BBC (December 19)
“Once a poster boy for Japan’s dominance in electronics—known as Japan Inc—the company has delisted, ending a 74-year history with Tokyo’s stock exchange.” The reasons for “such a spectacular fall from grace” are numerous and the challenge for Japan Investment Corp (JIC), which led a group of investors in purchasing the remnants for $14 billion, is immense. While JIC has successfully revived other failing businesses, “Toshiba is a much bigger company and the stakes are high.”
Tags: $14 billion, Challenge, Delisted, Dominance, Electronics, Failing businesses, Fall, Japan Inc., JIC Investors, Revived, Stakes, Toshiba, TSE
Washington Post (October 2)
“The commercial pipeline that each year brings $1 trillion worth of toys, clothing, electronics and furniture from Asia to the United States is clogged and no one knows how to unclog it.” The median cost of container shipping *from China to the West Coast of the United States hit a record $20,586, almost twice what it cost in July, which was twice what it cost in January.” Supply chain problems are now “expected to last through 2022.”
Tags: 2022, Asia, China, Clogged, Clothing, Commercial, Container, Cost, Electronics, Furniture, Pipeline, Record, Shipping, Supply chain, Toys, U.S., West Coast
New York Times (May 30)
“E-commerce has been embraced for all manner of goods and services — books, travel, groceries, electronics — but auto sales have resisted the trend.” Consumers do frequently conduct research over the internet, but ultimately “have gone to dealers for most transactions. With the coronavirus and stay-at-home orders, that is changing.”
Tags: Auto sales, Books, Consumers, Dealers, E-commerce, Electronics, Goods, Groceries, Internet, Research, Services, Travel
New York Times (March 30)
“There’s nothing pretty about the details of Foxconn’s deal to take control of Sharp. And fixing Sharp, the loss-making Japanese electronics manufacturer, will be a tough slog for Foxconn.” But this transaction may just make history. It presents Exhibit A that Japan is capable of the sort of corporate reform critical to overhauling its economy.”
Tags: Corporate reform, Economy, Electronics, Foxconn, History, Japan, Loss-making, Manufacturer, Sharp
The Economist (July 12)
“Electronics companies in Japan are starting to turn themselves around, but they are a shadow of their former selves…. After years of denial that surgery was needed, optimism is rising that Japan’s consumer-electronics firms are facing up to their steady loss of global market share.”
Tags: Consumer electronics, Denial, Electronics, Japan, Loss, Market share, Optimism, Surgery, Turn around
The Economist (October 1)
“Now the world’s biggest technology firm, measured by sales,” Samsung Electronics “makes more televisions than any other company.” Samsung is emerging as Asia’s version of General Electric, having “outstripped the Japanese firms it once mimicked.” But the secret of Samsung’s success is nothing new. Samsung is “a well-run family firm, with a strong culture and a focus on the long term, which has made good use of an indulgent state.”
“Now the world’s biggest technology firm, measured by sales,” Samsung Electronics “makes more televisions than any other company.” Samsung is emerging as Asia’s version of General Electric, having “outstripped the Japanese firms it once mimicked.” But the secret of Samsung’s success is nothing new. Samsung is “a well-run family firm, with a strong culture and a focus on the long term, which has made good use of an indulgent state.”
