Japan is a developing country of digitalization!

Japan is a developing country of digitalization!

Japan is the most lagging developed country in the world of digitalization. Japan is lagging behind the world competition because productivity does not increase due to the lack of digitalization. In the future, Japan's national policy for survival will be questioned.

The cause of the disparity in Japan, a digitally underdeveloped country, lies in the attitude of the leader.

I think that many Japanese people think that Japan, which is a developed country, is at the forefront of digitalization.

Certainly, it is one of the richest countries in the world, and it is still one of the best in the world in the field of basic technology.

However, unfortunately, digitalization is behind other countries.

Corona has surfaced it.

Digitization should bring about information sharing and efficiency that transcends various barriers.

However, the information between local governments and ministries and agencies in the Coronavirus was complicated, the payment of various benefits was delayed, and the promotion of remote work in companies continued to be slow.

For many years, Japan's low productivity has been pointed out, but it proves that the delay in digitization was a major factor.

The government also saw it as a major issue, and the Kan administration started to establish a digital agency and remove stamps.

The number of companies focusing on digital transformation is increasing rapidly.

From now on, as the digitalization of society as a whole progresses, it will become a new society that has been digitally transformed.

In order to eliminate the widening digital divide, the gap between those who are active in digitalization and those who are reluctant to digitize is widening not only at the national and corporate levels but also at the individual level.

This gap will widen over time, and it is expected that there will be a large gap in work and life in the near future.

The number of people who are active in digitization is increasing, starting with those who are mainly working in IT, and mainly among the younger generation of office workers who have experienced remote work due to Corona.

On the contrary, it seems that many people who are reluctant to digitize are those who do not usually utilize IT and middle-aged and older generations who dislike changes in work.

Those who are reluctant to digitize are more likely to be unable to cope with the new era.

In the future, it is highly likely that companies that can handle digitalization will become "rich digital companies" and companies that cannot support digitalization will become "poor analog companies."

I think such a world is unhealthy. As the digital transformation of society as a whole progresses, I think we should approach a world where people can equally benefit from it.

To that end, I think we should take action to eliminate the digital divide in society as a whole from this point on.

Factors that accelerate the digital divide in Japan
Factors that accelerate the digital divide in Japan Japan is considered to be one of the countries with the smallest disparity in the world, but I think there is a high possibility that a large disparity will widen in digitalization.

The reason is the seniority system, which is a system unique to Japan, and the low mobility of human resources.

The seniority system was a driving force for the growth of Japanese companies during the period of high economic growth, but it will become a shackle in the future.

Young people are always actively incorporating new things.

In terms of digitalization, even in companies, if there are many young people in the management / management layer, they will be more active in digitization, and conversely, if there are many older people in the management / management layer, they will be reluctant to digitize. Tends to be.

The selection of young people is an effective way to promote the digital utilization of companies and bring about digital transformation, but the seniority system has prevented it.

The low mobility of human resources was also a driving force for the growth of Japanese companies during the period of high economic growth, but in the future it will become more of a shackle than the seniority system.

If the mobility of human resources is high, human resources will move back and forth between groups and the leveling of know-how will progress, but the low mobility of human resources in Japan is preventing this.

In the future, I think we should overcome the low seniority system and human resource mobility that many Japanese companies have, and bring us closer to a world where people are equally blessed with opportunities for digital transformation and can benefit not a little.

Leader Attitude Creates Digital Divide What creates her digital divide?

I believe that the environment and customs create disparities.

Humans depend on the environment.

If you live in the city, you will adapt to the life of the city, and if you live in a remote island, you will adapt to the life of nature.

Similarly, if you are surrounded by a digital environment, you will be active in digitization, and if you are surrounded by an analog environment, you will be reluctant to digitize.

As for habits, if it becomes a habit to send out on SNS every day, we will make various efforts, and if we do not have a smartphone, we will not even see SNS.

So who will create this environment and customs?

The leader of the group. If it is a country, it is the president or prime minister, if it is a company, it is a manager, if it is a school, it is a principal, and if it is an individual, it is of course oneself. The environment and customs depend largely on the attitude of the leader.

The difference is clear when comparing the digital qualities of the owners of Western and Japanese companies.

In Europe and the United States, there are many professional managers who have learned digital, and in Japan, there are many people who become managers and are not good at digital.

I think that the result has led to the present, which is said to be a digitally underdeveloped country in the world. The gap between companies led by business owners with digital qualities and those without them will be large.

From now on, I think we will be in an era where existing managers will have to make a fierce effort to acquire digital skills, or leave the managers to human resources with digital qualities. Companies that make that decision as soon as possible and act swiftly grow and widen the gap.