No.34   October 1, 2001   Industrial Change and Corporate Management in the Era of Ubiquitous Networks   Toshitada NAGUMO, Hisao NAKAJIMA, Yasutake OKANO         There is growing interest in ubiquitous networks as a new IT (information technology) paradigm comprising broadband connections, mobile communications, always-on connections, IPv6 (Internet protocol version 6) and seamless interfaces (i.e., meaning interfaces that can be easily used by anybody, including the elderly, children, and those with computer and keyboard allergies). Ubiquitous networks will certainly trigger major changes in society, consumer and corporate activities and industrial structures.     The essence of ubiquitous networks lies in three elements: "shared visible knowledge," "expanded community power"and "expanded sensing and tracking capabilities." Ubiquitous networks will speed up the unbundling process in industry as industrial change and the corporate paradigm shift progress along these axes.     These changes should give Japan an opportunity to revive its industrial capabilities, resulting in stronger international competitiveness for Japanese companies by providing solutions to the issues of information sharing and open systems. This is assuming, however, that individual companies tackle the issues of using ubiquitous networks and reforming management. Contents I Networks that Deliver "Any Time, Anywhere" 1 A New IT Paradigm 2 Broadband, Mobile Communications, and Always-On Connections 3 IPv6 to Expand the World of M-to-M II Visible Knowledge, Communities and Sensing--The Essence of Ubiquitous Networks 1 From the Sharing of "Explicit Knowledge" to the Sharing of "Visible Knowledge" 2 Greater Community Power 3 Expanding Sensing and Tracking Capabilities III Innovation in Industrial Structures 1 Impact on the Manufacturing Industry 2 Impact on the Distribution Industry 3 Impact on the Financial Business 4 The Industrial World Unbundles IV Pressure to Reform Management 1 Strengthening Responses to Information Sharing and Open Systems 2 The Growing Importance of Knowledge Management 3 Marketing Becomes More Diverse and Flexible 4 Advanced Corporate Information Systems V Change as a Tool for Strengthening Competitiveness 1 Ubiquitous Networking as a Yardstick of Future Corporate Value 2 Importance of Cooperation to Increase 3 Simply a Matter of Taking up the Challenge of Setting Targets GO to PDF