【Close】Book Launch of “Applying the Kaizen in Africa: A New Avenue for Industrial Development”

Sub-Saharan Africa, a region long perceived to be synonymous with economic stagnation, has witnessed superior economic growth for the last two decades. This expansion has not, however, been driven by productivity gains that are integral to sustainable and long-term economic development but by high prices of oil and other natural resources.

The editors of the book titled Applying the Kaizen in Africa assert that “the prerequisite for making productivity gains the major engine of economic growth is to cultivate management capabilities.” They contend that the adoption of Kaizen, a Japanese management methodology for enhancing quality and productivity, would be an effective entry point for industrial development in Africa.

The book also proposes a logical sequence of rendering assistance: Kaizen training for entrepreneurs should be combined with investment in infrastructure and financial support. This strategy is termed TIF, an acronym for Training, Infrastructure investment, and Financial support.

The book is an open access publication, which full text is available at the following website of Palgrave Macmillan free of charge.

A book-launching event targets mainly members of diplomatic missions and government officers in African countries, private business people who are interested in business in Africa, and people who work in, research on and study development in Africa, as audiences.

Key messages of the event includes that adoption of Kaizen management practice is decisively the most effective first step for industrial development in Africa, and Kaizen is an practical tool to select and develop local partners of Japanese investors in African continent.

Download the book free of charge (Palgrave Macmillan website)

15:00　Introduction by Ms. Momoko Suzuki, JICA Industrial Development and Public Policy Dept.
15:05　Opening remarks by Prof. Izumi Ohno, Director, JICA Research Institute
15:10　Presentation on the book by the editors
　-Prof. Keijiro Otsuka, Kobe University
　-Mr. Kimiaki Jin, JICA Industrial Development and Public Policy Dept.
　-Mr. Getahun Tadesse Mekonen, Former Director General of the Ethiopian Kaizen Institute
15:30　Comment by Discussants
　-Associate Prof. Christian Otchia, Nagoya University
　-Mr. Takehiko Ochiai, Toyota Tsusho Corporation
　-H.E. Mrs. Ndiyoi Mutiti, Ambassador of the Republic of Zambia to Japan
16:00　Response by the presenters
16:10　Discussion with the floor
16:35　Closing remarks by Mr. Hiroshi Kato, Senior Vice President, JICA

[Media]
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[Parking Space]
For your logistical arrangement, please note that the parking space at the JICA Research Institute is not available for the day of the event.The participants are recommended to use public transportation. It is possible to drop off and pick up at the entrance.

[Tokyo 2020 Medal Project: Towards an Innovative Future for All]
The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee) is conducting the Tokyo 2020 Medal Project to manufacture the medals for use at Tokyo 2020 from consumer electronics such as used mobile phones (see the link below for further information).

A collection box will be placed at the reception on the first floor. We kindly ask for your cooperation to bring your used mobile phones if you happen to have any.

JICA Research Institute (R. Takashima, T. Oikawa)

E-mail：ditas-rsunit@jica.go.jp

This event has ended.