Forecasting international telecommunications traffic by the data translation method

In forecasting the future international telecommunications traffic for individual countries, a global international view may provide a better long-range view of future trends rather than one based on observing individual countries separately. We propose a data translation method to achieve this. The method properly translates the traffic data per person for a group of countries along the time axis and ‘joins’ them together to form a single logistic or exponential forecasting curve. A necessary and sufficient mathematical condition for the method to be applied is given. Estimation of these curves is then considered. Forecasts are briefly shown for the telephone and telex examples, which demonstrate the improved accuracy that can be achieved relative to simple models based on individual country's trends.     

A Built-in Bias for Developing Too Many Products Too Frequently: The Problem of Japanese Firms

A problem of Japanese electronics firms and automobile makers is to develop too many products too frequently. They must give thought to a radical change in their product development practices, for the sake of their own financial health as well as for the good of society. It is difficult, however, for them to reduce the number of new products and extend their life span, because they have a built-in bias against doing so.     

Effects of diversification of career orientations on management systems in Japan

Until a few years ago, when compared to employees in countries of the Western World, Japanese employees entering an organization tended to have similar values and to stay in that organization rather than switching from one organization to another. That fact, however, has been changing. This article discusses the effects of this diversification of career orientations in young Japanese people. The main focus is on the effects of diversification on employment choice, the individual's decision-making as to which kind of employer to work for, and on the differing perceptions of management systems. © 1993 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.