This paper examines empirically the relationships between the “Big Two" US automobile companies Ford and General Motors (GM) and US tire manufacturers before the World War II, mainly using the primary historical records of the Ford Motor Company and Goodyear Rubber and Tire Company.

The previous studies on Japanese “supplier system" emphasize the Japanese specialty, the organizational interfirm relationship, primarily based on research on the dealings between big automobile companies and their small part affiliates. However, the “supplier system" also includes a lot of dealings between automobile companies and big independent part companies, of which the tire business is a classic example. Moreover, it is highly probable that intermediary products including tires were transacted through long-term contracts on a negotiation basis, particularly where dominated by a small number of producers.

As such, long-term contracts on a negotiation basis were highly likely to have been not just a Japanese phenomenon but a global phenomenon, so an international comparative analysis is vital. As a preliminary study for a comparative analysis of historical Japanese and US business dealings, this paper analyzes the dealings of US tire manufacturers before World War Ⅱ.

This analysis finds that the organizational principle was a strong factor in tire transactions between the big two automakers, and big tire manufactures. Systematic business relationships among companies, which have been seen as a unique characteristic of Japan, were also a frequent feature of the prewar US tire industry.

On the other hand, underlying the secretive long-term contracts on a negotiation basis, market forces and market principles were hard at work. Moreover, the dealings between Ford and Firestone and between GM and US Rubber were phenomena that included both organizational and market aspects.

With the development of social media, companies have been focusing on managing the brand community and forming relationships with consumers. This research looks at how the consumer evaluates and responds to the information provided by the company on its Facebook Page, what kind of factors influence identification with the Facebook Page, and why interaction, trust, and commitment are enhanced. Interaction, trust, and commitment are set as the factors in building relationships. The findings of the empirical analysis are as follows:

An affective attitude, personal benefits and social benefits positively influence the level of satisfaction with the Facebook Page. However, a cognitive attitude has no significant effect.

Cognitive identification and identification through shared values/objectives are encouraged by social benefits and satisfaction. Cognitive identification also has a positive effect on identification through shared values/objectives.

Interaction is positively influenced by cognitive identification and identification through shared values/objectives.

Trust is not directly influenced by cognitive identification, but it is strongly influenced by identification through shared values/objectives.

Interaction influences commitment more strongly than trust.

Continuance/recommendation intention is positively influenced by interaction, trust, and commitment.

In this paper, we quantitatively analyze the relationship between the technical diversity of research and development (R&D) staff and R&D innovation. This analysis reveals the unique traits of Japanese and Western staffs. In addition, we investigate the influence of staff expertise diversity on research effectiveness as individual researchers and as project team members, to clarify the kind of technical expertise required of staffs in the complex process of technology integration. Our results show that, in both Japanese and Western R&D organizations, diversity of information sources is important for individual R&D achievements, while breadth of technical knowledge is important for producing R&D results as a project member. On the other hand, in Japan, broad knowledge and experience are important for both personal and project performance. Furthermore, it was confirmed that in Japan, communication skills are important for project performance. Our results indicate that R&D staff appropriately integrate diverse kinds of expertise as required by their respective objectives to achieve innovative results.

This research note is the case study about the logistics cluster in Chengdu, China. In addition to a detailed description of the construction of the railway container center station, construction of logistics parks, government incentives to promote the logistics industry, and the creation and establishment of core transportation services, the study considers the logistics services provided by the companies present in the logistics parks. Another focus of the note is a unique feature of the logistics cluster in Chengdu, the inclusion of a commercial sub-cluster within it. The effects of features like this on the development of the logistics cluster are also considered in this research note.

1082 universities from 50 countries participated in the GUESSS 2016 survey of student entrepreneurial spirit. The global survey produced a total of 122,509 valid responses. In Japan, 24 universities and graduate schools participated, producing a total of 1490 valid responses.

Comparing results from all participating countries with those from Japan, we find that when asked about career preferences immediately after and five years after graduation, a higher proportion of students in Japan hope to be employed (80.4% just after graduation, 61.0% after five years). In the all countries total sample, 38.2% hope to become entrepreneurs after five years; in Japan only 8.8% share this aspiration. Nascent entrepreneurs preparing to launch businesses account for 21.9% of the total sample. But in Japan this figure is only 12.8%. In the total sample, 8.8% have already started businesses, while in Japan this figure is a low 1.3%.

Elsewhere the question is intention to start a business or self-assessment of personal skills related to starting a business, Japanese students score lower than their peers from other countries.

Correlation analysis of factors affecting students “entrepreneurial intention (desire to start a new business)” reveals a direct positive correlation between “entrepreneurial intention” and “university climate” that promotes entrepreneurship. And “Courses and offerings” correlates to “entrepreneurial intention” via “attitude toward entrepreneurship” and “perceived competence.”