Former President Describes How Company Stayed Sharp
2003-11-11:Former president and currently corporate advisor of Sharp Corporation, Haruo Tsuji fascinated an audience of 50 ACCJ members and their guests with a dynamic presentation and persuasive speech on October 21.
Tsuji became president in 1986, immediately after the Plaza Accord resulted in Japan becoming the most expensive country in the world. Sharp's export ratio at that time neared 60 percent and, naturally, everyone at Sharp began to panic.
Tsuji concluded that the only way to survive this economic shock was either to manufacture products unavailable elsewhere or to create a completely new production method. Out of several alternatives, he decided to focus the company's resources on the development of LCDs because no one had yet fully committed to developing the LCD business. The necessary seed capital was way out of proportion. After two years of perseverance, a promising 12-inch full-color TFT LCD was developed in 1988, and full-scale production began in 1991.
Some of Sharp's most popular products (the LCD Viewcam, pocket organizer Zaurus, Aquos displays, and mobile phone screens) were born from a three-spiral development strategy to synergize LCD elements technology, production technology, and new product development.
Sharp continues to enjoy the highest return on sales among domestic appliance manufacturers.
Haruo Tsuji
Norbert Vollertsen's Korea: Diary of a Mad Place
2003-09-25: Featured as one of
BusinessWeek's top 25 "Stars of Asia,"
Dr. Norbert Vollertsen
is known more for raising eyebrows than revenue forecasts. On September 25, Vollertsen--a trained medical doctor turned globetrotting human rights Activist--provided ACCJ members and their guests with a rare glimpse into a country few have ever visited, let alone lived in: North Korea.
Vollertsen spoke from first-hand experience. He spent 18 months working as an emergency doctor for a German NPO, Cap Anamur. "As a medical doctor, it's quite easy to get close to the people because you can intervene and learn from them," he noted. Responsible for dozens of hospitals and a hundred schools in the countryside, Vollertsen told frightening stories of children suffering from malnutrition, hospitals lacking food and medicine, and operating rooms with lights but no electricity to run them: "When you talk about a North Korean hospital, you must imagine an empty building with only walls; no heat, no running water, and no blankets." Relief medicine poured in from foreign countries but never made it out to the countryside clinics. Donated medicine was often found being resold in Pyongyang hotels or hoarded among the party and military elite.
Subsequently expelled from North Korea in December 2000 for exposing the squalid hospital conditions to members of the Western media, Vollertsen said: "As a German, I feel compelled to take (even greater) responsibility to do something to help the North Korean people avert this man-made disaster. We must learn from history...(never to) make the same mistake twice. In that hospital, I made a promise to the North Korean children to help improve the situation, and I intend to follow it through."
Finally, Vollertsen encouraged the business community to engage state and local politics to come up with a peaceful, non-threatening solution to help the North Korean people. By opening up North Korea's economic front door by entering through the human rights window, "(we must) think about the economic opportunities (that will arise) when there is a free, open, North Korea."
Dr. Norbert Vollertsen
Does Award-Winning Advertising Really Sell?
2003-07-10: Beacon Communications President
Michelle Kristula-Green
encouraged 70 attendees to ponder the question "Does award-winning advertising really sell?" The audience giggled and guffawed through film reels of this year's award-winning TV commercials, which featured many of the world's most recognizable companies. For those who could not attend, the winners of the 2003 Cannes Lion International Advertising Festival can be seen in their entirety at
http://www.canneslions.com.
Michell Kristula-Green discusses advertising
Note: Special thanks to Douglas Schafer of Toyo Beverage for donating the unlimited ice-cold beer.
2003-06-30: Former Human Resources Director for Matsushita/Panasonic America
Yoshiaki Ishibashi
spoke about the U.S. HR model and how it differs from the Japanese model. Mr. Ishibashi discussed famous case studies to support his points and described how to avoid common pitfalls that may result in legal action against a company.
In the second module,
Consul David Chang
and
Specialist Kayo Taguchi
of the U.S Consulate General, Osaka-Kobe, explained sweeping changes to U.S. visa policy that take effect on August 1, 2003. Mr. Chang and Ms. Taguchi briefed the 60 participants on types of business visas, mandatory applicant interviews, and electronic application filing.
