Conglomerate: Sony Corporation 1 Conglomerate: Sony Corporation Tiffany Yang San Jose State University Conglomerate: Sony Corporation 2 Abstract The research paper is about the Japanese conglomerate― Sony Corporation in terms of its history, growth, holdings, and ramifications of ownership. Sony Corporation is a world-wide corporation that ranges different businesses in different countries. The corporation started as an electronic company and became a conglomerate by jointing with other big companies, absorbing small/medium companies, and establishing its new companies. Because having a successful company value and strong strategies, the corporation is getting stronger; however, the achievement did not show on the numbers on the 2010 annual report. The revenue of 2010 has decreased compare to last year. Even though the numbers are not perfect, the Sony Corporation as a whole presents a strong public identity with little domination in a particular medium. On the other hand, Sony Corporation does not show intention of money, but the term of the Sony does: A “Corporation” categorized as a “Conglomerate”— means it intends to make money by expanding its businesses to different industries. Conglomerate: Sony Corporation 3 Table of content I. Intro (General overview) 4 II. History 4 A. Timeline 5 B. Philosophy / Strategy 9 III. Holdings 12 A. Sony Corporation Subsidiaries 13 B. Headquarter 14 C. Structure 15 IV. Track record 16 A. Company Position & Competitors 16 B. The Buzz 20 V. Analysis 20 VI. Interpretation & Conclusion 21 Conglomerate: Sony Corporation 4 I. Intro (General overview) The Sony Corporation is a Japanese conglomerate which represents a wide range of business engaged in entirely different businesses; it primarily focuses on electronics, game, movie, music, and financial services. For its local business in Japan, Sony Corporation has 167,900 people (as of March 31, 2010) in seven technology centers and two business offices; moreover, it also established different businesses overseas in several countries. II. History Sony Corporation was based on the corporation of two persons’ ideas and the ambitious to achieve the ideas. In late 1945, Sony Corporation started as a radio repair shop by Masaru Ibuka. The next year, Akio Marita joined Masaru Ibuka and found a company because they had the same beliefs and believe that they could make their ideas into reality if they working together. Originally, Sony Corporation was named ―Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K. (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation), and the company did not change its name to “Sony Corporation” until 1958. The name "Sony" was chosen for the brand as a mix of two words. One was the Latin word Sonus which is the root of "sonic" and "sound" and the other was "sonny," a familiar term used in 1950s America to call a boy (“Sony Corporation history,” (2010). From that initial spark followed by decades of innovation, Ibuka’s and Marita’s ideas had transformed and implanted into people’s lives everywhere (“Sony Corporation history,” (2010). Conglomerate: Sony Corporation 5 A. Timeline Sony Corporation had successful performances in its local business. To grow out of its original business, it started to expand its businesses overseas after over two decades of local business, but it local businesses did not stop developing. During the 1950s and 1970s, Sony Corporation was mainly focusing on electronic products and locally establishing technology centers. Starting in the 1990s, Sony started to have touches on the computer entertainment and communication network industries, and it started video companies and internet service provider corporation. After having touches on electronics, film, and internet, Sony started to be involved in financial, cell phone, music, and film industries in the 2000s. The following chart is a history list of what Sony Corporation has done regarding to its local expansion of the company: (“Sony Corporation History”, 2010) Local Expansion of Sony Corporation Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K. (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation), 1946 also known as Totsuko, established in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, Japan. Sendai plant established in Tagajo, near Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. 1954 (It was renamed Sendai Technology Center in April 1992). Totsuko listed on the OTC (over-the-counter) market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange 1955 (TSE). 1958 Company name changed to Sony Corporation Atsugi plant established in Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture 1960 (It was renamed Atsugi Technology Center in August 1989). Osaki plant established in Shinagawa, Tokyo 1964 (It was renamed Osaki West Technology Center in June 1995). 