Japanese Electronics Industry Research Articles

An effective two phase heuristic for synchronized seru production scheduling and 3PL transportation problems

This paper concerns with synchronized seru production scheduling and transportation problems, in which seru is a new production mode deriving from Japanese electronic assembly industry. In order to realize fast response in seru production system (SPS) according to the just-in-time principle, the decision of seru production scheduling and transportation is considered synchronously. Without loss of generality, the transportation works are assumed to be in charge by a third-party logistics (3PL) company. The intractability of synchronized seru production scheduling and 3PL transportation problem is confirmed by analyzing the properties, and the upper and lower bounds of makespan are provided along with developing the linear program compress model. Accordingly, an effective two phase heuristic algorithm is designed, in which the first phase uses three moves and two swaps to obtain a locally optimal permutation, and the second phase employs the shortest path algorithm based on 4-opt strategy to form the optimal synchronized schedule. Finally, computational experiments are conducted to demonstrate the efficiency of proposed two phase heuristic algorithm, and empirical observations are also reported.

A column generation-based exact solution method for seru scheduling problems

This paper attempts to address production scheduling problems in seru production systems (SPS), which is a new-type manufacturing system emanating from Japanese electronic assembly industry. As a typical parallel production system, SPS has high efficiency, good flexibility, and rapid responsiveness, which are achieved by reconfiguring serus, increasing, or decreasing workers to adjust the output in practical volatile markets. The seru scheduling problem in this paper is formulated as an integer programming (IP) model to minimize the total weighted completion time (TWCT). Then, by employing the Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition, the proposed IP model is reformulated into a set partitioning problem with a master problem and several subproblems. A branch-and-bound (B&B) algorithm is designed, and each node in a B&B tree is a linear relaxation problem (LRP) of the set partitioning problem. The LRP is solved by a column generation approach, in which each column is generated to represent a schedule of the seru in SPS based on solving the subproblems. Computational experiments are conducted, and the results indicate that the proposed column generation-based exact solution method is promising in solving the seru scheduling problem effectively.

Logic-based Benders decomposition method for the seru scheduling problem with sequence-dependent setup time and DeJong’s learning effect

This paper concentrates on the scheduling problem in seru production system (SPS), where seru is a successful new-type production mode arising from the Japanese labor-intensive electronic assembly industry. Motivated by the practical situations, the sequence-dependent setup time and DeJong’s learning effect are considered in seru scheduling problems, and the objective is to minimize the makespan. The seru scheduling problem is formulated as a mixed-integer programming (MIP), and then reformulated to a set partitioning master problem and some independent subproblems by employing the logic-based Benders decomposition (LBBD) method. Subsequently, the set partitioning master problem is used to assign jobs to serus of SPS, and the subproblems are applied to find the optimal schedules in each seru given the assignment of the master problem. Finally, computational studies are made, and results indicate that the LBBD method is able to return high-quality schedules for solving seru scheduling problems.

What We Learn from the Decline of Japanese Electronics Industry

What We Learn from the Decline of Japanese Electronics Industry

Review of seru production

Seru production is regarded as a new production mode and derived from the production site of Japanese electronics industry. This production mode is proposed to overcome the low flexibility of the assembly line. Seru production has been successfully implemented in Japanese electronics industry, such as Canon and Sony. Benefits from Seru production include rapid response, good flexibility, and high productivity. Seru production has received extensive attention in academic research and production practice. This study reviews the background, characteristics, types, and operation of seru production. The advantages and applicable scenes of seru production are summarized from the perspective of business practice. We compare seru production and famous production modes, i.e., assembly line, cellular manufacturing, and Toyota Production System. The literature on seru production is surveyed and classified. Furthermore, future research directions are provided.

