Association and Adjustment in Japan's Textile Industry

JAPAN successfully met the challenge of industrialization in the twentieth century. Japan will face the challenge of restructuring industry in the twenty-first century. Textile manufacture stood in the forefront ofJapan's early industries at the turn of the century. The same industry was among the first to face decline more recently. Reducing capacity in the spinning sector has long been a goal of efforts by state and firm to streamline and upgrade production. The larger firms (ote kaisha) or cooperated in efforts to reduce or at best maintain spinning capacity, and to diversify investment out of textile production. Consistent sales and profits among most of the moguls over the past decade suggest a relatively successful experience of industrial restructuring. ' But moguls are only a part of this story. As mogul firms fell in line with an industry policy of adjustment, maverick firms moved in the opposite direction. When the mogul firms reduced capacity, the mavericks added capacity. One result of three decades of planned adjustment (1956-1983) is a new ranking of top spinners, with mavericks such as Tsuzuki, Kondo, Nisshinbo and Omi Kenshi moving up the ladder as mogul firms moved down.2 One of the difficulties of adjustment in textile production is the variety of market alternatives. Firms with capital-intensive and energy-efficient

Archaeology · Association (psychology) · Business · Textile · Textile industry · Business Strategy and Innovation · Global trade and economics · Global trade, sustainability, and social impact · History · Psychology

• Corporatism and Cooperation among Japanese Labor

  Dennis L Mcnamara, Dennis Mcnamara•Comparative Politics•1996

  Add to list