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TOEIC® NewsletterJanuary 2013 No.116 —Digest Version—

Unique, Reading-intensive Program Aims to Improve New Employees’ Language Skills and Hasten Development of a Globally Capable Workforce

InterviewKureha Corporation

Intheautumnof2011,KurehagarneredconsiderableattentionforitsintroductionofanintensiveEnglishreadingprogramfornewlyhiredemployeesandforstudentswhohavebeenpromisedemployment.Undertheprogram,participantsreadamillionwordsinEnglish-languagebookspublishedinthefollowingseries:PenguinReaders(PearsonKirihara),OxfordBookwormsLibrary(OxfordUniversityPress),MacmillanReaders(MacmillanLanguageHouse),andCambridgeEnglishReaders(CambridgeUniversityPress)series.Theprogramlaststhreeyears,amountingtoatotalofthreemillionwordsread.FumihikoYamada,deputygeneralmanagerofKureha’sAdministrationDivisionandgeneralmanagerofitsHumanResourcesDepartment,explainsmoreabouttheprogram: “TheaimistoacceleratetheglobaldevelopmentofourexistingandnewbusinessoperationsbyFY2015underour“GrowGloballyII”medium-termmanagementplan,andtofosterthegloballycapableworkforceneededtoachievethatgoal.Giventhoseobjectives,raisingtheEnglishcommunicationskillsofourworkforceisapressingneed.Ideally,weneedtoimprove,ina

Employees Read a Million Words a Year for Three Years

Company Overview

Kureha Corporation19444,032 consolidated and 1,628 non-consolidated (as of March 31, 2012)

Name：Founded：

Employees：

Kureha seeks to research and develop specialty materials and products in three main business areas: functional products, chemical products, and resin products. For each of area, the company pursues four strategic core segments: advanced products, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and high-barrier packaging materials. In addition to 14 group companies in Japan, Kureha aggressively pursues business on a global scale, with 15 companies in seven countries worldwide.

Kureha Corporation is best known for New Krewrap, high-performance polymers and lithium-ion battery materials. Based on its corporate slogan, “The worldwide specialty company,” the company seeks to develop a globally-capable workforce by implementing an intensive English reading program.

Fumihiko Yamada Deputy General Manager, Administration Division General Manager, Human Resources Department

Kureha Corporation

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somethingtheythinkisnotfun.Itisnotanapproachthatcanbeexpectedtobringresults.Thisiswhywebelieveit’simportantforemployeestoselectbooksthattheyfindinteresting.” Kurehaemployeesparticipatingintheprogrammustreportonthenumberofbookstheyreadeachweek,andsubmittheirbookreview(s)inEnglishonceamonthforanativespeakertocorrect.Thismethod,Yamadaexplains,“makesitpossibletomonitoreachindividual’sreadingprogressandencourageimprovementsinwritingaswell.

AspartofitsEnglishtraining,KurehaholdstheTOEICtesteveryJuneandDecember.Atotalofapproximately600employeestakethetesteachyear.Thecompanyalsooffersasix-monthEnglishconversationprogram,comprisedofonetwo-hourlessonperweek.TheTOEICtestsandtheEnglishconversationlessonsareofferedonavoluntarybasistoemployeeswhowishtoparticipate;whereasthereadingprogramstandsoutbecauseitiscompulsorytoacertaindegree. “ItisconceivablethatsomeemployeeswillbesentoverseassoonafterjoiningusatKureha,”Yamadaexplains,“andEnglishskillsarebecominganecessarypartofworkregardlessofdepartment.Thereadingprogramwasintroducedtorespondtothissituationandtorapidlyimprovenewemployees’Englishskills.Employeespostedoverseasencountermanysituationswheretheyhavetomakedecisionsontheirown,andwethinksuchexperiencehelpsthemgrowasadults.Thus,themoretheycanbuildupthatexperience,thegreatertheglobalcapabilitiesoftheKurehaworkforcewillbe. “Movingforward,weintendtocreateanoverseasrotationsystemforyoungemployeeswhohavebolsteredtheirEnglishskillsthroughthereadingprogramtoletthemrealizetheirbusinesspotentialoutsideofJapan.”

balancedway,thefourkeyareasofreading,listening,speaking,andwriting,butwesimplydonothaveenoughtimeorfundingtoplanandimplementaprogramonsuchascale.ThatiswhywedecidedtostartbyatleastencouragingouremployeestoreadmoreinEnglish. “DespitestudyingEnglishforsixyearsbythetimewefinishhighschool—ortenyearsifyoucountuniversity—mostJapanesepeoplecannotspeakEnglishwell.Someascribethisinsufficientspeakingabilitytoalackofadequateinput.ItisinterestingtonotethatthecombinedwordcountforJapanesestudents’middle-schoolEnglishtextbooksisabout30,000—ascomparedtothe25,000wordsinThe Day of the Jackalalone,alevel-4(intermediate)bookinthePenguinReadersseries.Thatistosay,Japanesestudentsreadjustoveronebook’sworthofEnglishwordsinthreeentireyears.There’snowayyoucanexpectpeopletoimprovetheirEnglishskillslikethat,”saidMr.Yamada,emphasizingtheneedforgreaterinput.

