Trier University (M.A. in Political Science)
Waseda University Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies (Ph.D. in International Studies)

I conduct research on various aspects of the auto industry, such as industrial development of emerging countries, international production networks (global value chain), corporate strategies, and relationship between automakers and components suppliers. Recently, I have been conducting research on the shift to electric vehicles and the roles of public policies in this process. My research also covers how digitalization has changed work, production organizations, and production control in cooperation with researchers in Germany and Japan.

I specialize in the auto industry, but the framework of the global value chain applies to various industries, such as clothes, shoes, electric/electronic products, agricultural industries (chocolate, coffee, and wine), IT services, and soccer balls. The framework also helps conduct research on how a certain product is manufactured from an engineering viewpoint and where, by whom, and under what conditions such product is manufactured. Thus, the framework enables research on national development strategies, corporate strategies, and labor issues through the method of analyzing the global value chain.

Global value chain, auto industry, industrial organizations, production control, corporate strategies, digitalization