Reassessing the Value of Standardization in an Era of Labor Shortages【Article Published】

Not just ending with "rules." What is "true standardization" to eliminate personalization and create an organization that is resilient to change?

This is an introduction page for a special contribution (foreword) where top executives discuss the essential challenges of the increasingly serious "labor shortage" across Japan and the true meaning of "standardization" necessary for surviving in the coming era. It offers hints to break through the barriers many companies face, such as manuals becoming mere formalities and operations becoming dependent on specific employees. Standardization, often viewed merely as a means for business expansion and efficiency, is redefined as "the accumulation of technology and wisdom" and "the foundation of organizational building." It explains the key principles of operations that go beyond just procedural manuals, enabling the field to act spontaneously. By transforming the know-how of veterans into organizational assets, it unravels the essential approaches needed to maintain and improve quality and service levels even in today's environment of increasing workforce fluidity, from the perspective of top management. *You can view the full text via the <PDF download> link.

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