In commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the APO, and in conjunction with the 63rd APO Governing, Asian Productivity Organization (APO) organized the International Conference on the Centrality of Productivity in partnership with the Japan Productivity Center and the Government of Japan.
This virtual conference held on 10 June 2021 and examined the importance of productivity as the driver of growth for firms, organizations, nations, and individuals against the background of new, demanding challenges.
The first, Nobel Prize Winner in Economics (2008), Paul Krugman addressed the Socioeconomic Prospects in the New Era for a brighter future despite the pandemic.
And the second session was focus on productivity and workforce quality. Four experts including Mr. Kazuhiko Toyama, Partner and Chairman, Industrial Growth Platform, Inc. (IGPI), Ms. Vesselina Stefanova Ratcheva, Insights Lead, World Economic Forum, Mr. Francis Cholle Founder and CEO, The Human Company and Ms. Yuka Shimada, Director, Human Resources and General Affairs, Unilever Japan Holdings K.K. discussed on the workforce from a qualitative perspective.
The final session examined smart transformation and Mr. Yutaka Matsuo Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Mr. Katsuya Uenoyama Representative Director, PKSHA Technology Inc and Mr. Audrey Tang, Digital Minister, ROC spoke on managing change in the competitive environment of the world economy.
Attending to this conference was open for interested people from APO member and non-member countries from all over the world and people benefitted from the knowledge sharing of resource speakers.