An Empirical Study of Contrasting IoT with IT: Evidences of Differences Drawn from Japanese Experiences

摘要

By contrasting IoT (Internet of Things) with IT (Information Technology), various evidences of the difference between them are discovered by our empirical and case studies. For empirical evidence, a comparison is made between the personal computer as representing a case of IT and the automobiles as representing a case of the future IoT, since the self-driving of cars is discussed quite frequently nowadays. Based on their style="font-family:Verdana;"> style="font-family:Verdana;">patenting style="font-family:Verdana;"> style="font-family:Verdana;"> behavior, the degree of modularization is measured, and effects of digitalization on modularization are found out to differ between PC and automobile industries. Similar modularity analysis is employed to sub-module suppliers, and they are found out to be integrative rather than modularly structured, because analogue technologies are essential at the level of sub-module supplying. Through our modularity analyses, it becomes clear that a digitalization bring style="font-family:Verdana;">s style="font-family:Verdana;"> about a modularization, and will eventually bring an IoT evolution. In order to illustrate the evolutionary process from digitalization to internetworking via modularization, we will investigate a chronology of the machine tool development in Japan ever since 1975. In order to illustrate the evolutionary process of becoming interconnected, we will make a study on a construction machinery manufacturer, style="font-family:Verdana;"> style="font-family:Verdana;">i.e. style="font-family:Verdana;"> style="font-family:Verdana;"> how a manufacturer can go downstream into a service innovation. These case studies will show clearly that the process of upgrading of ITs into an IoT evolution is incremental by its nature and is style="font-family:Verdana;"> style="font-family:Verdana;">additive style="font-family:Verdana;"> style="font-family:Verdana;"> in its essence, style="font-family:Verdana;"> style="font-family:Verdana;">i.e. style="font-family:Verdana;"> style="font-family:Verdana;"> the value is added style="font-family:Verdana;"> style="font-family:Verdana;">constantly style="font-family:Verdana;"> style="font-family:Verdana;">. Therefore, an essential feature of IoT innovation is “creative accumulation” rather than “creative destruction.” In this context, IoT innovation might be favoring some Japanese companies in terms of its components style="font-family:Verdana;"> style="font-family:Verdana;">module style="font-family:Verdana;"> style="font-family:Verdana;"> suppliers as well as style="font-family:""> style="font-family:Verdana;">its style="font-family:""> style="font-family:Verdana;">system style="font-family:Verdana;"> style="font-family:Verdana;">integrators style="font-family:Verdana;"> style="font-family:Verdana;">. For an illustration of the Japanese competiveness of IoT module suppliers, two case studies of mobile style="font-family:Verdana;"> style="font-family:Verdana;">sensors style="font-family:Verdana;"> style="font-family:Verdana;"> and of style="font-family:Verdana;"> style="font-family:Verdana;">actuators style="font-family:Verdana;"> style="font-family:Verdana;"> are conducted. Through these case studies, the M & A (merger and acquisition) <