Technological Innovation and Brand Management: The Japanese Watch Industry since the 1990s

ABSTRACTThis article discusses the transformation of the Japanese consumer electronics industry since the late 1990s. Based on an analysis of the three largest watch companies (Seiko, Citizen, and Casio), it demonstrates that these firms shifted from technology-driven management to a new model focused on marketing (brand management and distribution) and upper-positioning targeting. The change has been only partial, however, as technological innovation remains the basis of branding and product development. This case study thus contributes to the discourse on the transformation of Japanese manufacturing.

How Is Design Thinking Applied at R & D Stage in the Japanese Electronics Industry?

This paper clarifies how design thinking is applied at the research and development stage in the Japanese electronics industry through the Survey on Research Activities of Private Firms by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Specifically, three questions are explored. Firstly, to what extent are the companies utilizing design thinking at the research and development stage? Secondly, which aspects of design thinking are they focusing on? Thirdly, is there a difference in how design thinking is used in different product fields? The paper concludes that the utilization degree of design thinking is generally not so high. Especially, designer’s role of opinion adjustment by taking advantage of their visualization ability is hardly utilized. In addition, there is a difference in the usage of design thinking based on different product field. Especially, in the electronic parts and devices industry, consciousness to utilize design thinking is relatively high. On the contrary, in precision machinery industry, the priority of design thinking in the use of designers is relatively low.

Japanese Electronic Circuit Board Industry Current State and Outlook

Japanese Electronic Circuit Board Industry Current State and Outlook

Considerations for avoiding commoditisation in the automotive industry - analysis of factors that enhance customisation

The automotive industry has been achieving profits by creating new value through innovations while the Japanese consumer electronic industry has been suffering from low profitability due to commoditisation. To analyse the factors helping the automotive industry avoid commoditisation, this study focuses on optional parts sales as a means to provide new customer value. It conducts customer surveys to analyse customisation and the effectiveness of directly managed stores' explanations of such value. The results suggest that customers favour customisation, and that directly managed store explanations encourage a performance-oriented customer mind-set, resulting in price increases. Thus, a mechanism is established in the automotive industry where the value created is explained to customers. This mechanism then contributes to price increases. From this, there are implications on ways to avoid commoditisation: 1) create new customer value; 2) enhance customisation to provide new value; 3) establish a value communication mechanism that encourages a performance-oriented mind-set.

A Study on Competitive Advantage of Specialized Supplier in Japanese Electronic Parts Industry

A Study on Competitive Advantage of Specialized Supplier in Japanese Electronic Parts Industry

Considerations for avoiding commoditisation in the automotive industry - analysis of factors that enhance customisation

The automotive industry has been achieving profits by creating new value through innovations while the Japanese consumer electronic industry has been suffering from low profitability due to commoditisation. To analyse the factors helping the automotive industry avoid commoditisation, this study focuses on optional parts sales as a means to provide new customer value. It conducts customer surveys to analyse customisation and the effectiveness of directly managed stores' explanations of such value. The results suggest that customers favour customisation, and that directly managed store explanations encourage a performance-oriented customer mind-set, resulting in price increases. Thus, a mechanism is established in the automotive industry where the value created is explained to customers. This mechanism then contributes to price increases. From this, there are implications on ways to avoid commoditisation: 1) create new customer value; 2) enhance customisation to provide new value; 3) establish a value communication mechanism that encourages a performance-oriented mind-set.

Business groups, networks, and embeddedness: innovation and implementation alliances in Japanese electronics, 1985–1998

This paper examines the changing process of strategic alliance formation in the Japanese electronics industry between 1985 and 1998. With data on 123-135 Japanese electronics/electrical machinery makers, we use a dyad panel regression methodology to address a series of hypotheses drawn largely from embeddedness theory on how the firms’ horizontal and vertical keiretsu business group affiliations and prior alliance networks supported and constrained partner choice in new RD the “preburst” period) keiretsu served as infrastructure or platform for new strategic alliances that had both innovation and implementation goals. In the second half of our series (1992-98, the “postbubble” period) the keiretsu effects on innovation alliance formation were gone, but the groups’ role in nonR&D or implementation alliances, the purpose of which was often cost reduction, had expanded. Our results suggest that Japanese electronics firms over this interval of time adapted rationally to the heightened uncertainty and stringency of the Japanese domestic economic environment by searching outside their preexisting networks for innovation alliances while at the same time exploiting those networks for implementation alliances addressed to cost-reduction and other operational aims. The study speaks to embeddedness theory in showing that economic actors are not deterministically constrained by business group or other preexisting network ties but may in rational fashion exploit or abandon those ties with an eye to advancing corporate and alliance goals.

