Coin Op. Journal

for success is the choice of the product itself, the choice being the key that determines the destiny of the business. What is it that socie- the world of the amusement industry? It is a product that will dingly provide. This "what" is the product. The shoes chosen by Iwajiro formed the fundamental path to a successful business for resourcefulness and effort? And what actually is this product? "What is your business?" I am interested in how members of the amusement industry answer this ty wants, and what shall we accor- the present day Otsuka shoe manufacturing enterprise, and it was a profitable choice indeed. However, civilization and enlightenment be they what they may, I imagine he must have had some real hesitations about the decision. Despite the resistance by the samurai to preserve the class consciousness dividing society into castes of warrior, farmer, artisan and tradesman, Iwajiro decided to manufacture and market western-style "shoes," a then new category of "things worn on the feet," a category of product that had long been tainted by extreme prejudice in Japan. However, due to the subsequent deverlopments in life- style, this product proved to be one rich in multi-colored vitality, embracing both fashion as well as a broad variety of practical use by men, women, children and adults, for work, leisure and sports, for everyday wear and social occa- sions, "I gave my entire life to the manufacture of shoes, and 10 years have passed." The continual, concentrated effort expressed by these words has clear- ly been effective. And what of the product chosen by the people in 10 reward an accumulated stock of question. Among people in our own trade, or to people with whom we do business, we would probably use expressions like "I'm in recreation," "games" or "parks." But how do we repre- sent ourselves to the outside world, for example when filling out forms like the membership list of the alumni association, the social register, an application to a credit company or the domentic survey questionaire sent to our children's schools. On other oc- casions, for example when one must introduce oneself at a social gathering of the golf club or a meeting of the PTA, it is very troubling to search for a name for the business or work that can be directly and clearly understood by outsiders. When I first took employment in this world of business, it was very difficult to be honest and say "I operate a game center." I that it was remember paychologically less trying to say "I run the amusement park for such and such department store." I do not know whether or not this kind of paychological complex has any direct relation to the pre- WHAT IS THE PRODUCT OF THE WORLD OF THE AMUSEMENT INDUSTRY? 136