Response to New Trends: Human diversity

The value of generating a Group synergy

I had been involved in information systems (microsystems, etc.) and printing systems at Fujifilm until five years ago and often met with Fuji Xerox employees during my work. While recognizing that we belong to a common Group there are also differences in the corporate cultures of the two companies, I had always thought that synergy and fusion between the two, both of which focus on images and information as their core businesses, would lead to greater possibilities. And now that the two companies are strengthening their mutual ties in the age of digitization, there are even more common areas in the fields of images and information and communication. If these two operating companies can cooperate and learn from each other and generate synergy based on the premise that employees in both companies can enhance their own capabilities, I am sure that the Fujifilm Group will gain an unrivalled competitive advantage.

The Fujifilm Group conducted joint training programs for human exchange seven times during the period from February 2008 to February 2009, targeting middle-ranking employees (e.g. section managers and leaders) of Fujifilm and Fuji Xerox, the two core operating companies for the Group.

The training was designed to provide participants with opportunities to understand, recognize, and discuss the detailed differences and commonalities in the corporate cultures of the two companies and to identify specific themes to be tackled from a Group viewpoint. Twelve employees from each of the companies participated in each seminar, including people from the sales, and research and development departments and head office. The four-day program, including an overnight stay, has three themes: “creating and sharing a sense of comradeship in the Group,” “sharing the direction and challenges of the Group and identifying specific themes to be tackled,” and “proposing specific themes and actions.” As a result of the training, a total of 28 written proposals to foster group synergy were submitted to FUJIFILM Holdings. The submitted proposals were made into a brochure and copies were distributed to all participants of the training program so that they could all share the ideas in the proposals.

The Fujifilm Group encourages employees to increase their awareness, strengthen their individual capabilities, and reform the corporate culture as a basis for formulating and implementing its new long-term management plan, which will show future growth strategies to be implemented in the dramatically changing business environment. Based on this, we held a Seminar for Leaders eight times from August to December 2008, targeting some 240 divisional and departmental managers and group leaders in Fujifilm and Fuji Xerox.

Managers participating in the seminars are to serve as reform leaders, focusing on discussing the current situation in their workplaces, beyond the boundaries of what the companies should do to foster reform. Each participant made a declaration to lead reform.

After participating in the overnight seminar, reform leaders have a stronger sense of risk and commitment to reform in the workplace, and are communicating what they learned at the seminar to those around them. We will continue to hold these seminars to increase employee awareness of the importance of reform.