Trademarks as “Global Merchants of Skill”: The Dynamics of the Japanese Match Industry, 1860s–1930s

The Japanese match industry is an early case of that changed global market dynamics by building international competitiveness through combining low-cost and low-price strategies with product differentiation. This differentiation was achieved the registration trademarks for all matches exported, total quality control, strong investments in graphic design to adapt brands their imagery different host markets cultures. study shows how trademark data provides alternative complementary angles on particular economic phenomena—in this case, industries countries build despite being technologically less developed.