Toru Higuchi

Although most supply chains have changed dramatically over the years, the dynamic aspects of supply chains, such as changes in the suppliers, factory and storage locations...

At the beginning of this chapter, SCM and related concepts such as physical distribution, business logistics, and company groups are explained, and the areas of difference among...

This chapter illustrates how the bullwhip effect is exacerbated in the supply chain through the Tamagotchi™ case. BANDAI first introduced Tamagotchi™ to the market on November...

As the supply chain is the major arena for competition in modern business, and at each stage in the industrial life cycle it is necessary to adjust the management of the supply...

In this chapter, a basic concept of the SCM is discussed. A key factor for the SCM might be to control the dynamic interactions among the supply chain partners. Supply chains...

In this chapter, we discuss the life cycle theories related to the business. The concept of the life cycle has been widely used in marketing. The Product Life Cycle (PLC) is the...

This chapter provides two kinds of background information that we consider important to the subject area. First, we surveyed the supply chain management, operations management...

This chapter first focuses on the intrinsic dynamic interactions within supply chains. These are theoretically interesting and informative for understanding and managing supply...

This chapter focuses on the period that precedes commercialization of the product and is based on the VCR case study. Only one or a few companies can succeed, usually after many...

In this chapter, we discuss the struggle for the de facto standard based on the Betamax versus VHS case in the late 1970s. In the middle of the 1970s, Sony and JVC introduced...

This chapter explains the advancement and the price decline of products based on the VCR case. After the dominant design emerges, the product advances incrementally or...

In this chapter, we discuss the emergence of alternative products. Under conditions of severe competition, companies launch alternative products to gain the initiative and to...

In this chapter, the innovators and extreme innovators are discussed. These types of consumers are very important because they grow the infant market. The extreme innovators...

In this chapter, the characteristics and the role of the early adopters and early majority are reviewed from the life cycle perspective following the VCR case study. Both of...

The characteristics and the role of the late majority and laggards are discussed in this chapter. Both of them adopt the product later than others and purchase a practical...

Vernon’s product cycle theory is reexamined and extended in the first half of this chapter. It did not originally address the recent environmental changes, the global economy...

In this chapter, we discuss the partial dispersion of manufacturing facilities and offshore production. It is better to locate most suppliers and manufacturers in close proximity...

In the middle of the standardized stage, the severe competition in the market promotes the total dispersion of the manufacturing facilities. Various types of companies, such as...

In this chapter, the convergence of manufacturing facilities is discussed. Very little room is left for the differentiation of products in the late standardized stage. Although...

The life cycle of products is a major concern in business all over the world. This Appendix proposes the Industrial Life Cycle Concept integrating the innovation, location, and...

The goal of this chapter is to propose a framework for the dynamics of supply chains from a life cycles point of view. It is inevitable for supply chains to be affected by the...

Both academically and practically, one of the most interesting aspects of supply chains is their intrinsic dynamic behavior. Dynamic interactions can cause unexpected and...