1994 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
A Comparative study of International Transfer of Technologies : Cases of Japanese and American Auto and Electronics Firms
| Project/Area Number |
04630023
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
経済事情及び政策学
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| Research Institution | The University of Tokyo |
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Principal Investigator |
ABO Tetsuo University of Tokyo, Institute of Social Science, Professor, 社会科学研究所, 教授 (90013028)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1992 – 1994
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| Keywords | Production technology / International transfer of technology / Automobile industry / Electronics industry / Japan-US comparative study / Production system / Competitive advantage |
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| Research Abstract |
The purpose of this research is to conduct a comparative study of international transfer of production technologies by Japanese and American automobile and electronics firms. The special findings of the previous research on this issue published by me are as follows :
1) A significant change in the pattern of technology transfer to the US occurred between 1989 and 1993 : from the immediate effect-oriented and easy-going bringing-in of Japanese material and human ( "results" = "ready-made" ) to the application of long-term-oriented "logic" ( "methods" ) of the systems to the local conditions.
2) The relative ratio of American managers, first-line supervisors. parts and materials has increased compared to the Japanese ones to a considerable extent in the Japanese transplants. Still these transplants show more flexible organizational management in terms of training, procurement, etc. This is a direction-albeit with a large lag-twoards more "desirable hybrid" as has already been created by the Japannese transplants in Taiwan/Korea where the Japanese ratio has been much lower even initially.
3) The Japanese transplants are beginning to be rooted in the American industrial society and, partly supported by the recovery of American economy and endaka, are expanding their capacity and volume of production. Therefore, their present problem is how to coordinate the production volume with that of their parent plants in Japan, where the necessity of export is urgent due to the delayd economic recovery.
4) American "coming back" : We confirmed through interviews with Japanese expatriates in Japanese transplants and with American managers in American firms that considerable introduction of Japanese elements to American plants is playing a significant role. Now American plants are more slimmed, with "lean" -type human resources and line lay-outs, process-oriented QC and maintenance, JIT-style procurement system, integrated and lead-time saving R&D,and so on.
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