Thereadingprogramhasthreemainrules:participantsmaynotusedictionaries;theymustreadsentencesfrombeginningtoend;andtheymuststopreadinganybooktheyfindboringandselectanotherone.Yamadaelaboratesonthereasonfortherules: “Participantsintheprogramwillcomeupagainstwordstheydon’tknow,evenineasybooks,buttheymust,asarule,keepreadingwithoutusingadictionary.Thegoalistohaveageneralunderstandingofthosewordsbythetimetheyreachtheend.Thekeythingistokeepreadingfrombeginningtoend.Thisgoesagainsttheapproachtaughttostudentsinmiddleschoolandhighschool,wheretheyhavetoidentifytheconjunctionsandrelativeclausesineachsentenceandthengobackandtranslateeverything.Thatmethodservestobreakthereader’spaceandrhythm.Evenworse,ittakesallthefunoutofEnglish,andnostudentswillkeepupforlongwith

Preparing Book Reviews in English Also Fosters Writing Skills

Kureha’s Overseas Rotation System for Young Employees

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Grow Globally II is Kureha’s four-year medium-term management plan for FY2012–15. It is designed to promote and accelerate the global development of the company’s new and existing business operations, and to enhance corporate value by developing and securing a globally capable workforce that will be the foundation for Kureha’s globalization and technological advances.

As part of its English training program, Kureha holds the TOEIC test twice a year, and approximately a quarter of its workforce takes the test. Those who attain a certain score on the test are eligible to participate in a six-month English program comprised of weekly lessons. Participants sign up at their own expense, but receive half the money back if they attend at least 70 percent of lessons.

2 How Kureha Uses the TOEIC® Test

1 Grow Globally II Medium-term Management Plan

This year, Kureha began an experimental English course using Skype that it now plans to incorporate into its future training programs. The company is also looking into introducing the TOEIC Speaking and Writing Tests.

4 The Future of English Learning at Kureha

May 2012 marked another first for Kureha when the company held TOEIC Bridge for its manufacturing staff, mainly comprised of graduates from “industrial high schools,” where less emphasis is placed on English education than at ”comprehensive high schools.” The company plans to continue to offering TOEIC Bridge for its production staff, based on the expectation that they will have overseas opportunities in the future and therefore intends to continue to hold TOEIC Bridge for them.

3 Kureha Introduces TOEIC Bridge®

Kureha Corporation

Iwaspostedtoafive-yearstintinDusseldorfin2006.InGermany,IusedEnglishonadailybasis—bothforbusinessandinmydailylife.SincereturningtoJapan,Ihavebeenparticipatingintheregularin-houseEnglishlessonsorganizedinmydepartment,withafocusnotonlyonEnglishskillsbutontranslatinginternalandexternalmaterialsregardingindustriesrelatedtoKurehaandkeepingupwithbusinesstrends.Thestudygroupalsohasaschemewhereindividualstranslateinternaldocumentsandsharethemwithothermembersforevaluation. IhavefeweropportunitiestospeakEnglishnowthatI’mbackinJapan,andIsometimesfeelmyEnglishskillsareslipping.

NotonlydoestheEnglishstudygrouphelpmemaintainmyskills,butitisalsoaneffectivemeansofimprovingmyabilitytodiscussinEnglishKureha’sbusinessaimsandinitiatives. Languageisnomorethanatool,butitisahighlyeffectiveone.Thosewhoworktoimprovetheirlanguageskillsonaday-to-daybasis,expandstheirbusinesshorizonsandcometoabetterunderstandingofothers.IfIhaveanotherchancetobepostedoverseas,Iwillgladlytakeit—whereverthedestination.

English Lesson Group Helps Improve Business Skills and English Skills

Makoto Okada

Special Interview

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Account Manager Carbon Products Department Formerly posted to Dusseldorf, Germany.

