For decades the crown jewels of Japan's postwar manufacturing industry, motorcycles remain one of Japan's top exports. Japan's Motorcycle Wars assesses the historical development and societal impact of the motorcycle industry, from the influence of motor sports on vehicle sales in the early 1900s to the postwar developments that led to the massive wave of motorization sweeping the Asia-Pacific region today.
Jeffrey Alexander brings a wealth of information to light, providing English translations of transcripts, industry publications, and company histories that have until now been available only in Japanese. By exploring the industry as a whole, he reveals that Japan's motorcycle industry was characterized not by communitarian success but by misplaced loyalties, technical disasters, and brutal competition.
Sprache
Verlagsort
Produkt-Hinweis
Illustrationen
1 map, 4 charts, 28 tables, and 37 b&w photos
Maße
Höhe: 229 mm
Breite: 159 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-0-7748-1453-9 (9780774814539)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
Jeffrey W. Alexander teaches at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Why the Motorcycle?
1 Japan's Transportation Revolution, 1896-1931
2 Motorcycle and Empire: A Study in Industrial Self-Sufficiency
3 Know Your Customers: Designing Products for an Impoverished Postwar Market
4 Know Your Competitors: Finding a Niche in a Crowded Manufacturing Field
5 The Rise of the Big Four
6 Bitter Realities: Going Bankrupt in Japan
7 Sales versus Safety
Appendices
Notes
Glossary
Bibliography
Index
