanese are concern and making the matter worse his image of an outspoken person is not in sync with the Japanese. There are already some muffed voices expressing their resentment about appointment of an American as the head of Japanese firm, which has been a part of Japanese culture and almost every Japanese is proud of. But this is a great challenge for Sir Stringer, to silence his critics and take Sony to the new heights, in return of the extraordinary confidence shown by the Sony. For us it is time to wait, watch and learn, to see the amalgamation of American management style coping with the Kaizen and Just in Time or vice versa