Global Networks And Innovations

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Global networks and innovations
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An overview of the internationalization strategy of Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
The paper looks at Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, a Japanese electronic manufacturing firm. It
was founded in the year 1912 in Tokyo and its name comes from a very fast invention “ever-
sharp mechanical type of pencil” in the year 1915 by Tokuji Hayakawa. The firm manufactures
and makes designs of various electronic products and redistributes them to different parts of the
world. It has its headquarters at Sakai-Ku in Sakai. It has been one of the subsidiary companies
of the Taiwan Foxconn member group since 2016. Internationalization in business refers to the
process of manufacturing and designing multiple products in a manner that the product will be
readily consumed across different countries. The internationalization strategy taken by this firm
to develop international markets has the characteristics of both the multi-domestic and global
firms (Wanvik, 2016 P.518). To achieve this, Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha has created economics of
scale further upward in the value chain. Besides, the firm has sought to achieve flexibility and be
limited adaptive in its downward tasks, which include sales and marketing. The firm has created
an organizational design with interdependent and integrated network subsidiaries in all parts of
the globe. The different subsidiaries created in district areas of the world play important roles
and act as centers of excellence (Brondoni, 2015 P.110).
The company employs approximately 50,000 employees across the world. The company
started making electronics commercially since the year 1945 (Oosterveer, 2015 p.148). It was in
1953 when the company made the first tv set by the name Sharp TV3-14’’. In the year 1964, the
company had advanced and become the first developed company in the manufacture of the
transistor calculator approximating $1,400 million (Oosterveer, 2015 p.150). There was no
developed and advanced technology so it took the company too long to come up with the
calculator because it had to be mechanized. From 2012 up to the present the company has

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achieved a lot of accomplishments and it has become of the most selling company of different
types of electronics in the world. It is now recognized as an international company that supplies
advanced electronic products. The company has grown its financial stability considering that in
2012 it reported a financial record of $4.7 billion and this is just one of its worst times. From this
data, it shows that the company has made a lot of struggle for its advancement and success. In
the year 2012 the company made a wise decision of joining Taiwan based group trade by the
name Foxconn to expand its production and sell.
Application of network visualizations and analysis techniques to describe the network in
which sharp Kabushiki Kaisha is embedded
Through the use of different network visualization and study techniques an analysis of
the various networks in which Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha is emended in different parts of the world
carried out. The first network analysis technique is the use of MNC. Mobile network code can be
described as a two-digit number used to identify a mobile network. By the use of this technique,
one can locate the different mobile subscribers and use location Area Identification to determine
their specific location (Seth, Cheldize, Brown & Freeman, and 2017 P. 209). Using this network
analysis technique, it is evident that the firm is embedded in a global production network. It is
evident by looking at the different calls received in the firm main office in Japan, which indicates
that the company has many integrated network subsidiaries in all parts of the globe.
The global production network is a network which has interconnected links and nodes
extended spatially across different national boundaries. This network integrates subnational
territories and the different parts of disparate nations (Khan, Rao-Nicholson & Tarba, 2018 P.67)
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha has established a vast global production network across Europe by
opening an LCD manufacturing plant in Poland in the year 2007. In Europe, Sharp has also been

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able to establish many subsidiaries by licensing of different firms, including Slovakia electronic
company, to start manufacturing televisions. Besides that, sharp has been able to open up
factories in Poland, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Mexico. All these companies in different nations
contribute to the global production network of Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hossain, Simula&
Halme, 2016 p.133).
The type of network embedded by this firm has several traits, which include; converting
inputs into outputs through production circuits and integration of firms into structures that blur
past organizational boundaries. An unevenness of power relations and involvement in both
competition and cooperation are some of the other traits of a global production network. All
these are the traits that are acquired by Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha through its different global
production networks (Ahram, Sargolzaei, Sargolzaei, Daniels & Amaba, 2017 p. 221).
Through the use of visualization analysis, it is evident that Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha processes
various traits involved in the theories of social capital. The theories of social capital include
cultural, social, and economic capital. By the theory of social capital, Sharp is embedded in a
social network for different inter-organizational business practices (Schmid, Knierim& Knuth,
2016 p.334). Through this type of network, the firm can reinforce its identity, influence other
firms, offer social credentials, and enable the flow of information. The application of this
strategy has led to the firm influencing various companies across the globe to sign agreements
that allow them to manufacture their products. These forms include Slovakia Electronics
Company and Vestel in Europe for white commodities. Besides, the social network has offered
Sharp a great deal in acquiring social credentials. Theses social credentials ate rights and
privileges in the production of different electronic devices. Through 10382 patent activity Sharp

