CHAPTER 18
The Initial Public Offering of Donna Karan International
Opening a discourse on what I would have done differently is an interesting launching pad. More cases than not, managers tend to laud themselves and allow pride to overtake memory. However, a number of interesting lessons emerged in my time as a manager of two large fashion companies in the United States that have applications beyond such geopolitical boundaries. Of course, different cultures react and respond differently, and this may be why multinational corporations like Toyota prefer to hire local managers in the United States to handle operations rather than import them from Japan. Having a leg up on cultural nuances ranging from working conditions to employee expectations is a big advantage.
The scope of the book has been historical. However, as my narrative comes to a close, I would like to reflect a bit on what has been discussed while providing further insight. To do so, I would like to delve a little deeper into Donna Karan New York and the departure of Takihyo Inc. (Takihyo) from that entity. Over the course of 10 years, Donna Karan blossomed into the household name that it is today. Although there have been more positive than negative points, the negative ones in the story demand attention to supplement future endeavors for readers and as a means by which I can learn. In other words, I would like to return to the Donna Karan story to learn from my mistakes and develop solutions to combat them rather ...
