AT the base of every company lies an essential ingredient human resources. Without people, no company would be able to function. Implementation of strategies and running of the company would not be possible.

Mazda Motor Corp representative director, president and chief executive officer Takashi Yamanouchi believes that investing in people is important and aims to build a company that employs people who enjoy their work.

In my career, I've spent nine years on human resources development. Throughout that period, I truly felt the company is made of people and we need to ensure they are constantly motivated and their capabilities are developed, he says.

Mazda has implemented training programmes based on the seven Mazda Way principles, which is shared with the entire Mazda group worldwide. In 2008, the company summarised seven basic principles and values that were handed down from its predecessors.

The seven principles integrity, basic and flawless execution, continuous kaizen (improvement), challenger spirit, self initiative, tomoiku (mutual learning) and one Mazda are instilled into employees of Mazda to be sincere, faithful to the basics, to have a challenging spirit, to mutually develop others as well as yourself, among others.

We use the seven Mazda Way principles as guiding principles for general conduct, Yamanouchi says.

Loyal to Mazda

For someone who has been with the company for more than four decades, Yamanouchi clearly has adopted the Mazda Way and is full of energy and excitement for what the future holds for Mazda. Joining the company in April 1967, which was then called Toyo Kogyo Co Ltd, he has been involved in a variety of roles, slowly climbing up the ranks to be where he is right now.

In my 20s I worked for Japan's marketing and sales division. Then in my 30s I was dispatched to several dealerships in Japan to learn the retail side of the business. In my 40s after I completed my business management studies in the United States, I decided to change from the sales division to corporate planning. Then in my 50s, I was appointed as a corporate officer responsible for corporate planning, financial management, purchasing, human resource development and others, he says.

Yamanouchi jokes: I've been here too long.

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14. Up close & personal with Takashi Yamanouchi