A Human-centered Philosophy of Life and Work

A few years ago, the late Norman Bodek, introduced me to the remarkable work and management philosophy of Dr. Kazuo Inamori.

Dr. Inamori was the founder of Kyocera, a Japanese multinational ceramics and electronics manufacturer with revenue of 1.6 Trillion Japanese yen in 2018.

Dr. Inamori also distinguished himself by leading a stunning turnaround of a bankrupt Japan Airlines (JAL). What was remarkable was how he did it. Dr. Inamori brought a human-centered approach that restored JAL to profitability in less than a year.

Dr. Inamori and his management philosophy may be one of the most remarkable stories and philosophies you never heard of until today.

Dr. Inamoi describes his philosophy this way:

The Kyocera Philosophy is a life philosophy that I acquired through experience. Its basis is “living in the right way as a human being.” Through the years, I have continued to encourage employees to follow this philosophy, because I believe it will make each employee happy while also making the company prosperous.

As I learned more about Dr. Inamori, I eagerly wanted to interview someone practicing his principles. That search led me to Nem Bajra, CEO at Calsoft Systems, Inc.

Nem has his own remarkable story that started in Nepal, where he was born the son of a Buddist priest. Nem’s passion for improving the lives of the people of Nepal led him from his home country of Nepal to Japan to study engineering.

His journey next led him to America, where he founded Calsoft Systems with his wife in 1994.

I encourage you to read my interview with Nem to discover how Dr. Inamori’s philosophies helped lead to personal and business success.