PICKLIST President Akiyama Shin'emon says information is more important than thought in decision-making, and looks back on the example of acquiring a U.S. company through a search fund in approximately 9 months and turning around the business from negative net worth of ¥40 million.
PICKLIST President Akiyama Shin'emon acquired a U.S. company through a search fund in the exceptionally short period of approximately 9 months. He says that the acquisition was made possible by speed in decision-making and the effective use of information. As the final installment in the series on his challenges, the article examines the decision-making principles and competitive mindset that support speed.
The first and second installments covered management perspectives developed through a turnaround after losses and negative net worth, as well as the importance of visualizing data. This final installment focuses on the approach of placing “information” at the center of decision-making. It examines how information is gathered and used in practice.
Akiyama says that “thought has no meaning” and emphasizes information as the basis for decision-making. Specific examples include using data to drive internal decisions and the process of completing an acquisition and rebuilding a business in a short period. These are presented as methods for combining speed with accuracy.
The series as a whole traces how the company overcame losses and negative net worth during its founding period and established its current decision-making style, while offering suggestions on future prospects and practical approaches that could be replicated.