#Japan #Tokyo #Xross Seminar #Kobe Steel #Organo Corp

Insights from the Xross Seminar 2025

The Xross Seminar 2025 took place recently, inviting around 200 industry leaders and partners to engage in an enlightening discussion about business transformation. Organized by Atstream Group, the event highlighted the importance of collaboration among customers and alliance partners through shared knowledge and meaningful interactions.

Overview of the Xross Seminar

Established in 2002, the Xross Seminar has become a cherished annual event held at the end of the year. It serves as a platform to express gratitude to loyal clients while providing an opportunity for in-depth information exchange among participants. After each seminar, networking sessions are organized, allowing attendees to deepen their connections and discuss managerial challenges and potential solutions.

This year, the seminar was uniquely held in Tokyo, alternating annually with Osaka since 2022. The central theme, "2025 Business Transformation Navigation Chart: Building a Compass of Solidarity through Vision and Management," emphasized strategic vision and management as key drivers for successful transformation.

Session Highlights

The seminar featured two insightful sessions with expert speakers sharing their experiences and lessons learned during transformative projects.

Session 1: Enhancing Performance Management through ROIC-KPI

Speakers: Hiroyuki Endo and Koichi Iwasa from Kobe Steel

• - Focus: Improvement of performance management through effective implementation of ROIC-KPI management.

Hiroyuki Endo, Group Manager of Financial Affairs at Kobe Steel, delved into the real-world challenges faced during the introduction of a new management method—ROIC-based management. He discussed the importance of establishing effective KPI drivers and mechanisms for PDCA cycles. Endo shared insights on common hurdles businesses encounter when connecting management objectives to actual workplace actions, which he hopes will inspire attendees seeking similar solutions.

In turn, Koichi Iwasa, the Group Manager at Kobe Steel, elaborated on the long-term efforts to embed ROIC-KPI management within their organization. He highlighted the cultural shifts and layers of communication needed for successful implementation across different levels of the company. The necessity for tailored approaches to various employee tiers was emphasized, ensuring that team members understand, engage with, and utilize the new systems effectively.

Session 2: Roadmap to Achieving Long-Term Vision

Speaker: Keisuke Makata from Organo Corp

• - Focus: Aligning departments to share a long-term vision through a strategic map.

Keisuke Makata, the head of the Electronics Business Division at Organo Corp, detailed his company’s experience in formulating a long-term business strategy using a strategic map. He addressed initial challenges where individual departmental successes did not contribute to the overarching business goals, making it imperative to integrate the planning and execution processes.

Through a four-year collaboration with Atstream Partners, Makata’s team adopted the strategic map framework to enhance goal-sharing and process management across departments. By fostering autonomy among teams and encouraging natural interdepartmental cooperation, they are beginning to see a culture of collaboration take root.

Conclusion

The Xross Seminar 2025 served as a critical engagement platform featuring industry leaders who shared their experiences and strategies for navigating business transformation. The shared insights from both sessions indicate that genuine collaboration and effective management practices are key to overcoming challenges in today’s complex business environment. As attendees reflect on the discussions, it is hoped that the ideas presented will spark new approaches to their own organizational transformation efforts.