Omron 2007 Annual Report Download - page 84

COMPASS DETERMINING THE DIRECTION OF
OMRON’S MANAGEMENT— SINIC THEORY
Seed
Innovation
Need
Impetus
Cyclic Evolution
Society
Technology
Science
Innovation
Need
Seed
Progress-
oriented
motivation
Impetus
SINIC DIAGRAM
Seed-Innovation to Need-Impetus Cyclic Evolution
M
e
t
a
-
p
s
y
c
h
o
l
o
g
i
c
T
e
c
h
n
i
c
s
P
s
y
c
h
o
-
B
i
o
l
o
g
i
c
T
e
c
h
n
i
c
s
T
e
c
h
n
i
c
s
B
i
o
l
o
g
i
c
C
o
n
t
r
o
l
T
e
c
h
n
i
c
s
E
l
e
c
t
r
o
n
i
c
C
o
n
t
r
o
l
T
e
c
h
n
i
c
s
A
u
t
o
m
a
t
i
c
C
o
n
t
r
o
l
M
o
d
e
r
n
T
e
c
h
n
i
c
s
I
n
d
u
s
t
r
i
a
l
i
z
e
d
T
e
c
h
n
i
c
s
H
a
n
d
i
c
r
a
f
t
T
e
c
h
n
i
c
s
T
r
a
d
i
t
i
o
n
a
l
T
e
c
h
n
i
c
s
P
r
i
m
i
t
i
v
e
T
e
c
h
n
i
c
s
R
e
l
i
g
i
o
n
P
r
i
m
i
t
i
v
e
P
r
i
m
a
r
y
S
c
i
e
n
c
e
A
n
c
i
e
n
t
S
c
i
e
n
c
e
R
e
n
a
i
s
s
a
n
c
e
S
c
i
e
n
c
e
M
o
d
e
r
n
S
c
i
e
n
c
e
C
o
n
t
r
o
l
S
c
i
e
n
c
e
C
y
b
e
r
n
e
t
i
c
s
B
i
o
n
e
t
i
c
s
P
s
y
c
h
o
n
e
t
i
c
s
M
e
t
a
-
P
s
y
c
h
o
n
e
t
i
c
s
I
n
d
u
s
t
r
i
a
l
i
z
a
t
i
o
n
S
o
c
i
e
t
y
N
a
t
u
r
a
l
S
o
c
i
e
t
y
A
u
t
o
n
o
m
o
u
s
S
o
c
i
e
t
y
C
y
b
e
r
n
a
t
i
o
n
S
o
c
i
e
t
y
A
u
t
o
m
a
t
i
o
n
S
o
c
i
e
t
y
S
o
c
i
e
t
y
M
e
c
h
a
n
i
z
a
t
i
o
n
O
p
t
i
m
i
z
a
t
i
o
n
S
o
c
i
e
t
y
P
r
i
m
i
t
i
v
e
S
o
c
i
e
t
y
H
a
n
d
i
c
r
a
f
t
S
o
c
i
e
t
y
A
g
r
i
c
u
l
t
u
r
a
S
o
c
i
e
t
y
C
o
l
l
e
c
t
i
v
e
S
o
c
i
e
t
y
I
n
d
u
s
t
r
i
a
l
S
o
c
i
e
t
y
The future envisioned by Omron’s founder
In 1970, Omron founder Kazuma Tateisi developed a unique future
prediction method called “SINIC (Seed-Innovation to Need-Impetus
Cyclic Evolution) Theory” and presented it at the International Future
Research Conference. Since then, this theory has served as a com-
pass determining the direction of Omron’s management.
The SINIC Theory predicted that the traditional agricultural society
would be followed by an industrialized society, which in turn would
be broken down into five phases (handicraft society, industrialization
society, mechanization society, automation society and information
society). According to the SINIC Theory, a new society, called the
“Optimization Society,” should follow the information society, the
final phase of the industrialized society, around 2005.
While our industrialized society has brought about great material
wealth, it has also left many issues unsolved. Such issues include
energy and resource depletion, growing industrial waste, food short-
ages and human rights concerns. In the Optimization Society we envi-
sion, these issues will be redressed and psychological fulfillment and
quality of life will grow in importance as fundamental desires of
human beings. At the same time, the pursuit of efficiency and material
affluence emphasized by the industrialized society will become rela-
tively less important. This will in turn create a complete balance and
harmonious relationship between individuals and society, between
humans and the environment, and between people and machines.
Omron in the Optimization Society
Omron has successfully anticipated and met the potential needs of socie-
ty based on its SINIC Theory, and has contributed to society through its
business operations by drawing on its proprietary Sensing & Control tech-
nology, and combining this with its sophisticated device technology. The
most representative developments that correctly addressed the issues of
each era include automation control devices as well as public information
and traffic control systems. The Optimization Society began around 2005,
and Omron is striving to create the “best matching of machines to peo-
ple” to ensure greater safety, security and environmental conservation.
For machines that involve complicated procedures and require
expert knowledge to operate, for example, our goal is to create
machines that can adapt to the needs of each operator. Such machines
will be able to choose functions tailored to each operator’s needs or
detect various conditions, make expert judgments, and provide the
operator with appropriate information necessary to deal with the cur-
rent situation. Other examples include an automotive sensor that can
detect the surrounding conditions, anticipate a potential crash, and alert
the driver or automatically activate the brakes to assure driving safety.
Instead of people trying to adapt themselves to the needs of
machines, as they do today, machines capable of adapting to the
needs of people are soon to be realized. Through the implementation
of its corporate philosophy, Omron strives to continue its role as a
pioneer in contributing to society in the soon-to-be-realized
Optimization Society.
According to Omron’s SINIC theory, science, technology and society have a cyclical relationship, in which each area impacts and influences the others in
two directions. In one direction, scientific breakthroughs yield new technologies that stimulate society to advance. In the other direction, the needs of
society motivate technological developments and expectations for new scientific advancement. Both of these directions affect each other in a cyclical
manner, encouraging society to evolve.
83