Do you think it is impossible?
And then, we start to walk.
|
December 2001. One mission was suggested as a corporate strategy; to reduce costs and improve performances by centralizing the servers which set up our business "DAWN WebService" and host computers which group companies hold. That time was when our companies had to be ready to change Nippon Data Corporation to the holdings company. It included a message of attitude change to rationalisation, efficiency and flat management.
We made plans for centralising our organisation's and departments' host management with the prospect that Nippon Data Corporation being the holdings company. A concept of running servers more securely was included to the plans. What this means is that even if unexpected accidents happen at the place where the servers are centralized, other back up servers are able to take up their roles. Also it works out to reduce maintenance costs and running costs.
INITIATING A CONTACT, AND LEAD TO SASEBO.
Fist of all, we initiated a contact to governmental agencies where our candidate towns are. Nagasaki industrial promotion foundation was the only one which proposed specific plans with good intentions. After some meetings, we visited the actual place, collected information on and made a tour of Nagasaki prefecture and came to know Sasebo is less expected to have earthquakes. It is also true that we became to know with surprise Sasebo is facing the higher unemployment rate and lower average per capita income.
Various issues which are counted as our missions are gradually finding ways to solutions. However, only obtaining does not change this place. We started to think that we should establish future vision after we made our way into this place like Mr. Kamichika, the founder of Huis Ten Bosch, used to hold "creation" looking far ahead.
We needed a facility which has 24 hours a day management systems. To cover this, we are planning to introduce a work-sharing scheme which is quite common in the Netherlands, not becuase of Huis Ten Bosch - Dutch influences...Hiring three people with 8 hours shift. Hiring four, making it 6 hours shift, may help to decrease unemployment. How about hiring 6 people instead and making it 4 hours shift? We sometimes feel that we are opening the heavy door for a new challenge.
LOCATION AGREEMENT AND ENTERPRISE ATTRACTING SYSTEM
We came across with the words, "Location Agreement" with Nagasaki prefecture after we started to capture the situation and have a concrete vision. This agreement is necessary to obtain subsidy under the enterprise attracting system. This financial assistance is mainly to do with communications expenses and employment costs, and some of them happened to be favourable conditions for us. One of the conditions is to ensure employment of minimum 20 staff.
Our first question raised was very simple one - "Are there enough candidates for us who meets our requirements?" Our target candidates were those who are wishing to return to their home town to take a new opportunity and are working for IT related companies at there. Also, we were hoping to give opportunities to the younger generation who will lead the next. Unfortunately, those who are wishing to return to their home town were mostly from Nagasaki City or Isahaya City, rarely from Sasebo. However, many of those rare people were willing to return with our suggested package. The candidates we were looking for were those who were wishing to make Sasebo better and change it to attract people not letting them move away to Fukuoka or Saga.
As time passed, no promising candidates were found. We started to look for our office which was to be the base in Sasebo. Our targeted office should have to ensure security and enough electric power supply. Here again we faced a big hurdle to clear. The condition of optical connection availability which is necessary for infrastructure was difficult to clear. Although only plans went ahead and struggled with the fact that we even did not reach a starting point, we continued on with a little hope, there must be solutions.
WHEN ALL TROUBLES CLEARED AWAY
When we were informed that there was a place where optical connection was available, we thought that we cleared one big hurdle. That was Huis Ten Bosch. We visited there together with some prefecture officials to have meetings with Information Systems department staff and executive managers. After a few meetings, it progressed in a favourable way that our base could be placed at the same office building where Huis Ten Bosch's Information Systems department was. We thought line connection, electric power and security matters were all cleared, so was the human resource matter, at the same time.
A few staff were employed as diffusion of IT committee at the Sasebo base of Nagasaki industrial promotion foundation. We got to understand that their employment was to be terminated with the expiry of the term of contract. We were given opportunities to see them through this foundation. We were amazed that all of them were working hard to make their local better with lively and full of energy. This was one of the criteria we were looking for. All set for the start.
We had been busy visiting Sasebo once a month and working out details with Huis Ten Bosch. The area free from earthquakes, publicity of Huis Ten Bosch, ensuring of connections and electric power and fortune with good human resources. It seemed things were going as we wished and we started to arrange new servers and peripheral devices as it was reaching the final phase to adjust schedules.
BANKRUPTCY OF HUIS TEN BOSCH
Huis Ten Bosch went bankrupt all of the sudden. It was shocking news for us, who had just confirmed with Huis Ten Bosch management about the final direction and adjustment two weeks before. Our plans went frozen at the same time. We had to realise that all our efforts turned into waste and all our plans got back to where they were at the start. That was a crucial event for a project and it wore down the morale of us all.
