Summary of the Webinar

The online seminar was co-organized by EDEN Seminars together with Shizenkan University’s Center for Sustainability and Innovation (CSI), and  the Hyakunen Keiei no Kai - HKK (100年経営の会). The event was moderated by the President of Shizenkan University, and EDEN Seminar’s core member, Prof. Monte Cassim, and attended by 189 participants through the zoom online platform. The moderator highlighted the goal of the seminar as an opportunity for all involved to explore the applicability of Japanese business principles and ethics to global businesses. The two speakers, Chairman of HKK Mr. Kitabata, and CSI Director Prof. Petersen both shared their findings and experiences about the secrets behind sustainable business management and models of centuries old companies in Japan. Participants were also fortunate to hear commentary from Ms. Ikura, the president of Yunohana, a 297-year-old company in Beppu city, Oita Prefecture.

Chairman Kitabata shared in his talk the principles of customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction and satisfaction of the community as common Japanese business ethics for HKK companies. The satisfaction of these three parties was also complemented in Prof. Petersen’s talk referring to sanpoyoshi (三方良しtriple satisfaction) of the Omi merchants which existed even during the Edo period. Discussing the sustainability of operation in matching company directions to different eras and different challenges, HKK realizes the significance of maintaining traditional approaches, but at the same time having the flexibility and ability to carefully manage and adjust to changes. In addition, Chairman Kitabata emphasized that companies must be committed to deepening their expertise and productivity into their main business industry, as companies evolve in time and space. Although HKK was only established in 2011, the organization confirmed that in Japan alone, companies with 100-year histories exceed 50,000 which accounts to over 50% of the global statistics. Regarding the Global Agenda of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Chairman Kitabata humbly argued that the future direction of global businesses is getting closer to Japan’s core philosophies and business ethics valuing human and relational capitals, as motivations for profit.

The presentation from Prof. Petersen shared knowledge from his research findings including experiences of over 30 years in Japan about conditions that sustain profitability in many Japanese inter-generational companies. In addition to the business ethics of sanpoyoshi (triple satisfaction) mentioned above, Prof. Petersen added flexibility and innovation as three sustainable management concepts to operate in a future that is unpredictable, which he referred to as VUCA - Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (4つのふ、不安定、不確実、複雑、不明瞭). Prof. Petersen further proposed the triple A of Anchoring, Adaptiveness, Alignment as future organizational proofs for resilience in any VUCA situation.

Reflection from EDEN

Shifting paradigms through EDEN’s three core values of inclusive innovation, sustainability and reciprocity, the lessons learned from the speakers complemented the vision of EDEN on areas towards a sustainable future. Inclusive innovation includes the balance that the concerns of all stakeholders must be considered in organizational management to achieve maximum profitability, sustainability, and equal partnership (reciprocity). The EDEN Seminars will continue to partner with likeminded individuals and organizations in bridging hidden knowledge and values between Japan and emerging & developing economies as we focus on co-creating and contributing to sustainable societies in our individual pathways.