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Segment Information (Policies) | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2012
Segment Information [Abstract] |
Segment Reporting Measurement | The Company evaluates business segment performance on operating income, exclusive of certain items (“segment operating income”). Only dedicated, direct selling, general, and administrative expenses of the segments are included in the calculation of segment operating income. The Company’s calculation of segment operating income excludes such selling, general, and administrative costs as global operations, sales and marketing, information systems, finance and administration groups, as well as restructuring and severance costs, asset write-downs, goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible asset impairments, inventory write-downs, gains or losses on purchase commitments, and other items. Management believes that evaluating segment performance excluding such items is meaningful because it provides insight with respect to intrinsic operating results of the Company. These items represent reconciling items between segment operating income and consolidated operating income. Business segment assets are the owned or allocated assets used by each business.
Segment Reporting General Information | Vishay operates, and its chief operating decision maker makes strategic and operating decisions with regards to assessing performance and allocating resources based on, five reporting segments: MOSFETs, Diodes, Optoelectronic Components, Resistors & Inductors, and Capacitors.

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- Definition General information about (a) factors used to identify reportable segments, including the basis of organization (for example, whether management has chosen to organize the enterprise around differences in products and services, geographic areas, regulatory environments, or a combination of factors and whether operating segments have been aggregated to reportable segments) and (b) types of products and services from which each reportable segment derives its revenues. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 131 -Paragraph 26 -Subparagraph a, b -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 21 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e8721-108599 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 21 -Subparagraph (a),(b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e8721-108599 + Details
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- Definition An explanation of the measurements of segment profit or loss and segment assets for each reportable segment, including (a) the basis of accounting for any transactions between reportable segments; (b) the nature of any differences between the measurements of the reportable segments' profits or losses and the entity's consolidated income before income taxes, extraordinary items, and discontinued operations (which could include accounting policies and policies for allocation of centrally incurred costs that are necessary for an understanding of the reported segment information); (c) the nature of any differences between the measurements of the reportable segments' assets and the entity's consolidated assets (which could include accounting policies and policies for allocation of jointly used assets that are necessary for an understanding of the reported segment information); (d) the nature of any changes from prior periods in the measurement methods used to determine reported segment profit or loss and the effect, if any, of those changes on the measure of segment profit or loss; and (e) the nature and effect of any asymmetrical allocations to segments. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 131 -Paragraph 31 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 29 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6534315&loc=d3e8864-108599 + Details
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