Sharp Corp has wasted no time in following Sony Corp with an announcement that it plans a giant communications network to link production, sales and development facilities in 60 cities in 41 countries: the Sharp Global Network will have main nodes located in Japan, the US, the UK and Singapore; it is due to go on-line next spring, and the leased line network will carry facsimile, telex and data communications traffic; Sharp is aiming to integrate its entire management information system within three years, providing all its 60 locations access to sales, stock confirmation, production, materials procurement, computer-aided design systems, financial and accounting information and electronic mail; Sharp looks for a 30% reduction in communications costs once the network is complete.
