As kyosei is both the name of our company and the fundamental philosophy on which all of our work is based, I thought I would use my next few posts to blog more specifically about kyosei, its meaning, origin, and the way that it can and is being used in business and life today.

With roots in ecology, the literal translation of the word involves two Japanese characters, kyo which means working together and sei which means life – taken together their most literal interpretation is cooperative living or symbiosis. With such energy at it’s root, it is no surprise that much of the most fruitful thinking of how to practice kyosei today revolves around mimicking natural systems in manufacturing, design and other aspects of business.

The twentieth century saw the word begin to be applied to the business environment – most notably by Ryuzaburo Kaku, Chairman of Canon Inc. His goal was to foster the understanding that long-term business success can only be founded upon a respect for the interconnectedness any business has with people, communities and the environment. Kaku defined kyosei as a “spirit of cooperation” in which individuals and organizations live and work together for the common good.

The incorporation of the principles of kyosei into mainstream corporate thought in Japan, however, goes back four hundred years. The earliest thoughts can be found in a document known as the shuchu kiyaku which is rooted in Confucian philosophy. The core tenets of Confucian philosophy underpinning the practice of kyosei are not the exclusive domain of Asian philosophers by a long stretch – to the contrary, they would be considered by many to be universal foundations of common sense and morality. These include such principles as:

• A belief in the principle of reciprocity and abiding by the golden rule of treating others as you would like to be treated.
• An understanding of our fundamental interconnectedness and the fact that our actions have an impact both in local (visible) and far-reaching (invisible) ways.
• Valuing the “middle path”. This may take the form of practicing moderation in personal habits as well as taking only calculated risks in business. It also includes the need to find a healthy balance between self-interest and altruism. As of course, either one (taken to extremes) can be a source of harm.
• Valuing character and virtue of the individual and the organization more highly than personal gain or corporate profits. This principle, unfortunately, seems to be the most challenging to practice as the immediate payoff of the latter is far more tempting than the subtle long-term satisfaction of the former.
• The importance of constant learning and growth - what in Japanese is referred to as Kaizen.
• A preference for simplicity. This preference is linked to a belief that the elegance of simplicity is more likely to bring us into harmony with others and the planet.

In upcoming posts, I will continue on the topic of kyosei with a more detailed look at why it is an idea whose time as come and the stages that individuals and companies go through in building their capacity to fully practice kyosei.