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Omron Holds TOEIC®　Tests for Entire Workforce to Become a Genuinely Global, High-growth Company

InterviewOmron Corporation

Underitslong-termstrategy,ValueGeneration2020(VG2020),Omronhasbeenendeavoringtobecomeagenuinelyglobal,high-growthcompanyby2020.WespoketoHiroshiHisada—generalmanagerofOmron’sHumanResourcesandAdministrationInnovationCenterandGlobalHRDevelopmentDepartment—tofindoutmoreaboutthecompany’sdirectionunderthestrategy. “Uptonow,”Hisadaexplains,“ourapproachatOmronhastendedtowardgeneratingvalue-addedproductsandservicesinJapanandthenexportingthem.However,therapidexpansionofemergingmarketshassparkedadiversificationinourapproach,makingitnecessarytoadoptaglobalperspectivewithregardtomarkets.” “Itisvitalthatweunderstandthecharacteristicsofeachparticularmarketaroundtheworld,includingthoseinemergingnations,”Hisadaadds“Ifwehopetoachievefurthergrowth,we’llneedtocreateandofferthekindofproductsandservicesthatothercompaniescan’tmatch,therebystrikingachordwiththosemarkets.Thatiswhatwemeanwhenwetalkaboutbecoming‘agenuinelyglobal,high-growthcompany,’aspartofourcorporatevision.” Clearly,thekeytoachievingthatgoalishumanresources,andVG2020putshumanresourcesfrontandcenterinthecompany’smanagementstrategy.TheGlobalHRDevelopmentDepartmentthatHisadamanages

Bringing a Global Perspective and Unique Value to Markets

Company Overview

Omron Corporation193335,992 consolidated and 4,245non-consolidated (as of March 31, 2012)

Name：Founded：

Employees：

Omron is a manufacturer of control devices, industrial automation systems, electronic components, automotive electric components, healthcare devices, and social systems. The company, which has been a driver of industrial automation since its inception, is committed to maintaining the entrepreneurial spirit of always challenging itself to reach higher.

Omron Corporation is one of Japan’s most globally active companies, with 103 business sites in 36 countries. In order to grow further in worldwide markets, including those in emerging nations, the company is striving to develop a globally capable workforce by administering the TOEIC test to all of its Japanese employees.

人財開発支援センタOmron Corporation

Manager Human Resources and Administration Innovation Center Global HR Development Department

Hiroshi Hisada Newton Giraud Kisa FujiiHR Development Department Omron Personnel Service Co., Ltd.

General Manager Human Resources and Administration Innovation Center Global HR Development Department

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of2011andthefirsthalfof2012,with2,435and2,120employeesparticipating,respectively,. KisaFujiiofOmronPersonnelService’sHumanResourceDevelopmentDepartment,whohelpedorganizethetests,notesthat“futureTOEICtestswillbevoluntary,butIhopemanyemployeeswilltakepart.”

Paralleltoacross-the-boardTOEICtests,Omronisalsodevelopingnewtrainingprogramsaimedatbuildingagloballycapableworkforce.OnesuchprogramisBusinessSurvivalEnglish,ashort-termintensiveprogram.NewtonGiraud,manageroftheHumanResourcesandAdministrationInnovationCenteroftheGlobalHRDevelopmentDepartment,explainsmoreaboutthisinitiative: “TheprogramwasdevelopedfromafrontlineperspectivesothatemployeescanacquireinashortperiodoftimetheEnglishskillsneededtofunctionoverseas.It’sanintensivetrainingprogramdesignedtoquicklyinstillthebare

wasestablishedinApril2012asameansofenhancingOmron’sworkforceadministration. “Thisnewglobaldepartmentwascreatedtofosteraworkforce,bothJapaneseandnon-Japanese,thatcanmeettheneedsofeachmarketanddelivertheproductsandservicestheyrequire,”Hisadaexplains.“Putsimply,ourjobcomesdowntocreatingaglobalworkforce.”

Omron’sbasicapproachtohumanresourcescanbesummedupintwokeywords:"TOGARI"and"TSUNAGI"."TOGARI"referstohonedstrengthsthatindividualunitspossess."TSUNAGI"referstostrengthsresultingfromthelinkageofindividualunits.Omronisworkingtogloballyspreadthewordaboutits"TOGARI"and"TSUNAGI"concepttoensurethatitfullytakesrootthroughoutitscorporategroup. Basedonthatconcept,OmronbelievesthatEnglishskillsareanindispensiblepartofthefoundationofcommunicationthatwillenablethefirmtobecomeagenuinelyglobalcompany.Tothatend,abolddecisionwasmadetorequireallofthecompany’sJapaneseemployeestotaketheTOEICtest,asHisadaexplains: “Wehavearound400Japaneseemployeespostedoverseas,andmanyemployeesstationedinJapanarealsoinvolvedinouroverseasoperationsonadailybasis.Ontheotherhand,therearealsoemployeeswithnodirectaffiliationtoouroverseasoperations.ThoseemployeesneedtobeawarethatOmronmustbecomeagenuinelyglobalcompany,andwefeltthatthefirststeptowardachievingthatbroadawarenesswastohaveeachpersongaugehisorhercurrentlevelofEnglishability.That’swhywedecidedtohaveeveryonetaketheTOEICtest.” OmronhadpreviouslyheldtheTOEICtesttwiceayearfornewemployeesandotherswhowantedtotakeitvoluntarily.ThefirsttwocompulsoryadministrationsofthetestforOmron’sentireJapaneseworkforce(excludinggroupcompanyemployees)tookplaceinthesecondhalf

