The Twelve Management Principles

From renowned Japanese entrepreneur Kazuo Inamori comes a simple yet highly effective theory of successful management: "Do what is right as a human being." In this book, Kazuo Inamori, founder of Kyocera, distills essential leadership tenets from his experiences building Kyocera, KDDI, and reorganizing JAL. Inamori's writing have collectively sold over 25 million copies globally. This 2025 English edition of his management philosophy (originally posthumously released in Japanese in 2022) is the consummation of his life's work: 12 principles for effectively managing your business. These 12 principles were developed in Inamori's private academy, "Seiwajyuku," where many small and medium-sized enterprise owners gathered to study under him. This rigorous and reality-based classroom environment produced principles that were actionable and rooted in real-world business experience, clearly explaining the fundamentals of successfully running a company. Each chapter features a lecture expounding the management principle, key points, and a Q&A, drawing from Inamori's personal philosophy and deep experience. Applicable to all leaders, this edition reveals the essence of Inamori's school of management philosophy which has been practiced and proven effective across all industries and business formats.