Current Situation of Regional Wood Industries and Future Prospects

摘要

Stagnation in demand has continued for the long term after the times of mass consumption ended. Such a situation causes severe price competition for ordinary products without any character, resulting that small-scale enterprises with inferior competitiveness are overwhelmed, and only large companies with high productivity can survive. Some small companies manufacturing wooden products in Nara prefecture, however, have been well-managed. In this review paper, three companies among them were investigated for their business operations, such as manufacturing and development of new products, to elucidate their secret of success in business. Consequently, it is extremely important to grasp consumer and social needs precisely, and to supply high-value added products differentiated from others to meet these needs. To do so, continuous technological development by utilizing the subsidy system of national and local governments is indispensable. It is also necessary to make good use of the know-how and technical seeds found at public research institutes or/and universities. In addition, the formation of industrial clusters by cooperation between companies with specific technologies becomes an advantage in order to survive competition.