One of the most interesting parts of Nishiguchi's descriptions is his contrast of Japanese-style managers' attitudes toward suppliers with the attitudes of American and British managers whose firms have not adopted these practices...No amount of asset flexibility can substitute for a system of flexible employees such as is described in Strategic Industrial Sourcing. Management scholars fail to see the true contours of the Japanese business landscape if the reality of these business arrangements is ignored.

• Abbreviations Tables and Figures Acknowledgements 1: Overview I. The History of Subcontracting in Japan 2: The Origins of Dualism and the Rise of Subcontracting in Japanese Manufacturing Industries, 1900-1945 3: The Emergence of Postwar Subcontracting, 1945-1960 4: The Transformation of Japanese Subcontracting, 1960-1990 II. The Contemporary Practice of Subcontracting 5: Asset Specificity Revisited 6: Bargaining or Problem Solving? 7: Sources of Flexibility 8: Conclusion Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Appendix D Bibliography Index

One of the most interesting parts of Nishiguchi's descriptions is his contrast of Japanese-style managers' attitudes toward suppliers with the attitudes of American and British managers whose firms have not adopted these practices...No amount of asset flexibility can substitute for a system of flexible employees such as is described in Strategic Industrial Sourcing. Management scholars fail to see the true contours of the Japanese business landscape if the reality of these business arrangements is ignored.

• Abbreviations Tables and Figures Acknowledgements 1: Overview I. The History of Subcontracting in Japan 2: The Origins of Dualism and the Rise of Subcontracting in Japanese Manufacturing Industries, 1900-1945 3: The Emergence of Postwar Subcontracting, 1945-1960 4: The Transformation of Japanese Subcontracting, 1960-1990 II. The Contemporary Practice of Subcontracting 5: Asset Specificity Revisited 6: Bargaining or Problem Solving? 7: Sources of Flexibility 8: Conclusion Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Appendix D Bibliography Index