Offering a bird's eye view of foreign investments in Latin America, this volume informs us of how the economic and social environment affects management in Latin American subsidiaries and regional markets. It also presents Japan Multinational Enterprises Study Group (JMNESG) led by Dr. Abo, who visited 5 Japanese companies in Argentina, 15 in Brazil and 10 in Mexico. Exploring 30 companies in detail, the scores are analyzed by a hybrid theory of application and adaptation established by JMNESG. The companies JMNESG visited are located mainly in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico, but also in Chile and Venezuela, and include: Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Toshiba, and Panasonic. The authors discuss and explore the unique characteristics of Japanese management in Latin America in comparison with world-wide application scores and offer a summary of free trade zones.

Explores the Latin American economy and management through the study of Japanese companies in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. Based on detailed case studies, this volume offers a bird's eye view of foreign investments in Latin America.

As Japanese automotive and electronics firms have expanded their operations into the United States more attention has been focused on Japanese management and manufacturing. In Hybrid Factory a team of Japanese and American scholars explores the potential for the effective transfer of Japanese management and production systems that have been credited with giving Japanese firms their competitive superiority to a much different national culture. The book looks in particular at which management factors, that provide strength to Japanese production systems, can survive the transfer to the United States or whether the radically different social and cultural environment makes such a transfer impossible.
Contributors:
Tetsuo Abo, University of Tokyo
Hiroshi Itagaki, Saitama University
Duane Kujawa, University of Miami
Kunio Kamiyama, Josai University
Hiroshi Kumon, Hosei University
Tetsuji Kawamura, Teikyo University
Mira Wilkins, Florida International University

Chinese companies are now being referred to as the "world's factory and market." This is an extremely rare case in world history, and one cannot help but wonder what strategic positions foreign companies have adopted to cope with the extraordinary, fierce challenges from local Chinese companies. This book captures discussions from Japanese, European, American, and Asian firms on corporate activities and competitive and cooperative strategies of both Chinese and foreign companies.