Management

• Print

Tokyo (March 18, 2016) - Shoei Yamana, President and CEO of Konica Minolta, gave keynote speech at CeBIT 2016, one of the world’s largest IT trade shows, in Hannover, Germany, on March 15.

Highlights of Keynote Speech : Responsible connectivity in a digital world

As a CEO of a large manufacturing company undergoing its own transformation from traditional manufacturer to digital business solutions provider, I am focused on three things;

• How lightning-speed development in digitalization of devices and ICT technology encourages creative corporate management and promotes future growth
• Using digital transformation to actively promote diversity and responsible innovation
• Using digital development to achieve a cleaner environment and a better quality of life for all

We need to drive the manufacturing industry forward by merging real and digital worlds and creating intelligent, inclusive multi-vendor software and platforms.
Connectivity is the key landmark.

Connectivity with devices

Konica Minolta focuses on IoT, deep learning and other artificial intelligence, and robotics technologies. These technologies can help analyze IoT data and images, assign “meaning” to the behavior of machines and people, and create smarter devices, smarter workplaces, smarter B2B information flows, and smarter customer solutions.

The first step is to introduce digital products and appropriate software into the workplace.
The second stage involves using digital data to create meaningful solutions, including digital marketing services. Big Data is analyzed to create effective, targeted marketing, along with our boosted multimedia marketing capabilities. Deep learning and other AI technologies are driving more sophisticated business analytics, and enabling organizations to predict better business outcomes and promote innovation. We are currently developing a new workplace platform, which delivers the capabilities and services to empower an adaptive digital workplace in the IoT era. The capabilities are so powerful precisely because the multifunction device is physically present in the workplace.

Enabling innovation at the middle-layer between harvesting data and applying intelligence can help harness the great potential of human creativity, and empower more astute decision-making based on accurate information about the true nature of the world around us.

Connectivity with environments

Socially responsible digital transformation must also consider the environment. Konica Minolta’s green factories, green products and green marketing are designed to cut CO₂ emissions in half over the medium term. It is vital that we don’t limit the value of these activities to its own company alone.

Instead, we need to share its in-house expertise for reducing environmental burdens with partner firms and customers worldwide. We believe the most important thing of all is to share its thoughts on the global environment with all of its stakeholders, and establish an effective ecosystem that enables us all to create value and grow as a business, while, at the same time, helping solve environmental issues. Expanding corporate profits and progressing social development are closely linked and in tandem.
Konica Minolta’s efforts in this field have earned high praise.

Connectivity with people

As information flows become more complex, customers will start seeking multi-vendor, one-stop solutions. We are enthusiastic believers in open innovation and have abandoned the traditional product-out approach in favor of collaborative, B2B business creation.

Konica Minolta launched business innovation centers (BIC), in five global regions in 2014. Located near the customer base, these centers discuss and debate carefully with clients, and create concrete value-added product packages and solutions. Local decision-making power is delegated to ICT experts from different backgrounds to introduce greater diversity and creativity. We have formed valuable alliances with local start-up companies, universities and partner firms in each major global market.

We are living in an era of unprecedented change, and we have to innovate to survive. While the digital era brings some creative destruction in its wake, it breaks down traditional barriers between industries, and encourages new business models. We are moving from a battle of scale to a battle of wisdom. We should apply that wisdom to promoting connectivity, creativity and a richer human society.

About CeBIT

CeBIT is one of the world’s largest IT trade shows, with about 3,300 companies from 70 countries/regions. This year’s theme is “Digital Transformation” evolved from “d!conomy” (digital economy).