COMPLETION REPORT
More than Manga, Anime, and Games (MAG): Japan's influences on Stylistic Innovation of Taiwanese
small firms.
Dr.Wai-Sum Siu
Professor
Department of Marketing,Hong Kong Baptist University
ABSTRACT
Purpose: Given the Japanese manga, anime, and games (MAG) are not only a subject matter for investigation
but also an instrument for examining the metaphoric economy of the contemporary world, the present research
examines to what extent Japanese agents and buyers could affect the stylistic innovation of Taiwanese small
shoe manufacturing firms.
Method and Data: This preliminary study adopts a qualitative multiple case study method to investigate thepractices of stylistic innovation in six Taiwanese small shoe manufacturers. 15 in-depth personal interviews on
were conducted. The interview scripts were analyzed through the data reduction, data display and conclusion
drawing phases, and gradually condensed into concepts (Eisenhardt, 1989; Miles & Huberman, 1994). Tran’s(2010) stylistic innovation process, consisting of creative sensing, stylistic orchestration and agile synchronization,
was adapted as the analytical framework for further analysis. Cognitive mappings suggested by Vermeulen &Curșeu (2008) were applied to show the interplay of cognitive complexity and stylistic innovation.
Findings: The research results first reveal that the cognitive complexity of Taiwanese shoe entrepreneurs instylistic innovation. It is found that the domain specific cognitive complexity of the entrepreneur influences theselection of relevant and appropriate dimensions in stylistic innovation. Entrepreneurs’ strategic decisions to be
the buyers’ production hub, rapid prototype maker or go international interact with the aesthetic influences ofJapan will influence the manufacturers’ stylistic innovation.
Key Contributions: The entrepreneurs are exposed generally to a wide a variety of types and forms of new
information and also specifically to aesthetic and stylistic issues in the process of stylistic innovation. Research
results also show that entrepreneurs’ strategic decision is one of the major factors in stylistic innovation. The
cognitive mappings (See Figure 1) show the stylistic innovation of Taiwanese shoe manufacturers and also thepossible aesthetic influences of Japan on the innovation process.

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Figure 1: Cognitive Mappings

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Publication of the Results of Research Project:Verbal Presentation (Date, Venue, Name of Conference, Title of Presentation, Presenter, etc.)
Wai-sum Siu and Ting-ling Lin, (2015). “More than Manga, Anime, and Games (MAG): A Preliminary Study ofJapan’s Influences on Stylistic Innovation of Taiwanese Small Shoe Manufacturers,” The 2015 International
Conference of Asian Marketing Associations, Tokyo, October 30 - November 1, 2015.
Wai-sum Siu, Ting-ling Lin and Mei-Chen Hsieh, (2016). “More than Manga, Anime, and Games (MAG):Japan’s Influences on Stylistic Innovation of Taiwanese Small Shoe Manufacturers,” The Academy ofMarketing Conference 2016 - Radical Marketing, Newcastle Business School at Northumbria University,Newcastle, the UK, July 4 -7, 2016.

Thesis (Name of Journal and its Date, Title and Author of Thesis, etc.)

Book (Publisher and Date of the Book, Title and Author of the Book, etc.)
Wai-sum Siu and Ting-ling Lin, (2015). “More than Manga, Anime, and Games (MAG): A Preliminary Study ofJapan’s Influences on Stylistic Innovation of Taiwanese Small Shoe Manufacturers”, (pp. 75-96), in Ono, A.,
Kikumori, M. and Takeuchi, R. (eds.) Emerging Trends in Asian Markets (Proceedings of the 2015
International Conference of Asian Marketing Associations). Tokyo: Japan Society for Marketing Distribution.

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