[justinr]

Wikipedi tells us that a keiretsu is a 'family' of companies that are brought together under the auspices of a single bank. Generally speaking the companies within a keiretsu are encouraged to trade with each other.

The major keiretsu were each centered around one bank, which lent money to the keiretsu's member companies and held equity positions in the companies. Each bank had great control over the companies in the keiretsu and acted as a monitoring and an emergency bail-out entity. One effect of this structure was to minimize the presence of hostile takeovers in Japan, because no entities could challenge the power of the banks.

Different entirely to the US business model which is not always as universal as assumed.

[rawr]

Different entirely to the US business model which is not always as universal as assumed.

Indeed. Due to all these business relationships, relations between companies that may be 'competitors' in Japan can often be quite fraternal, in a way that would probably attract the interest of anti-trust regulators in the US.

In the same vein, there's the old story, repeated by people like Ken Rockwell and others, that every year the heads of all the Japanese camera companies meet and agree on who will release what camera and when, who will introduce a certain technology first, who will be most active in certain geographical markets etc etc. Stories like that probably have a grain of truth to them.

[garyk]

Hummm I am flying into Bangkok at the end of August. I think I will take a look at the industral site mentioned here. I speek a little thai. So, if I find the factory I will ask the workers what they make and what is the name on the product. I know many hi tech companys such as western digital and others. I even know a supervisor at western digital plant. Hummmm. Also I know a mechanical engineer that pools with others to the factorys. These big companys run free buses for the workers in and out of the plants. I will ask him if he know anything.
The engineers here are pretty tight. Actually from Viet-Nam thru asia. Viet nam is a factory hot spot now.

[RonHendriks1966]

The Pentax Q uses a Sony sensor too. As was leaked from this strange upside-down PDF document, the Pentax Q toy lenses are made in Thailand and I assume this means made by Ricoh already (they have a corresponding facility at Industrial Park Asia,Industrial Park Thailand,Industrial Estates Asia,Industrial Land Thailand ).

I did wonder about this. Since in the agreement there is talk about the lensfactorie in Vietnam to trnasfer, but no talk about the camerabody factory in the Phillipines. Could this mean that the camerabody production be moved to a side wich is already owned by Ricoh?

[Anton Magus]

...a keiretsu is a 'family' of companies that are brought together under the auspices of a single bank. Generally speaking the companies within a keiretsu are encouraged to trade with each other.

The major keiretsu were each centered around one bank, which lent money to the keiretsu's member companies and held equity positions in the companies. Each bank had great control over the companies in the keiretsu and acted as a monitoring and an emergency bail-out entity. One effect of this structure was to minimize the presence of hostile takeovers in Japan, because no entities could challenge the power of the banks.

Different entirely to the US business model which is not always as universal as assumed.

Even more importantly, unlike the Western business model where companies and corporation will keep their R&D confidential and secret, the members of a Japanese keiretsu will freely share all their R&D with each other if there is overall benefit to the keiretsu.
For them, its Japan first, Company/Corporation second and Family/Self last.

[uccemebug]

For them, its Japan first, Company/Corporation second and Family/Self last.

No it isn't. Not sure where you get that idea, but don't confuse patience and dedication with some sort of subjugation of the self. When the Japanese self-identify with their employer or their University is it really different from Americans (et al) identifying themselves with brands?

You might as well sum up the West by saying, "For them, it's gratification first, arguing about everything second, and family last." When I left Tokyo there was a magazine in publication called "WIFM" - "what's in it for me". It was, of course, an Anglophone-oriented magazine.

[Aristophanes]

Even more importantly, unlike the Western business model where companies and corporation will keep their R&D confidential and secret, the members of a Japanese keiretsu will freely share all their R&D with each other if there is overall benefit to the keiretsu.

Not true. They license for fees just like everyone else. They have shareholders to please and revenues to secure.

[eddie1960]

Not true. They license for fees just like everyone else. They have shareholders to please and revenues to secure.

Yep and some tech they won't license at all or only license the older variant keeping the latest greatest for themselves as it's their market edge

[jboyde]

I'll be curious to see if in the next couple of years there'll be more in the way of accessories for Pentax. Hopefully Radiopoppers/Pocketwizards will be compatible with PTTL as well as have more 3rd party lenses have the K mount (Tokina?)

Companies like Canon/Nikon seem to have no problem updating and generating new products and accessories, but it comes with a hefty price to the consumer. Pentax OTOH seemed to share a psychology with some particular posters on this board of "for the lower price you're paying, be glad youre getting THIS!" When you come to consider that the price differences are more or less gone I think people are due to have higher expectations. Hopefully Ricoh can meet them to a better degree than Hoya did. Pentax is too good a brand to let fester in under-achievement.

[mdbrown]

I have not seen the most important subject of all this even mentioned yet...

Has anyone found out what Ken Rockwell has to say about all this??

[eddie1960]

I have not seen the most important subject of all this even mentioned yet...

Has anyone found out what Ken Rockwell has to say about all this??

hahahaha, you made my morning

[Blue]

I have not seen the most important subject of all this even mentioned yet...

Has anyone found out what Ken Rockwell has to say about all this??

I am waiting to see what Rice Rockwell has to say about it.

Rice Rockwell's Nikkon/Cannon Blog

[eddie1960]

I am waiting to see what Rice Rockwell has to say about it.

Rice Rockwell's Nikkon/Cannon Blog

that's too funny, i hadn't seen it before thanks Blue

[adamfogerty]

I found it hard to find any real information about the future of the Pentax brand name in the other thread ( https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/150409-ricoh-buy-penta...ness-hoya.html
UPDATE: Class A actually already posted the info as post #375: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/150409-ricoh-buy-penta...ml#post1565196 ).

OTOH, some people started polls about if wanting to be called Ricoh ...

So, I looked it up and this is what appears to be fact:

Ricoh will continue to call Pentax PENTAX !


(at least the dSLR part of it) The trick is to search for what Ricoh is saying, not Hoya. It's won't be Hoya's decision from now on.

[Source: Ricoh to acquire HOYA's PENTAX Imaging Systems Business / News Release | Ricoh Global ]
(which is the Ricoh press release)

So and fortunately, Pentax is going to survive (again)


P.S.

I started this thread for easier reference of what will happen to the Pentax brand name. And to collect facts about this topic.

Hypothetical situation. Would you rather:

a) Ricoh business plan is to sell Pentax branded P&S and EVIL cameras, but drop DSLR's completely
b) Ricoh sells the K-5 successor as a Ricoh branded camera, but it is developed by the same staff & technology behind the K-5

My point being Ricoh's commitment to the Pentax brand name tells us nothing of their intentions for the future.

For all we know they might start rolling out Pentax branded copiers.

Thanks,

Adam

[Pål Jensen]

Neither scenarios are realistic.
a) No one will buy Pentax camera division if not for the DSLR's. EVIL's and DSLR's are two totally different market segments in spite of what some imagine. Thats why Nikon and Canon are in no hurry in this segment; their DSLR sales keep on increasing. Canon will soon make 7 million DSLR's a year.
b) Rebranding Pentax to Ricoh would be a very bad idea. Ricoh want a high-end brand - Pentax fit that bill and they are not associated with photocopiers...