Professor
Prof. Herbert Sherman
MBA 625 Final Project:
Technological Innovation Analysis of UNIQLO
YE YU
Submitted to meet the requirements of MBA 625 in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree of
Master of Business Administration in Finance
LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY June 15, 2012 Introduction
In many industries technological innovation is now the most important driver of competitive success. Due in part to the globalization of markets, firms needs to keep continuously innovated to produce new products and services (Shilling, 2006). It is no doubt that technological innovation is a vital factor to these high-tech firms, even for these traditional industries, it is also very important.
In this article, UNIQLO Co., Ltd. is selected as a sample to study what kinds of technological innovation it choose to support its business strategy and how the firms utilizes these technical affect to its processing, management, cost controlling and presenting.
Overview of UNIQLO
Background information UNIQLO Co., Ltd is a 100% consolidated subsidiary of Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. which is a public Japanese retailing holding company founded by Tadashi Yanai. The brand name “UNIQLO” means “unique clothing” which also delivers a message that UNIQLO’s product is creative and innovated in the apparel industry. The first UNIQLO store opened in 1984 and it began expansion into chain stores in 1991 (Yanai, 2001). Today, the UNIQLO owns more than 1000 store in Japan and more than 300 stores over the world.
Strategy
UNIQLO’s main strategy is developing products of exceptionally high quality at a reasonable price. It aims to create apparel MADE FOR ALL—offering the elements of styles in clothes that suit for people of all ages and both genders. UNIQLO also weights lowering the cost by quickly combing production section and sales section.
R&D. UNIQLO’s four main R&D centers, located in Tokyo, New York City, Paris and Milan, are continuously
MBA 625 Final Project:
Technological Innovation Analysis of UNIQLO
YE YU
Submitted to meet the requirements of MBA 625 in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree of
Master of Business Administration in Finance
LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY June 15, 2012 Introduction
In many industries technological innovation is now the most important driver of competitive success. Due in part to the globalization of markets, firms needs to keep continuously innovated to produce new products and services (Shilling, 2006). It is no doubt that technological innovation is a vital factor to these high-tech firms, even for these traditional industries, it is also very important.
In this article, UNIQLO Co., Ltd. is selected as a sample to study what kinds of technological innovation it choose to support its business strategy and how the firms utilizes these technical affect to its processing, management, cost controlling and presenting.
Overview of UNIQLO
Background information UNIQLO Co., Ltd is a 100% consolidated subsidiary of Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. which is a public Japanese retailing holding company founded by Tadashi Yanai. The brand name “UNIQLO” means “unique clothing” which also delivers a message that UNIQLO’s product is creative and innovated in the apparel industry. The first UNIQLO store opened in 1984 and it began expansion into chain stores in 1991 (Yanai, 2001). Today, the UNIQLO owns more than 1000 store in Japan and more than 300 stores over the world.
Strategy
UNIQLO’s main strategy is developing products of exceptionally high quality at a reasonable price. It aims to create apparel MADE FOR ALL—offering the elements of styles in clothes that suit for people of all ages and both genders. UNIQLO also weights lowering the cost by quickly combing production section and sales section.
R&D. UNIQLO’s four main R&D centers, located in Tokyo, New York City, Paris and Milan, are continuously
Cited: Choi, E. K. (2010). Paradigm Innovation through the Strategic: Evolution of A New Fast Fashion Business Model. Fast Retailing. (2011). Fast Retailing Annual Report 2011. LTD, B. A. (2012). KZNCTC Newsletter– Q1 2012. KZNCTC. Shilling, M. A. (2006). Strategic Mnagement of Technological Innovation. New York: McGraw-Hill. Yanai, T. (2001). The Secret to UNIQLO’s Overwhelming Success and Japan’s Textile Industry.