Title: Is globalisation an enabler of radical innovation in Toyota?

Authors: Kim Hua Tan, Robert K. Perrons

Addresses: Nottingham Business School, Jubilee Campus, Nottingham, NG8 1BB, UK. ' Shell International Exploration and Production, P.O. Box. 51510, New Orleans, LA 70151-1510, USA

Abstract: Prior evidence from the fields of innovation management and supplier relations predicts that Japanese firms should be naturally disadvantaged in developing and deploying radical innovations. But this conclusion is inconsistent with recent developments in the automotive industry. This paper presents secondary case study data focusing on fuel cell powered vehicles and hybrid cars to show that Toyota, one of Japan|s largest and most influential corporations, is capable of developing radically new technologies, and is in several respects better at this sort of innovation than the rest of the global automotive industry.

Keywords: Toyota; globalisation; radical innovation; fuel cells; hybrid vehicles; automobile industry; new technologies; automotive technology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEIM.2009.025144

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 2009 Vol.9 No.3, pp.285 - 298

Published online: 14 May 2009 *

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