Dedication
Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter One: Sprague in Japan: Expectations, Realities, and Some Lessons

Chapter Two: The History of the Electronics Industry: Myths vs. Facts

The Roots of Electronics

What About Japan?

U.S./Japan Semiconductor Competition Heats Up

The Role and History of Capacitors in Electronics

Chapter Three: The Process

Ceramics at Sprague

Manufacturing MLCs

Ceramic Variables and Quality

Other Devices, Other Processes

Success and Failure at Sprague Electric: Early Sources

Chapter Four: Sources of Competitive Advantage

Advantages: Japan

Advantages: United States

Lifetime Employment: Realities and Drawbacks

Chapter Five: From Basic Research to Actual Products

Gatekeeping

Licensing

Alliances

Other Sources

The Role and Management of Research and Development

The Commercialization of Technology

Allocation of Resources

Teamwork in Technology Commercialization

Personal Case Histories

Chapter Six: The Work Force

Education

The U.S. Manager

Management of Japanese-Owned American Companies

Managerial Compensation

Training

Labor Relations

Chapter Seven: Total Company Quality

Learning from America: Japan and TQC

How Sprague Exploited a Quality Advantage

The United States and Quality Competitiveness

Quality and Reliability

Relations with Suppliers

Supplier Links, Quality, and the Shell Club

Chapter Eight: The Manufacturing Floor

What is World Class Manufacturing?

Just in Time (JIT) Systems

Flexible Manufacturing

The Sprague Electric Experience

Manufacturing Management

Similarities and a Big Difference

Chapter Nine: The Marketplace

Serving the U.S. Market: The Sprague Experience

Corporate Structure and the Marketplace

The United States Electronics Market

Serving the Japanese Market

American Successes in Japan

Penetrating the Japanese Market

Chapter Ten: Government and Capital

The Costs of Government

Government Industrial Policy and Direction

Business/Government Relations

The Cost of Capital

Chapter Eleven: Challenges to Japan

The Other Japan

"The Tigers" and "The Cubs"

Europe

The Future

Chapter Twelve: Toward the Future

The Semiconductor Industry

Revitalizing the U.S. Electronics Industry: The Macro Perspective

Revitalizing the U.S. Electronics Industry: The Micro Perspective

Chapter Thirteen: NEWCO

Epilogue: Sprague Electric Redux

Notes and Sources

Index

Written by one of the few executives who have extensive experience in the electronics industry in both the US and Japan, this book compares market research, design, and manufacturing techniques as used in both countries. Unlike other books on the
Japanese business culture, Sprague gives specific advice and recommendations about what companies can do now to compete with Japan, clearly pointing out what is and what is not adaptable from the Japanese approach to business.