Comparative study and reference of American, German and Japanese economic models

Abstract: Economic model is an important research topic in the Institute of World Economics, and corporate governance model is a hot issue in today's academic circles. Economic model is a relative formula of economic operation based on economic development, certain environmental conditions and cultural traditions. This paper defines the economic model, discusses the different characteristics of the three most important economic models in the world today, and makes a comparative study of these three models from the aspects of government and enterprises. This has important implications for establishing a Chinese-style market economy operation model: handling the relationship between the government and the market; Rationalization of enterprise behavior.

Keywords: economic model/characteristics of the three models/rationalization of enterprises

In the development of market economy, if an economic operation subject can achieve outstanding economic achievements in a certain period of time and occupy a prominent competitive position in the international economic field, its development mode will inevitably attract people's attention, so that different subjects at a competitive disadvantage can learn and even learn to imitate. For example, the rapid development of Japan and Germany after the war led people to attach importance to the Japanese-German model. Many countries and regions in East Asia have learned from the Japanese model and achieved success, collectively known as the East Asian model. Some European countries demand to join the European economic joint matrix because they advocate the German model. In the 1990s, the United States achieved record prosperity in the "new economy", and the American model was once again favored by people. With the adjustment of high-tech enterprises in the United States, the market value of stocks has shrunk dramatically, and the impact of Enron and WorldCom fraud incidents has already appeared. Some people have begun to doubt and even accuse the shortcomings of the American model. This has triggered a debate about the advantages and disadvantages of the economic development model in academic circles.

As an important topic in the world economy, economic model needs to be paid attention to and strengthened. Especially since China joined the World Trade Organization, it has established its own development path and operation mode under the condition of open economy. We should base ourselves on the national conditions, make use of the advantages of backwardness, and selectively learn from the successful operation mode of the development model of developed countries. Create an effective new development model with China characteristics.

First, the concept analysis and level determination of economic model

Confucius thought that the name was irregular and the words were not smooth. In order to make our research scientific and effective, we need to "correct our name", that is, clearly expound and standardize the essential characteristics, scope and level of the concepts discussed in this paper.

Discrimination of the concept of 1.

In order to clearly understand and scientifically grasp the essential characteristics of the economic model, we analyze several concepts similar to the economic model.

(1) Economic system: also known as "socio-economic structure", it is the sum total of the dominant relations of production when human society develops to a certain stage, that is, the economic foundation of a certain social form. For example, the socialist economic system is the sum total of socialist relations of production based on public ownership of the means of production.

(2) Economic system: a set of mechanisms and systems for making and implementing decisions on production, income and consumption in a specific geographical area. Any economic system is composed of decision-making structure, operation structure and power structure. [6]

(3) Economic model: an abstract and simplified expression of various relationships existing in economic life. The expression can be a picture, a statistical table or a mathematical equation. Because it is basically a mathematical method, it is often called "economic mathematical model".

(4) Economic model: the composition of various economic components and a certain mode of regulating economic operation mechanism are abstractions of the framework and principles of real economic activities and economic growth modes, leaving aside the secondary factors and details in economic activities; It can also be a theoretical design and construction of the basic operating laws, growth types and major economic policies of the national economy. The former belongs to the economic model of empirical research, while the latter belongs to the economic model of normative research.

According to the above definition, it can be seen that the economic system determines the nature of a country, which is a deep-seated socio-economic thing, closely related to politics and stable. Therefore, western economists often regard economic systems as natural material systems such as solar system, river system, biological system and machine system. [1] The economic system belongs to the management level, which is the concrete form of production relations under a certain social system and the general name of the systems, ways and methods for organizing, managing and regulating the national economy. The economic system is determined and restricted by the basic economic system, which is the concrete embodiment of the basic economic system and changes with different national conditions and the characteristics of different historical stages. Economic model is an explanation of economic phenomena by mathematical methods. Economic model is an economic development formula based on economic system, which is between economic system and economic model. Economic model is an objective existence and a characteristic thing obtained by abstracting the current economy.

The essential feature of economic model is an economic development model which is formed in a certain time and space, constantly developing and changing, and forms distinctive characteristics, and is usually called economic development model. For example, in many foreign documents, the mode of economic development is even regarded as synonymous with the road of economic development, such as development mode, development pattern, development path or development form, which reflects the development track of a country. Therefore, the economic development model refers to the basic characteristics of economic development based on economic growth in a certain period and under certain conditions, and reflects the economic development of a country in a certain period. The central content of the economic development model is to analyze the relationship between the development trend of per capita gdp and the development trend of various components within gnp, and its income distribution relationship; The economic development mode also pays attention to exploring the market operation mode and means; Study the relationship between government, enterprises and market.

