La grande transformation des PME japonaises : Le rôle central des compétences

After the Second World War, the Japanese economy was characterized by a dual structure, that is, by great disparities between large and small-sized firms. SMEs were seen as a threat to the industrialisation of Japan. Today, they are one of its main forces, and they are considered as a growth engine for the years to come. This article studies the progress that Japanese SMEs have accomplished in the last fifty years and sheds light on the factors that have facilitated it: subcontracting, internal characteristics of SMEs, and networks and industrial districts. The industrial policy had only a limited impact and it can represent only a partial explanation to the increasing strength of SMEs. The article also discusses industry relocation and shows how it is changing the sources of competence building of small firms.