The development of global human resources is essential for Japanese companies that are accelerating their overseas expansion.Recognizing that conventional language training and overseas study tours are not enough, an increasing number of companies are taking a practical approach to achieve results. the second part of the "Global Bridge Conference" held on December 10, 2024, explored new trends in global human resource development through case studies from three companies.

■ Changing Definition of Global Human Resources

The requirements for global human resources are changing with the times. In recent years, the position of Japanese companies overseas has shifted from being merely a manufacturing, raw material supply, or sales base to a partner in co-creating new businesses in order to solve new problems unique to each region. The growth of emerging countries is driving this trend. In such an environment, what is required are not only language and communication skills, but also "a global perspective on issues" and "the ability to collaborate with a diverse range of people. At the conference, we interviewed three companies that have experienced human resource development programs to develop these skills through practical activities together with LIVERNESS Corporation, and asked them about their case studies.

■Feel close to the world regardless of language ability

Calbee Co., Ltd. had the urgent task of finding and training personnel who could help the company achieve its 40% overseas sales ratio target. At the time, however, there were not many people who were willing to take an active role in overseas development. Therefore, we introduced the Next Generation Leader Development Program, which culminated in a 10-month curriculum that included on-site training in Thailand. Through exchanges with entrepreneurs and academia in the vicinity of the company's Thai plant, participants were exposed to the situation overseas and the passion of entrepreneurs, and their motivation for overseas business was heightened. After participating in the program, participants said that "overseas was not as far away as I thought" and "the world is still so wide and interesting," andNakata, Human Resources Development Section, Human Resources Strategy Department and Global Human Resources Department, Human Resources & General Affairs Divisionflowers buddingsays. After participating,All of them expressed a desire to be involved in overseas projects in one way or another, and we were able to produce some who actually worked on overseas projects.

■Accumulate the experience of creating 1 from 0 with a multinational team.

Somic Management Holdings, Inc. is seeking a new business from its existing business of manufacturing automotive parts. with no experience in creating one from zero, under the jurisdiction of the Vice President.Organized the Global Management Transformation Department. Members from six countries, including Japan, were recruited.This year, they and their company are searching for new business themes that will lead to solutions to issues in Indonesia, where they have their own base of operations. Through understanding the local startups' businesses and visiting them, they created two themes in five months. The themes were "The new business theme that will lead to a solution to a problem.I felt that human resources who are connected by aspiration and purpose, and who can try to understand others with respect, are essential for globalization.Through the consideration of new business, we will bring a manager's perspective to the table.We will start with this team of people who will deepen mutual understanding. Gradually we want to add more." andMr. Osamu Suzuki of the Planning Group, Corporate Planning Promotion Office, Global Management Transformation Promotion Department, said. There are some challenges. He is keenly aware of the need to build a system that can obtain cooperation from outside the department so that the knowledge and experience gained in manufacturing can be transferred to new businesses.

■ Get involved and go see the scene and make it your own.

Ms. Inori, a member of the Business Creation Department, IT Innovation Division 2, Focus Systems, Inc. was put in charge of overseas expansion of the company's business. Ms. Inori, who had never been in charge of a new business before and had never been overseas before, was shocked when she visited the Philippines. The educational environment in the Philippines is not good enough," she said. The next generation population is also large, so teachers are not always able to see what is going on and kidnappings occur, which is a problem unique to this country. He came up with an idea to use his company's beacons to solve the problems in the education field, and visited the area 11 times on his own. He has been promoting the commercialization of the product. He has been involved in the project for 11 times. "At first, my boss got me involved in the project, but he pushed me not to be afraid of failure, and I kept going to see the issues and made it my own, which really changed me. Every time I visit a site, mutual understanding deepens, and I feel the passion to take on new challenges," says Ms. Inori.

■Learning can only be gained through practice.

What all three companies have in common is an emphasis on "hands-on" activities that go beyond classroom lectures and observation tours. The sincere attitude of the participants toward local issues and their attempts to find solutions have greatly changed their awareness and led to tangible results. Shuichiro Takahashi of RIVANESS Corporation, who gave the final summary, introduced RIVANESS' ABCDE theory. In order for Japanese companies to succeed in the global market, it is essential for them to have human resources who can listen to the local voice, work wholeheartedly to solve problems, and deliver results, rather than simply visiting the country. The real experience that comes from this process is the soil that nurtures true global human resources. There are real issues, think about what we can do, think about assets (A), think about business models (B) and real customers (C), and think about businessDesign (D). Global expansion can only be realized when there is an entrepreneur (E) to bridge the gap. We hope that you will consider what kind of global human resource development your company needs, taking into account the examples of the three companies introduced in this report.

Global Bridge Conference Part 2: How do we develop global human resources?
https://gbp.lne.st/global-bridge-conference/