Four Companies Win 2014 "Porter Prize"

On October 29, 2014, Hitotsubashi University's Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Dean: Kazuo Ichijo) announced the recipients of the 2014 Porter Prize as follows.

Aistyle Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Toru Yoshimatsu), which operates a cosmetics information site and sells cosmetics; Start Today (Headquarters: Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture; President: Yusaku Maezawa), operator of the fashion shopping site "ZOZOTOWN"; Hoshino Resorts (Headquarters: Kitasaku District, Nagano Prefecture; President: Yoshiharu Hoshino), which develops and operates resort facilities; and YKK Fastening Business (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Masayuki Sarumaru), which manufactures and sells zippers. (Listed in no particular order).

The key points leading to the awards were: Istyle and Start Today each created new markets by fostering consumer trust through information provision leveraging online characteristics; Hoshino Resorts achieved improved productivity in community-focused services through multi-tasking methods; and YKK established its position as a global leader in fasteners through an integrated system spanning production to sales, rooted in local communities across its 71 global locations.

The Porter Prize honors companies that implement unique, outstanding strategies and achieve and maintain high profitability as a result. The award is named after Professor Michael E. Porter of Harvard Business School, a leading authority on competitive strategy, the proponent of Creating Shared Value (CSV), and someone who has long focused on Japanese companies. Since its establishment in 2001, the award has been presented annually to companies selected through a rigorous two-stage screening and selection process.

The Porter Prize Steering Committee will hold the "Competitiveness Conference 2014" in conjunction with the 2014 Porter Prize award ceremony as follows.

Competitiveness Conference 2014 (Free Admission)
・Date and Time: December 2, 2014, starting at 1:00 PM
・Venue: Hitotsubashi Hall (2-1-2 Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
<Program (Tentative)>
Part 1: "What is Competitiveness?"
・Video Message from Professor Porter (Harvard Business School)
・Lecture by Professor Hirotaka Takeuchi (Harvard Business School)
・Interview with 2014 Porter Prize-winning companies by Professor Ken Kusunoki (Hitotsubashi University Graduate School)
Part 2: "Japan's Leading Edge in CSV"
・Discussion with representatives from companies implementing CSV and Professor Takashi Nawa (Hitotsubashi University Graduate School)

Note

◎For details on the Porter Prize, visit the Porter Prize website

◎ To apply for the Competitiveness Conference 2014, visit the dedicated application site (first 50 applicants invited)
※Outside registration period