Insights

At Baycurrent, “Baycurrent Institute,” our management research institute, leads the effort to derive insights for society and businesses.
In a rapidly changing world, we delve deeply into key issues and provide knowledge to help companies open the door to the next phase.

Articles

The Evolution of Life Insurance: What Paradigm Shift Toward “Re-Radicalization” Is Needed for the Future? – Part 1

Life insurance was originally born as a mechanism of mutual aid within small, close-knit communities—“visible” groups of people. In recent years, however, amid shifts in consumer behavior, its value as a daily essential and social infrastructure has begun to waver. The key to reversing this trend lies in re-radicalizing life insurance—bringing it back to its origins—and doing so by embedding protection seamlessly into everyday life. This article reexamines the role that life insurance should play in the future and presents a vision in which it becomes more indispensable to society than ever before.

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The Evolution of Life Insurance: What Paradigm Shift Toward “Re-Radicalization” Is Needed for the Future? – Part 2

Is a “Re-Radicalized” Future for Life Insurance Truly Achievable? While initiatives that depart from conventional trajectories face numerous challenges, many of these barriers can be overcome with existing technologies. By examining pioneering case studies, this article explores mechanisms for integrating insurance seamlessly into everyday life and identifies practical approaches to make such integration a reality. Furthermore, it considers the feasibility of monetization, aiming to sharpen the clarity of new business models for life insurance.

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Chinese Automakers Disrupt Japan’s Stronghold in the ASEAN Market — What Strategies Should Japanese Manufacturers Pursue?

Chinese automobile manufacturers are rapidly emerging as global leaders in both technological development and business expansion within the electric vehicle (EV) sector. In China’s massive domestic market—now the world’s largest—foreign automakers are increasingly losing ground. Furthermore, Chinese players are intensifying their offensive in the ASEAN market, which had long been a stronghold for Japanese manufacturers. In the midst of this increasingly fierce EV competition, how should Japan’s automakers respond? This article explores the strategies Japanese companies must adopt to survive and remain competitive in the global EV landscape.

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Strategies Japanese Companies Should Adopt from COP29 – Climate Business Opportunities in the U.S. Market

With the inauguration of the new Trump administration, significant changes are expected in the United States’ climate policies and the related business environment. At COP29 (the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change), held in November 2024, international discussions unfolded in anticipation of a major shift in U.S. energy policy. Based on insights gained from on-site observations and analysis of the Trump administration’s policy direction, this article explores strategic approaches that Japanese companies should consider over the next four years.

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Books

Sharpening the Issues

The art of questioning assumptions and getting to the heart of the matter（Nikkei BP）

The key to a breakthrough in a stalled project lies in the “issue setting" of problem solving. Although it is possible to set up some kind of “issue“, the initial point of contention may not always capture the essence of the problem. That is why it is important to keep reviewing and "sharpening" the issues. In this book, we will thoroughly explain the highly difficult process of "sharpening the issues" to find the issues that really need to be solved, along the five steps to do so.

SX　Sustainability Management Practice

(Nikkei BP)

Sustainability management is rapidly increasing in importance, and if a company lags behind in SX (Sustainability Transformation), there is a high possibility that the survival of the company itself will be in jeopardy. So how do companies actually proceed? Baycurrent, which has supported SX in many Japanese companies, thoroughly explains specific theory for practicing sustainability management with corporate case studies.

Impressive CX

"10 new strategies" and "7 signposts" for Japanese companies (Toyo Keizai Inc.)

The core of CX (Customer Experience) is to continue to exceed customer expectations, and all companies should aim for CX that impresses their customers. We looked at CX from various angles, such as consumer changes occurring in the modern digital society and discussions that cut from cutting-edge academic research. In addition, it organizes "10 new strategies" and "7 signposts" for Japanese companies to realize Impressive CX, and is a must-read book for all business people

The Intersection of Strategic Theory and DX

Deciphering the Core of DX through Management Theory (Toyo Keizai Inc.)

Is it really okay to overlook the current situation that strategy theory and DX (Digital Transformation) are connected "just somehow" ? Acknowledging that problem, this book deciphers DX cases through the lens of management theory and strategy framework to show the strong links between strategy theory and DX. Discussions with executives working at the leading edge of DX are also included.

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