Something Different for Survival

“ Will to make `something different` creates a fine product. That is a power of the small & medium sized company.”

Designed `Walkman` of SONY, Japan, Kuroki Yasuo (71) emphasized that the small companies can show the unique power over the large companies.

In the afternoon on November 20, a reporter met him in a general design center located in Toyama. Majored in design, he had worked at SONY for 33 years and then left Tokyo 10 years ago.

He came to Toyama, because Nakaoki Yutaka, branch manager invited him as a head of the design center for small companies emphasizing on `Only One` for something different and something new.

From the first moment that he met the reporter, he seemed to lose his age and showed his eager desire over the youth saying that the design strategy brings about the prosperous small company.

The unique products have been developed through his passion and efforts.

As a representative product, a clear shield was swamping with a purchase negotiation from Korea, Germany and Britain after it was used as the shield for suppression.

Developing the clear shield, this company has only 7 staff including a president, Minami Yutaka (41). Developed for 7 years with helps of the design center, this shield is light and strong. The company was swamped with orders from Japan Defense Agency, Japan Self-Defense Forces, National Police Agency and private security companies. SO, its estimate sales reach 0.3 billion Yen (approx. 3 billion won).

One of products of small companies developed by helps of the design center is an plug socket. Also, there are a lot of newly developed products such as a clothes hanger made by a spring. “I am now happier than before.”

When the reporter asked about his management philosophy, he said, “The company which has 1 person master system` with NO cannot help becoming bankrupt.

He plans to give a lecture by a request of Samsung Electronics at the beginning of the next month. Before visiting Korea, he gave advice on motorcar industry of Korea.

He advised, “Korea motorcar industry seems to lose its identity as it copies the Japanese style. Korean motorcar industry cannot produce the unique model which can be realized at place away 100m ?”

hanscho@donga.com