Journal of International Business
Online ISSN : 2189-5694
Print ISSN : 1883-5074
ISSN-L : 1883-5074
Volume 7, Issue 2
Displaying 1-10 of 10 articles from this issue
SPECIAL TOPICS ARTICLES
  • A Case Study of from Far East Inc.
    Tokutaro HIRAMOTO
    2015 Volume 7 Issue 2 Pages 5-24
    Published: 2015
    Released on J-STAGE: February 05, 2016
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    This paper aims to verify efficiency for fifteen business models of BoP Business to launch a new BoP business by Japanese corporation. Through 111 case studies of successful BoP business around the world, fifteen business models were revealed.

    In this research Japanese venture,from far east.inc(ffei), leverage fifteen business models of BoP Business to find feasibility of their business plan. As a result, ffei have launched their BoP business in Cambodia.

    This paper show additional two research hypotheses.
    1) By using fifteen business models, corporations can shorten the period
    2) Limiting the variety of business models and partners is effective in the period to start up
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  • Tetsuya USUI
    2015 Volume 7 Issue 2 Pages 25-45
    Published: 2015
    Released on J-STAGE: February 05, 2016
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
     In this study, we determine why one home-based resource can be exploited as a firm-specific advantage (FSA) in the host emerging market, whereas another resource cannot be utilized as a source of competitive advantage in the same location. Previous studies on FSAs assumed that all non-location-bound FSAs automatically become a source of competitive advantage in every host market; however, studies on the dynamic capabilities and multinationalization of firms indicate that firms must take time to identify the resources that are most suitable for dealing with the competition in each country’s market and then reconfigure them. In this paper, we proposed the resource repositioning framework (RRP framework), which is designed to explain the phenomena in which the market position for a home resource may be different from that of the host emerging markets because the degree of customer preference and rareness of resource may differ from country to country, along with varying market conditions.
     By understanding the resource repositioning mechanism, the firm can easily predict which home-based FSAs will achieve the expected value in a host market ex ante. The resource repositioning activities may provide the firm with a basis for entrepreneurship activities and organizational learning routines relative to its dynamic strategic resource management and long-term investment forecast to develop a source of competitive advantages in the global arena.
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  • Reverse Innovation from Emerging Country’s Multinationals and the Jeopardized Governance System in Advanced Economies
    Kenichi YASUMURO
    2015 Volume 7 Issue 2 Pages 47-58
    Published: 2015
    Released on J-STAGE: February 05, 2016
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
     In the article, we examine “reverse innovation” from “Copy Cat” point of view; in other words, imitation of advanced technologies by Emerging Country’s Multinational Companies (EMNCs) without legal permission or license agreement from Advanced County’s Multinationals(AMNCs) in some cases. EMNCs imitate AMNCs’ products and services, by using modular design architecture and improve those products to adapt local conditions. Consequently they learn production technology gradually. In such process, they often had violated the intellectual property right (IPR) of AMNCs. EMNCs’ production process is heavily depended on regional industrial accumulation or eco-system of local production. They typically use “open system” and/or module assemble type of production. When EMNCs are expanding into exterritorial zone, they often extend their “informal economy” network which is based on regional ties and blood relations of local community to other regional areas. Invasion of EMNCs into advanced economies sometime arises the friction with the governance system of “formal economy.” In the article, we examine two Chines cases: global expansion of mobile phone manufacturing and commercial transaction through internet. We tried to find out the reasons and the process of “reverse innovation” under the Chinese particular conditions. During the 21th century, the wave of “reverse innovations” by EMNCs will weep toward the shore of advanced economies. In the 21th Century, we will see the “Globalization from Below” while 20th was the age of “Globalization from Above.” We will finally come to realize that our governance system has been challenged by “informal economies” through “reverse innovation.”
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ARTICLES
  • Akihiro SUZUKI
    2015 Volume 7 Issue 2 Pages 59-74
    Published: 2015
    Released on J-STAGE: February 05, 2016
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
     By using the sample of 137 subsidiaries of Japanese Multinational Enterprises (MNEs), this study investigate what sort of conditions and elements which will lead to reverse transfer of R&D related knowledge from subsidiaries to headquarters in Japan.
     In this paper, I mainly consider the outbound knowledge transfer based on two viewpoints: the movement of human resource between Japan and foreign base; and the autonomy level of foreign subsidiaries. This research starts by investigating how much the impact that dispatching R&D personnel overseas (with a minimum of 3 months stay) has in promoting reverse knowledge transfer (RKT), and whether the movement of highly-skilled talent is effective in transferring expertise in R&D related knowledge. It might be important to figure out how the rapid progress of information and communication technology nowadays has influenced the transfer of knowledge. Further, it also examines whether there is a relationship between the degree of autonomy granted to R&D activities of subsidiaries and RKT to Japan. We are able to capture the degree of reliance within R&D activities from the result of survey which conducted by our research team.
     Based on my analysis, it is confirmed that subsidiaries which conduct a leading-edge yet advanced studies transfer a lot of knowledge and technology to Japan. Moreover, dispatch from Japan to foreign base has a positive influence on outbound knowledge transfer. This indicates that face-to-face interactions form a communication channel particularly in transferring tacit, non-codified knowledge. The result also suggests that the one-way dispatch of R&D personnel from foreign subsidiaries to Japan does not seem to show any impact on knowledge transfer. However, I found that the transfer of knowledge will emerge only when the personnel dispatch is carried out mutually between Japan and foreign subsidiaries. In addition, the simultaneous act of dispatching more personnel overseas and allowing more autonomy to such foreign base by the Japanese headquarter would significantly contribute in stimulating the RKT. Lastly, to accelerate knowledge transfer from subsidiaries which conduct a leading-edge R&D, it is effective to maintain limited autonomy under the headquarter.
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  • Comparative Analysis of Japanese
    Kazumi TADA, Koichi NAKAGAWA, Tomomi IMAGAWA
    2015 Volume 7 Issue 2 Pages 75-87
    Published: 2015
    Released on J-STAGE: February 05, 2016
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
     This paper examines the mechanisms of coordination used by Multinational Corporations (centralization, formalization, and socialization) related to capability building of overseas subsidiaries in emerging countries.
     Organizational behavior literature indicates that there are numerous effects (both positive and negative) associated with organizational socialization.
     Nevertheless, in international business studies, organizational socialization is considered the ideal management tool for dealing with overseas subsidiaries, and very little data have been published to contradict this view.
     The successful performance of overseas subsidiaries requires the transfer of home-base knowledge as well as the creation of local knowledge to facilitate capability building.
     However, international business studies have not analyzed the influence of headquarters’ coordination on knowledge transfer and knowledge creation based on the above issue related to organizational socialization.
     Accordingly, this paper addresses the following: 1) the influence of three modes of headquarters’ coordination on both knowledge transfer and knowledge creation, and 2) the influence of knowledge transfer and knowledge creation on capability building of overseas subsidiaries.
     Case studies and comparative analyses of Japanese MNEs have revealed that: 1) Three modes of headquarters’ coordination promote knowledge transfer in comparison with the case where all controls are minimal, but inhibits knowledge creation, and 2) Both knowledge transfer and knowledge creation will make a contribution to the capability building of the overseas subsidiary; however, there is a trade-off between the two.
     Based on the above-mentioned analysis, we suggested two success patterns of organizational socialization in the overseas subsidiary.
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  • Ichiro TAKAHASHI
    2015 Volume 7 Issue 2 Pages 89-103
    Published: 2015
    Released on J-STAGE: February 05, 2016
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
     The purpose of our research is to analysis the difference of characteristics and performance of COEs in foreign subsidiaries in Japanese market. The external characteristics indicate characteristics about particular relationships with external stakeholders as customer and competitor. The severity of Japanese market and the positioning of Japanese market among world market were focused as factors of the external characteristics. In case of R&D COEs, the means of learning the knowledge from Japanese firms was added as other external characteristics. The internal characteristics indicate characteristics about internal MNE. Human resource management, decision making, role and characteristics of R&D of subsidiaries were focused as factors of the internal characteristics. Then, we focused on growth rate, operating profit ratio, introduction of a new product, brand image, quality, date of delivery and employee’s satisfaction as performance.
     After classifying the sample of foreign subsidiaries in Japanese market into COEs or non-COEs at each function like R&D, production and marketing, we employed t-test to analysis the above difference of external characteristics, internal characteristics and performance between COEs and non-COEs. Our suggestions from the results of analysis were as follows.
     We indicated that marketing COEs, production COEs and R&D COEs gained higher performance than non-COEs and the development of COEs was important for MNE. The research suggested that education program and training were effective in developing marketing COEs and R&D COEs, penetration of global management philosophy was effective in developing all types of COEs and share of global strategy was effective in developing marketing COEs and production COEs.
     Then there is no difference in score of the positioning of Japanese market among world market and autonomy of decision making between COEs and non-COEs. The results suggested that HQ would not necessarily take a proactive attitude to develop COEs.
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  • Focusing on the behavior of foreign subsidiary managers to overcome legitimacy crises
    Mariko WATANABE
    2015 Volume 7 Issue 2 Pages 105-120
    Published: 2015
    Released on J-STAGE: February 05, 2016
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
     This paper aims to analyze and clarify an entrepreneurship process in foreign subsidiaries from the viewpoint of the institutional theory. As an analytical framework, the paper focuses on multiple interactions between a subsidiary manager’s behavior and dual institutional contexts (multinational corporation and local market) while subsidiary initiatives are underway. A case study of a new business development initiative in Daikin Europe revealed that subsidiary managers faced “legitimacy crises” triggered by inconformity, conflict, and different interpretations involving interests, norms, and beliefs of multiple stakeholders. To overcome such crises, subsidiary managers took different actions (selective mobilization of collaborators, reframing of stakeholder relationship) and proactively gained understanding and support of stakeholders. The findings show that a subsidiary manager’s strategic behavior could influence existing institutional contexts and provide the practical implications for effective subsidiary management.
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  • Specific Advantages on geographic fragmentation in semiconductor industry
    Osamu YAIDA
    2015 Volume 7 Issue 2 Pages 121-132
    Published: 2015
    Released on J-STAGE: February 05, 2016
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
     Among semiconductor industries, the logic LSI industry, of which products are used for cell phones and PCs, is geographically fragmented. This fragmentation is called fabless - foundry model. The foundries specialize in the manufacturing of the semiconductor and the fabless companies specialize in the design process of the semiconductor. While most foundries are located in Taiwan, fabless companies are still located in the U.S.
     In this paper, evaluation of overall competitiveness considered by location-specific advantages and ownership-specific advantages is conducted using semiconductor industry data based on OLI eclectic theory.
     This research has two steps.
    1. To verify the effects of location factors such as tax, depreciation, infrastructure cost, and labor cost on the competitiveness of semiconductor companies in the U.S., Taiwan, South Korea and Japan, a simulation using semiconductor foundry model and fabless company model were conducted. In addition, sensitivity analysis is conducted how much these location factors affect profitability. As a result, the location specific advantages in Taiwan and South Korea exceeded far more than those in the U.S. and Japan. Sensitivity analysis revealed that corporate tax had the most influence on profitability among various location factors.
    2. However, in spite of location disadvantage, many fabless companies in the U.S. remain in competitive position. This implies that the location specific advantages alone are not enough to explain the competitiveness of fabless companies. In case of fabless companies, not only location specific advantages but also owner-ship specific advantages should be considered to explain their competitiveness. The most representative element of owner-ship specific advantage is filing patent in the U.S. Comparative analysis was given using case data of leading fabless companies in the U.S. and Taiwan. As a result, integrated value of both elements clearly explained the reason why many fabless companies in the U.S. have kept their competitive advantage. Fabless companies in the U.S. had more competitiveness than fabless companies in the Taiwan because their strong ownership specific advantages overcame their weak location specific advantages.
