INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS OF THE JAPANESE AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY

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The primary objective of this research was to empirically investigate the present status and future potential of the Japanese aircraft industry in comparison with other industries, including the automotive industry.On this academic basis and the subsequent development of the research plan, extensive field visits and interviews were conducted, and primary data were gathered. Among the interviewees were government officials, officers of industry associations, managers and engineers from airline companies, aircraft manufacturers, and major aircraft component suppliers. Raw data collected from the field were reshuffled and compiled, and thousands of index cards were produced. From these activities, the past, present and future of the Japanese aircraft industry as well as its problems concerning international competitiveness were captured.The principal finding of the research is that the increasing complexity of the market makes it necessary for each firm to be committed to the emergent forms of interfirm collaboration such as task-force-based outsourcing and strategic alliances. In the spirit of symbiosis and co-creation, moreover, industrial partners are increasingly required to make and abide by clear risk-sharing and profit-sharing rules. As detailed in the Research Report, the results of the study have been extensively published and presented on many international occasions, stimulating thought-provoking discussions. Furthermore, the outcome of this essentially empirical research has more than unexpectedly guided the researcher toward the theoretical field of interorganizational relations, indicating further development and direction of the present study.