Critical success factors for cooperation in small manufacturing firm's relations: Consistency in skills and mechanism of their accomplishment and maintenance

This paper investigates critical success factors for cooperations focused on ‘consistency in skills’ through in depth case analysis of small manufacturing firms relations called ‘Rush-sumida’. The paper describes several conditions for ‘consistency in skills’ at two different types of group in ‘Rush-sumida’. In ‘Parts Sales and Productions’ group, it is important that the following five skills are possessed by members aiming at conformity in products: (1) Technological Quality Assurance Skills, (2) Cost Assurance Skills, (3) Delivery Assurance Skills, (4) Delivery Quality Assurance Skills, (5) Continuous Cost Reduction Skills. On the other hand, in ‘Products Development’ group, it is important that the following two extra skills are possessed by members aiming at harmony with manufacturer and designer: (6) Skills in Conceptualizing End-Products Specification. (7) Skills in Improving Design.