Many sources have pointed out the declining international competitiveness of Japan and Japanese companies, and the need for Japanese companies to develop further growth strategies and restrengthen their international strategy. By examining two issues-one for Japanese companies to shift their targets in emerging markets from high-end to volume zone; and the other to develop a new strategy frame work-this paper aims to demonstrate the relative advantage of applying Blue Ocean Strategy. As the global market continues to grow, Japanese companies have been expanding their businesses in emerging markets, especially in East Asia where customers value the high quality of Japanese products. This paper argues that Japanese companies should not only target the high-end segment of emerging markets but also their volume zone by applying Innovator's dilemma. Otherwise, Japanese companies may eventually see themselves being kicked out even from the high-end market, when local competitors who play in the volume zone with low quality and drastically low prices jump into the main-stream market with improved quality while maintaining low prices. One of the key sources of Japanese companies' competitive advantage is their MONOZUKURI capability acquired through operational excellence. While Japanese companies need to redefine MONOZUKURI from a broader perspective, it is also essential for them to strengthen their ability to formulate effective strategies. It seems that existing strategy frameworks such as Positioning theory, Resource-based view, Diamond theory, and Innovator's dilemma may only provide limited solutions for Japanese companies to expand their businesses into the volume zone of emerging markets. This paper examines the case of a major industrial goods manufacturer to illustrate Blue Ocean strategy as a possible solution for Japanese companies to be successful in the volume zone of emerging markets.

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Although ten years had already passed since established car manufacturers commence production in this subcontinent, they are still fighting a tough game in Indian car market. Through the analysis of TOYOTA'S Indian operation, this thesis aims to unearth clues to a logical explanation of this unique situation. Key findings of this study are: 1, Since 1970's most of the car manufacturers are trying to develop high quality and high function cars at the lowest possible cost (SUBLATION type), whereas in recent Indian unique car market, cars are increasingly designed with drastically low price by smart compromise of quality and function (COMPROMISE type). 2, Some of the wellsprings of TOYOTA'S high product development performance, i.e. "Engineering Standards" and "full utilization of Keiretsusuppliers", have a tendency to make TOYOTA'S technology downwardly RIGID. In the unique Indian market, there is a high probability of these TOYOTA'S wellsprings of success in other market becoming obstacles to develop COMPROMISE type cars by making technology downwardly RIGID.

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This paper investigated about the construction process of logistics system in Japanese automobile manufactures in China, based on the cases of Toyota, Nissan, and Honda. Japanese automobile manufactures strengthened the suitable capabilities in order to build their logistics operation system by utilizing various methods; employing both asset-based Japanese and local logistics service providers, geographical division of on-site operation and administrative unification, and logistics mode selection with multiple strategies. They intended to improve the efficiency and validity of their logistics system through combining logistics technology elements both at home and abroad ingeniously. The main findings of this paper clearly demonstrate the useful knowledge about logistics strategy of Japanese companies in highly growing emerging markets.

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We examined the present situation and the logic of internationalization of R & D by Japanese manufacturers in East Asia. From the field based research of 33 firms, we find that (1) about 60% firms started product development or process development in East or Southeast Asian subsidiaries, (2) about 70% firms maintain full activities of R & D in home country plant and (3) one third firms take "task overlapping approach", that developed same R & D activities both in home plant and in foreign subsidiaries. From the analysis of interview comments of Japanese firm's managers, we find that firms that choose "task overlapping approach" expected that home plant keeps to be a technological leader to keep up with global competition, and foreign subsidiaries exploit technologies from home plant, by using plenty and low cost foreign engineering resources. In other words, many Japanese firms regard home as a technical mother, and regard foreign as a energetic child.

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The aim of this study is to clarify the most contributing factor (MCF) that creates global competitiveness in the tourism industry. In this research, The Diamond Model (1995) advocated by Michael Porter will be modified, and a theoretical framework will be developed to explain the global competitiveness in tourism industry through integrating seven factors; (1) Inherent Tourist Resource, (2) Created Tourist Resource, (3) Tourism Demand, (4) Support Factors, (5) Tourist Destination Management, (6) Environment, and (7) Human Resources Development. However, these factors do not equally affect the competing dimension of sustainable tourism development. In general, tourism price, tourist resources and conditions of the location are deemed as being important to the competitive advantages in the industry. On the other hand, when various countries and their tourist destinations are considered, we can find that countries with abundant tourism resources cannot always achieve an economical performance of their gross domestic product. Tourism industry is not only hospitality-based, but also knowledge-intensive. Based on statistical analysis, it is found that although various elements affect the competitiveness of the industry, soft elements such as human resources development and management skills are the dominant elements. This study concludes that soft elements would be the dominant elements contributing to the economical performance of tourism business.

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The purpose of this study is to assess the degree of organizational formalization of three Chinese construction companies in the City of Mudanjiang, China. The study is based on the questionnaire data about how employees perceive their organizational structures. This study is to rank the degree of organizational formalization of the three companies in relation to their scales and to compare perception of the degree of organizational formalization of three companies by white color and blue color employees. It is hypothesized that the employee perception of the degree of organizational formalization is different by scale (i.e., they are classified as first, second and third class companies) and by white and blue color employees. We collected the data through the questionnaires that had been used in the related previous studies. Moreover, with the results obtained from the questionnaires, we conducted a series of interviews for several employees in each of the three companies. Two hypotheses were elucidated: 1) The first class company has the highest degree, the second class company follows, and the third class company comes in the lowest. 2) Blue color employees perceived their organization structure is more formalized than white color employees regardless of their company scales. This result is explained that blue color employees are engaged in less uncertain jobs than white color employees. This is confirmed by the interviews and the contingency theory. Although the two hypotheses were accepted with the data collected for this study, We may generalize that the degree of organizational formalization, modernization, rationalization, and bureaucracy in Chinese companies will increase along with globalization of Chinese companies.

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This paper focuses on diversity management at the workplace. The aim of this paper is to identify the ultimate strategic goals of diversity management by examining it through the framework of pressures towards its adoption and current existing discourse. The meaning of diversity will be clarified. External and internal factors have been identified as two major perspectives of the pressures that are currently faced by organizations. It is suggested that multinational corporations (MNCs) encounter a broader dimension of pressure from the external environment of foreign countries in addition to local history, legal, social and ethical, and demographical change factors. From within the organization, the pressures of the firm's competitive advantage, internationalization, and organizational isomorphism are among the major factors that influence the adoption of diversity management. Finally by analyzing the existing discourse on diversity management among scholars, the paper seeks to identify the ultimate strategic goals of diversity management. It is suggested that the MNCs' ultimate diversity management strategic goals should not only be for the profits of the organization alone but should also incorporate social benefits in order to ensure total sustainability.

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