...The Sony Corporation: A Case Study in Transnational Media Management by Richard A. Gershon, Western Michigan University, U.S.A. and Tsutomu Kanayama, Sophia University, Japan The transnational corporation is a nationally based company with overseas operations in two or more countries. What distinguishes the transnational media corporation (TNMC) from other types of TNCs, is that the principle product being sold is information and entertainment. The following paper is a case study analysis of the Sony Corporation; a leading TNMC in the production and sale of consumer electronics, music and film entertainment and videogame technology. There are two main parts to this study. Part I. examines the history and development of the Sony Corporation. It builds on the theoretical work of Schein, (1984, 1983), Morley, Shockley-Zalabak (1991) and Gershon (2002, 1997) who argue that the business strategies and corporate culture of a company are often a direct reflection of the person (or persons) who were responsible for developing the organization and its business mission. Second Part examines the Sony Corporation from the standpoint of business strategy. Special attention is given to the subject of organizational culture and strategic decision-making. A second argu- ment of this paper is that while Sony is a TNMC, the organization is decidedly Japanese in its business values. This is beginning to change in the face of global competition and the need to improve business performance. This...
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...Nikki Lagat Akio Morita (Sony) ADED 302U Even though Akio Morita’s background was in physics, Morita was able to change marketing concepts and was an advocate for brand name identification. Morita was determined to produce high quality products with state of the art technology. With much determination Morita changed Japan’s reputation with technology and put Japan at the forefront of superior quality. Akio Morita was born on January 26, 1921 in Nagoya Japan. His family has been in the sake brewing business for many generations and as the oldest son, Akio next in line to take over. When Morita was young, his father would show him the ways of the business, which meant helping with inventory, going with him to meetings and sometimes would go and test the sake with his dad. Morita was taught to inspect the brewing process, and then take a small sip of sake to get the flavor, and spit it out. (Morita, Reingold & Shimomura, 1986, p13) However, Morita’s interests were not in the family business, instead, he was more interested in electronics and sound. In high school, Morita exceled at physics and his favorite teach, Gakujun Hattori, saw how much potential Morita had and suggested that if he wanted to continue his education and go to college, he should visit a friend of his Tsunesaburo Asada at Osaka Imperial University. Morita accepted Hattori’s suggestion and took a trip to meet with Asada. Shortly after meeting him, Morita had decided he wanted to the University because...
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...ZENITH International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research Vol.2 Issue 3, March 2012, ISSN 2231 5780 A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF BUSINESS STRATEGIES BETWEEN KOREA AND JAPAN: A CASE OF ELECTRONICS ITEMS BETWEEN SAMSUNG AND SONY CHOONG Y. LEE * *Daniel Froes Batata, Ha Sook Kim, Gladys A. Kelce College of Business, Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS 66762, U.S.A. ABSTRACT Sony, one of the world‟s most prominent companies in the electronics industry from Japan, has dominated the markets from all over the world for a long time since 1970s. Over the last decade, however, it has faced challenges to maintain its growth. Although sales levels have been relatively steady over the last decade, its profitability has gone from approximately eight to almost zero percent in 2009. Concomitantly, Samsung Electronics from Korea has successfully overcome the challenges presented in the global market. During the same period, its sales have increased over 600 percent and its profitability in 2009 was over ten percent. Additionally, the company has gained prestige in the minds of consumers and enjoys a privileged position in the electronics industry from all over the world. This paper discusses the reasons why the companies have had different performances in the markets and examines their challenges for the future. KEYWORDS: Comparative Study, Business Strategies, Electronics Industry, Korea, Japan. ______________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION...
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...Journal of Economic Geography Advance Access published June 22, 2005 Journal of Economic Geography (2005) Page 1 of 30 doi:10.1093/jeg/lbi001 Video games production networks: value capture, power relations and embeddedness Jennifer Johns* Abstract This paper has two main aims. Firstly to conceptualize the production networks of the video games industry through an examination of its evolution into a multi-million dollar industry. Secondly, to use the video games industry to demonstrate the utility of Global Production Network approaches to understanding the geographically uneven impacts of globalization processes. In particular, three key notions of value, power and embeddedness are used to reveal the most powerful actors in the production network, how they maintain and exercise their power, and how the organization of production is manipulated as a result. It is argued that while hardware production is organized by console manufacturers using truly global sourcing strategies, the production of software is far more complex. In fact, software production networks are bounded within three major economic regions: Western Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. This paper seeks to explain how and why this has occurred. Keywords: video games, global production networks, value, power, embeddedness JEL classifications: L14, L23, L82 Date submitted: 4 October 2004 Date accepted: 12 April 2005 1. Introduction The video games industry1 was born during the early 1960s and has rapidly...
