The advent of computers and information technology over the past 5 years has made it seemingly more accessible for companies to take their vision and products worldwide. In the 21st century, it has become vitally important for these companies wishing to achieve globalization, to harness the capabilities of the Internet to establish or increase their position within the Global Economy. One such company looking to globalize their operations and utilizing this new technology is Komatsu Ltd.
             Komatsu's most formidable competitor in today's Global Economy is Caterpillar, Inc. With recorded sales of $16.5 billion in 1996, almost half of Caterpillar's earnings were attributed to sales outside of the United States. This information would appear to indicate that Caterpillar has a firm hold on the Global market. Conversely, Komatsu has had a difficult time establishing itself internationally. Komatsu recorded total sales of $9.4 billion in 1996, with only $3.2 billion of that total, credited to sales outside of Japan. So what is Komatsu's plan to "close the gap" in international sales with Caterpillar? An examination of Komatsu's "Mid-range Management Strategy, 'G' to the 21st" clearly outlines their objectives and strategies. Komatsu is focusing on 3 "G's": Growth, Global and Group-wide.
             One of the ways Komatsu plans on expanding its business worldwide is through "e-KOMATSU". With help from the World Wide Web, Komatsu plans on increasing its worldwide presence and focusing on "Quality and Reliability". This increased visibility through the Internet will help Komatsu develop into a more accessible company enabling it to reach potential customers and larger target markets worldwide.
             Would Komatsu be better off it focused its resources on the Japanese markets? The answer to this question involves not only looking at
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