Japanese Companies’ Activities and Strategies in Advanced Materials

Abstract

In this chapter, the findings obtained during the fieldwork on Japanese firms’ strategies towards the development of advanced materials are examined. The main objective is to discuss how companies belonging to different sectors have defined strategies and built up technological capabilities in the area. Section 7.2 examines the length of time of companies’ involvement in advanced materials and their reasons for entering this field. Section 7.3 analyses their market strategies, while section 7.4 discusses their research strategies. Section 7.5 examines the sources of international competition in the area. Section 7.6 focuses on companies’ main sources of technological capabilities in advanced materials, assessing the role of collaborative R&D programmes and the extent of technical interaction with different partners. Section 7.7 discusses how companies assess government policies in the area. Finally Section 7.8 summarises the main conclusions and links them to arguments developed in previous chapters.¹