Influence Analysis in the Keiretsu of Mazda

摘要

One of the most important issues in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is how to measure the relationship with customers. More research into quantitative approaches to this measurement is needed. To help consider this issue, the reciprocal relationship between the automobile maker Mazda and its suppliers is analyzed and the results presented in this paper. This set of interlocking business relationships is known as a keiretsu. This paper uses the influence analysis tool DEMATEL (DEcision MAking Trial and Evaluation Laboratory), to measure one kind of reciprocal relationship, the influence, of each firm in the keiretsu of Mazda Yokokai. The results of this analysis are used to identify some characteristics of effective relationships between Mazda and its suppliers.