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...Global and Transnational Business: Strategy and Management Second Edition Global and Transnational Business: Strategy and Management Second Edition George Stonehouse Northumbria University David Campbell University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne Jim Hamill University of Strathclyde Tony Purdie Northumbria University Copyright # 2004 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 8SQ, England Telephone (þ44) 1243 779777 Email (for orders and customer service enquiries): cs-books@wiley.co.uk Visit our Home Page on www.wileyeurope.com or www.wiley.com All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except under the terms of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4LP, UK, without the permission in writing of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 8SQ, England, or emailed to permreq@wiley.co.uk, or faxed to (þ44) 1243 770620. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold on the understanding that the Publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services...
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...Strategic Management Patricia Murtagh The University of Sunderland © 2014 The University of Sunderland First published January 2014, revised February 2014 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without permission of the copyright owner. While every effort has been made to ensure that references to websites are correct at time of going to press, the world wide web is a constantly changing environment and the University of Sunderland cannot accept any responsibility for any changes to addresses. The University of Sunderland acknowledges product, service and company names referred to in this publication, many of which are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks. All materials internally quality assessed by the University of Sunderland and reviewed by academics external to the University. Instructional design and publishing project management by Wordhouse Ltd, Reading, UK Copyright © 2014 University of Sunderland ii Contents vi Introduction Unit 1 1 2 5 7 Concepts, models and theories 20 Introduction 2.1 A comparison of concepts, models and theories relating to competitive advantage 2.2 An evaluation of concepts, models and theories relating to strategic choice Case Study: Ciba Vision 2.3 Concepts, models and theories relating to strategic evaluation Case Study: The University of Exeter...
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...Chapter 1 expanding abroad: motivations, means, and mentalities Case 1-1 Cameron Auto Parts * Alex Cameron got the family biz when graduated in 2001, when the American economy fell into a recession * History * Auto Pact, big three ship car parts between Canada & US, with tariff free * Cameron focus on small engine parts and auto accessories * Car Sales dropped in 2000, because declining North America and entry of Japanese * High pressure for modernization and cost reduction * Operational survival: cut workforce, overtime, part-time, subcontracting * Recovery and diversification * The short-term future seemed positive, but the popularity of Japanese car forced it to diversify * Working as an OEM Cameron did little to be innovative * Alex brought in a team of designers, concentrating on developing products with a wider ‘non-automotive’ market appeal * The first year no progress, Alex lured away a key engineer from the Canadian firm, and mid-2003, developed its own line of flexible couplings * Marketing the new product * Hired eight field sales representatives, stress product quality, service and speed of delivery, but not price. * Financing plant capacity * Increasing sales of flexible couplings required a new separate plant, but the financial position is not strong enough to support it * Foreign markets * Took a European Patent * A licensing opportunity ...
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...Integrating the Enterprise Vertical "command and control" sabotages organizations that need bottom-up innovation to be competitive. Yet organizational integration is increasingly essential. New research shows how technology is helping cutting-edge companies meet the challenge by integrating horizontally. Sumantra Ghoshal and Lynda Cratton nc ofthe most fundamentiil Lind enduring tensions in all liiit very small companies is between siibunit aulononiy and empowermenl on ihc one hand and overall organizaliontil integnition and cohesion on Lhe other.' The tensions grow with increasing organizational complexity and assume tbe most intensity in large, diversified global companies.^ In our research with such organizations, we have seen ihal it is possible to balance those tensions successtijlly by implementing four kinds of horizontal integration for .ichieving cohesion witboul hierarchy. Over the lasL decade, many large companies around the world focused on creating relatively autonomous subunits and empowered managers by breaking up ihoir organizational behemoths into small, entrepreneurial units. Some, though nol all, achieved significant benefits from such restructnring.-' Freed from bureaucratic ccnlral controls, the empowered units improved both the speed and the quality of responsiveness to market demands — and fostered increased innovation. Companies were able to reduce tbeir corporate-level overbead and make internal-governance processes more disciplined and transparent...
