Part 2: Our Purpose

"Connection x Talent Development" are the keywords for new Japanese-style management in the 21st century.

Because lifetime employment was the norm at Japanese companies in the 20th century, they emphasized strong connections and teamwork. This "connection" gave Japanese-style management its advantages, which is demonstrated by the number of global companies in operation for 200 or more years. Japan has the most of these, accounting for 65% of the total. While this is a tremendous achievement, the reality is that, despite a large number of companies, only a few are globally competitive.

We want CyberAgent to be a global company. Our focus has been on "talent development" while upholding the "connection" component that Japanese companies have historically valued.

CyberAgent's "Ashita Kaigi (Meeting for Tomorrow)," "GEPPO," and "Career Agent" are typical examples of measures that contribute to talent development. At the Ashita Kaigi, where employees can participate in making management decisions, they can propose ideas, share opinions, get direct feedback from the president, and see how decisions are made firsthand, providing an opportunity to further develop their natural talent.

Employee conditions, which are a basis for identifying their talent, are assessed each month through GEPPO, and all comments submitted are read and responded to by "career agents" who serve as in-house headhunters. GEPPO also provides opportunities for new talent to bloom, such as through individual interviews and proposing new missions based on career goals and individual interests.

Our aim is to be a company where employees are "surprised by their own abilities." To achieve this, we must continue to make deliberate employee assignments. Employee assignment is more than simply putting an employee in any position; the key is to establish expectations. Even by small steps, delegating work with high expectations helps to draw out the potential of the individual.

We want to build an organization in which everyone has mutual expectations of one another, both among members and between superiors and subordinates, naturally developing strong connections with one another. We hope as many of our employees can realize their own abilities and see how much they have grown in five years.
 

The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the entertainment industry. Meanwhile, DX has accelerated, which has not only made people aware of the benefits of both in-person and online formats, but also provided opportunities for IP companies and artists to experience new levels of possibilities.

We believe that DX in the entertainment industry is about showing people the value of online-based entertainment, which used to be focused on an in-person format, and also maximizing the value of entertainment by connecting the in-person and online worlds. These are also important points to consider when expanding internationally and beyond barriers such as language and currencies.

For Japan to become a world leader in entertainment, we need to deliver amazing content and user experiences in order to raise awareness of Japan-developed IPs and artist concepts around the world. As a Japanese company, we want to take on this challenge, following in the footsteps of K-POP's success.

CyberAgent is currently developing a wide variety of businesses and services, including ABEMA PPV ONLINE LIVE and several subscription services. As an entertainment DX company, however, we believe that our mission is to continue creating new value for society.

In-person events and live concerts with audiences are gradually returning, but in the future, hybrid formats that take advantage of both in-person and online resources will form the next stage in entertainment DX.

We will continue to pursue the challenge of delivering services that energize many users by spreading the power and influence of creators and artists.


 

To me, CyberAgent's "uniqueness" has many aspects that include its culture of working with a sense of responsibility and making decisions; young people growing and creating markets; and being a company that values its teams and culture.

I believe it's written in our "Visionary Company ZERO," but our purpose is to have a "social reason to exist." Therefore, it might be easier to understand if you imagine what the world would lose if the company ceased to exist. At the very least, if CyberAgent did not exist, the internet services created by CyberAgent over the years would not exist. Perhaps the internet industry in Japan would not have been as engaging, or perhaps there would be no companies with cultures that encourage young people to actively participate. In other words, these are some of the features that embody CyberAgent's uniqueness.

In the early days of the internet, we interpreted the industry as "young=new," but now, more than 20 years later, many employees are taking on new challenges at CyberAgent, not just the younger ones. If they have a good sense of newness and flexibility, they can adapt to the business. In fact, we believe that "newness" is more important than "youth" in today's competitive market, which requires a certain standard of quality, where being young and fast is not enough.

"To Break through Stagnation," can be interpreted differently depending on the business and service, but the common denominator across all is to "continue growing." I believe that we must "exist as a company able to grow in the business domains in which we operate." CyberAgent has brought together people who are self-driven to grow and can create markets and expand the company. Nonetheless, simply talking big does not guarantee that our company and businesses will grow. To realize this, we have no choice but to have bigger goals and strive for individual growth every day.

Because we have created an organization with fewer rules than at any time since our inception, it is important that every person understands our purpose and vision, and that every person can think, assess, and make decisions on their own.

I believe that new technologies and fields will continue to emerge in the internet industry, and it is a domain that will continue to grow in the years to come. Thus, in accordance with our purpose, we aim to create the "21st century's leading company" by continuing to exemplify a culture of building business and society, while achieving growth true to one's individuality, and also contributing to the development of Japan.