Cover photo: Bruno Plas / Wikimedia Commons ／ CC0. The image size has been adjusted for display purposes.
Masaru Ibuka｜One of the founders of Sony
A 3-page feature based on public historical records
Where does an engineer’s vision connect with everyday life?
A new machine records sounds and plays them again right in front of your eyes. Although it's a great accomplishment for the creator, it still doesn't give viewers a reason to open their wallets. If you follow Masaru Ibuka's work, you will see this void that lies beyond invention.
The founding charter of Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo has a vision of creating a factory where engineers can demonstrate their abilities. At the same time, the policy states that products should be selected based on their utility value in society, rather than relying on company size. Freedom of research and things that are useful in daily life. The two were lined up from the beginning.[1]
What you don't want to miss is the specificity of the repair service. The letter of intent provides an explanation that even non-specialists can understand as to why the failure occurred, and indicates that the client is responsible for the equipment once handled. A company that develops cutting-edge technology has even included explanations to users within its scope of business.[1]
Still, writing a philosophy does not create a market. The G type tape recorder, released in May 1950, weighed 35 kg and cost 160,000 yen. Company history reports that sales did not progress for a while after its release. There was a deep gulf between the surprise of being able to record something and the decision to pay that amount and use it in everyday life.[2]
What I want to think about from this scene is the attitude of not ending the reason for not selling with ``the world doesn't understand.'' Not just the price, but also whether it can be transported, operated, when to use it, and what to do if it breaks. Buyers take on multiple concerns at once. Those who evaluate technology and those who decide on its introduction are looking at different problems.
伝Interpreting YAMATO DENSHI
Reasons to buy extend beyond the specifications.
Ensuring that the product works and that the user's work progresses are two different things. The newer the technology, the more you need to look at the burden of explanation, installation, practice, and repair. Ibuka and his friends' struggle leaves us with the question of who will shoulder the burden.