2011 Volume 45 Issue 4 Pages 4_3-4_28
The Paper aims to elucidate the industrialization of Vinylon of Kuraray, a domestically-developed synthetic fiber, as an attempt to solve the resource problem of Japan. This paper makes an effort to devise it from three viewpoints of the mind-set of top management and engineers, the continuity from prewar to postwar, and the interaction with society and economy (such as the industrial policy, the differentiation fromr other firms, and the market needs). In Kuraray, the limitation of resource had influenced from the technology development to the product development in Soichiro Ohara's thought of substitution of natural fibers, an executive with strong individuality. As a result, though the times' character distorted the search for optimum market, the recognition about new product was modified due to the change of society and economy as well as the slump of business and that resulted in the creation of optimum market. This is a general management phenomenon except the times' character and suggests the importance of marketing in the process from the development of new products to the establishment of market.
That is to say, Kuraray set out to develop Vinylon for the purpose of self-sufficiency of fiber resource and the substitution of natural fiber as an “essential fiber” at the beginning. However, to strengthen the ground as a synthetic fiber, it is necessary to respect the fiber's function and to explore new uses, develop product, and promote sale of product taking advantage of the feature of synthetic fiber, which the natural fibers have not. Though the delay in establishing the market resulted in the slump of business, the change of persons' cognition brought about the new idea and practice of marketing. The public offices' needs created by policy have indirectly supported the change. As a result, Kuraray succeeded in establishing the position of Vinylon in the way of practical use clothing and industrial materials.
