The Transfer of Management Innovations from Japan

Organization Studies · 1995 · Volume 16 · Issue 6

Abstract

Learning from organizational innovations and best practices has become common. However, transfer of organizational innovations over cultural, national and industry borders often fails. A conceptual model is developed based on the abstraction level of the transfer process and whether it is driven by supply or demand. The content of transfers is classified as principles, organ izational vehicles and tools. The model is applied to two cases: the Quality Control Circle (QCC) and Time-based Competition (TBC), which illustrate how principles and tools were transferred with little modifications while organ izations had to be recreated through an abstraction-application process.

Keywords

Descriptors: Japan, management, organizational learning, technology transfer, quality circles, time-based management

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