2. Classification method

According to different standards, economic models have different classifications. Divided by economic system: capitalist economic model and socialist economic model; By geographical location: Scandinavian model and Asian model; According to the system differences: banking system and credit system, individualism and productism, joint mode and non-joint mode of labor market supervision, etc. According to the level of economic development, it is divided into developed countries, developing countries (regions) and countries in transition. Albert, a Frenchman, believes that there are two main capitalist economic models: the American model and the Rhine model (including France, the Netherlands and even Japan); According to the viewpoint of "New Institutional School", the modes of capitalism can be divided into: market-oriented capitalism, government-oriented capitalism and negotiation or negotiation capitalism. There are also national demand management, welfare state, social market, indicative planning that emphasizes public management and national development orientation.

The classification method adopted in this paper is the dichotomy of new institutional economics. Studying the development model of capitalist market economy in this way is conducive to understanding and grasping the characteristics of various models, forming the historical and cultural reasons of established models, and achieving specific results in view of the international market situation.

3. Level determination

Pattern is a widely used category. According to the author's choice angle and the situation of the research object, the economic model often has different levels of concrete significance. In the field of economics, it can refer to specific enterprises and products, such as ge model and dell model. Some also refer to the development models of industries or departments and regions, such as information network model and Silicon Valley model. Others refer to countries, regions or cooperation models, such as American model, East Asian model and Rhine model. There are also more widely discussed models from the economic system level, such as the capitalist model and so on.

Regarding the economic development model, we think: firstly, it is a summary of the successful operation model of the main body that has achieved remarkable economic performance in economic operation practice. The development history of market economy shows that both countries and enterprises have always achieved outstanding competitiveness in economic development and international competition, and their models have also attracted attention and imitation. It is in order to effectively enhance international competitiveness that we attach importance to studying and summarizing different economic development models. Secondly, since it is a model, it must focus on some characteristics and methods that have been formed in economic development, which have certain development formulas and relative stability. However, the most essential feature of economic development model is its dynamic characteristics, which is a summary of effective ways of economic development and should play a role in demonstrating and promoting current economic development and international competition. If we don't study it from the dynamic perspective of development, the model will tend to be rigid or rigid, and it will lose its due significance; Thirdly, the economic development model is mainly an economic category and a summary of the successful operation mode of a certain subject in the economic process. But behind the composition of this topic is people's design and deduction. Any economic model is deeply branded with culture and is the economic performance of a specific culture. Only by analyzing it in a specific historical and cultural background can we see through the essential characteristics and deep structure of this model. Finally, the economic development model is a comparative category. Whether under the same economic system or based on different institutional backgrounds, the essential characteristics of this model can be better demonstrated through comparison. At present, we compare and analyze all the economic development models under the global economic opening, and summarize their successful methods in the process of global market economy operation, so as to learn from them in market operation and international competition.

The economic model we use in this paper is mainly based on the macro level of the country, including regional cooperation in state relations. From this perspective, the German model, that is, the extension of the Rhine model, can also refer to the EU model with the German development model as the core. Second, the comparison of the three major economic models

In today's multipolar world, there are three major economies: the United States, Japan and Europe, and their economic models are highly representative. Among them, the development of Europe tends to learn from the German economy, and the German model has obviously become the model of the new Europe. This paper holds that the German model is the representative of Europe.

1. Different characteristics of the three modes.

The American model is the summary of the development model of commodity economy. Conducive to investment, high efficiency and productivity and economic development, it originated in Britain and reached its peak in the United States. David Coates, a famous British economist, thinks: [4] In this model, "the accumulated decision-making power mainly lies in private companies, which can freely pursue short-term profit targets to the maximum extent and obtain capital through financial markets; Workers can only enjoy limited labor income and social rights stipulated by law; The overall understanding of social politics and morality is individualism and liberalism. " The main advantages of the American model are: flexible labor and product market, low taxes, fierce competition and shareholder capitalism-shareholders put pressure on managers to maximize their profits. Disadvantages: large income gap, low welfare benefits, poor quality of "public goods" such as primary education and secondary education, disproportionate public services and social wealth, low investment rate and low savings rate. This model is also called "Anglo-Saxon" capitalism or "liberal capitalism" model.

