The Hitachi Institute of Management Development (HIMD) was founded in 1961 as a corporate training center for incumbent and promising executives in the Hitachi Group. In its early days, the curriculum focused on rekindling the founding spirit of Hitachi through face-to-face dialog between the participants and top Hitachi executives, including the president. Another key component of the training was current business strategy, both domestic and international.
Since then, HIMD has gone from strength to strength, introducing programs for middle and junior managers, training for specific job functions such as finance and accounting, and courses focusing on the wide range of management skills required in today's changing business world.
Responding to rapidly changing business circumstances, HIMD undertook in 2000 a thorough review of all its courses and further expanded its role in succession planning for the Hitachi Group. One representative example of these new courses is the Management Development Program (MDP), designed to provide young executives with up-to-the-minute knowledge and management skills. This course was drawn up after a thorough study of international MBA programs.
In order to more effectively nurture a sense of globalization in young executives, HIMD merged with the Hitachi Institute of Global Education and Training (HGET) and the Hitachi Institute of Foreign Languages (HIFL). On this foundation, 2005 saw the establishment of the Wharton-HIMD Executive Management Program, which annually brings together about 50 participants with different career functions in a range of companies from all around the world, promoting active and interactive discussion in a diversified business arena.
HIMD continues its efforts to respond to the actual training and learning needs of the Hitachi Group and other global companies. The wide-open door of HIMD welcomes everyone who wants to learn from excellent faculty and exchange ideas with other highly-motivated participants.
HIMD defines the future as "something we create, not forecast or merely follow." A high turnover of talent is the name of the game. People change companies beyond national borders for higher pay and better positions. Hitachi needs such high-performing employees to stay ahead of the competition.
It is important to realize that a lifelong investment in oneself is the key to success. The company supports its employees by providing opportunities to obtain the knowledge and skills necessary to be employable in other companies, since it cannot guarantee long-term employment any more.
As we create this new future, our vision at HIMD is as follows:
HIMD defines Human Resources Development as providing solutions for both individuals and organizations. HIMD provides programs for both individuals and organizations to meet every kind of target. HIMD contributes to the creation of a better future by actively fostering the development of knowledge and talent.
To realize the vision described above, we will take the following steps:
