For Japan to achieve high levels of economic growth and well-being by 2030—and beyond—it is essential for its domestic companies to enhance their global competitiveness. In a two-part series, we will explore the model that Japanese companies should adopt. 

In part one of the series, we revealed that one of the reasons why Japanese companies have generally lagged behind their Western counterparts in terms of various financial indicators and investments is that they have not sufficiently grasped the Global Standard Success Factors.

However, there are best-practice companies that have realized the elements outlined in the Success Factors and built competitive advantage. In this second part of the series, we will first look at how such companies have achieved success, based on specific examples. In reviewing the case studies, we found that the best-practice firms have grasped the essentials and evolved the characteristics recognized by Japanese firms into their own unique strengths. In addition, to keep an eye on long-term trends, we will examine the requirements for success in the future, and then present four actions that should be taken to implement the Future Winning Model.