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Ambidextrous Offshoring and Reshoring Strategy: Case Illustrations of Japanese Manufacturing Firms

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Ambidextrous Global Strategy in the Era of Digital Transformation

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Abstract

Currently, the COVID-19 pandemic has a substantial influence on the supply chain and operation management of global firms and the national and global economies. In the turbulent business environment, both offshoring and reshoring are important location decisions of primary business functions and facilities in response to changing market dynamics. This chapter suggests an ambidextrous sourcing strategy, which is a similar concept to right-shoring. The results of the case study suggest several lessons. First is reshoring by learning the effects from offshoring experiences. The second lesson is reshoring for rebuilding mother factories at home. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the reshoring strategy, Japanese manufacturing firms will continue to follow the basic strategy of seeking the ambidextrous sourcing strategy (right-shoring), focusing on cost and proximity to the market.

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  1. Faculty of Economics, Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan

    Young Won Park

  2. Manufacturing Management Research Center, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

    Young Won Park

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  1. Faculty of Economics, Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan

    Young Won Park

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Park, Y.W. (2022). Ambidextrous Offshoring and Reshoring Strategy: Case Illustrations of Japanese Manufacturing Firms. In: Park, Y.W. (eds) Ambidextrous Global Strategy in the Era of Digital Transformation. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-2627-3_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-2627-3_6

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