ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on the importance of localized resources for the competitiveness of firms using the case of the watch industry during the years 1945–2010 and the four main players Switzerland, Japan, USA and Hong Kong. It discusses why and how an industry strongly rooted in national territories during the 1950s was gradually reorganized on a global scale during the following decades. The chapter argues that major changes occurred in the following decades and resulted in a sweeping change towards competition between global firms. It analyses the nature and the process of these changes and questions the meaning of nations, regions and localization in the industry. The chapter examines the ranking of watch companies established by the bank Vontobel, the most widely used by watch industry analysts. During 2000–2004, overall Swatch Group production of Swatch Group averaged 120 million pieces, that is, some 20–30 million "Swiss Made" pieces and 90–100 million non-Swiss pieces.