Business Management: Cameroon To Learn Japanese Models

Officials of the Ministry of Small and Medium sized Entreprises, Social Economy and Handicraft, (MINPMEESA), the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Small and Medium-sized Promotion Enterprises Agency (APME) have met in Yaounde to discuss the methodology of the implementation of the second phase of the Project on Quality and Productivity Improvement for SMEs (KAIZEN Project); an initiative which will see the training of 500 Cameroonian businessmen in new management techniques every year for the next four years. The meeting in Yaounde on February 27 attended by officials of the SMEs Bank was chaired by Minister Achille Bassilekin III.

The Japanese Ambassador to Cameroon said the KAIZEN concept is the key to the success of leading Japanese companies like Toyota and Sony. The concept, he said, has been adopted by all companies in Japan and will equally facilitate the growth of Cameroonian companies. He noted that just like in Cameroon, the Japanese economy is dominated by SMEs, which makes it evident that Japanese models can work in Cameroon. “We have a history of learning to develop our economy and Cameroon can benefit from the lessons we have learned. The efficiency and productivity models of our SMEs can help Cameroon. It is from this perspective that we are implementing the KAIZEN Project,” he noted.

Minister Achille Bassilekin III on his part told reporters that the concept is expected to improve managerial techniques and competitiveness and organization of companies. “The second phase targets...