The Japanese model was formed in the 1960s and 1970s, which made it a "world miracle" that shocked Europe and America. The main features of the Japanese model are: first, the core is to "catch up with" Europe and America and become an advanced industrialized country with heavy industrialization. Second, the key is "late benefit". Third, strengthen government intervention. Fourth, introduce technology. Fifth, export-oriented, "trade-oriented." Sixth, control finance. David Coates believes that the Japanese model relies on private companies in cumulative decision-making, but whether the decision is finally adopted can only be decided after close consultation with public institutions, and government departments and banks play an indirect role in the decision-making process; It tends to weaken workers' political and social power, but it leaves room for the form of labor relations, and advocates that the relationship between workers and private companies should be harmonious through company welfare measures; Mainstream culture seems to be conservatism and nationalism in content "; Under the far-sighted guidance of the Japanese government, Japanese enterprises cooperate closely with the government, Japanese banks and companies cross-hold shares, and the strength of Japanese shareholders is relatively weak. The Japanese model was once a successful economic model of "catch-up modernization", which has the following advantages: lifelong employment system promotes loyalty and high proficiency; High quality of public services (especially education); Banks are closely related to other industrial and commercial enterprises; Cross-shareholding of companies protects managers from impatient shareholders, thus enabling them to take a long-term view of investment. Disadvantages: companies that are protected and not fully exposed to market forces have little pressure to use capital effectively. This model is also called government-led capitalism, "Asian capitalism" or "developmental government".

Germany is one of the developed countries that openly practice the "social market economy" model. Its main feature is the close relationship between banks and companies, and banks supervise companies as shareholders and lenders. The German model pursues three goals: creating high profits, balancing the distribution of benefits and higher income levels. David Coates believes that under this model, "the direct intervention of the state in capital accumulation may be relatively small, but the political system has strictly established a set of labor rights and welfare measures, so that organized workers have an influential market and the ability to directly participate in labor negotiations; The mainstream culture is social democracy and Christian democracy "[4]. The advantages of the German model are: excellent education and training; Generous welfare state and small wage gap promote social harmony; The close relationship between companies and banks encourages high investment. Disadvantages: There are many restrictions on the labor market and product market. Excessive trade unions, high tax rates, generous unemployment benefits and extensive restrictions on the labor market and product market lead to high unemployment rate. This model is also called negotiation or negotiation capitalism "European welfare capitalism" or even "Rhine model".

2. Comparison of three economic models

The relationship between government and market is one of the eternal topics discussed in economics, and three economic models have different attitudes towards government as an economic factor. In the market economy, enterprises are the main body of market supply and demand, and their development level can be used as a standard to measure a country's economic development, so they occupy an important position in the economic model. Therefore, we should compare these three models from two aspects: government and enterprises.

First, the government factors in the three economic models: the American model emphasizes personal success and short-term financial interests, and its market model is free and open; The Japanese model and the German model emphasize collective success and long-term interests, and their model is government intervention.

In the American model, the American government's intervention in the market is indirectly regulated by fiscal and monetary policies. The government only plays a very limited role in determining the interaction between capital and labor: the government's task is to create a good currency, prevent monopoly from distorting the factor market, product market and endangering free and open trade, so as to ensure and promote the market to give full play to its functions; In addition, the government's economic behavior also includes providing public goods (such as national defense and social infrastructure); The government's policy on consumer goods manufacturing (especially at the federal level) has a strong liberal ideology, which has been and will continue to be in a limited scope for a long time, focusing on shaping the market. The essence of the German model is the market economy model regulated by the state. The government takes direct intervention (price formation control, various policies and regulations, participation in enterprise investment, etc.). ) and indirect intervention to adjust the deviation in market operation. As a post-industrialized country (here refers to the country that industrialized after Britain and the United States in the19th century), the German government has acted as the executor of economic modernization: the German government is "promoting the labor law of cooperation mode among all levels and implementing active labor market and welfare policies; The German government directly influenced the local industrial accumulation rate in a series of key ways. However, the German government's intervention and guidance in the economic field is not as extensive as Japan's. Japan's economic growth after World War II is largely attributed to the development role played by national planning and guidance. The theory of "developmental government" in the Japanese model means that Japan is a "state-led high-speed growth system" based on the close and meticulous cooperation between state bureaucrats, private enterprises and industries. Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry and its role are the distinctive features and pioneering work of the Japanese model. The government guides economic activities through industrial policies and economic plans. In particular, it is necessary to intervene and induce the decision-making of enterprises, and rely on financial, monetary, taxation and other economic levers to carry out macro-indirect and effective regulation and control of economic activities, and manage them all the way to the micro-level and implement them in enterprises.

