Akira Ishikawa is the Dean of Graduate School of International Politics, Economics and Communication in Aoyama Gakuin University. Dr Ishikawa is the author of several English books which include Future Computer and Information Systems 1986 and Global Information Network 1995. He is also the author of many Japanese books which include the Fifth Generation Computer and Corporate Strategy 1988, Why do Meetings Fail? 1995 and World Number One Companies in Japan 1999. Dr Ishikawa has been given several honors including the Book of the Year Award, the Outstanding Scholarly Contribution Award and the Man of the Year Award.

When analyzing 7-Eleven Japan’s advanced and innovative management style, the authors of this book highlight the existence of the "integrated information system". This is because of the key role it plays not only in forming this firm’s corporate strategy but also in developing its functional strategies for logistic support, merchandising and store operations. The authors explore the integrated information system, a symbol of the competitiveness of 7-Eleven Japan.