TOTO, a leading manufacturer of toilets in Japan, trying to break into the U.S. market with its premier bidet-toilets, which are present in 63% of homes in Japan. The case examines the behavioral, cultural and institutional barriers that stand in getting TOTO adoption of innovations. It also examines the role of product classification in the movement of consumer behavior - unlike the U.S., toilets in Japan is considered high-tech consumer electronic devices. Finally, the role of organizational identity and culture is considered. Creating a bidet-toilet category in Japan was a defining achievement for TOTO, and this story has created strong commitment to promoting it in the U.S.. But given that TOTO has been very successful selling regular high-end toilets in the United States, this commitment bidet-toilet appropriate?
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by Maria Tripsas, Masako Egawa, June Fukuyoshi Source: Harvard Business School 23 pages. Publication Date: March 10, 2009. Prod. #: 809064-PDF-ENG
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