APO Top Management Forum: Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation
26–28 February 2007, Kyoto, Japan
President Tsuneaki Taniguchi, Japan Productivity Center for Socio-Economic Development;
Chairman Kozo Shindo, Kansai Productivity Center;
Distinguished panel of speakers;
Forum participants from APO member countries; and
Ladies and gentlemen:
On behalf of the Asian Productivity Organization (APO), I would like to welcome all of you to the Top Management Forum 2007 in the beautiful and historic city of Kyoto. This forum is one of the longest-running APO project series and was first held more than 20 years ago. Since its inception, it has provided a useful platform for gaining practical insights into the business management strategies of successful Japanese companies. This year’s forum will take up “The Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation,” highlighting the experience of Japanese enterprises that have been successfully innovating their management and investing in R&D to remain competitive in the rapidly changing global economy.
After nearly a decade of recession, the Japanese economy started picking up in 2002 and gradually improving its performance, which continues to the present. Many economists believe that one of the important reasons for the latest Japanese economic recovery is the adoption by private-sector enterprises of a new business model based on corporate innovation, in tandem with the timely national R&D policy. Today, most of the major Japanese companies view the management of technology and innovation as an essential part of their corporate strategies, and these innovation efforts at corporate level have been broadly supported by government policies.
In this forum, we are fortunate to have as speakers top executives who have taken a leadership role in the management of technology and innovation. We also have leading scholars and government officials who have formulated and implemented policies contributing to corporate innovation. Dr. Kiyonori Sakakibara of Keio University, as well as Mr. Hidehiko Yamachika and Mr. Yoshito Gotoh from METI, will explain the government's flagship initiative on the management of technology, focusing on the importance of human resources development in fostering technological innovation. Business leaders from such prominent Japanese enterprises as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Omron Corporation, Denso Corporation, and Zeon Corporation will describe their hands-on experiences in the strategic management of technological innovation and their efforts to translate the results of R&D into tangible business gains. Other presentations will outline how to maximize the benefits of innovation among Asian-Pacific businesses through regional collaboration.
In conclusion, I hope that you learn a lot about the strategic management of technology and innovation in the coming three days and will have a chance to undertake strategic management in your own national contexts. Finally, I would like to thank President Tsuneaki Taniguchi of the Japan Productivity Center for Socio-Economic Development for his presence at this session and for his initiative in hosting this excellent APO project once again in Kyoto.
Thank you.
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