This book explores how the business transformation taking place in Japan is influenced by the digital revolution. Its chapters present approaches and examples from sectors commonly understood to be visible arenas of digital transformation—3D printing and mobility, for instance—as well as some from not-so-obvious sectors, such as retail, services, and fintech.
Business today is facing unprecedented change especially due to the adoption of new, digital technologies, with a noticeable transformation of manufacturing and services. The changes have been brought by advanced robotics, the emergence of artificial intelligence, and digital networks that are growing in size and capability as the number of connected devices explodes. In addition, there are advanced manufacturing and collaborative connected platforms, including machine-to-machine communications. Adoption of digital technology has caused process disruptions in both the manufacturing and services sectors and led to new business models and new products.
While examining the preparedness of the Japanese economy to embrace these changes, the book explores the impact of digitally influenced changes on some selected sectors from a Japanese perspective. It paints a big picture in explaining how a previously manufacturing-centric, successful economy adopts change to retain and rebuild success in the global environment. Japan as a whole is embracing, yet also avoiding—innovating but also restricting—various forms of digitalization of life and work. The book, with its 17 chapters, is a collaborative effort of individuals contributing diverse points of view as technologists, academics, and managers.
Anshuman Khare is a professor for Operations Management at Athabasca University, Canada. He joined Athabasca University in January 2000. He is an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow and has completed two post-doctoral terms at Johannes Gutenberg Universität in Mainz, Germany. He is also a former Monbusho Scholar, having completed his postdoctoral assignment at Ryukoku University in Kyoto, Japan. He has published a number of books and research papers on a wide range of topics. His research focuses on environmental regulation impacts on industry, just-in-time manufacturing, supply chain management, sustainability, cities and climate change, online business education, etc. He is passionate about online business education. Anshuman serves as the editor of IAFOR Journal of Business and Management and associate editor of the International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education published by Emerald and is on the editorial board of the International Journal of Applied Management and Technology.
Hiroki Ishikura is a professor at the Faculty of Commerce in Osaka Gakuin University, Japan, and used to be an assistant professor in Kyoto University. He received a Doctor of Engineering degree from Kyoto Institute of Technology and graduated from Fukui University textile engineering department. His research interests lie in manufacturing systems. He is closely involved with academic societies such as the International Journal of the Japan Society for Production Management (editor in chief), International Journal of Standardization (editor in chief), International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management (UK) (editorial board member), the Society for Standardization Research (Vice Chairman), the Japan Society for Production Management (President), the Textile Machinery Society of Japan (Fellow), International and Domestic Technologies, Japan (Secretariat), and Textile Research Journal, USA (reviewer).
William W. Baber has combined education with business throughout his career. His professional experience has included economic development in the State of
Maryland, language services in the Washington, DC, area, supporting business starters in Japan, and teaching business students in Japan, Europe, and Canada. He
taught English in the Economics and Business Administration Departments of Ritsumeikan University, Japan, before joining the Graduate School of Management at Kyoto University, where he is an associate professor, in addition to holding courses at University of Vienna and University of Jyväskylä. His courses include Business Negotiation, Cross Cultural Management, and Management Communication. He is the lead author of the 2015 textbook Practical Business Negotiation and conducts research in the areas of business models, negotiation, and acculturation particularly in relation to Japan. He completed hisPhD on intercultural adjustment of expatriate workers in Japan in 2016 at the University of Jyväsklä, Finland. Earlier in 2004, he earned a Master of Education from University of Maryland in Instructional Systems Design.
