Semiconductors have now surpassed oil as the most important resource in the modern society. In the semiconductor industry, the US-China divide progressed through three turning points. And, in the industry, a phenomenon that Miller named “Taiwanization” occurs. It involves two aspects:（1）dependence on Taiwanese companies, especially TSMC, as the bearer of production,（2）dependence on Taiwan as the location of production. With the “Taiwanization,” the semiconductor industry has taken the unprecedented form in which “suppliers from latecomer countries controls the casting boat.” Then, TSMC does not subordinate to a lead firm in a developed country, but instead became a core supplier as envisioned by GPN 2.0, taking a different position from former suppliers from latecomer countries. Currently, more than 90% of the production of the advanced semiconductors are concentrated in Taiwan, thus TSMC is moving to disperse its production bases. However, both in terms of production volume and quality, it is likely that the concentration on Taiwan will continue. The term “Taiwanization” is attracting a lot of attention also in Taiwan, but some view the current situation as a crisis as “de-Taiwanization,” expressing strong concerns that advanced semiconductors will be produced outside Taiwan. This is based on the concept of “silicon shield,” being feared that if Taiwan’s share of semiconductor production declines, national security will weaken. In Taiwan, the proportion of secondary industry in GDP is increasing, while the proportion of tertiary industry is decreasing, going against the Petty-Clark law. The concentration of semiconductor production to Taiwan has significantly boosted the value of the electronic component exports, and it also led to a rise in income of electronic parts manufacturing industry.

This analysis scrutinizes Lawson’s internationalization strategy in two phases. The first phase（1996–2009）began with a passive approach driven by the Chinese government’s request, evolving into a proactive strategy with the establishment of overseas subsidiaries and diverse entry methods. Mitsubishi Corporation’s increasing ownership and leadership influence played a pivotal role in shaping this phase. The second phase（2010–present）marked a shift from passive to active internationalization due to domestic market saturation and heightened involvement from Mitsubishi Corporation. Lawson expanded not only in China but also entered other countries like Indonesia, the United States（Hawaii）, Thailand, and the Philippines. Factors influencing this phase included domestic market saturation, Mitsubishi Corporation’s reinforced involvement, and the proactive internationalization efforts of other major convenience store chains. Lawson adjusted its entry methods based on previous experiences, introducing diverse strategies in different markets. Post-entry feedback and performance evaluation led to strategic modifications, demonstrating Lawson’s adaptability in response to evolving market dynamics. The analysis underscores the complex interplay of government requests, corporate characteristics, and leadership dynamics in shaping Lawson’s internationalization journey.

In Taiwan’s “Job-oriented-employment society”, the rapid increase in the number of university graduates has led to a relative decrease in occupations traditionally considered suitable for them, resulting in high competition. To address this, universities in Taiwan are focusing on implementing and enhancing practical and long-term internships to help students secure specialized jobs or build career paths to. Simultaneously, companies, facing a shortage of workers for basic roles due to the trend of higher education, are relying on internships as a source of temporary but foundational labor. This trend is particularly pronounced in industries like tourism, hospitality, and catering, where students seek financial rewards and foundational job experience. Universities aim to secure high-quality employment opportunities for students, while companies rely on internships to ensure a basic workforce and a pool of skilled workers after graduation. This interdependent relationship suggests the importance of internships in Taiwan’s job market, where mutual benefits are derived from the collaboration between universities, students, and businesses.

In a “Job-oriented employment society”, having a foundational work career is crucial for university graduates to be immediately employable, and internships during university play a significant role in fulfilling this requirement. The prevalence of higher education is driving the popularity of internships, as evidenced in Taiwan’s context. While this study focuses on Taiwan, it raises implications for Japan, where a declining birthrate and potential government support may lead to increased university enrollment. If the global standard of “Job-oriented employment societies” continues to permeate, concerns about over-education leading to graduates being underemployed may arise. The study suggests that, in such a scenario, there is a potential for the establishment of practical and long-term internship programs observed in Taiwan.

In February 2023, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries decided to withdraw from the commercial aircraft business. Although the immediate cause was the failure to obtain Type Certificate, it can be pointed out that the essential cause was MHI's failure to acquire sufficient organizational capability. Organizational capability is defined as “the ability to create design information and organizational routines that are unique to an individual company and difficult for other companies to imitate”. This study is to verify whether or not the failure to acquire organizational capability is due to the existence of inertia in the organizational structure that hinders the acquisition of such capability. This will be discussed hereinafter based on chronological facts.

