Articles

SDGs, digital transformation (DX), and carbon neutrality have been the primary business themes. Now, the "circular economy" is emerging as the next focal point. While Japanese companies may still view it with some skepticism, it is expected to become a core component of corporate value within the next few years. As we anticipate the arrival of a circular economy society, this article explores the potential for gaining first-mover advantages and the strategic course that companies should take to achieve them.

"Software-Defined Vehicles" (SDVs), where primary automotive functions are defined and implemented through software, has been brought to the market, led by Tesla and other manufacturers in China. In the era of SDVs, the focus often shifts to the technological aspects, such as the increasing importance of software development. However, to enhance the competitiveness of automotive manufacturers, it is crucial to deeply understand the characteristics of SDVs and address non-technical challenges, such as organizational restructuring.

Originating as a trend in the United States and now spreading to Japan, embedded finance (integrated financial services) is becoming increasingly prevalent. In the Japanese market, where consumers consider high-usability services as the norm, it is crucial to explore what changes this trend will bring. Additionally, based on our support experience, I would like to discuss the urgent issues and strategic approaches that Japanese companies should adopt to address these changes.

An important backbone in DX promotion is the use of cloud services. Effective utilization of various services provided in the form of XaaS and public clouds such as AWS/Microsoft Azure/Google Cloud requires different perspectives and skills from the conventional ones. What we would like to advocate is the establishment and utilization of a "CCoE," an organization dedicated to the utilization of cloud services.

Mobile communication systems, which are already an indispensable part of the social infrastructure, are undergoing technological development from 5G to Beyond 5G, and then 6G. Meanwhile, telecommunications carriers and mobile service providers need to anticipate the changes that next-generation communication standards will bring and seize next opportunities to win. In this post, we will explore the business opportunities that next-generation wireless communications will bring and how to respond to them, with a focus on telecommunications carriers in Japan.

"Human capital management" has become one of the major trends in corporate management. "Human capital management" is not something that companies are forced to do because of external pressures such as fads or mandates. The "Guideline for Human Capital Visualization" by the Cabinet Secretariat provides a roadmap for properly communicating the results of efforts to the outside world - a guidline which we should make us of. This paper traces the basic concept of human capital management and explains why it is an essential topic for corporate management.

Smart cities and the metaverse are expected to be at the center of the world after DX (a society in which DX has become widespread and everything is digitalized). However, there are clear barriers and challenges to commercialization. Through market trends and case studies, we explore the current status of these two themes and share our outlook on problem solving using technology.

The B2B payments industry is large, estimated to be worth approximately 1,000 trillion JPY in Japan. However, the percentage of cashless payments is less than 40%. With an increasing number of companies are beginning to enter this lucrative, “blue ocean” market, the key to success is to add value beyond payments function. This report will explore best practices for discovering opportunities to add value and implementing services by looking at examples from leading companies overseas and in Japan.

BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later: financing that allows consumers to make purchases and pay for them at a future date) is a trend that has mainly emerged in the U.S. and has spread to Japan. However, the trends seen among players and users in Japan differ from those in the United States. While BNPL is facing challenges such as regulatory tightening overseas, we examine BNPL’s potential for growth in Japan and how it can coexist with existing players. The key for this coexistence will be to create a win-win situation in which the customer experience is fundamentally improved throughout the payment process.