RIEB Seminar

9:00 - 10:00

Topic

Training and Recruitment Abroad: The Case of Japanese Companies in Germany

Speaker

Matthias PILZ (Chair of Economics and Business Education, University of Cologne)

Abstract

Subsidiaries of foreign companies provide a significant number of jobs in Germany. However, so far, there is hardly any information on which strategies and interventions they use to ensure their competence needs are met.
The research project presented here investigates how these subsidiaries generate practice-relevant competencies on site.
The central interest from the business education perspective is, whether and why the subsidiaries either use and accept the existing training system in Germany and thus adapt to the "training culture" of the host country, or bring practices in training and recruiting from their country of origin. The presentation will focus on companies from Japan.
The presentation is embedded in the research project: Multinational companies and local knowledge base: An evolutionary perspective: Regional variants of initial vocational education and training activities in Germany, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).

10:00 - 11:00

Topic

Forecasting Japanese Companies' Foreign Direct Investment in Europe - Document Classification Using Machine Learning

Speaker

Haruaki KUSUKI (Business Development & Research Manager, NRW Global Business Japan)

Abstract

The presentation is given by the representative of NRW.Global Business Japan in Kansai, a trade and investment agency in Japan to promote foreign direct investment (FDI) by Japanese companies in NRW.
The discussant uses a deep learning application for natural language processing of text fractures and applies information of the business magazine Shikiho. Aim is to create and evaluate predictive models of Japanese companies how likely they invest in Europe and Germany in the future.
Based on the results of the model, ten companies were interviewed by phone about the possibility of future FDI in Europe and Germany, and four companies responded in favor of the predictions.
It is worth noting that today, such AI-based machine learning models can not only supplement but replace heavy data collection and all of this works without special technical knowledge of AI and information technology by the applicant.

11:00 - 12:00

Topic

Collaboration models of Local Japanese Firms with Global Players: Case Study of TUV SUD

Speaker

Andreas STANGE (Senior Vice President, TUV-SUD Japan)

Abstract

The presentation will showcase examples on how domestic Japanese small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are collaborating with international corporations.
Objectives of both the Japanese as well as the international partner will be presented and discussed with the audience. Examples of failure and successful integration of Japanese organizations into an international group will be shown and explained.
The presentation is a practical one by a very experienced manager who lives for many years in Japan and who has a plentitude of experience about Japanese culture and its uniqueness of business. In that sense, the presentation goes beyond the context of certification companies but can be applied to any industry.