Collision Course: Carlos Ghosn and the Culture Wars That Upended an Auto Empire Hardcover – 22 Jun. 2021

The best book concerning the so-called “ Ghosn affair” that I have read- albeit the only other ones I know and have read have been written in French. Compared to the French authors there are few, if any, new facts revealed barring the circumstance that this book has been published a few months ago therefore the authors have been able to include titbits about the trial of Ghosn’s deputy, G. Kelly or some details pertaining to Ghosn’s escape from Japan. The value of the book, vis a vis the French ones, lies elsewhere. The authors endeavour to describe and understand the “ Ghosn affair” by relating it on the background of a description of Japanese society in general and Japanese business culture in particular. The authors do not say this outright but the reader can draw the conclusion that Ghosn would have been ousted anyhow( as similarily all foreigners who ever managed Japanese companies) as the cultural divide with Western thinking and practice is simply un reconcilable. All the more the fact that Ghosn remained at the head of the Alliance for 19 years is a remarkable achievement. The authors, quite rightly in my opinion, do not formulate definitive opinions on whether Ghosn is guilty of the charges formulated against him. In any case in our Western culture someone is innocent until proven guilty ; but here , as the authors demonstrate, Japanese practice stands in contrast and the mere fact of being accused in 99% of cases equals being guilty therefore it is really for the accused to prove his/ her innocence contrary to centuries old Western doctrine where the burden of proof falls on the accusers. What emerges , again not new but shown in a more comprehensive way, is that Nissan in cohorts with the Japanese authorities , was bent on avoiding a full merger with Renault much pushed by the French government and they were truly afraid that Ghosn might actually achieve this . At some point they came to the conclusion that the only way to stop this was by arresting Ghosn. The Japanese thought that Ghosn, as practically 100% of those accused, arrested , in Japan would immediately confess his guilt, be freed on bail, get a suspended sentence of a few months and never set foot again in Japan but all this would kill the merger. What they completely did not reckon with was that Ghosn did not confess hence the fury of Japanese prosecutors to load additional charges against him, keep him locked up as long as possible and delay his trial again as long as possible. Overall , at least for the moment pending perhaps new facts, the definitive account on the” Ghosn affair.”:

Sold as in excellent condition but front cover had large tear in it. Otherwise fine.

The weakness of this account is that it offers no real insight into Ghosn’s undoubted abilities and leadership within the automotive industry over decades. The primary motives assigned to the antagonists are cultural differences between French and Japanese and envy or greed. Those motives are inadequate to explain the story.However the story is well documented, laid out in an interesting and well written way and the book therefore is, in my view, better than 90% of contemporary fiction in the thriller category.

Great book. Well researched and focused. V entertaining read also.

An amazing commentary on the Carlos Ghosn affair. This isn’t just a chronicle of the former Nissan chief’s rise, fall, glory and disgrace, it is also about the history of corporate governance; the meaning and significance of companies in society; politics and how it relates to business: cultural clashes; personal brilliance, egos and fallibility; and what legacy the whole saga leaves. The book is part biography, part business text book and part cultural guide and shoud appeal to a broad range of readership.The co-authors impressively disentangle various knots surrounding the Ghosn controversy, which is surely one of the most dramatic chapters in modern business history.

Simply Brilliant.

Contrary to the majority of reviews on here, I thought the book was ponderously written both in terms of the prose and the content. There is a large amount of repetition as well as unnecessary background information. The book could easily have been 2/3 of the length which would have improved readability and avoided unnecessary tangents (sometimes these just seemed to be a case of trying to show the authors’ ‘Japanese expertise’? I would also dispute the caricature description of Japan’s post-war economic recovery and MITI’s role within it. The author’s subscribe to the view that the State led the economy in Japan in general and specifically that MITI (which they insist on calling METI - only correct from 2001 onwards) engineered the success of Japan’s automobile sector. For example on p.40 they state, “ Government’s guiding hand played a big role in making Japan a global auto making juggernaut.” But the authors neglect to mention any of MITI’s mistakes or indeed lack of influence I.e. in the early 1960s MITI tried to cartelise the Japanese automobile industry from four players each competing with each other into a single organisation (think British Leyland). This would have been a disaster. The auto companies successfully resisted such a move and most experts say that strong competition between the four companies spurred efficiency and innovation, and enabled the four companies to be well placed to expand into export markets particularly once the price of oil spiked in the 1970s. More generally the role of the state in Japan can hardly be labelled as entirely successful - which sector received the most government support and was the least successful? Agriculture. Which sector received the least government assistance and was the most successful? Electronics.

After reading the other books by Carlos Ghosn this book spends much time on the culture of Japan and demands considerable effort to maintain the connection with Ghosn and Nissan.

An absolutely fascinating story written very well. I could not put it down and it explains a relatively complex story that has surprised and bedevilled observers particularly those trying to understand why and how Japan and France went after Ghosn. Nobody comes out smelling like a rose, particularly Japan and its legal system.

Is he an autocrat ? Or business executive par excellence ? Is he empathetic and nurturing or cold to callous ? Did he actually commit the fraud that he has been accused of committing or was he a pawn in this game of one-upsmanship .Carlos Ghosn will go in the history of business as a visionary maverick who saved Nissan from the brink of bankruptcy, ran a successful alliance with Renault for over two decades and accurately predicted how the global automobile market will evolve over the next decades. However, his legacy was tarnished by allegations of fraud, corruption, and a complete mismanagement of authority.The book takes the reader on the wild ride, boardroom strategies, back room politics, and much more in the Carlos Ghosn’s saga that has all the making of a Netflix series

As I read along, I realized that the authors’ comments are incisive and deep and thought that they could not have been those who just decided to write a book on Ghosn. So, I looked at the back flap of the book. Oh, bingo. Their bios indicate that they are well-versed in the auto industry in general, the auto industry in Japan, Japanese business practices, Japanese judicial system, Nissan, Ghosn and the so-called Alliance issues. No wonder this book is full of insights and useful information and facts.In a word, this book blew me away. I would give 50 stars if I was allowed.One caveat. This book does not tell a Ghosn story in a chronological order. As such, if you do not know who Carlos Ghosn is, such as where he is from and where he started his career, you should start with a book mainly explaining the factual background and then dive into this book.

Potential readers should be aware that the book is weighted heavily toward the Japanese business environment, legal system, and Nissan's relationship with France. For readers looking for an escape thriller, that story is rather briefly contained in only one chapter with not much new detail beyond what has been printed elsewhere. The full backstory and aftermath for Ghosn's career is fascinating though, and I gained a much better understanding of the Japanese/French business and legal dynamics that led to the entire Ghosn fiasco. That alone made it a worthy read for those interested in these topics.

The book covers not only the "Ghon scandal".but gives so much background knowledge on the auto industry, legal system in Japan in a very objective way. I hope the work by the authors will be shared by many more. A Japanese translation is very much awaited.