Industry University Partnership

Our partnership development is based on the win-win thinking articulated in the centuries old eastern philosophy where mutual respect and harmony are emphasized over win-lose thinking which may be able to provide short term benefits and interests but may end up with a hostile, competitive and unproductive relationship [1].  The win-win thinking values customer satisfaction, and respect for human integrity and human potential through the Hitozukuri [2] (e.g., Confucius is famous for describing the human development process from age 15 through 70), one of the two IR4TD operational principles.  The other principle is Monozukuri which seeks the highest quality product, solution, and service to customers by creating a continuous improvement system, known as TPS or Lean system [3].

References

[1] K. Saito and B. Futamura: Face-to-face discussion on research and development, Nippon Steel News, June 2009, Nippon Steel Corp. Japan.

[2] K. Saito et al “Hitozukuri and Monozukuri: Centuries” old eastern philosophy to seek harmony with nature, Interdisciplinary Information Science, vol. 17: 1-9 (2011).

[3] A. Saito and K. Saito edited, Seeds of Collaboration: Seeking the Essence of the Toyota Production System, Larkspur Press, Monterey KY, 2012.