This paper verifies and analyzes the background of the joint acquisition of Essar Steel India Limited（Gujarat, India）by Nippon Steel（Japan）and ArcelorMittal（Luxembourg）from the perspective of financial data and corporate management. Regarding the background of the joint acquisition, we indicate that the acquisition was carried out much more quickly than previous bankruptcy and reorganization procedures in India, resulting in less damage to the value of the steelworks that Essar Steel originally had. It is also worth noting that ArcelorMittal’s involvement and leadership were conspicuous in the joint acquisition process. Besides, we reveal the powerful involvement of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation（JBIC）in financing the joint acquisition. Conducting a financial analysis to verify the success of the joint acquisition of Essar Steel（currently ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India（AM/NS India））is shown through financial analysis. Previous studies revealed the usefulness of supplementary information on joint ventures in the financial statement. In this regard, while ArcelorMittal’s consolidated financial statements disclose summarized financial information of AM/NS India as a material joint venture based on IFRS12, Nippon Steel’s consolidated financial statements do not. A detailed examination of the disclosure issues regarding the asymmetric judgments of these two companies shows no difference in the significance of AM/NS India for both ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel. The notable contribution of this paper is having delved deeply into the history and intentions of the joint acquisition of Essar Steel by Nippon Steel and ArcelorMittal and shed light on the potential disclosure issues based on the accounting standards of joint ventures.

This study aims to elucidate the formation process of the Vina Kyoei Steel Company Limited（VKS）in the 1990s. Through this case study, the author identifies the contribution of a Japanese medium-sized electric arc furnace（EAF）company to the early development of the Vietnamese steel industry. In the context of Vietnam’s steel industry development, VKS emerged as the most successful case in the early stage of the market economy and opening to the outside world. It triggered latecomer advantages and influence effects, albeit in the narrowly focused field of long steel rolling. However, as Vietnam’s market economy continued to develop and open up, its steel industry entered a new phase, necessitating changes in managerial conditions of VKS. The success and limitations of VKS were intricately related to the nature of its parent company, Kyoei Steel, as a medium-sized electric arc furnace company. VKS’s success was supported by the amalgamation of the owning family’s leadership acumen, organizational competencies, and the firm’s superior technological and capital mobilization capabilities for construction of a rolling factory. However, VKS’s success was constrained by the limited inimitability of its technological edge and the limited financial capacity of its parent company. Future research should investigate how Kyoei Steel and VKS have responded to Vietnam’s evolving competitive environment since the 2000s.

Rice consumption has been growing in Ghana due to the change in lifestyle and income increase, but domestic production does not satisfy Ghanaian demand in terms of its amount and quality. As results, rice import from Asian region has been increasing to fill the gap, middle- and high-income consumer show their preference to those imported rice due to its better quality and taste. Oppositely, quality and taste of domestic rice has not improved well despite the fact that production amount has strengthened by the assistance such as JICA in recent decades. Accordingly, domestic rice is not suitable for steamed/boiled cook, this study recommends to produce rice flour for the better use of domestic rice, in combination with dissemination of rice noodle to increase the value-added.

Thus, in this study, feasibility of disseminating rice noodle in Ghana is reconfirmed as a main purpose of the research. As methodologies, analyses on current rice production and noodle market are reviewed, and those are followed by the experimental survey in the site, which will figure out consumer’s preference on rice noodle. To accelerate the dissemination, convenient cooking method is demonstrated by referring traditional cooking method in Vietnam, manualized method is adopted to realize the experimental survey in Ghana. For the experiment, two sites in Accra are selected to guarantee representativeness of data, one is in the city central and the other is in the agricultural village, tasting survey are carried out to enhance detailed preferences.

As results of this study, there is a feasibility to proceed rice flour production to conquer weak points of domestic rice. And Ghanaian consumer is capable to accept rice noodle throughout the experience of having “Indomie” from Indonesia around two decades. Conservative attitude on noodle taste and soupless style as a consequence of tasting survey, but preference on noodle taste made by short-grain rice was remarkable, Male-segment and Under 35-segment was significant on it.

Most of the previous studies on emerging markets focused on prices to clarify the difference between emerging markets compared to developed markets and appealed the large scale of emerging markets. In contrast, this paper explained the diversity of demand and competitive behavior in emerging markets by examining the dynamics of the Indian motorcycle market and competitive behavior there.

First, as a characteristic of demand in emerging markets, this paper also confirmed the size of volume zones based on price criteria, as previous studies have shown. As for competitive behavior in emerging markets, this paper showed that in the Indian motorcycle market, the main focus of competition was price, but competition among segments typified by product characteristics, and competition within such segments continued to occur consistently since the formation of the industry. As previous studies have pointed out, emerging markets have experienced rapid growth since the 2000s, based on competition from new entrants and competitors that have existed since the 20th century and the resulting innovations.