1966 Sony Building in Ginza, Tokyo, opened Shibaura plant established in Minato, Tokyo 1969 (renamed Shibaura Technology Center in August 1989) Conglomerate: Sony Corporation 6 Sony Shiroishi Semiconductor Inc. established to assemble semiconductor products (in Shiroishi, Miyagi Prefecture). Inazawa Plant (currently Inazawa Technology Center) established to produce cathode- ray tubes (in Inazawa, Aichi Prefecture). Ichinomiya Plant (currently Ichinomiya Technology Center) established to assemble 1970 color TVs (in Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture). Sony Koda Inc. (currently Koda Technology Center) established to manufacture home- 1972 video products (in Kota-cho, Aichi Prefecture). 1993 Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. established. 1995 Sony Communication Network Corporation established 1997 Sony Marketing Co., Ltd. Established Sony Bank established in Japan 2001 Sony EMCS established Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications established FeliCa Networks, Inc. established Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) becomes wholly owned subsidiary via 2004 exchange of shares Sony Financial Holdings Inc. established. Sony BMG Music Entertainment established Sony Communication Network Corporation delists as a subsidiary tracking stock. Sony Communication Network Corporation 2005 (It was renamed So-net Entertainment Corporation in Oct. 2006) listed on the Mothers Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. 2007 Sony Financial Holdings lists on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. 2008 So-net Entertainment lists on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. (“Sony Corporation history,” 2010) Sony Corporation operated its local business for 24 years, and it established its first national expansion starting from the United States. Sony Corporation started to expand its ownership by not only jointing venture and absorbing other companies but also establishing its Conglomerate: Sony Corporation 7 own brand in different countries in different fields. In the 1960s, Sony expanded its business in United States and European countries. At the same time, Sony started to be involved in the music industry by having joint venture with a music company. In the 1970s, Sony continued to expand its business around Europe and have touches on the insurance industry by jointing venture with an existed insurance company. In the 1980s, Sony wholly-owned the music production company and also expanded its business into the film industry. In recent years, Sony Corporation remains absorbing other companies by merger and cooperating with other companies to produce new products and services. The following chart is the main expansions of Sony Corporation throughout the world: National Expansion of Sony Corporation Corporation of America (SONAM) established in the United States 1960 Sony Overseas S.A. established near Zurich, Switzerland 1962 Sony Corporation of Hong Kong Ltd. established CBS /Sony Records Inc., a 50-50 joint venture with CBS Inc. of the US, established (Renamed CBS Sony Inc. in August 1973 and CBS/Sony Group Inc. in August 1983. It 1968 became a wholly-owned Sony subsidiary in January 1988, and renamed Sony Music Entertainment Inc. in April 1991) Sony (U.K.) Ltd. Established in the United Kingdom (Reorganized as Sony United Kingdom Ltd. In April 1993) Sony G.m.b.H. established in Cologne, Germany 1970 (Renamed Sony Deutschland G.m.b.H in June 1980) Sony shares listed on the New York Stock Exchange 1972 Operations commenced at color TV assembly plant in San Diego, California. Hispano Sony established in Barcelona, Spain. 1973 Sony France S.A. established in Paris, France Operations commenced at color TV assembly plant in Bridgend, Wales, in the U.K. 1974 Operations commenced at cathode ray tube (CRT) plant in San Diego, the first ever Conglomerate: Sony Corporation 8 integrated color TV production facility to be established by a Japanese company overseas. Sony Prudential Life Insurance Co. Ltd., a 50-50 joint venture with Prudential Insurance Co. of America, established. (Renamed Sony Pruco Life Insurance Co. Ltd. in September 1987 and Sony Life 1979 Insurance Co. Ltd. in April 1991) Sony Europe G.m.b.H. established in Cologne, Germany. 1986 Operations commenced at Sony France audio and video products assembly and device plant in Colmar, Alsace, France. CBS Records Inc., the records group of CBS, acquired 1988 (Renamed Sony Music Entertainment Inc. in January 1991) Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc. acquired. 1989 (Renamed Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. in August 1991) 1996 Sony China established 2000 Sony Center am Potsdamer Platz Berlin opened 2002 Sony absorbs AIWA by merger Sony and Samsung reach agreement on manufacturing 8th generation amorphous TFT 2006 LCD panels at their joint venture, S-LCD Corporation. 2008 Sony BMG becomes wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (“Sony Corporation history,” 2010) Although the list which is provided on the Sony Corporation’s website only
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