Events

In our calendar, you can find all the events organised or sponsored by the EU-Japan Centre, as well as other events related to EU-Japan relations.

12/10/2010 - Brussels, Belgium

World Class R&D (Seminar)

Summary: On Tuesday, 12 October 2010, the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation and JMA Consultants Inc. organised a seminar, in Brussels, on World Class R&D. Eve Päärendson (President of the European Economic and Social Committee’s Contact Group on Japan) and Ambassador Nikai (from the Japanese Mission to the EU) gave the opening and closing speeches.

Toshiyasu Ichioka (Project Manager, J-BILAT, EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation) outlined programmes to promote EU-Japan cooperation in the field of R&D and Shinichiro Nomoto (Senior Consultant, Global Development Innovation Team, RD&E Innovation Management Department, JMA Consultants Inc.) presented the findings of the latest JMAC survey into R&D practices in Japanese industry and then explained the Japanese Process Management Method.

The second session focussed on case studies: Luc Van Laere (Technical Manager, Engineering Simulation, LMS International) and Takashi Sekiguchi (Manager, Network Products Business Unit, Project Management Support Division, FUJITSU Limited) explained their companies’ approaches to ensuring world-class R&D.

Details: The Seminar was held at the European Economic and Social Committee and was attended by more than 30 people.

Ms Päärendson emphasised the critical role education and R&D can play in boosting the economy and enabling industrial growth and called for more joint research projects including in areas such as: ICT, clean technology, nanotechnology, robotics and other fields. Scientists need good multicultural skills. Student exchanges should therefore be encouraged.

Mr Ichioka explained that the ‘death curve’ (the period between invention/discovery and commercialisation) is one of the problems facing product development. The EU’s FP7 can help overcome this. Non-EU countries can take part. There are 5 kinds of FP7 activity: (projects dealing with ‘cooperation’, ‘capacity’, ‘ideas’, ‘people’ and ‘Euroatom’). The projects require joint financing. To date, 28 FP7 (mainly ICT) projects involve Japanese firms. Examples of EU-Japan R&D cooperation outside the FP7 also exist.

Mr Nomoto’s first presentation outlined the findings of the 9th JMAC survey on management innovation in development and design process. Japanese firms are reporting sluggish sales, a saturated domestic market and problems entering new markets. To overcome this they must find a way to establish new technology in existing markets and enter new markets with existing technology. Japan must globalise and compete strongly. Companies must understand their clients. Considerable resources must be allocated to new developments, even in non-core business areas. Outsourcing and strength-based alliances can help. Firms need clear visions and objectives if they are to overcome current problems and grow.

Mr Nomoto’s second presentation focussed on the ‘front-loading’ method of process management. Nissan involves its suppliers and customers and uses computer-aided design (CAD) and front-loading, and has reduced development times by a third since the 1980s. The Western (module-oriented) approach contrasts with a Japanese (integral or consensual) approach to project management that seeks to gather experiences and expectations from the outset, thereby avoid waste and agree a ‘virtual project manual’ (a so-called ‘issue-breakdown’, or a ‘big room’ approach). Front-loading has 3 KPIs. Faster achievement of the first two KPIs will help achieve the third. Depending upon the priority, different front-loading strategies exist. Front-loading should extend beyond the design phase and can be applied to process companies, not just to manufacturing companies. Training is essential. Reducing development time can create problems but they can be avoided by an early involvement of quality assurance (QA) people. Similarly, out-sourcing and alliances with suppliers can drive down prices and development time pressures; but can cause QA problems. Innovation is not easy but must be carried out over a long period of time, and needs both short and long-term approaches.

Mr Van Laere explained that ‘functional performance’ is the key. Whereas the emphasis used to be on reducing times-to-market, competition must also address innovative designs. Portfolios must undergo continual renewal and expansion, whilst maintaining appealing brand values. The challenge is now to make ‘smarter, green’ products. This is particularly true for the automotive sector. Smart systems drive 80% of future innovation (advanced driver assistance systems can ensure ‘greener’, safer driving). The later a problem is discovered in the development phase, the higher the costs to rectify it. So production engineers should be as fail-safe as possible. CAD and morphing can be used for ‘building’ and testing virtual models and thereby improve the first prototype. Good customer relations and market knowledge are needed.

Mr Sekiguchi explained that technology is very much interconnected and that capacity volumes increase in line with Moore’s Law. Telecommunications technology has developed as telephones have developed, all developments happen concurrently with old and new technology running together. Obeya development and team-building (or ‘big-room’ systems) are vital. Obeya is a ‘cascade system’ (the outputs from one process becomes the input for the next process). This is a steady, but time-consuming process, although it can be broken up into concurrent (not consecutive) mini-processes. Teamwork is essential.

Points raised during the general discussion included the merits of involving customers in ‘big-room’ activities; how to prepare participants in an obeya activity; and, what advice could be given to European divisions of Japanese companies interested in taking part in European-led research activities.

In his closing remarks, Ambassador Nikai noted that R&D was a concern for both Japan and the EU: the recent Europe 2020 Strategy and Japan’s New Growth Strategy both highlighted its significance. Further EU-Japan R&D cooperation in academic, private and public spheres is likely. The Science and Technology Agreement includes tools to strengthen cooperation. A new high-level group, established by the last EU-Japan Summit, will explore the further potential of EU-Japan relations from a variety of perspectives.

Agenda

12:15-13:00	Registration
13:00-13:05	Welcome (Ms Eve Päärendson, President of the Contact Group on Japan, European Economic and Social Committee)
13:05-13:10	Introduction to the seminar (Mrs. Diane Van Bockstal, Director, EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation)
13:10-13:35	EU-Japan bilateral R&D project (Mr. Toshiyasu Ichioka, Project Manager, J-BILAT, EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation) Presentation
13:35-14:00	Results of the JMAC R&D current status survey (Mr. Shinichiro Nomoto, Senior Consultant, Global Development Innovation Team, RD&E Management Innovation Department, JMA Consultants Inc.) Survey
14:00-14:45	Latest boosting techniques in R&D process management (Mr. Shinichiro Nomoto) The Process Management method, which forms the backbone of Japanese-style Product Development Practice: “Front Loading Technique” Facing challenges of Japanese companies and shortening lead time activities, which have been worked through. Differences between Japanese-style R&D and Western-style R&D Front Loading concept Front Loading method and actual applied cases Summary: Innovate mid-long term R&D and short term R&D simultaneously / Application of the Technology Roadmap and the Front Loading method Presentation
14:45-15:00	Coffee Break
15:00-15:45	Case Study: Innovation process management in R&D (Luc Van Laere, Technical Manager, Engineering Simulation, LMS International) Presentation
15:45-16:30	Case Study: Innovation process management in R&D (Mr. Takashi Sekiguchi, Manager, Network Products Business Unit, Project Management Support Division, FUJITSU Limited) Innovate Technology and Product Development derived from the shop floor. Introduction of Fujitsu Business environment of the communication network Development Process & Front Loading using the Shared Office scheme Motivation improvement of planners, arising from a team-based approach (KAIZEN) and innovation of daily operations When innovation in the process and in the team starts from the shop floor as a pair of wheels, the entire organisation will succeed in innovation Presentation
16:30-16:55	Q & A - Open Discussion (all speakers and audience)
16:55-17:00	Closing remarks (Mr. Naoto Nikai, Ambassador and Deputy Chief of the Mission, Mission of Japan to the EU)
17:00-18:00	Networking reception

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