abstract
| - Zaibutsu hongsha (財閥公社) refers to a Surean form of business conglomerate. They are government-supported powerful global multinationals owning numerous international enterprises. The Surean word for "zaibutsu" means "business family" or "monopoly" and is often used the way "conglomerate" is used in English, while "hongsha" means "company". There are several dozen large Surean family-controlled, government-assisted corporate groups which fall under this definition. Through aggressive governmental support and finance, some have become well-known international brand names, such as Tenraku, Aurora and Taiken. Although the zaibutsu hongsha are powerful independent entities, they often work with the government as a guide to their policies, particularly in the areas of future direction and innovation. The government also works to promote competition between the zaibutsu hongsha to prevent monopolies. Surea's economy was small and predominantly agricultural well into the late 20th century. However, the policies of President Daimichi Manenaga (豊田太一) spurred rapid industrialization by promoting large businesses, following his seizing power in 1975. Government industrial policy set the direction of new investment, and the zaibutsu hongsha were to be guaranteed loans from the banking sector. In this way, the zaibutsu hongsha played a key role in developing new industries, markets, and export production, helping place Surea as the fifth emerging East Asian Tiger.
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