[Bbang Gubneun Tajagi] Ordinary Innovations That Saved Nintendo from the Brink

Reflecting the Philosophy and Experience of Reginald Pisormay

Innovation. It is a word constantly emphasized even by many failed business leaders. There are various derivatives such as creative innovation and disruptive innovation. It is such a common and overused term. Because everyone shouts it, it is no longer special or particularly persuasive.

The author Reginald Peasamay titled this book "Disruptive Innovation." Although he is a great executive who saved Nintendo from crisis, the title itself was not very impressive. The table of contents is a continuous sequence of clich?s. Throughout the text, short "tips" titled "The Core of Innovation" are inserted. The structure is extremely banal.

The beginning does not deviate from expectations. It explains how the author, who grew up in an immigrant Black family, overcame poverty and prejudice to focus on his studies, and what his entrance exam results were. He faced a harsh environment daily in the slums of the Bronx, New York, and confidently overcame the discriminatory views around him. It is a tear-jerking childhood story commonly seen in successful CEOs.

However, as the content progresses, the first impression is diminished. This book is not simply a management book listing cases and praising the author's achievements. It is closer to a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. The narrative unfolds in earnest from the time the author joined P&G. It describes concisely what situations he faced, why he made certain decisions, and what the results were. There is almost no unnecessary explanation of concepts or additional context. Key figures are described succinctly, and the basis for decisions at the time is clearly presented. The author's expertise lies in planning and marketing. Although it could have easily fallen into hollow rhetoric, the situations, grounds, and results are all concrete and the descriptions are clear. It can be read quickly like a thrilling detective novel. The fact that it was translated concisely with mostly short sentences despite being a foreign book also helped it read smoothly.

Conversations with Satoru Iwata, who led Nintendo for over ten years, frequently appear as examples. For instance, the author and Iwata, then president of Nintendo America, clashed several times over the launch price of Nintendo's game console "Wii." The author persistently persuaded Iwata by pointing out that the traditional conservatism of an old Japanese company did not fit the American market. Iwata's objections are not elaborated in detail. Instead, the text describes how silent he was, who he consulted afterward, and how he changed his mind, conveying the depth of his deliberation.

There are some shortcomings. The series of mostly successful cases can cause some resistance. A representative example is when the author, during his time at Pizza Hut, persuaded various stakeholders to emphasize the importance of delivery pizza to franchise owners in his region. In life, there are people who are difficult to persuade. Some do not even understand the language of persuasion and just stubbornly push forward. How did the author break through when faced with such people? Did he simply avoid the situation?

Nevertheless, this book is persuasive. It naturally arranges the author's life from growth to peak to retirement through key moments of choice. The author's methods of managing employees, collaborating with colleagues, and responding to problems are all vividly reflected. All these moments are ultimately things that we office workers have experienced or will face in the future. This is why readers can accept and empathize with the questions the author poses to all employees and bosses.

Our Mission Is to Make Games | Reginald Peasamay | Translated by Seo Jung-gi | Econ | 312 pages | 18,000 KRW