Uses of Meiji

The Meiji Era figures prominently in Japanese history, historiography, and mythology. Like all transitional eras, the Meiji period was complex in origins, evolution, and impact. Annette Skovsted Hansen challenges the simple evaluation of the period as a success and argues that to use the Meiji Era as an inspiration for contemporary policies and strategies, we need to understand how aspects of the Meiji Era have been adapted and changed since. One concrete recommendation based on an empirical case is to continue to adapt personal networks and alliances of Japan’s network-based business strategies.