The Cause of the Weakening International Competitiveness of the Japanese Electronics Industry

The Cause of the Weakening International Competitiveness of the Japanese Electronics Industry

Effects of Business and Technology Diversification on Performance: Evidence from Japanese Electronic Equipment Industry

Effects of Business and Technology Diversification on Performance: Evidence from Japanese Electronic Equipment Industry

日本の電子業界を巻き込む技術流出

日本の電子業界を巻き込む技術流出

Competitiveness of Japanese Electric and Electronics Factories

Abstract: This study employs data collected from a questionnaire survey of 97 business operations (factories) in Japan's electric and electronics industry to measure gemba-level and market-level competitiveness based on the framework of Fujimoto (2003). In addition, the employment situations within these sites were surveyed. The results of these surveys revealed that, as strengths of the electric industry gemba in Japan, 1) these gemba are superior in all metrics of competitiveness except for manufacturing cost, relative to overseas sites in the same companies; and 2) the high level of responsiveness to customers is the major source of market-level competitiveness. Nevertheless, the primary issue faced by these gemba is the skewed age composition of the full-time employees. There are few workers to carry forward necessary skills into future, and the labor costs of the veteran workers are increasing. Japan's manufacturing gemba must develop manufacturing competencies and improve design and development capabilities, in addition to nurturing younger personnel, to gain and sustain competitive advantage.Keywords: competitiveness, Japanese electric and electronics industry, factory management, strategic management, human resource managementIntroductionThis study employs data collected from a questionnaire survey of Japanese electric and electronics industry to measure the competitiveness of Japanese factories. Existing studies on automobile industry have examined the relations among performance, strategies, and manufacturing or RD Fujimoto, 2012; Holweg & Pil, 2004; MacDuffie, Sethuraman, & Fisher, 1996; Womack, Jones, & Roos, 1990). On the other hand, few studies have measured the competitiveness of the manufacturing gemba in Japanese electric and electronics industry. During the past few decades, Japanese electric and electronics companies have been struggling to compete against lower-priced rivals from South Korea and China. Certainly, some companies have lost international market share, but other companies have maintained competitiveness. Thus, this industry is an appropriate research object to investigate what factors are critical for manufacturing organizations to maintain competitiveness.This study used the framework of Fujimoto (2003) to measure the competitiveness of factories (business divisions). When measuring competitiveness, the types of metrics used are very important. Corporate competitiveness comprises the competitiveness of the various business divisions. Moreover, competitiveness is not merely a function of organizations, but it is impacted by, for example, environmental changes such as the fluctuating yen. Fujimoto (2003) proposed three layers of competitive performance: profit performance of a firm, market performance of a product, and productive performance of a manufacturing site (gemba). In addition, he considered that organisational capability supports productive performance. As this framework focuses on stable performance depending little on the macroeconomic changes, this study adopts it as a framework. In this framework, market performance directly influences profit performance (e.g., sales, profit, and stock prices) as providing compelling products and services to customers is a source of corporate earnings. Market performance is measured by metrics such as price, performance, timely delivery, and brands, and it results from productive performance. Productive performance is measured by the metrics of productivity, cost, production lead times, development lead times, and research productivity. Furthermore, productive performance results from organizational capabilities.In general, market performance is used as a metric of competitiveness, and productive performance is used only rarely. In many industries, competition is based on the metrics of market performance. However, Fujimoto (2003) indicated that Japanese automakers compete on the basis of productive performance and their manufacturing organizational capabilities. …

