2004 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Globalization of management and new developments of production rationalization in Germany
| Project/Area Number |
14530155
|
|---|
| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
|
| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
|---|
| Section | 一般 |
|---|
| Research Field |
Business administration
|
|---|
| Research Institution | Meiji University |
|---|
Principal Investigator |
KAZAMA Nobutaka Meiji University, school of commerce, Professor, 商学部, 教授 (60130803)
|
|---|
| Project Period (FY) |
2002 – 2004
|
| Keywords | modularization / lean production system / modular sourcing / flexibility / communalization of the platform / team work / globalization / multi-brand strategy |
|---|
| Research Abstract |
This research has been done under the theme of new development of the globalization of management in Germany and the production rationalization referring to the trend of a positive overseas deployment of German "Big Three"-automakers (VW, BMW, Daimler-Chrysler), from 2002 to 2004.
The aims of this research was to clarify the concrete situation of the rationalization in domestic factories in German "Big Three"-automakers, especially, the learning and digestion of lean production, the introduction of team work (Gruppenarbeit), modularization, the communalization of platforms, the expansion of module procurement from the (mega-)module-.suppliers, and the flexibility of the working hours. Simultaneously, the another interest of this research was also to illuminate the reactions of trade union (IG Metal) and works councils (Betriebsrat) to this rationalization.
In order to realize the research project, I have visited the domestic factories (Wolfsburg, VW) in Germany and the Institute of industrial sociology in Erlangen and Gottingen), acquired the many materials about the rationalization, interestingly the "5000×5000" project. Besides I have visited the Japanese Carmakers (Tochigi-plant, Nissan and Tutumi-Plant, Toyota) and dialogued with car-specialists in order to make the comparison between Japanese factories and German factories.
This research has identified the improvement of the competitive abilities about the productivity, product-quality, production cost and the successes of the multi-brand strategies of German "Big-Three" carmakers as a result of these rationalization efforts at this time.
|