Based on the above, this paper argued that the severe competition in the volume zones of emerging economies was caused by the promotion of new entrants and exits, homogeneous behavior such as the simultaneous achievement of low prices and quality（environmental regulations）, differentiation behavior such as segmentation within different segments and segments, the occurrence of repeated patterns of homogeneous and differentiated behavior, the expansion of markets through these factors, the development of exports, and the growth of the market. The results of this study revealed that these factors led to the expansion of markets and exports. The implications of this paper will facilitate understanding of emerging markets and contribute to strategic research and international business research.

FY2022 can be said to be the first year of economic security, with the Economic Security Promotion Act being enacted. Since the second fiscal year on economic security, the US-China confrontation has become more acute, with sensitive areas expanding to areas that do not conflict with Made in China 2025, and non-sensitive areas expanding to areas that do not conflict with business and human rights. Japanese companies are required to have even greater risk management capabilities related to Asian supply chains. In this environment, the Global South, such as ASEAN and India, is attracting attention as a new destination for derisking China. Furthermore, developed countries such as the United States are also attracting attention. This is because developed countries, inspired by China, are becoming more proactive in attracting companies through financial support through large-scale subsidies. If the US-China confrontation is likely to be prolonged, it would be a good idea to expand production capacity by temporarily increasing capital investment costs by investing in the Global South or developed countries. In addition, returning to Japan is also an option, but in that case, it is desirable to have products for the Japanese domestic market, and if it is a global product, it is necessary to be careful, but in doing so, it is important to promote economic security. It will be a tailwind.

During the 21st century, the global automotive industry witnessed the rise of emerging nations adjacent to the Triad Regions. Understanding this industry’s evolution entails examining whether each emerging region’s ascent triggers specific regime changes, influenced by internal growth dynamics. This paper focuses on three key factors: technology diffusion via Foreign Direct Investment（FDI）, governmental roles, and consumption patterns, shaping developing nations’ automotive sectors, and aims to pinpoint essential factors for analysis by reorganizing historical data, categorizing the varied dynamics observed in emerging countries’ automotive development. Countries like Mexico, Brazil, and Thailand, which embraced early economic liberalization and received significant FDI, not only contributed to the advanced country automotive industry but also expanded their global production networks. Conversely, China achieved sustainable catch-up by swiftly executing policies and innovating institutions, fostering domestic company growth and market emergence. In contrast, Russia and India’s catch-up processes remain incomplete due to constraints posed by market demand structures and government policies.

This study analyzes caste-based social exclusion and poverty using primary data collected from 448 households in Bheri municipality, Jajarkot district, Nepal, supplemented by secondary data from 34 companies listed on the Nepal Stock Exchange（NEPSE）. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and econometric models such as the chi-square test, t-test, and binary logistic regression analysis. The study reveals that low-caste people are facing discrimination and social exclusion in accessing quality education and the labor market. These factors negatively affect their livelihoods, resulting in low-quality education, an income gap between upper and lower castes, and overall income inequality. These negative impacts contribute to consumption-based national poverty for low-caste and marginalized households in rural Nepal. Being low caste increases the probability of being poor by 1.533 times, which is statistically significant in less than 5%. Engagement in daily-based labor for their primary income sources will increase those households’ likelihood of being poor by 3.65 times compared to other sources of income, with a significance level of less than 1%. Moreover, having more dependent family members in households and engaging in subsistence farming also significantly contributes to falling into poverty. To enhance the livelihoods of low-caste and marginalized households, the government should prioritize combating poverty by increasing community engagement programs, ensuring equal access to the labor market, and quality education for these communities. Furthermore, private companies should also prioritize combating poverty through providing start-up business funds, job opportunity, and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

This research observes the process of corporate strategy formulation and capability accumulation in China’s currently booming electric vehicle（EV）market from the perspective of the business ecosystem. China’s automobile exports surpassed Japan for the first time in 2023 and became the world’s top one. The number of automobiles exported by China was 4.91 million units, an increase of 58% compared to 2022, exceeding the 4.42 million units exported from Japan during the same period（up 16% compared to 2022）. China’s exports are driven by new energy vehicles（NEV）, mainly EVs, and the number of NEVs exported increased by 80% in 2023 compared to 2022. A symbol of China’s rise is BYD, China’s largest company, which overtook US Tesla for the first time in EV sales between October and December 2023. BYD’s annual sales in 2023 exceeded 3 million units, and it led the world in NEV sales for two years. Meanwhile, the number of batteries installed in vehicles worldwide in 2023 was 705.5 gigawatt hours, an increase of 38.6% from the previous year. At the same time, the installed capacity of CATL, a major Chinese automotive battery manufacturer, increased by 40.8% to 259.7 gigawatt hours, with a market share of 36.8%, ranking first in the world for the seventh consecutive year. In 2023, the combined market share of CATL（first ranking）and BYD（second ranking）exceeded 50% in terms of the amount of batteries installed in vehicles worldwide. Under such circumstances, worldwide automotive manufacturers are increasing their technological collaborations with BYD and CATL’s EV technology and vehicle batteries. Based on the above recognition, this research has examined the establishment of competitive advantage of BYD and CATL, with their formulation of platforms for EVs and vehicle batteries, and the development of their platform strategies from the perspective of the business ecosystem. I would like to clarify the issue of interest.