R&D Overview of 3D Integration Technology Using TSV in Japan

The electronic industry which towed Japanese industry is making a desperate effort for the second prosperity. The past several years a decline of Japanese electronic industry, especially semiconductor industry is severe and must come back again.3D Integration Technology using Thorough Si Via (TSV) is expected as the engine for strengthening of global competitiveness. This technology, as a core technology of More than Moore, that importance has been recognized and development has been performed all over the world. However, full-scale volume production is not started yet, since killer applications which can accept the higher cost are not found. But the adoption to High band memory such as HMC, HBM, Wide/IO SDR, NAND memory, FPGA products, Logic+ Memory, CIS and so on including 3D and 2.5D will be expected in the near future.In this presentation, the history of R&D of 3D Integration Technology using TSV in the world and the latest R&D are overviewed. Then, R&D results of Japanese national R&D project "Development on Functionally Innovative 3D-Integrated Circuit (Dream Chip)” which had been conducted through FY2008 to FY2012 is introduced. These consisted of six following subjects which lead to volume production were developed.-Thermal Management & Chip Stacking Technology-Thin Wafer Technology-Ultra-wide Bus SiP 3D Integration Technology-Digital-Analog 3D Integration Technology Heterogeneous 3D Integration Technology-3D-Integration Basic TechnologyMoreover, is explained the outline of "Next Generation Smart Device Project" newly started by the schedule of from FY2013 to FY2017. These are development of the key device of the system for grasping the circumference information on a car and realizing safe driving support.-In-vehicle obstacle sensing device-Obstacle detection and a risk cognition application-processor

Strategic Flexibility in Exploiting Economies of Scope on 70-30 Principle: A Case Study of Japanese Electronics Industry

The tripod consisting of the USA, EU, and Japan has advanced to the matured market economy from the growing market economy. In the growing market economy, the economies of scale prevail. In contrast, in the matured market economy, consumers are interested in acquiring goods and services to fit their particular needs, demanding a variety of products and services in small quantities. Accordingly, the advantage of the economies of scale tends to diminish. In order to overcome this difficulty, the authors claim that the 70–30 principle becomes extremely important, where products and services for separate segmented submarkets are designed 70 % in common with the remaining 30 % for customization. The purpose of this chapter is to identify the emerging trend of the 70–30 principle in Japan and to examine its effectiveness for strategic flexibility and business agility.

Innovation vs Implementation Alliances:Embeddedness and Partner Choice during Economic Uncertainty

This paper examines the different logics of strategic alliance formation in the Japanese electronics industry between 1985 and 1998. With data on 137 Japanese electronics/electrical machinery makers, we use discrete event history analysis to address a series of hypotheses drawn largely from embeddedness theory on how the firms’ horizontal and vertical keiretsu business group affiliations and prior alliance networks supported and constrained partner choice in new RD the “preburst” period) keiretsu served as infrastructure or platform for new strategic alliances that had both innovation and implementation goals. In the second half of our series (1992-98, the “postbubble” period) the keiretsu effects on innovation alliance formation were gone, but the groups’ role in nonR&D or implementation alliances, the purpose of which was often cost reduction, had expanded. Our results suggest that Japane...

Small and medium enterprises as pioneers in the expansion of global production networks: A case study of the Japanese electronics industry in Guangdong, China

Japan has been the largest source country of foreign direct investment (FDI) in China, excluding overseas Chinese territories and tax havens. However, Japan's large-scale but relatively closed production networks have received little discussion in previous research. Two peaks in Japanese investment can be distinguished: the first led by the electronics industry in the mid-1990s and the second by the automotive industry after 2003. Cross-border production network building in the electronics industry is quite different from the scenarios of conventional global production networks (GPN) theory, where leading firms dominate the building of global production networks. In this paper, I demonstrate that in the development of the electronics industry, the institutional advantage small and medium enterprises have of knowing how to operate production bases in Southern China has enabled them to guide leading firms in building cross-border production networks.