In short, the post-war government intervention in the economy is not only different in types and effects, but also different in any country with the passage of time: the policy priorities implemented by various countries are very different from those in the 1950s and 1960s, and they are constantly summing up and learning the effective ways of other models, adjusting and reforming the economic development model, so as to improve their international competitiveness.

Second, the enterprise factors in the three economic models. The enterprise pattern of the American model is: the core 500 large companies, surrounded by a large number of medium-sized enterprises, and tens of thousands of small enterprises on the edge. Private industrial and commercial enterprises are the main body of market activities. The typical enterprise system is the company system. Large companies rely on the huge and changeable securities market to survive; Some people call it "shareholder capitalism" because shareholders put pressure on the management of the company in order to maximize profits; Emphasize the role of individuals and praise the initiative and innovative spirit of entrepreneurs; It is believed that shareholders contribute, entrepreneurs and managers contribute, and workers contribute, and they are equally combined. Among them, shareholders have a greater say in enterprise management, and the performance of managers who execute business is the most critical, with the goal of pursuing profits. The annual salary of managers depends on profits. The way for enterprises to raise funds is nothing more than relying on their own accumulation, lending to banks and issuing stocks and bonds to the society to raise funds. American companies pay more attention to the way of issuing stocks and bonds when raising funds. In the American model, the financial market is relatively mature, and most residents hold company stocks and bonds, showing a strong sense of risk and pursuing rich dividends. There are many kinds of securities companies in the United States, and the rise and fall of stock prices reflect the quality of enterprise management, so we should pay attention to economic benefits when promoting enterprises.

In the Japanese model, Japanese enterprises form a "vertical" enterprise group structure with large enterprises (parent enterprises) as the apex, backbone enterprises (usually subsidiaries) as the backbone, and the majority of small and medium-sized enterprises as the foundation. Companies and banking groups are closely related, and they are linked together through a complex mutual shareholding network; Because of the close relationship between banks and other industrial and commercial enterprises, company managers are protected, so they can make long-term investments without the influence of shareholders; The Japanese model focuses on the interests of enterprises, and its main goal is to maximize market share and obtain as many profits as possible; Japanese enterprises emphasize collective role and collective decision-making. Problems in general management are raised from the bottom up, and then relevant personnel are invited to participate in the discussion, and then the collective leadership makes decisions, without emphasizing the role of individuals. Advocating extended family feelings, labor-capital coordination conflicts, trade unions exist in name only, independent activities are not allowed, and there is no national unified trade union organization. In Japan, shareholders only contribute capital, and the board of directors has little effect. Managers actually manage the company, so some people call Japan enterprise capitalism. Japanese enterprises mainly rely on savings and banks to raise funds. According to relevant statistics, more than 60% of the financing of Japanese enterprises after the war was provided by commercial banks, 25% came from profit retention and asset depreciation, and only 10%- 12% came from issuing stocks and bonds. Enterprises are not eager to pursue short-term profits, but focus on long-term market share. Japanese companies have fierce competition and attach great importance to cooperation, especially in the international market. The internal structure of Japanese enterprise groups is close, which roughly includes three parts: comprehensive trading companies, banks and manufacturers, that is to say, it integrates information, sales, capital turnover, production and development.

There are three main legal forms of enterprise organization under the German model: individual owner enterprise, partnership enterprise and company enterprise. The shareholding structure of the company is mainly legal person shares. The company implements the * * * decision-making system and absorbs workers to participate in business management. Germany and Japan attach equal importance to economy, and enterprises generally implement the board of supervisors system. Its functions and powers are: to elect members of the board of directors, decide on the enterprise policy and investment direction, review the budget and final accounts, and discuss the salary system; Banks play a key role in absorbing residents' deposits and lending to enterprises, but they are weak in stock and bond markets and social fund-raising. German banks strongly support enterprises. As the central bank, Deutsche Bundesbank is very independent, implements strict monetary policy and supervises the business of commercial banks.

Since 1990s, German manufacturing industry has experienced an unprecedented high unemployment rate and low efficiency. In the last five years of 1990s, the gdp growth rate remained at 2% per year. Japanese enterprises did not grow well after the 1990 Tokyo stock market crash. Facts have proved that the "Japanese enterprise system" model has no strong applicability. Similarly, the American enterprise management model can not be separated from the domestic perfect market mechanism and perfect market system.

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