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... Transformation Corporate Transformation Korean Air: Chairman/CEO Yang-Ho Cho’s Radical Transformation A series of fatal accidents, coupled with operational inefficiencies snowballed Korean Air into troubled times. Then, at the beginning of the 21st century, its CEO/ Chairman, Yang-Ho Cho undertook various transformation initiatives - for instance, improving service quality and safety standards, technology integration, upgrading pilot training, better business focus; putting in place a professional management team, improving corporate image through sponsorship marketing, etc. He gave a new corporate direction in the form of '10,10,10' goal. However, Korean Air is held up by a slew of challenges. Among which are inefficiencies of - Chaebol system of management, possible clash of its cargo business with its own shipping company, limited focus on the domestic market and growing competition from LCCs. How would Korean Air manage growth as a family-owned conglomerate? The case offers enriching scope for analysing a family business’s turnaround strategies, with all the legacy costs involved. Pedagogical Objectives • To discuss the (operational) dynamics of Korean Chaebols - their influence/ effects on the country’s industrial sector and the economy as a whole • To analyse how family-owned businesses manage the transition phase - from a supplier-driven economy to a demanddriven economy • To identify all the possible reasons for Korean Air ’s turbulent times and assessing whether...
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...social responsibility (CSR)1 has become a hot topic in boardrooms across the world. Changes in corporate value systems are being driven by pressures from different actors, including governments, consumers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and institutional investors (diagram 1). Multinational corporations (MNCs) have operations spread across the globe, relying on both foreign affiliates and arm’s-length suppliers arrayed along global supply chains, many of which encompass developing countries. What then does the growing CSR movement mean for developing country producers? The chapter addresses this question. Diagram 1 Institutional Investor Tier I Tier II Tie r III NonGovernmental Organization Multinational Corporation Supply Chain, consisting of: Consumer Government CSR has relevance to many facets of a corporation’s operations. Strong CSR policies can help to recruit the right people for the job, keep attrition rates low by promoting a “feel good” quotient, improve corporate image, prepare for future regulation, empower “soft” laws (Vogel, 2005, p.162), appease green customers, and convince institutional investors that the corporation is following sustainable practices that positively impact the bottom line. * Policy Integration and Analysis Branch, Division for Sustainable Development, UNDESA, United Nations, New York. The views expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily coincide with those of the...
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...Managing Human Resources, 14e, Bohlander/Snell - © 2007 Thomson South-Western © STONE/GETTY IMAGES chapter 15 International Human Resources Management After studying this chapter, you should be able to objective Identify the types of organizational forms used for competing internationally. objective 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Identify the unique training needs for international assignees and their employees. objective Explain the economic, politicallegal, and cultural factors in different countries that HR managers need to consider. objective Identify the characteristics of a good international compensation plan. objective Explain how domestic and international HRM differ. objective Reconcile the difficulties of home- and host-country performance appraisals. objective Discuss the staffing process for individuals working internationally. objective Explain how labor relations differ around the world. PART 6 Expanding Human Resources Management Horizons 639 Managing Human Resources, 14e, Bohlander/Snell - © 2007 Thomson South-Western 640 PART 6 Expanding Human Resources Management Horizons W hen you pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV, you’ll notice that stories are constantly being told about companies competing globally. These stories might include mergers of U.S. and international companies, such as Daimler-Benz and Chrysler a few years ago. Or they might highlight companies expanding into other...
