Small to Medium sized companies in trouble?

(HER ●) Read a quick article about small to medium sized companies in Japan. Most of them being suppliers for larger companies.

What happened when the earthquake struck Japan?

Production paused, then slowed down. Absolutely no electricity in most areas.
Even at those small to medium sized companies who supplied for larger companies.

How do those larger companies keep their production process going in this case?

Most companies called similar companies abroad (e.g. China) and replaced their suppliers.


Few months later...

Most of those larger companies still have not gone back to their old local suppliers.
...Ouch

Most of those smaller local companies are known for great quality products. So why don't they expand abroad?
A man who owns a small local company in Tokyo who supplies for a large company was asked that question.
His answer surprised me.

He said that he did not want his company to expand abroad because he did not want to share his company's technology and skills that his company was able to get through hundreds of years of experience to non-Japanese people. Tradition is to be kept in this country, he said.

What do you think about this?



By the way have you all heard about the 19 year old Japanese girl who fell into the Niagara Falls?!