ABSTRACT
Japan’s culture is based on the need to find a consensus on a course of action, be it in government, in a company, or in the community. Japanese companies are true “engines of inquiry” at all levels, and this is one reason why they are successful. Japanese corporations are kept well informed of their markets by their people in the field, by the embassies and Japanese trading houses, and by some of the most talented lobbyists in the business. The involvement of manufacturing engineers in projects from an early stage is easily achieved in Japan because most of the large manufacturers make their own special-purpose machines, or have subsidiaries in this business. In Japan, the group vendor may be totally responsible for the design of some components, whereas in the United States the design is usually controlled in-house, even though consultant design houses may be employed.
