Title: The impact of KIBS on Japanese manufacturing corporations from the client-side point of view

Authors: Shuo She; Akio Nagahira

Addresses: College of Public Administration, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. ' Management of Science and Technology Department (MOST), Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-11-804, Aza-Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan

Abstract: Dealing with knowledge intensive business services (KIBS) has become an important strategy for many firms. Services that rely on professional knowledge are needed by Japanese manufacturing corporations (JMCs) for solving different problems. This article explores the needs of JMCs from KIBS in Japan and their relationship during the process of dealing with KIBS. The paper shows that knowledge, including knowledge regarding IPR but not IPR, contributes to the benefit of JMCs when dealing with KIBS. Furthermore, factors such as price of service, location and size of KIBS can help JMCs to find high quality services; JMCs can also eliminate or prevent obstacles in their relationship with KIBS by changing the way of service delivery.

Keywords: knowledge intensive business services; KIBS; Japan; Japanese manufacturing corporations; JMCs; intellectual property rights; IPR; client-side; service delivery.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2012.045536

International Journal of Technology Management, 2012 Vol.57 No.4, pp.201 - 226

Received: 07 Jul 2009
Accepted: 28 Apr 2010
Published online: 06 Apr 2013 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article