Publications
Publications
- December 2000 (Revised April 2006)
- HBS Case Collection
Promise (A): Building a Consumer Finance Company in Japan
Abstract
Describes Promise, the third-largest consumer finance company in Japan. Promise was created in 1963 by an entrepreneur and has grown rapidly, especially in the 1990s when commercial banks struggled. Promise's core business consists of providing unsecured loans of up to about $10,000 to individuals. The company has maintained an entrepreneurial culture despite its growth. At the time of the case (July 2000), Promise has around 2.2 million customers and is faced with increasing competition and several regulatory changes. Management must make a number of decisions going forward, including new sources of growth and financing, as well as a potential listing on a foreign stock exchange.
Keywords
Citation
Kuemmerle, Walter, and William J. Coughlin Jr. "Promise (A): Building a Consumer Finance Company in Japan." Harvard Business School Case 801-188, December 2000. (Revised April 2006.)