Japanese and Western Organizational Knowledge Creation

Comparative Research of “Modularization Strategy” of Nissan and Volkswagen

Abstract

Japanese and Western approaches of the "modularization strategy" of automobiles industry are analyzed from the viewpoint of organizational knowledge creation, taking the case of Volkswagen (VW) and Nissan. VW's "modularization strategy: MQB" is oriented explicit knowledge of design rules, and it can be said that it is a typical "western organizational knowledge creation" which is formal intention oriented. Management is "top-down" management. In the contraly, Nissan's "modularization strategy: CMF" is a strategy that combines both "modularization" and "integration", emphasizing tacit knowledge, and combining it with the formalization of design rule. It is a typical "Japanese organizational knowledge creation" that is tacit knowledge-oriented. As for management, it is a hybrid type management that combines the features of "top-down type" and "bottom-up type". The difference in this modularization strategy affects EV development apoaches.