 |
Canon's 'Kyosei' Philosophy and Social Responsibility Initiatives
Background Note
Canon's history dates back to 1933, when Saburo Uchinda and Garo Yoshinda set up a lab named Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory (POIL) in Tokyo, Japan, to develop cameras. In 1934, the institute developed Japan's first 35 mm cameras with focal plane shutter under the brand name, Kwanon. |
|
BIRTH OF KYOSEI PHILOSOPHY In the early 1970s, with increasing global operations, Canon's management felt the need for a corporate philosophy that would serve as guide to how the company should treat its employees, stakeholders, competitors and the various diverse communities in which it operated. As Canon entered new international markets, the management faced several business challenges. The management felt that three major challenges, referred to as global imbalances (Refer Table I), had to be addressed by all global business corporations......