Takeo Shigemitsu（Gyuk-Ho Shin）moved to Japan during the war and founded Lotte Co. in 1947. Lotte has developed into a general confectionery manufacturer in Japan. Two years after the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and Korea, he founded Lotte Confectionery in South Korea in 1967 and grew it into what is now the fifth largest “chaebol” in Korea. There were many first-generation Korean entrepreneurs living in Japan, like Shigemitsu who moved to Japan and started business activities. However, no entrepreneur like Shigemitsu had ever succeeded in both Japan and Korea. The reasons for this are the following four points.

First, Shigemitsu had the characteristics of the entrepreneur, which Schumpeter has mentioned, such as “innovation” and “creative destruction”, which Shigemitsu took to win the fierce gum competition without knowing anything. Second, was during the period when Shigemitsu was slow to enter the Korean market. I believe that Shigemitsu, who was calmly observing business management, was waiting for the timing to enter the Korean market. Third, it is the presence of Chang-Soon Yoo, who was appointed the chairman when Lotte Confectionery in Korea was established. For Shigemitsu, there were various problems in the process of founding Lotte Korea. Yoo’s presence was extremely valuable because he reduced the risk of such problems and supported Shigemitsu in various ways in the new market of Korea. And fourth, Lotte’s corporate development is different in both Japan and Korea. While Shigemitsu, consistently developed Lotte as a general confectionery manufacturer in Japan, the path to founding Lotte in Korea had a different start than Shigemitsu had originally envisioned since he there was come connections with Korean government. However, as mentioned above, although the business management was unplanned, one of the reasons for its success lies in Shigemitsu's unique characteristics that allowed Lotte to develop significantly.

This study investigates how foreign-founded companies impact Japan’s tech startup scene. To achieve this, the study analyzes data on startups across three areas: active startups, changes over time, and new foreign entrants.

With limited research in this area, the study aims to fill gaps by revealing trends in Japan’s tech startup world. Specifically, the research explores aspects like location, funding stages, founding years, industries, and investments by both local and foreign founders. The paper outlines the methods used to collect and analyze data and presents a statistical typology focusing on trends among foreign-led tech startups in Japan. The conclusion highlights the main findings, laying the groundwork for further discussions. While offering valuable insights, it suggests the need for more research on foreign tech startups in Japan for a deeper understanding.

This case study examines an Indian manufacturing company in the metalworking industry, which has achieved significant growth since the economic liberalization in 1991. The company was once a small factory established by a young college student and is now the leading firm for cylinder block manufacturing for commercial vehicles in India. The study investigates the rapid growth process of the firm to identify the critical factors and their dynamic interaction for the growth. It is found that their competitiveness lies in “the unique business model” that enables the production line available for customers in a very short lead-time. This core competence stems from the high-end manufacturing engineering acquired through the technology transfer from the foreign manufacturing firms. Using the analytical framework based on “The Theory of the Growth of the Firm” by Edith T. Penrose（1995）, the study reveals the growth of the company was driven by diversification to multiple business segments, dynamic investment by the faith of the chairperson, penetration into interstices of the growing Indian market, and effective deployment of the enhanced service capability of the management.

The research theme of this paper is to clarify what kind of value chain exists in the automobile industry from the time of new car sales to the time of scrapping, and what kind of competitive relationship exists between automaker-affiliated and non-automaker players in the market. At the same time, while clarifying the Japanese makers strategy in Japan through previous studies, we focus on China and Indonesia, which have the largest markets in Asia, and analyze the impact of CASE on market changes to clarify the trends and points of change in the aftersales market.

To summarize my conclusions, I found that automakers, such as Toyota Group, are expanding their business from new car sales to ownership business in the Asia and China, too. The value chain business may expand to include not only conventional services（parts + labor）, accessories, auto-loans, auto-insurance, and used car sales, but also services for customers of used car sales and recycling business. There is also a movement to use a second brand and a second channel for customers who have left 3S shops and used car sales to gain control of these customers and turn them into a profitable business. However, it is not necessarily a successful business. On the other hand, there is also an effort to provide services that only manufacturers can provide by utilizing connected systems. In the BEV service field, new services such as battery leasing and battery replacement are emerging, unlike conventional gasoline vehicles, and value creation at the time of scrapping and dismantling is also becoming important.