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...Professor Roger Palmer, Head of the School of Management, Henley Business School, UK The globalization of companies is the involvement of customers, producers, suppliers, and other stakeholders in the global marketing process. Global marketing therefore reflects the trend of firms selling products and services across many countries. Drawing on an incomparable breadth of international examples, Svend Hollensen not only demonstrates how global marketing works, but also how it relates to real decisions around the world. This book offers a truly global approach with cases and exhibits from all parts of the world, including Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Far East, North and South America. It provides a complete and concentrated overview of the total international marketing planning process, along with many new, up-to-date exhibits and cases, which illustrate the theory by showing practical applications. • Extensive coverage of hot topics such as glocalization, born globals, value creation, value net, celebrity branding, brand piracy, and viral marketing, as well as a comprehensive new section on integrated marketing communication through social networking. • Brand new case studies focus on globally recognized brands and companies operating in a number of countries, including Build-A-Bear Workshop, Hello Kitty, Ralph Lauren and Sony Music Entertainment. • Global Marketing ‘Svend Hollensen writes with real authority and insight having been...
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...PART 1 Introduction CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Global Marketing Case 1-1 The Global Marketplace Is Also Local onsider the following proposition: We live in a global marketplace. McDonald’s restaurants, Sony digital TVs, LEGO toys, Swatch watches, Burberry trench coats, and Caterpillar earthmoving equipment are found practically everywhere on the planet. Global companies are fierce rivals in key markets. For example, American auto industry giants General Motors and Ford are locked in a competitive struggle with Toyota,Hyundai,and other global Asian rivals as well as European companies such as Volkswagen. U.S.based Intel, the world’s largest chip maker, competes with South Korea’s Samsung. In the global cell phone market, Nokia (Finland), Ericsson (Sweden), Motorola (United C States), and Samsung are key players. Appliances from Whirlpool and Electrolux compete for precious retail space with products manufactured and marketed by China’s Haier Group and LG of South Korea. Now consider a second proposition: We live in a world in which markets are local. In China, for example, Yum Brands’ new East Dawning fast-food chain competes with local restaurants such as New Asia Snack.1 France’s domestic film industry generates about 40 percent of local motion picture box office receipts; U.S.-made movies account for about 50 percent. In Turkey, local artists such as Sertab account for more than 80 percent of recorded Exhibit 1-1: England’s Burberry Group celebrated its...
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...om2010 A Research on ―Purchase Pattern of consumers for Consumer Durables along with Preference towards Organized & Unorganized Retail Formats” In Partial fulfillment of MBA Program of Gujarat University (Batch: 2008-2010) Submited By Priyam Mehta (08059) Umesh Lukhi (08052) Submitted To Prof. Praneti Shah N R institute Of Business Management A GRAND PROJECT REPORT ON ―Purchase Pattern of consumers for Consumer Durables along with Preference towards Organized & Unorganized Retail Formats” IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF TWO YEARS MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION PROGRAMME PROJECT GUIDE Prof. Praneti Shah PREPARED BY Mehta Priyam (08059) Umesh Lukhi (08052) BATCH: 2008-10 N.R. Institute of Business Management Preface Before the liberalization of the Indian economy, only a few companies like Kelvinator, Godrej, Alwyn, and Voltas were the major players in the consumer durables market, accounting for no less than 90% of the market. Then, after the liberalization, foreign players like LG, Sony, Samsung, Whirlpool, Daewoo, and Aiwa came into the picture. Today, these players control the major share of the consumer durables market. Consumer durables market is expected to grow at 10-15% in 2007-2008. It is growing very fast because of rise in living standards, easy access to consumer finance, and wide range of choice, as many foreign players were entering in the market with the increase in income levels, easy availability of finance, increase in consumer...
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...Contemporary Developments in Business and Management Kenneth Fee The University of Sunderland © 2013 The University of Sunderland First published September 2013 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without permission of the copyright owner. While every effort has been made to ensure that references to websites are correct at time of going to press, the world wide web is a constantly changing environment and the University of Sunderland cannot accept any responsibility for any changes to addresses. The University of Sunderland acknowledges product, service and company names referred to in this publication, many of which are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks. All materials internally quality assessed by the University of Sunderland and reviewed by academics external to the University. Instructional design and publishing project management by Wordhouse Ltd, Reading, UK. Contents Introduction vii Unit 1 The contemporary world of business and management Introduction 1.1 1.2 The global business environment The importance of developments in the global environment Case Study 1.3 Organisational decision making and performance vii 1 3 10 14 17 19 19 20 Self-assessment questions Feedback on self-assessment questions Summary Unit 2 Globalisation Introduction 2...
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