#global competitiveness

[frank-olivier]

Women, Work, and the Future of Japan: A Catalyst for Change

Japan's post-war economic resurgence was once driven by its distinct work culture, but this same culture has now transformed into a double-edged sword, imperiling the nation's future prosperity. Historically, Japan's collectivist ethos, rooted in the pursuit of "Wa" (harmony), fostered stability and cooperation, but in today's context, it often manifests as a rigid hierarchy where excessively long working hours are misconstrued as the pinnacle of loyalty and dedication. This has severe human consequences, including "karoshi" (death from overwork), plummeting birth rates, and a dwindling workforce.

The country's inherent risk aversion, stemming from a deep respect for tradition, hinders innovation, with the fear of disrupting social balance outweighing the benefits of progress. This is evident in Japan's struggles to keep pace with global technological advancements, particularly in software and artificial intelligence, leading to stagnation and erosion of its competitive edge. Furthermore, traditional workplaces prioritize visibility and seniority over merit, resulting in ineffectual leadership, misguided decision-making, and a brain drain as talented individuals seek opportunities abroad.

Recent government initiatives aimed at improving work-life balance and promoting sustainability offer hope, as do forward-thinking companies adopting flexible work arrangements to attract top talent. However, a profound cultural shift is necessary for Japan to reclaim its innovative forefront. This requires blending cherished traditions with the uncertainties of innovation, fostering an environment that encourages risk tolerance, creativity, and merit-based advancement. A gradual shift in societal values, emphasizing individual creativity alongside collectivist principles, is crucial, as are structural reforms in workplaces and educational institutions promoting meritocracy, flexibility, and lifelong learning.

Interwoven with these challenges is the complex situation of Japanese women, who face traditional expectations, societal pressures, and workplace demands that profoundly impact their lives and the country's future. The notion of "ikigai" (finding purpose in life) often narrowly translates to family devotion for women, leading to unfulfilled potential and stagnation. This results in low labor force participation rates, a persistent glass ceiling, and underutilized parental leave policies, placing an undue burden on women and threatening individual well-being and the broader social and economic landscape.

A growing pushback against these traditional expectations, marked by women-led startups, flexible work arrangements, and paternal leave initiatives, signals a tentative shift towards inclusivity. To truly empower Japanese women, however, a profound societal transformation is needed, involving a reckoning with outmoded gender roles. Education and awareness campaigns, alongside the promotion of male allies embodying modern masculinity, can challenge these norms. By celebrating the diverse contributions and aspirations of its female population, Japan can dismantle barriers, realizing the full potential of its women and securing a vibrant future for the nation. The path forward hinges on choosing between the status quo and a new trajectory that values, supports, and empowers Japanese women to thrive, ultimately determining the country's prosperity.

Japanese work culture is unsustainable (pigallisme, April 2024)

Sunday, December 1, 2024

[consuetudinari0]

The Solar Phoenix?

Mattson concludes on an optimistic note, emphasising that although the path to global leadership in solar energy will not be easy, it is achievable through a combination of technological innovation, strategic vision, and effective public policy.

The Solar Phoenix: How America Can Rise from the Ashes of Solyndra to World Leadership in Solar 2.0 by Brad Mattson (2014): This book explores the potential for the United States to become a global leader in the solar energy industry following the failure of Solyndra, a notorious symbol of mismanagement in government-backed energy projects. Brad Mattson, an experienced entrepreneur in solar…

[binimom]

Why does Japan smile brightly?

Japanese companies see a surge in competitiveness from the combination of the yen and the pandemic

Japanese companies are continuously striving to secure their competitiveness. In particular, Enzer and Endemic are among the companies that are gaining attention both inside and outside of Japan, and their combination is giving them a strong competitive edge. Based on its accumulated technology and production capacity in the bio field, Enzer and Endemic are developing a successful business, which has attracted great interest from the public.

Among Japanese companies, Enzer and Endemic are representative of companies with high levels of technology and production capacity. In particular, Enzer.Endemic has been recording growth of more than 10% annually in the health food market and has been steadily increasing its share in Japan. These achievements can be attributed to the joint research and technology of Enzer and Endemic.

