WHAT IT TAKES TO SUPPLY JAPANESE OEMS

The Japanese worldwide success with products in virtually every field they have entered has caused much concern to industrial marketers who wish to do business with Japanese firms. Although much has been written about Japanese management techniques and their role in the success of Japanese business and products, little has been written about the supplier side of the equation and how it can be a critical input in understanding Japanese business. This article reports on two research projects, one carried out in Japan and the other in North America, which contrast OEM/supplier relationships in the two geographic areas. With the increase in the number of transplant Japanese manufacturing firms in North America, Europe, and other parts of the world, a prerequisite to successfully marketing to Japanese business is surely an understanding of their OEM/supplier relationships. © 1990.