panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Under this brand Matsushita sells plasma display panels, DVD players, telephones, microwave ovens, projectors, digital cameras, laptop computers (under the sub-brand Toughbook), portable CD and analog tape decks and home stereo equipment, all of which are marketed under their slogan "Ideas for Life."
Introduction
The brand Panasonic was created by Matsushita in 1955 for the US, Canada and Mexico because the National brand was already registered by others. The Panasonic brand was created from the elements "pan" meaning "all" combined with "sonic" meaning "sound", because it was first used for audio equipment.
Based on 2004 annual sales of electronics, Matsushita is the largest Japanese electronics maker ahead of Hitachi. Within the category of white goods, Matsushita is the world’s largest manufacturer. In the past, due to its imitation tactics Matsushita has been ridiculed in Japan as "Maneshita" ("mane" means imitation), but in fact Matsushita does vast amounts of its own product planning, research and development.
Including its related companies, Matsushita has developed a wide variety of enterprises, centering on home electronics, industrial equipment, and telecommunications equipment. Though not widely advertised before, in recent years its notebook computer line (Toughbook) has gained popularity and commercials for it are being aired on television. Other brand names associated with Panasonic include its Viera televisions and Lumix digital cameras.
The company's management style and corporate culture have been often compared to that of competitor Sony. When Sony is doing well, the number of books that praise Sony management increases, when conditions reverse, then more books that praise Panasonic management style are displayed in bookstores. Regardless of favorable sales and conditions, Sony and Panasonic are often viewed as rivals. This view probably arose from the videotape format wars between VHS (supported by Panasonic) and Betamax (supported by Sony).The largest direct competition between Sony and Panasonic is currently in the segment of audio products; Panasonic is also considered as Sony’s rival in sales of flat panel TVs, digital cameras and DVD recorders – areas where Panasonic is focusing its production, marketing and sales efforts. In contrast, Sony has recently diversified into the cinema, video game, and financial areas, whereas Panasonic's whitegoods have no competition from Sony.
Matsushita's current corporate strategy is to seek cooperation and joint ventures in the development of certain technologies (such as LCDs), while continuing to compete against other companies such as Toshiba, Hitachi and Minebea to become the benchmark for Japanese electronics.
Automobile Audio
Panasonic sells radio (audio) products for automobiles and light trucks in the US market under the Panasonic brand (aftermarket) and as OEM equipment in automobile brands such as the Toyota Corolla. The primary examples of the OEM Radios are the Toyota Corolla single CD AM/FM radio labeled A51813 and the six disc changer AM/FM radio labeled A51814.
Panasonic Corporation of North America
Panasonic Corporation of North America is the name for the American branch of Matsushita. It was known as Matsushita Electric Corporation of America (MECA) prior to 2005.
Panasonic Corporation in Europe
Shop@Panasonic
Shop@Panasonic is a chain of stores in the United Kingdom which sells only Panasonic electronics. The store is based on the same structure as Sony Centre. The stores are usually located in shopping centres such as Centrale, and brand itself the official Panasonic retailer. The stores along with Sony Centre are usually overwhelmed by other eletronic stores on the high street such as Currys.digital, and are often despited as overpriced, although this is mainly because as it sells only Panasonic items which are mainly upstream, however they tend to be the recommended retail price.
Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Panasonic Avionics Corporation (PAC) is the world's leading supplier of in-flight entertainment (IFE) and communication systems. Headquartered in Lake Forest, California where engineering, development and testing is performed while system installation, field engineering, major quality functions, certification and program management are performed at the Bothell, Washington facility - Panasonic Avionics Corporation employs approximately 2,800 employees based in over 70 locations worldwide, with major facilities in London, Toulouse, Hamburg, Dallas, Dubai and Singapore. A majority of the component manufacturing is carried out in Osaka, Japan.
The company provides airline passengers with a wide array of interactive applications at their seats, combining entertainment (digital music and movies on demand, games, interactive moving maps, satellite TV, and online shopping) with business tools (E-mail, live flight schedules, and in-flight internet access). PAC is also one of the chief suppliers to both Boeing and Airbus and their IFE systems will be featured on both the Boeing 787 and the Airbus A380 aircraft.
Among the many worldwide customers that use PAC systems are award-winning airlines such as Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.
Panasonic Avionics Corporation is a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation of North America (PNA).
