The president of Godiva Japan examines why Japanese companies have lost momentum and proposes a management approach centered on “correct shooting, certain hitting,” with greater emphasis on process than numbers. This article is an excerpt edited from material published by THE21 Online.
Jérôme Chouchan, representative of Godiva Japan, says that Japanese companies lost momentum during years of economic stagnation and recalls that Japan led the world in the 1980s. He says recognition grew that Japanese companies needed to change their traditional style as globalization advanced.
Chouchan says concepts such as performance-based management and an excessive focus on profits caused Japanese companies to lose the spirit of the “way.” He argues that this created a focus on pursuing numbers alone, pushing the pursuit of fundamental value, such as creating good products and good stores, into the background.
Using archery as a metaphor, he explains that attention should be directed toward creating good form rather than simply hitting the target. He says that when companies become preoccupied with achieving numerical targets, they are more likely to pursue measures such as cost-cutting and staff reductions.
He concludes that leaders should hold firmly to their ideals and aim to realize “correct shooting” based on those ideals. This article is an excerpt edited from the contents of his book.