Blog Posts for workplace of the future

We’ve been talking about disruption for years. With technological advances accelerating at an ever-increasing pace, digital disruption has been causing companies to rethink how they run their businesses in order to maintain profitability. (more…)

I don’t know about you, but I’m not particularly keen on being replaced by a robot at work, or being reduced to a virtual avatar. Technology is an incredible enabler across our development as humans as a whole – opening up new and exciting opportunities across personal and professional playing fields. But it can also create uncertainty, and fear, if not packaged with the right information. (more…)

It was just under 4 years ago that Konica Minolta was dreaming about the Workplace of the Future™ and today it is our reality. The goal of this dream was and continues to be built around technology. We want to simplify IT for our customers, connect disparate data points, and enable better collaboration with mobility, flexibility and creativity. (more…)

As a Konica Minolta Philosophy Ambassador I was fortunate to attend the Transform Award and Business Contribution Award (TA/BCA) ceremony in Hachioji, Japan this summer. The TA/BCA ceremony is held annually and serves to recognize teams within our 44,000+ employees who showcase transformational and innovative thinking. My role, as a Philosophy Ambassador is to witness and advocate for our six core values, which are clearly exemplified by each of these teams. Open and honest. Customer-centric. Innovative. Passionate. Inclusive and collaborative. Accountable.

(more…)

This latest acquisition is exciting because it positions Konica Minolta as a full-service provider to the dealer channel with the extension of FORZA in addition to managed IT services, enterprise content management, voice over IP (VoIP), multi-function devices and industrial print. (more…)

The ‘Workplace of the Future™’ is often associated with disruptive technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT, filled with promises of how it will positively revolutionize the way we work. As exciting as all of these technologies are, the journey towards the realization of the future workplace must first begin by fundamentally understanding the people that technology must serve. Put another way, to truly build the ‘Workplace of the Future™’, companies must invest and strategize also on how to build the ‘Workforce of the Future’.

If organizations consider the changes that the future workforce will likely demand of the workplace, then they will be better placed to consider what tools are most appropriate to attract and retain the best talent. (more…)

Konica Minolta has more than two decades of combined experience in delivering technology-driven products. But in order for our business to remain market-relevant, we’ve embraced a major shift in our core work priorities to ensure we keep up with customer expectations. Key to this growth has been the acquisition of business that have expanded our portfolio of products and services.

As noted by Keypoint Intelligence-Buyers Lab Analysts, Konica Minolta has been recognized for its drive to anticipate and meet the needs of the future workplace. “The company has a clear vision of what the Smart Workplace of the Future should include, and through a combination of in-house product development, acquisitions, and partnerships, it has been actively pursuing this vision,” said Jamie Bsales, Director of Solutions Analysis at Keypoint Intelligence. (more…)

The technology industry is buzzing with predictions about what the Workplace of the Future™ will look like. Despite the many discussions, we’re really only on the brink of truly understanding what will make up the workplace. In the past, the concept of work has been focused on units of labor or inputs and outputs. Today, technology is shifting the paradigm of work. You only have to consider the following statistics to realize the idea of work being centered on a physical place is no longer valid: [i] (more…)

Change is in the Air: Transformation Underway

Konica Minolta has always been a brand with transformation and change as part of its DNA, ingrained in the company culture. From having a Minolta camera on the first American manned shuttle that went into space in 1962, to releasing the world’s first 35 mm camera with auto focus in 1977, we have had many world firsts. As our CEO Shoei Yamana mentioned in a recent interview with the Financial Times, innovation at Konica Minolta has historically been focused on ‘over engineering’ our products. In times of stability, such product innovations absolutely have their place. However, today our traditional market place has shrunk dramatically. For Konica Minolta to retain market relevancy, we have to shift our focus to customer value. It is definitely a very different focus to “how can we make our products better.” And so, over the last four years, Konica Minolta’s innovative journey has been accelerating like never before. With the establishment of our Business Innovation Centers, expansion of our R&D facilities globally, and our acquisitions, Konica Minolta is closer than ever to our clients. All this is supporting Konica Minolta’s transformation into a leading edge IT Services business. (more…)

Earlier this year I attended a program at the Connecticut Forum entitled “Disruption! Innovators in business, media and culture,” and was reminded that disruption is happening in all industries in diverse ways. The Forum’s preface suggested that the disruption that we have heard about is connected to “disruptive innovation,” a term coined by Clayton M. Christensen to mean “when a small company with fewer resources can successfully challenge incumbent businesses.” Facebook, Netflix and Amazon were cited as examples. Basically, it’s a new idea that prompts a shift in an industry, giving us a new way to operate. (more…)