自動車産業と分業生産システム

A自動車と1次メーカー間の分業生産システムの形成と展開

抄録

This paper attempts to clarify the development of supplier system in Japanese automobile industry, investigating the data of A motor company which is the largest assembling company in Japan.
A motor company has about 170 main first-rank suppliers. These first-rank supplirs can be classified into the following five types.
I Group companies II “Keiretsu” companies III “Shitauke” companies
IV Speciality parts and components companies
V Oligopolistic corporations
Group companies, “Keiretsu” companies and “Shitauke” conpanies have had close relations with A motor since high economic growth period, some of which have supplied parts or components to A motor since 1930's. But business relations between A motor and companies of these three types have been much closer after the Oil Shocks in 1970's. Supplier system of A motor has been reorganized and strengthened through these following facts.
(1) A production system, which is world-famous now, has been diffused into first-rank suppliers of these three types with the help of A motor. And the price of parts or components is decided on the assumption that A production system is exercised.
(2) Labor unions of these first-rank suppliers are the members of Federation of All A Workers' Unions, which was established in 1972. This Federation provides broad outlines as to what demands to make to help member unions present a unified stand when they negotiate wage rises and improved working conditions with manegement. The rate of wage increases of the spring offensive has been almost the same in 1980's and flexible approach to production, which is the same idea as A motor union's, has been diffused through these types of suppliers.