Founded by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita in 1958, the Sony Corporation has come a long way since its first transistor radios. Being innovative thinkers, the founders realized a need for a global brand with mass appeal. Hence, as the company grew, it was simply logical to establish production facilities in their respective regions. Since its inception, very few have been able to match Sony 's track record for invention and innovation. These include the first Trinitron color television (1968), the color video-cassette (1971), the renowned Walkman (1979), the world 's first CD player (1982), the 3.5-inch floppy disk (1989) and many others.
THE GUIDING VISION
The origin of Sony goes way back to May 1946. Back then, its original name was Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K. (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation). The founders, Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita, wanted a name that can be easily remembered by the world. This was essential to achieve success in the global market. Their vision was for Sony to become an endearing household name across the globe. With this in mind, Morita came up with the term 'global localization ' in 1988. He said, "In this day and age, many companies are pursuing globalization, but instead, we should move ahead with a policy of global localization, meaning that we set down roots and truly become an integrated member of the local community."
Sony 's mission is to establish an 'ideal ' factory that puts emphasis on the spirit of freedom and open-mindedness. A place where designers and engineers can work out their creative and technological skills to the highest potential.
THE ESSENCE OF SONY
Sony 's assets are neither its buildings, nor its land. Sony 's greatest asset is the image of the four letters: S-O-N-Y. Just as in the past, for Sony to succeed in the future, it must raise its brand image and create innovative products.
Innovative ideas are the most important aspect of creating Sony products. Technology