Title: Historical trends and the present state of Japanese industry and manufacturing

Authors: Katsundo Hitomi

Addresses: Centre of Manufacturing Systems Engineering, 34-32 Yoshida-nakaojicho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8313, Japan

Abstract: During the course of this paper, the historical developments in Japanese industry, especially in its manufacturing industry during the period 1955 to 1995, are reviewed, and Japan|s manufacturing efficiency is analysed and evaluated from three different angles; that is, yield rate, efficiency index, and relative productivity. Japan|s manufacturing efficiency is considered high in terms of the efficiency index and its relative productivity, but it is the lowest from the standpoint of the yield rate among classified industrial sectors. Japan¡¦s manufacturing labour productivity is also compared with that of other industrialised countries, which results in Japan|s rather low productivity. This is a study of the social aspect of Manufacturing Systems Engineering.

Keywords: efficiency index; Japanese industry; Japanese manufacturing efficiency; labour productivity; relative productivity; yield rate.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMTM.2001.001415

International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management, 2001 Vol.3 No.3, pp.338-350

Published online: 02 Jul 2003 *

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