This extremely informative event was co-sponsored by the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
An Evening with Alex Kerr
On May 26, a sold-out crowd of 120 ACCJ members, guests, foreign consular officials, and visiting professors packed into the Procter & Gamble Auditorium in Kobe to listen to ”Dogs and Demons“ author Alex Kerr.
With keen wit and a compelling photo presentation, Kerr discussed the roots of Japan’s troubled banking sector, the mechanisms of the construction state, the failure of the tourism industry, Kerr’s grassroots “Chiiori Project,” and his hopes for Japan’s future. Immediately following, Kerr spent an additional 45 minutes talking to audience members and signing books before moving to a private dinner with ACCJ members. The ACCJ thanks Nestle Japan Group for donating bottles of Vittel mineral water for all in attendance.
ACCJ/OCCI Meishi Exchange Party
On May 15, ACCJ members exchanged business cards and greetings with their counterparts from the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) in an effort to establish stronger ties and forge closer relationships between the two business organizations.
Our Gold sponsors deserve a big thank you for their generosity and help in making the event a complete success:
Amway Japan Ltd.
Hewitt Associates
Office Depot Japan
Governor Werner Geissler, Kansai Vice President Norman Solberg, and OCCI Vice Chairman Yusuke Saraya discuss future plans.
Working with the Media 101
Having spent his entire professional life as a Japan-based journalist,
The Japan Times’ Osaka Bureau Chief Eric Johnston knows the print media and how to utilize various publications and outlets to one’s advantage. Johnston shared this invaluable knowledge with ACCJ members on May 13. After defining the various media types, Johnston explained in detail the basics of the press release, press packet common sense, and ground rules at press conferences. Johnston is also a founding member of the Kansai International Media Forum. His articles appear regularly in
The Japan Times, USA Today
and other magazines and newspapers.
Tips for Budding Entrepreneurs
On April 21, Kansai members Jeffrey Aasgaard, Sanae Myojo, and Douglas Schafer shared tips on entrepreneurship with about fifty students from local Kansai universities. Two university students came from as far away as Kyushu to attend the seminar! ACCJ Kansai Chapter hopes that annual outreach programs like this will become a way to foster relations with local college students interested in returning to Osaka to pursue international business.
Doing HR the P&G Way
On April 15, P&G's Human Resources Director for Northeast Asia, Hide Aida, and five of his managers shared high-level HR techniques with members of the ACCJ, Osaka Chamber (OCCI) and Kobe Chamber (KCCI). The audience learned how P&G leverages diversity in age, gender, nationality, and compensation to grow and run like a well-oiled engine.
Only the Best: Valentine Morozoff
On March 5, ACCJ members and guests were fortunate to spend a unique evening with the Kobe-born, third-generation master chocolatier and president of The Cosmopolitan Confectionery, Inc., Valentine Morozoff. Morozoff discussed the high-end, hand-made chocolate business and his business philosophy, weaving in vignettes of his family's 80-year history in Kobe and post-war Japan along the way. Printed on each box of Cosmopolitan chocolates are three Russian words that reflect the company's mission and commitment: Hard Work, Perseverance, Quality. Only the best.
PR Seminar: Damage Control
On Thursday, February 27, ACCJ Kansai held its first panel seminar of the year. Michael O'Keeffe of Kroll International Inc., Tsuyoshi Takemura of Burson-Marsteller, and Yukiko Tsujimoto of Procter & Gamble shared invaluable insights on assessing risk position, understanding credibility to stakeholders and handling the unexpected slip.
2003 Shinnengoreikai--Year of the Ram Off to Great Start
On January 16, over a hundred Kansai Chapter members and guests rang in the new year with recently elected ACCJ President Lance E. Lee at the 2003 Shinnegoreikai. The generosity of our sponsors ensured there were plenty of smiling faces throughout the evening.
A very special thanks to all of our sponsors:
Gold Level
Oakwood Residence Akasaka Tokyo
The Strings Hotel Tokyo
Office Depot Japan
Japan Telecom
United Airlines
Silver Level
Asian Tigers, Premier Worldwide Movers
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
Asahi & Co. (Asahi Business Outsourcing/KPMG)
Costco Wholesale Japan
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