Kenichi Ohmae
Kenichi Ohmae 大前 研一 | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 21, 1943 |
| Alma mater | Waseda University Tokyo Institute of Technology Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
is a distinguished Japanese expert in organizational theory and management consulting, formerly serving as Professor and Dean at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. He is recognized for creating the influential 3Cs model.
Biography
Ohmae was born in 1943 in Kitakyūshū. He completed his Bachelor of Science in chemistry at Waseda University in 1966, followed by a Master of Science in nuclear physics from the Tokyo Institute of Technology in 1968. He earned his doctoral degree in nuclear engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1970.
Beginning his career as a senior design engineer at Hitachi from 1970 to 1972, Ohmae then joined McKinsey & Company, where he worked between 1972 and 1995. During his tenure, he rose to senior partner and led McKinsey's operations in Japan. He played a pivotal role in establishing the firm’s strategic management practice, advising clients across various sectors such as electronics, finance, telecommunications, food, and chemicals. In 1995, he made an unsuccessful bid for the position of Governor of Tokyo.
In 1997, Ohmae relocated to the United States to assume the roles of Dean and Professor at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. He also held a guest professorship at Stanford Graduate School of Business during 1997–1998.
In response to the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant disaster, he led Team "H2O" in 2011 to develop a report outlining key lessons for government authorities. The following year, he became a member of the Nuclear Reform Monitoring Committee at Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO).
Work
Ohmae played a significant role in introducing Japanese management methodologies to Western business circles, particularly emphasizing Toyota’s just-in-time production approach. He contrasted the long-range strategic orientation typical of Japanese companies with the Western emphasis on short-term shareholder returns.
His writings have contributed terminology that remains prevalent within contemporary business strategy. In the 1980s, he was among the early advocates recognizing globalization as a major economic force.
Publications
Among Ohmae’s notable business literature are:
- The Mind of the Strategist
- The End of the Nation State
- The Borderless World
- Triad Power
External links
- KENICHI OHMAE Official Web
- Kenichi Ohmae Graduate School of Business – Distance learning MBA program