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has acquired the credit to manufacture various gargets based on its innovations (Nai, et al.,
2016p.54).
The other type of network Sharp is embedded in the social capital network, commonly
known as social capital theory. This type of network uses the basis of social networks that work
as resources that can be applied and result in the accumulation and development of human
capital. The social capital network is guided by three theories, which include brokerage,
resources, and cohesiveness. Brokerage theory states that social capital accrues to those who are
involved in connection but not to those that disconnect in a given network(Roscoe, Cousins &
Lamming, 2016 p.54)By the use of this theory, sharp has been able to create relationships, hence
social capital theory accrues on its part. Resources theory states that the model of the network is
of less importance as compared to the available resources in a system. Through this theory,
Sharp has created various networks not only by opening resource centers but also by sponsoring
various sponsorship activities. Among the sponsorship activity is the 2016 stoke city F.C.
sponsorship. Considering this is a football club, sharp created networks not minding the
resources used but for the basis of creating an excellent marketing network with different
customers (Heidbreder, 2015p.121). The last theory is the cohesiveness theory, which states that
social capital accrues to those at the middle of a cohesive group. It is evident as Sharp has been
able to build a social capital network from the various farms it's working with all over the globe.
Exploratory, preliminary and interpretation of the role played by Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
in consideration of location, size, activity, and centrality
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha has played a significant role in exploratory work hence leading
to great technological inventions. Some of the key technological devices that sharp deals with

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including solar panels, LCD panels, and projectors, among others. It is important to note that
sharp has contributed significantly to the invention of some of the existing devices. Sharp was
the first company in the world to manufacture the commercial camera phone. The sharp J-SH07
entered the Japanese market in the year 2000. New products invented by sharp include the
ViewCam, the AQUOS flat-screen television, and an Ultra-light notebook (Han, Gopalakrishnan,
Ji, & Lee, 2015p.56).
Sharp played a significant role in the preliminary stages in the invention of an automated
crewless ground vehicle used in the security industry. Besides that sharp started the manufacture
of windows collaboration display a 70-inch interactive display processing inbuilt unfired
communication system.
Sharp has also participated in various sports sponsorship activities. The different clubs
that have benefited from this activity include; Manchester United F.C. for 17 years. Its funding
was one of the most prolonged ever sponsorship activities in the English premier league football.
Besides that, the company has also sponsored other teams I who include; Stoke City F.C. and
Red Star Belgrade. Besides Sharp was the main sponsor of the 2012 UCI Globe Tour cycling
team, which later renamed Garmin-Sharp (Zou, Dong, Luo, Zhao& Xie, 2017 p.66)?
Sharp has also contributed to creating not only in Japan but also in many parts of the
world (Awate& Mudambi, 2018 p.65). Sharp has employed a total of 50,647individuals in
different parts of the world. Therefore its operation has helped in job creation hence absorbing
different professionals.
Sharp has also contributed to various social activities by the provision of educational
support ton disabled children. Sharp has provided career education to various schools hosting
disabled children. Besides, the company has also offered finical support hence helping these

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children archive their educational needs. It provides electronic tools that are important in studies.
The electronic calculators produced by the company are of great help and support of the
academic progress not only in Japan but also across the world.
All around the world, Sharp has contributed to solving social challenges through its employees.
Activities funded by Sharp in solving social problems include; forest rejuvenation, local town's
cleanups, and releasing of fingerlings into the wild to help protect and boost biodiversity (Jer,
Kim & Bello, 2017p.456).
Lastly, Sharp has significantly contributed to the promotion of gender balance in Japan.
Sharp introduced an action plan which was aimed towards raising the number of women in the
different job categories and promoting women to managerial positions. It is evident since the
number of women in administrative positions rose from 21 in the year 2005 to 71 in the year
2019. Moreover, the company has shown no discrimination regardless of race or gender. It has
been fairly employing all people cross the world without discrimination or injustice. The
company majorly focuses on the experience of its employees rather than gender and other
discriminating factors.
The implication of industry and country environments on the innovation strategy of the
firm
The innovative nature of the company has some positive and negative effects on its
internal and external environment. It is due to the various waste disposed into the environment
from the Sharp industry. Besides mining activities conducted in different parts of the country to
exploit the minerals to be used in the manufacturing sector leaves the environment in a bad state.
On the other hand, various innovations made by the company, e.g., the manufacture of air
conditioners are of positive effect on the environment. Air conditioners installed in various

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buildings help in cleaning the air polluted by other agents of air pollution (Bidabad&
Allahyarifard, 2019 p.87). Some of the revenue generated by sharp is used for environment
conservation. Sharp has ranked in the 11 positions among other electronic manufacturing
companies, and hence through its innovations, the company can rehabilitate the environment.
The innovation anxiety of the company has increased the level of its performance since the year
2012 up to the date.
This was high marked by the 2013 achievement where the company made the most
efficient solar cell and sold it largely in Mexico TV factory and also to a Chinese Hisense
company. The sale to china attracted a gross income of $ 23.7 million (Oosterveer, 2015 p.146).
The newly invented solar cell was sharply sold in other countries such as North and South Korea.
The innovation of this company high developed and in 2015 they invented the smartphone that
could work as an artificial robot. It was named RoboHon. This robot was sharply sold in Japan
and generated over $23.8 million for the company (Oosterveer, 2015 p.147).
The advanced technology has enabled the company to have a high rank of selling in the
world. It has ranked the first commercial world selling the company for the TV with the 8k
resolution power in the year 2015. The advanced technology of the company has supported so
many companies in the world. Some of the companies that have been the beneficiaries of the
company in terms of technology include broadcasting industries.
It was in 2016 when the company reported a sharp sell-off the newly invented 8k
resolution products making a profit of about $3.5 billion. Today, the company is one of the
largest and widely selling companies over the world for electronics products. It has employed so
many people from different parts of the world. The company is highly trying its best to keep its

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position of the world commercial sell and innovation technology advanced each year and
remains within the compet

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