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Technology Transfer and Economic Growth in Sub-Sahara African Countries pp 63–89Cite as

Japanese Technological Capability Building and Management Practices for Development of SMEs

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Abstract

It is crucial to have a good grasp of the historical development of the manufacturing SMEs that have built impressive technology capability over several decades in Japan. An acquaintance with the history of these businesses enables one to comprehend fully the transformations and technological capability building that have taken place through the past years starting from the time of industrial revolution, which is a significant period in relation to the modernization of Japan.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Yamanaka (1960, p. 50).

  2. 2.

    Ibid., p. 119.

  3. 3.

    White Papers of Japan (1971–1972, pp. 137–138).

  4. 4.

    Ibid., p. 138.

  5. 5.

    White Papers of Japan (1978–1979, p. 119).

  6. 6.

    Bannock (1986, p. 60).

  7. 7.

    White Papers of Japan (1991–1992, p. 177).

  8. 8.

    See for example Gartner (1990, pp. 15–28).

  9. 9.

    Detailed Explanation of this idea is given by Levine and Kawada (1980, pp. 3–21).

  10. 10.

    Del I.Hawkins is a Professor at the C.H. Lundquist Center for Business Development University of Oregon. The contentions cited above can be read in his article, (1993, pp. 137–150).

  11. 11.

    See detailed explanation of Schumpeter’s Destructive Creativity in Kamien and Schwatz (1982, p. 8 and pp. 22–47).

  12. 12.

    See Schumpeter (1961, pp. 66–74). Whereas it might be shocking for most readers as to why the names of founders of famous big firms are mentioned here, their mention is justified by the fact that when they founded their companies, they started from a very humble beginning at a level far much lower than what most entrepreneurs engaging in small and medium business do start with.

  13. 13.

    Hugh and Rohlen (1987, p. 373).

  14. 14.

    Ibid., p. 373.

  15. 15.

    This view is deduced from the work of Iwao (1988, pp. 2–6).

  16. 16.

    Ibid., p. 2.

  17. 17.

    Based on the Systems Model, Entrepreneurial Environment is to be understood as one that includes several dynamically interactive elements, some of which are within the immediate environment and control of the individual entrepreneurs, and some of which are far removed from the immediate entrepreneurial environment yet still influences the outcome of the entrepreneurial endeavors.

  18. 18.

    Hugh and Rohlen (1987, p. 345).

  19. 19.

    Ibid., p. 375.

  20. 20.

    Kazuo Koike as cited in Hugh and Rohlen (1987, p. 374).

  21. 21.

    Okimoto and Saxonhouse (1987, p. 399).

  22. 22.

    Tatsuno (1990, p. 37).

  23. 23.

    Ibid., p. 400.

  24. 24.

    Ibid., p. 401.

  25. 25.

    The Idea of Social Networking is very well known to me, but further detail has also been drawn from Scott (1988, p. 53).

    Also see Yanagida (1992, pp. 341–346).

  26. 26.

    Morita (1987, pp. 1–74).

  27. 27.

    See for example Robinson and Sexton (1994, pp. 141–156).

    Also see Watanabe (1970, pp. 540–41).

  28. 28.

    Anderson (1986, pp. 72–74).

  29. 29.

    See Watanabe (1970, p. 575).

  30. 30.

    Ibid., p. 540.

  31. 31.

    Sigurdson and Anderson (1992, p. 4).

  32. 32.

    Morishima (1982, p. 6).

  33. 33.

    Ibid., pp. 114–118.

  34. 34.

    White Papers of Japan (1978–1979, pp. 128–131).

  35. 35.

    White Papers of Japan (1985–1986, p. 113).

  36. 36.

    White Papers of Japan (1991–1992, p. 179).

  37. 37.

    Ibid., p. 180.

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  1. Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan

    Nathaniel O. Agola

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Agola, N.O. (2016). Japanese Technological Capability Building and Management Practices for Development of SMEs. In: Technology Transfer and Economic Growth in Sub-Sahara African Countries. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-49557-5_5

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