The situation was that our internal coordination was already complete and so was business investment. We had to think urgently what we were going to do next understanding the plans got back to the beginning. Would it be a good idea to take "Nagasaki prefecture software center" in Isahaya city as a new candidate location? In this case, we had to start from scratch again for ensuring human resources, but how long would it take? Or possibly Nagasaki city as a new candidate location? Or probably better to change to some other prefecture?
Our final answer for this was to await till the current situation's recovery. Completed business invesment, however, was not to be wasted. This part had to be used ahead in Tokyo. We happened to visit Sasebo, know the town and meet people and city officials who welcomed us... We did not want to disappoint Nagasaki prefectural officials who had brought those links to us. They must have already been dispirited with the bankruptcy of Huis Ten Bosch. We were not quite sure at that moment whether our decision was correct. The last thing we wanted to do was to disappoint people - the decision simply came from this point.
START AGAIN ONE YEAR LATER
Servers had started working steadily and it had been got well on track. However, we were all concerned about continuing on our business here in Tokyo and knew it was not the right management judgment. We heard that Huis Ten Bosch gradually gained assistance offers from some companies and possibilities to restore the finances and keep the company in business. Why not visiting Sasebo once again to see the situation - none of us imagined at that moment this would become a big event for us.
We had a meeting with some Huis Ten Bosch people, trying to capture the situation as much as possible and to look for possibilities. Unfortunately the situation we obtained was not favourable and it would take more time to close the issue. We met some city officials and also had a meeting with Mr. Mitsutake, mayor of Sasebo, about our future plans. The words "making Sasebo better" sounded empty - that was our honest feelings. So was possibly theirs.
We had heard that Mr. Toyoshima, former "diffusion of IT committee" of Nagasaki industrial promotion foundation, started his own business after his contract finished during this one year. We remember wondering at that time how his business situation was or whether there were enough customers for him to get success. Our server business could provide services to customers across the nation or the world regardless of the location. However, would focusing on the local area bring you any success? - this was our simple question.
I just gave him a call while thinking of those things and preparing leaving Sasebo for Tokyo. It is sort of strange to think back this action became a lead to a commercial on TV... He founded breakthrough System Works together with Mr. Kuma and Mr. Kawazoe, who also were diffusion of IT committees, at "corporatisation support centre" provided by the commerce and industry department next to "Sasebo enterprise attraction promotion office".
DECISION OF DIRECTION CHANGE
Their business seemed fine, but it could not say that it was all perfect. No problems regarding profit, nor human resources. The problem was to operate an organisation of management or company. They had clients and profit business-wise. It seemed their business was successful at the present moment and they had good thoughts and ambition.
It may have been possible for them to find way to survive in the long term somehow if they were in Tokyo where there were more business opportunities. However, it had been very difficult when only focusing on business development in Sasebo. I told them honestly how I felt - it would be necessary to take in all factors such as business know-how, strategic business development and contribution to the local industry.
My words went on and on without doubt. I remember saying to Mr. Toyoshima, CEO, "I wonder whether you are willing to leave tasks to us, such as accounting, finance and public relations which prevent you from focusing on what you are supposed to do. I would rather want you all to work on your own tasks. If the Huis Ten Bosch matter comes to conclude in the future, it would be no harm to keep that opportunity open. If that was not the case, we could still make Sasebo a base of IT industry transferring our server business here."
You feel the moment intuitively when thoughts of each other are synchronised. I felt that way at that time.
We do not need to consider enterprise attracting system. We should not ruin their business opportunities with being restricted by the condition to ensure employment of minimum 20 staff. We would rather leave everything to those members than rely on help from subsidy under Location Agreement. The commitment which they made on 19 April 2004;
We will make Nagasaki prefecture a number one IT industry base in Japan.
This thought is the real intention behind our commercial on TV. Please contact us freely from some thoughts, possibly willing to work with us, simply curiosity or whatever you may feel. Our enthusiasm may really change Sasebo.
We will tell following up stories some time later...
 Nippon Data Solutions Corporation
Naoki Toyoshima - CEO
Takafumi Kuma - Director
Yuji Kawazoe - Director
We started this Nippon Data Solutions Corporation with a special corporation establishment system. It was possible to establish the company with one Yen in capital, but we had decided to prepare decent capital to start business to show how serious we were. We had started business with help from Sasebo city's corporatisation support as a first step. Next step is to run business smoothly and increase capital by ourselves little by little. The goal for now is to become a "decent corporation" with 10 mil yen in capital.
It may be true that we possibly fail. Of course, we will try hard to survive. We would like you, those who want to start business in Nagasaki, return to here to work, work with us or be our partners, to look closely to see what happens to us. That will encourage us. "What they are doing now?" "Are they already given up?" Are there any who are interested in us?
Thank you very much for reading through.
10 August 2004
Nippon Data Solutions Corporation
Staff members
|
|
Expansion display in another window
(15 second version)
Expansion display in another window
(30 second version)
|
