Konosuke Matsushita's philosophy: provide a large supply of consumer goods at the lowest possible prices--without compromising quality and service. He founded the Matsushita Electrical Industrial Company in 1918, the name still held by the company today. Matsushita was one of Japan's wealthiest men, yet he had little formal education for such a remarkable entrepreneur.

An orphaned, 9-year-old Matsushita left home to spend 16-hours days as errand boy. At 23, he started a shop with an electric light socket he designed, three employees and about $50 in capital. Yet he is probably known more for his marketing techniques than his inventions. The first socket failed, but his next electric attachment plug undersold his competitors for 30 percent less.

He managed to keep the company together during economic troubled times and the occupation after World War II. Matsushita Electric supplied "three treasures" to the recovering Japanese households: a washing machine, a refrigerator and a black-and-white television.

One of the founder's favorite greetings was, "Have you made some money?" But Matsushita had a strong commitment to the spiritual, as well as the material well-being, of his employees. He guided the company on a code of "seven principles", and his leadership style earned him the title "god of management."

Though he took a keen interest in the world and foreign business practices, Matsushita didn't travel outside of Japan until he was 56. A key lesson touted in the company's literature and his travels stressed sales as a noble profession: "Never forget that every single person you meet is a customer."