タイにおける日系企業と華人系企業のパートナーシップ

<p>International joint ventures are a significant topic in business history of Asian countries. Throughout the post-WWII period, joint ventures between Japanese enterprises and local businesses started by Chinese immigrants have boosted the economic growth of Southeast Asian Countries. This study examines the development and continuity of international joint ventures through the historical case of Thai Lion, a joint venture between Sahapat, a core company of a Thai general consumer group, and Lion, a large Japanese toiletry company. This study focused on marketing of the joint venture since the 1950s, as it was a necessary business function for modern manufacturing enterprises. It revealed that the transfer of marketing resources such as thoughts, brands, and selling skills from Lion’s Japanese headquarters, was the key to developing the joint venture. Also, two local entrepreneurs, Thiam and Boonsithi Chokwatana, played key roles. They had a proactive attitude toward modern marketing, developed the local brand through entrepreneurial adaptation of a product, pricing, and promotion; and built a nationwide network of marketing channels. The harmony between Confucian values of local entrepreneurs and the commercial philosophy of Japanese managers formed the base of the mutual trust relationship. As a whole, processes of transfer, networking, and adaptation were necessary for the joint venture to shape its marketing capability and built a unique strength. It can be said that the marketing capability was established through combining the marketing philosophies and methods that local entrepreneurs independently introduced from developed countries, with their own strengths of a building local distribution network and understanding of local consumers. Essentially, the process of knowledge transfer in joint ventures differs from that in wholly-owned multinational subsidiaries with a strong commitment to the head office.</p>