Japanese-German Technology Cooperation: The Case of Siemens-Fujitsu

 In recent years, several European firms have concluded joint ventures or other forms of business cooperation with Japanese partners. Remarkable examples are DaimlerChrysler and Mitsubishi, Renault and Nissan, or Siemens and Fujitsu. Not all of these Japanese-European collaborations are successful. While DaimlerChrysler has terminated its partnership with Mitsubishi Motors, Siemens and Fujitsu cooperate very effectively. In the presentation five success factors of Fujitsu-Siemens will be analyzed: Partner characteristics, cooperation agreement, management structure, acculturation process, and knowledge management.

Dirk Holtbrügge is professor of International Management. His main research interests are in the areas of International Management, Human Resource Management and Management in Asia and Eastern Europe. He has published eight books, three edited volumes and more than 100 articles in Journals such as Asia Business and Management, Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of East European Management Studies, Management International Review, and Thunderbird International Business Review. He can be reached at the Department of International Management, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Lange Gasse 20, 90403 Nuremberg, Germany, dirk.holtbruegge@wiso.uni-erlangen.de, www.im-fau.de