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Re: [OM] Olympus Zuiko 35-105mm Zoom Quality

Subject: Re: [OM] Olympus Zuiko 35-105mm Zoom Quality
From: Winsor Crosby <wincros@xxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1998 12:25:04 -0700
>In a message dated 7/25/98 1:11:59 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
> timberwolf@xxxxxxxxxx writes:
>
><< Rumour it may be, but "mongering"? It is quite a common practice in the
> Japanese camera industry (and, it seems, in Japan in general) to contract
> out manufacturing to companies which would in the West -- and especially
> in the U.S. -- be regarded as blood enemies.
> Hälsningar/Regards
> Lars Bergquist >>
>
>Hi Lars,
>I was told by some Japanese Marketing and Engineers visitors here in the US
> that it is very common for engineers to change Jobs / Companies in Japan.
> Therefore, they also take along their ideas to the new company.  This is the
> reason that many competitors have very similar products.
>
>BW
>
Gee that goes against most of what we have been told about Japanese
corporate culture for years. You know. Job for life. Responsibility of the
corporation in exchange for loyalty of the employee. Part of the current
economic crisis has been blamed of the Japanese unwillingness to mimic the
"right sizing" of American corporations.

Seems to me the similarities are more based on the willingness to share and
cooperate in the competition against the outside world, such as the cross
licensing that is common. For instance, even though Sony and Philips
invented the CD together, the willingness of Sony to cross license has
allowed Japan to dominate the market and Philips has its European niche. As
someone on the list pointed out, Oly has paid license fees to Minolta for
some of their features.

There have also been_many_articles regarding the aggressive patenting of
technology in Japan including all anticipated variations. Transfer of an
engineer would hardly allow the new company to start building copies or
even variations of the product from the former company of the new employee.

It is not news that Oly contracts out manufacturing of their lenses. That
does not mean they have not designed the product, and specified the
manufacturing tolerances of the final product. The new OM2000 is evidence
that they are not even averse to buying someone elses design as well as
their manufacturing facilities if it fits their marketing plan.

Winsor


Winsor Crosby
Long Beach, California
mailto:wincros@xxxxxxxxxxx





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