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  • in terms of pre-employment training for seafarers by an international maritime company
    Satoshi YONEZAWA
    2015 Volume 7 Issue 2 Pages 133-148
    Published: 2015
    Released on J-STAGE: February 05, 2016
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
     This article focuses on the anticipatory socialization of foreign workers. The purpose of this article is to discuss the methods and roles in order to encourage the normative integration of human resource, in terms of pre-employment training for seafarers by an international maritime company.
     Most of the seafarers who work for international maritime companies are foreigners, and they make short-term working contracts. Therefore, the mobility and diversity of seafarers in terms of nationality and back ground are very high. Then, it is very important for maritime companies to standardize the capability of seafarers, and to share the firm specific knowledge and safety management policy with individual seafarers. One of the effective solutions for this issue should be the normative integration, particularly the anticipatory socialization. 
    This article mainly focuses on the training ship as a case study of anticipatory socialization. I conducted an interview research to the seafarer strategy division of a ship management subsidiary in Singapore, owned by a Japanese major maritime company, and also a participant observation on board of the training ship from Singapore to Thailand operated by the company. While I was on board, I conducted interview to an instructor and trainees who were from various countries and maritime colleges, and also joined the on-board pre-employment training, in order to observe the training methods and behavior of an instructor and trainees.
     Based on the research above, the article discusses the effective methods and roles of anticipatory socialization of foreign workers, in terms of pre-employment training for seafarers to encourage the normative integration.
     As a result, this article concludes to suggest the technical and cultural results of anticipatory socialization by the training ship. Then, it specifies the following four roles of this training: standardization of capability, sharing the firm specific safety management policy, understanding the roles and tasks of seafarers, and finally, control of reality shock.
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NOTES
  • Case Study on FA System Makers in German and Japan
    Chikako TAKANASHI
    2015 Volume 7 Issue 2 Pages 149-163
    Published: 2015
    Released on J-STAGE: February 05, 2016
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
     This paper firstly argued what the German initiative, Industrie 4.0, is and what perspective we should examine it from, standing on the management arena. And then, we took up two cases of FA system makers, SIMENS and Mitsubishi Electric. The former has been dealing with Industrie 4.0 as a digital enterprise. Mitsubishi, one of the Japanese leading FA companies was taken up as an example of typical Japanese business. Through this comparison, we considered some possible risks the Japanese FA companies may face with to maintain the present competitiveness.
     Under the Industrie 4.0, it is said all elements of the value chain will be digitalized and be networked vertically and horizontally. In such a circumstance, we suggested companies will be required to rethink about not only how to run their factory system but also their business models, and to make a decision on their business boundary. In addition, we have to take into account standardization strategy and its profit mechanism as the German companies implement because standardization is a base of CPS in Industrie 4.0. In that case, we should keep in mind that Software architecture plays more important a role than that of Hardware does.
     After we compared SIEMENS’ strategy for Industrie 4.0 and Mitsubishi’s present business style, we suggested some gaps between them and some possible risks that Mitsubishi may be faced with.
     As a limitation, our discussion is based on the ongoing phenomenon of the two companies. Therefore our consideration should be examined by further researches. But if there may be any contributions in this paper, it might give some implications in management side of Industrie 4.0, amid of the technology-oriented arguments on how and what to connect.
     Future researches to be explored will be 1) to consider analytic frameworks of how architecture shift from Hardware-oriented to Software-oriented under the digitalization will impact on corporate competitive advantages, 2) to examine theories of “boundary of firm” under the digitalization, 3) to consider how to tackle with organizational inertia the big companies may face with when they change itself to implement innovation. Industrie 4.0 is a phenomenon worth researching because it may have various aspects of innovation.
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