Triad Power
The Coming Shape of Global Competition
In this book, Ohmae demonstrates why corporations hoping to compete in the global arena must become "insiders" in what he calls the Triad: Europe, Japan, and the United States. This means nothing less than full membership in the indigenous business communities at each corner of the Triad. Why? In such high-tech industries as computers, consumer electronics, and communications, the rapid pace of product innovation and development no longer allows firms the luxury of testing the home market before probing abroad. Moreover, because consumer preferences vary subtly by culture and are in constant flux, companies must intimately understand local tastes — and react instantly to changing market trends and prices. Political considerations play a part as well: Ohmae's insiders possess greater immunity to protectionism than do outsiders. Finally, capturing markets in all three parts of the Triad is often the only way to achieve the economies of scale world-class automated plants demand in order to pay for themselves.
Which is the best path to insider status? Joint ventures and international consortia have already given a range of firms the leverage they need to be successful Triad competitors. Required reading for senior and general managers and for corporate planners and financial analysts, this book is a challenging, thought-provoking, cosmopolitan look at the new rules of global competition.
Free Press (January 15, 2002)
Free Press; 1st edition (April 1, 1985)
