A Comparative Study on the Japanese Production System Employed at Affiliated Electronics Plants in the United States and Taiwan

Abstract

This paper examines the extent to which Japanese manufacturing companies located abroad have successfully transferred their domestic production practices to local factories, and asks which aspects they need to adapt to the local environment in which they operate. In particular, the paper focuses on comparisons between actual plant operations of Japanese electronics affiliates (other than the semiconductor industry) in the United States and Taiwan. It discusses how far particular features of these operations may differ, and the causes of that difference.¹