Production Networks in Asia and Europe (PDF)

Japanese automobiles dominate the Southeast Asian car market and, although European automobile policies have for a long time been highly discriminatory towards Japanese imports, their production methods have been quickly implemented by European makers and suppliers. This book explains the various influences of the Japanese automobile industry on industrial development in both Southeast Asia and Europe.

In Part I, contributors examine industrial organization and policy issues in Thailand, Malaysia, The Philippines and Indonesia, looking at Japanese investment and the relative policy successes and failures in these host countries. Part II looks at skill formation systems in the Japanese dominated automobile industry in Southeast Asia and in part III the authors focus on the EU and the very different influence of Japanese investment. In particular this volume explores:
· How to measure influences on the industrial development process e.g. human capital, rates of technology transfer, borrowing of Japanese systems
· The increased localization of car production in Southeast Asia
· The adaptability of Japanese industrial organization
· The specific production methods European makers have adopted e.g. Just-in-time delivery and lean production systems.

These highly original discussions suggest that Japanese assemblers by no means stick to restricted business relations with their traditional suppliers but are more open to cooperation with non-Japanese firms. Both Japanese and European workers in the automobile industry will find this an enlightening read as will those with research interests in Asian Business.