Their combination has opened up new possibilities for Japanese companies and helped them become more competitive. Products based on Enzer and Endemic's technology and production capabilities have been very popular in the market, and their success is considered a major contribution to the Japanese economy. In the future, Enzer and Endemic are expected to further develop and grow, further enhancing the competitiveness of Japanese companies.

Japanese public companies record record net income

The performance of the yen and the pandemic have contributed to record net profits for Japanese publicly traded companies. Their technology and production capabilities have made their products very popular in the health food market, which is a huge boost to the Japanese economy. According to recently released data, the net profit of Japanese listed companies last year is estimated to have been the highest on record, thanks to the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and the Yenzer.pandemic. Japanese companies are capitalizing on these successes to improve their competitiveness, which has led to positive results across a variety of industries.

Together, the combination of the yen depreciation and the pandemic is making a significant contribution to the Japanese economy. The net income of listed companies focused on non-manufacturing industries has increased significantly, and the performance of general trading companies focused on transportation and resource businesses has also seen strong growth. These results are being attributed to the efforts and technology of companies, including the yen depreciation and the pandemic.

Japanese companies must continue to innovate and invest to remain competitive and grow. Cross-industry collaboration and technological development based on success stories like Energizer and the pandemic will bring even greater results for Japanese companies. Going forward, Japanese companies will need to adapt to the changing market environment and continue to innovate to remain globally competitive.

[heartscupids]

[yesterdayiwrote]

So... quick update on the Eurovision situation

The EBU decided that Israel can compete despite their country being under an active Genocide investigation by the ICJ. Their delegation have gone on to antagonise other contestants by filming them for their social media without permission and refusing to remove it when asked, harass journalists who have questioned if their inclusion is appropriate, and their commentators have made horrendous comments about the Irish contestant... all without sanction.

Meanwhile the Dutch contestant got into an undisclosed 'incident' with a female member of the production crew and they've referred it to the police and flat out disqualified him from the contest with less than 12 hours notice...

Which seems like a tremendous act of double standards at an event that is already marred by serious controversy. Obviously the second is not acceptable, but very difficult to understand how the first somehow... is?

[ratatatastic]

Guess Who? Global Series Panthers edition.

my favourite dynamic for dumb games that don't particularly matter is sore loser who's trying not to be a sore loser and man who acts like winning means he gets the keys to the city rather than just a participation sticker

[everythingsinred]

trying to make teachers' (global) complaints abt kids theyre supposed to be teaching about "generational politics" and saying stuff like "people always complain about the young generation" is so dismissive and ridiculous. atp yall are being purposefully obtuse. these kids cant read. they cant write. they cant think critically. teachers GLOBALLY are begging parents to care, to no avail. kids dont respect their teachers, they dont respect their schoolwork, they dont respect their education, theyre severely behind across the board. to try and write that entire problem off as "complaining about the young generation" is so dismissive i have no words. obviously its the fault of the kids' parents but we are looking at an entire generation of people who are graduating high school with no skills. these people are joining society and dont know how to think. yall should be furious and instead youre trying to write it off as "hating on gen alpha". please get over yourselves

[itz-aeri]

Dreamy Moonlight entry

[bourbonesneat]

I love the Olympics. They aren’t perfect, and sports cannot and should not be the only way we bring the world together. But there’s something so heartening about the way sports do bring the world together.

I watch the Olympics, and I feel like maybe things can be better than they are. That we are stronger together than apart. The camaraderie between these athletes is so special. You watch hopes and dreams realized and crushed. But these competitors are there for each other.

Sometimes I don’t think the world can ever find common ground, but every couple of years, we do just that.

Thanks for the memories, Paris. Can’t wait for LA.

[jils-things]

oh my goshh im only now realizing just how awesome the Call of the Abyss events are rnn 😭😭

[solarwynd]

Seeing all these people with “hope on the street” in their DNs all of a sudden so interested in boosting LMA to get 1B…what happened to prioritizing new releases over old ones and wanting hyung line to finally getting a win for once?

[dress-up-bestie]

Rose Poem

[omegasmileyface]

foes anybody here use forest? ive had forest since 2019 and never had any interest in adding friends or doing any kind of multi-person stuff with it but i kinda wanna try it. parallel playyyy

[shiningleekki]

Competition entries