Affinity for innovation
After I moved to Silicon Valley in December last year, I experienced several uncomfortable situations here. For example, I could not obtain social security card for 3 month, due to the small mistakes. An immigration officer input my name to their system as “SHINICHIRODR MATSUO,” that is, the officer “kindly” input “Doctor” after the given name. This information is shared with social security office, however, it is different from the name of my passport. The officer at social security office should make a confirmation to immigrant office to verify my visa and immigrant status to issue social security card. The only mistakes is adding DR to the name, and such kind of inconsistency of operation is usual thing in United States. The other example is delivery of good which I ordered at Amazon. Amazon usually uses USPS to deliver a goods. The operation of USPS is not stable and quality of operation varies by operator. It is usual thing that the good is placed outside of the door and we have to wait long hours to revive the re-delivery. I think US residents are not satisfied with this inconsistency of operation, however, they usually tolerate this bad UX.
On the other hand, the delivery of Amazon goods is quite smooth in Japan. In most case, the goods are delivered on the same day or next day, and we can designate flexible time-slot for re-delivery. This is realized by well organized human operation of carrying company.
If I am asked a question as “Which is the country easy to live?”, I definitely answer that “Japan is”. We can experience their “Omotenashi” spirits everywhere and anytime in Japan. The important point is, many US residents do not believe the existence of well-organized and consistent operation, and Japanese residents assume that all operators can do them.
This is the one of the fundamental reasons that innovation in US is more realistic than in Japan. The idea of using drone for delivery of Amazon goods gives much benefits to US resident because drone-delivery sometimes seems trustable than USPS. In Japan, an experiment of drone-delivery is conducted in Chiba prefecture, however, I think it is not easy to convince Japanese resident that it is more convenient than Kuroneko-Yamato.
The essence of the innovation is find a methodology which people say “I did not notice the aowsome methodology to solve problem!” and the essence here is “finding “methodology.”
If the solution is designed as a methodology and can be implemented as a software, it can be applicable to wide-range of other applications. In United states, operation by human is not thought as a trusted solution, and good scheme and methodology are believed to enhance the service. Of course, the culture of nation varies according to the nation, and there is no guarantee that one innovative solution can be accepted in other nation. However, if a specific innovative solution solve the common problem in multiple nations, it may be disruptive for other nations’ industries. Cultural affinity for innovation of a nation is matter in the software age.
My concern on Japanese environment is, people tend to solve problem by requesting employee to more effort, than innovation, that is, finding new methodologies. Good discipline and diligence of Japanese people is extraordinary nature to be proud of. However, over-dependence on them may be a barrier to the innovative thinking and it is sometime disadvantage in the software age.
We say that “necessity is mother of invention” from the ancient time. I would like to add that “sensitivity to inconvenience spurs innovation.” That is, we should not cloud this sensitivity. Over-dependence to human diligence sometimes clout it. It is the time not to over-depend on this Japanese good nature. It is the time when we should not assume the extensive additional effort and thinking methodology to solve problems without it.
