Spring Break
Former Seiko head speaks on universities, industry
Ex-CEO addresses importance of university research
Colin Catchings
Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: News
Former Seiko Corporation president and CEO Reinosuke Hara lectured students and faculty on the manufacturing industry in McCool Hall's Taylor Auditorium Tuesday.
In his speech he discussed how the industry acts on a global basis, focusing on micro-level management strategies and research and development.
Hara said the United States is a leader in creating new businesses that replace old industries while Japanese companies tend to diversify their companies.
"In the United States and Europe, whenever you move into another field, you always try to buy other companies for merger and acquisition," Hara said. "This is a common practice, where as in Japan and Asia, we try to diversify with our own strengths and capabilities."
Hara used Samsung as an example in his lecture. He said Samsung has branches in electronics, heavy machinery, chemicals and financial groups. He also said the life cycle of products is getting smaller and smaller.
"Before, for example, one model of an automobile would easily last three or five years," Hara said. "Now every two years automobile manufactures put a new model into the market."
Hara's speech also focused on product safety and the importance of research and development. He cited lithium-ion batteries that have exploded and steel beams that have collapsed as examples of products that have received further research and study in order to become safer.
He said it is important for students to understand research and development.
"Everything in the new industries come from research and development, to which the university plays an important role," he said. "Everything starts with research and development, and [that] starts with universities."
Hara said universities are great places for research and development because scientists and professors are able to perform their ideas with a reasonable amount of freedom.
He said when products fail, for example, lithium-ion battery explosions, the only way to deal with the problem is to analyze what went wrong and not cover up the mistakes.
In his speech he discussed how the industry acts on a global basis, focusing on micro-level management strategies and research and development.
Hara said the United States is a leader in creating new businesses that replace old industries while Japanese companies tend to diversify their companies.
"In the United States and Europe, whenever you move into another field, you always try to buy other companies for merger and acquisition," Hara said. "This is a common practice, where as in Japan and Asia, we try to diversify with our own strengths and capabilities."
Hara used Samsung as an example in his lecture. He said Samsung has branches in electronics, heavy machinery, chemicals and financial groups. He also said the life cycle of products is getting smaller and smaller.
"Before, for example, one model of an automobile would easily last three or five years," Hara said. "Now every two years automobile manufactures put a new model into the market."
Hara's speech also focused on product safety and the importance of research and development. He cited lithium-ion batteries that have exploded and steel beams that have collapsed as examples of products that have received further research and study in order to become safer.
He said it is important for students to understand research and development.
"Everything in the new industries come from research and development, to which the university plays an important role," he said. "Everything starts with research and development, and [that] starts with universities."
Hara said universities are great places for research and development because scientists and professors are able to perform their ideas with a reasonable amount of freedom.
He said when products fail, for example, lithium-ion battery explosions, the only way to deal with the problem is to analyze what went wrong and not cover up the mistakes.
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