An analysis of limit cycle and velocity history in Mazda’s keiretsu

This article proposes the use of limit cycle theory and velocity history as effective tools for analyzing the behavior of members of an organized network. Specifically, the limit cycle and velocity history of firms in the Kansai Yokokai, one of the three major groups of suppliers that constitute Mazda’s keiretsu, are examined using a new analytical approach. Based on the data obtained, the organizational behavior of the suppliers is subsumed into four categorical patterns, each of which is related to the limit cycle and velocity history. The research implications, as well as the weakness of the limit cycle, are also discussed.

Authors and Affiliations

1. Department of Business Administration, Ube National College of Technology, 2-14-1 Tokiwadai, Ube, Yamaguchi, 755-8555, Japan

   Takao Ito & Shinya Tagawa

2. Department of Computer Science and Systems Engineering, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan

   Makoto Sakamoto

3. School of Management, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA

   Rajiv Mehta

4. Business School, Shandong University in Weihai, Weihai, PR China

   Shu Quan Lu

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shinya Tagawa.

This work was presented in part at the 15th International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, February 4–6, 2010