ABSTRACT
Chapter 2 makes the general point at its start that it takes time to learn skills. It introduces the concept of a learning curve to help describe a person’s progress at mastering a task or skill. Later it is more specifically concerned with the sorts of skills needed in manufacturing industry, defining learning curves of use for tracking workers’ progress in manufacturing and indicating the value of learning curves for both workers and companies. In particular, it provides data (Tables 2.1 and 2.2) on the long times needed to learn manufacturing skills. The implication of these long times is that maintaining a highly skilled workforce needs long-term policies. A successful policy must address anticipated needs. One is the shortening of learning times. Chapter 2 also describes the current state of the workforce in manufacturing industry in Japan, to give a background to current Japanese manufacturing culture and the problems that are anticipated. Chapter 3 is about how skills may effectively be handed on and learning times may be shortened. But there are constraints and risks involved. These are outlined too. The overall purpose is to set the scene for later chapters concerned with transferring technology and skills overseas, either under license or to subsidiary companies. It is necessary to appreciate a company’s needs and interests in order to understand its actions in transferring technologies overseas.
