The new President & CEO of Honda Motor Co., Takahiro Hachigo, recently unveiled his future vision for the company. He highlighted two themes that the new ‘Team Honda’ will pursue: (1) advancement of the six-region global operation structure; and (2) continuous development of products unique to Honda and delivering them to customers around the world.
Honda employs a unique matrix management structure, under which each region has built up their own production capacity and established sales, development and purchasing functions. This has made it possible for each region to develop exclusive models for their region. As the next step, to demonstrate the advancement of the six-region structure, operational functions of the global headquarters will be enhanced, to strongly promote mutually complimentary inter-regional relationships. For example, the next generation of Civic 5-door will be supplied from Europe to other regions, whereas the next generation CR-V will be supplied from Canada to Europe.
Honda will also begin local production of the Honda Accord this month in Nigeria (with planned annual production capacity of 1,000 units.). This is the first time Honda will assemble automobiles in Africa.
Hachigo stated that “Honda will continue to be firmly committed to the creation of ‘challenging products’ unique to Honda.” As an example of this commitment, in the area of automobile products, the next generation Civic will be equipped with a new platform and downsized turbo engine. Furthermore, core global Honda models, CR-V and Accord, will undergo full model changes in the future to make them more attractive vehicles that feature more new technologies, higher competitiveness, and innovative designs.
Honda will strive to begin sales in Japan of the next-generation successor to the FCX Clarity before the end of Honda’s current fiscal year (ending March 31, 2016). The company will also be evolving the next generation of mobility products to use electricity as a core technology.
In the area of motorcycles, the CRF1000L, a dual-purpose model, is scheduled to be introduced to the European market at the end of 2015 and then in Japan and North America. This is the embodiment of a ‘challenging product’ that is unique to Honda.
Honda has also been continuing its research and development of a Walking Assist Device which supports walking for people with weakened leg strength. Hachigo asserted that Honda is striving to commercialize this product before the end of this year.
Under Hachigo’s guidance, Honda will realise a 30 year-long dream by taking mobility to the skies. Honda will begin customer delivery of its unique HF120 jet engine and the new light business aircraft, the HondaJet, featuring its revolutionary over-the-wing jet engines.
These Honda’s products have always been generated “at the spot.” Honda’s strength is that team/project members share one goal and take on challenges and attain high targets. Hachigo stated that his role is to further strengthen this bottom-up environment where teams “at the spot” can take action based on their own initiatives, and that the goal of Team Honda is to have a strong bond with customers through challenging products created by such teams “at the spot”.
Hachigo concluded, “What drives me forwards with my fellow Honda associates is ‘The Power of Dreams.’ Driven by The Power of Dreams, Team Honda will keep moving forward with the goal to share joys with customers all around the world.”