"TOGARI" and "TSUNAGI": Omron’s Basic Approach to Human Resources

“Business Survival English” Helps Employees Acquire Basic English Skills Quickly

▲ A poster in English highlighting the VG2020 strategy.

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● Published by Market Development UnitThe Institute for International Business Communication (IIBC)Sanno Grand Building 2-14-2, Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0014, JapanPhone: 81/03-5521-5012 Fax: 81/03-3581-5512Official Website: http://www.toeic.or.jp Issued：January 2013

minimumlevelofEnglishneededtosurviveoverseas,suchasbeingabletointroduceyourself,giveproperworkplaceinstructions,andmakepresentations.” InadditiontoBusinessSurvivalEnglish,OmronoffersanAdvancedCoursecoveringarangeofscenariosthatrequireahigherlevelofEnglishskills,includingadvancedpresentations,conferences,andnegotiations.“IfOmronistoexpandourbusinessglobally,”Hisadaexplains,“weneedtounderstandthevaluesandculturesofeachmarket.That’swhywearedesigningourprograminawaythattochannelemployeeswhocurrentlydonotuseEnglishintoanemergencyprogramtopavethewayforongoingstudies,andthosewhocanalreadyspeakEnglishintocoursesdesignedtopromotecross-culturalunderstanding.”

OmronhasbegunanexperimentintransformingfamiliarworkplaceenvironmentsintoEnglishzonesthroughtheuseofposters,PAannouncements,andcafeteriamenus.Girauddescribessomeoftheeffectsoftheinitiativethusfar: “ItisimportantthatemployeesconstantlyseeandhearEnglish.ThisiswhywehavemadeapointofsendingthemmessagesinEnglish.Infact,theexperimentisbeginningtobearfruit,asevidencedbythespontaneousformationoflittlegroupswherecolleaguesspeakinEnglishovercoffeebeforestartingworkinthemorning.” “ForOmrontobecomeagenuinelyglobalcompany,”Hisadaconcludes,“employees

The TOEIC® Newsletter is published quarterly by the Institute for International Business Communication (IIBC) in Japanese. It features how the TOEIC program is used effectively within companies, universities and other institutions. We offer the latest case studies of TOEIC program usage to our clients, so they can take full advantage of the TOEIC program within their organization. In this journal, we also introduce a trend of global human resources development and the globalization movement in Japan. This issue is a summary of the TOEIC Newsletter No.116 (issued: November 2012) translated into English by IIBC for its readers around the world.

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Transforming Familiar Workplaces into English Zones Raises Awareness

themselvesmusttaketheinitiativeintheself-transformationleadingtowardagloballycapableworkforce.Wehavetotakeonthechallengesofturningourfocusoutward,communicatingwiththeworld,andprovidingglobalmarketswiththevalue-addedproductsandservicestheyneed.”

Value Generation 2020 is Omron’s strategy for the decade between 2011 and 2020. The strategy is divided into two stages: the "Globe Stage (2011–13) in which the company establishes a growth and revenue structure for all Omron group companies worldwide; and the Earth Stage (2014–20) in which the outcomes of the Globe Stage are expanded and the company seeks to establish long-term growth through the creation of new value. The goal of the strategy is to raise sales above a trillion yen by 2020.

Omron seeks to add to its team those who are willing to explore new possibilities based on the belief that new value is created as a result of teamwork. This cooperation is made possible through an emphasis on "TOGARI" and "TSUNAGI"—that is, the combination of "TOGARI" skills, technical prowess, a spirit of exploration, and other individual qualities linked through "TSUNAGI" of interdepartmental and international teamwork.

2 The Ideal Employee

1 Value Generation 2020

Omron held a trial run of the TOEIC Speaking and Writing Tests in August 2012 for 22 employees. As speaking and writing skills are becoming increasingly important in business, Omron is considering a full-scale implementation of the tests to enable employees to gauge their own capabilities.

3 How Omron Uses the TOEIC® Speaking and Writing Tests

Omron Corporation

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