Hybrid Factories in Latin America : Japanese Management Transferred

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. 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 the work of the Japan Multinational Enterprises Study Group (JMNESG) led by Dr. Abo, which visited five Japanese companies in Argentina, fifteen in Brazil and ten in Mexico. Exploring 30 companies in detail, the scores are analyzed using a hybrid theory of application and adaptation established by JMNESG. The companies 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 worldwide application scores and offer a summary of free trade zones Front Matter....Pages i-xix Front Matter....Pages 1-1 The Viewpoint of Research Analysis for Japanese-Affiliated Enterprises in Latin America....Pages 3-18 Industrialization and Transnational Corporations in Latin America....Pages 19-31 Labor and Society in Latin America: Historical Backgrounds and a New Direction....Pages 32-43 Movement Toward Regional Markets in Latin America....Pages 44-70 Front Matter....Pages 71-71 Average Regional Application of the Japanese System on a Five-Point Scale, in Comparison to Application Worldwide and in Other Regions....Pages 73-86 Japanese Hybrid Factories in Mexico....Pages 87-109 Japanese Hybrid Factories in Brazil....Pages 110-126 Japanese Hybrid Factories in Argentina....Pages 127-144 Front Matter....Pages 145-145 Toyota’s Production Strategy in South America: Production in Brazil and Argentina....Pages 147-159 Toyota’s Production Plant in Mexico — which has been Embedded into Toyota’s North American Strategy....Pages 160-168 Nissan in Latin America — Mainly Nissan Mexicana....Pages 169-174 Honda in Brazil and Mexico — Starting with Production of Motorcycles and Moving to Automobile Production....Pages 175-189 Front Matter....Pages 191-191 Toshiba Amazonas SA in Brazil — Reception of Japanese Production System by the Local People....Pages 193-200 Newsan SA — The Joint Venture with Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd....Pages 201-211 Front Matter....Pages 213-213 A Review of the Hybrid Transfer Analysis — Highlighting the Latin American Hybrid Pattern....Pages 215-220 Free Trade Zones and Corporate Strategies in Latin America....Pages 221-229 Back Matter....Pages 230-242 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 the work of the Japan Multinational Enterprises Study Group (JMNESG) led by Dr. Abo, which visited five Japanese companies in Argentina, fifteen in Brazil and ten in Mexico. Exploring 30 companies in detail, the scores are analyzed using a hybrid theory of application and adaptation established by JMNESG. The companies 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 worldwide application scores and offer a summary of free trade zones. -- Publisher's description