The Osborne Computer Corporation experienced rapid growth followed by a dramatic collapse within just a few years. The company went from being a pioneering force in the portable computer market to bankruptcy in a remarkably short timeframe.
This article is Part I of a series on Hitachi Ltd, exploring the company's founding in 1910 by engineer Namihei Odaira, its early development of Japan's first electric motors and generators, and its growth into a major industrial conglomerate through innovation in heavy electrical equipment and household appliances.