Abstract
Japanese manufacturers changed their international strategy of increasing export of domestic products for one of expanding overseas production, in 1980s in most cases. Indeed their direct investments in othercountries still keep increasing, and yet on the other hand, forming strategic alliances in international operations has become a measure of great importance. This paper attempts, first of all, to review and examine a number of leading theories of business alliances. Then on the basis of this analysis, two cases of strategic alliances are considered: the alliances into which two Japanese companies have entered with overseas companies – Sumitomo Rubber Industries with Goodyear of USA, and Daikin Industries with Gree Appliances of China – in order to make clear the main features of and the distinctions between the alliances. And in view of the fact that these overseas partners are based in two separate home countries on largely different levels of development, special attention will be paid to what effects the differences of their respective home economies will have. In the process of analysis, several theories of strategic alliances are used, and are shown to be effective and valid methods of inquiry.
