Background to introducing
the amoeba management
system
Under the amoeba management system,
corporate management is not left to top
management alone; all employees are
involved. Corporate organizations are
divided into the smallest possible units,
and the results of work undertaken by
each unit are presented in an easily
understandable manner. The system
thus encourages participation in
management by every employee.
Before JAL went into bankruptcy on
January 19, 2010, it was not clear which
departments or posts were responsible
for profit. Sales (revenue) planning and
expenditure planning were undertaken
separately. Because the two sides were
not integrated, declines in revenues were
not promptly followed by curtailment of
expenditures. Examinations of revenues
and expenditures at the fiscal year-end
repeatedly showed that the Company had
incurred a loss. Employees themselves
had no sense of profitability as members
of the corporation; concern for profitability
was left to others. Crisis awareness and a
sense of unity were severely lacking. These
factors ultimately led to the bankruptcy.
We emerged from bankruptcy
determined not to make the same
mistakes again. The functions and
responsibilities of each division were
clearly described. We also introduced the
amoeba management system at this time.
This business management system was
designed to grasp the business situation
in a timely manner and to facilitate
prompt responses to changes in market
conditions. We clarified the roles and
responsibilities of each unit in order to
capture the revenues and expenditures of
each and visualize the results of activities
by employees.
Overview and mechanism
of the system
A new department, Managing Division
Route Marketing, was established and
assigned responsibility for revenues and
expenditures related to the passenger
transport business. The cooperation of
departments throughout the Company
helped make this an excellent system for
operating the passenger transport business.
The value associated with services provided
by organizations within the Company to
support operation of passenger aircraft was
named “Compensation for Cooperation,”
and business transactions were established
between each unit. Through these
transactions between units, it became
possible to capture the situation of revenues
and expenditures of each unit and focus on
generating profit.
The outcome of activities by each unit
could then be recorded as revenues and
expenditures, thereby fostering a sense of
responsibility in every employee, and in turn
motivating them to work efficiently and bring
creativity to the job.
The results of business activities
are reflected promptly in the Targets and
Results Table (a profit/loss statement of
each unit), enabling daily confirmation of the
results of business activities.
“Management Cycle” under the
amoeba management system
Since the introduction of the amoeba
management system, every unit began
preparing an annual plan for revenues
and expenditures (Master Plan) and then
implemented a monthly management
cycle (PDCA cycle) to accomplish the
annual plan.
Under the monthly cycle, at the
start of each month each unit prepares
a monthly forecast of its revenues and
expenditures based on the current
environment and clarify measures to
achieve the Master Plan.
During the month, progress toward
accomplishing the targets is monitored,
and additional measures may be
implemented to achieve the targets. Once
the results for the month are computed,
differences between the targets and results
are analyzed and the reasons for the
differences are clarified. These findings are
taken into account in preparing targets for
the following month.
Thus, monthly targets are established
in addition to the annual plan prepared
at the start of each fiscal year. The
management cycle facilitates prompt
responses to changes in the environment.
This is illustrated by the improvements
outlined in the diagram below, which
occurred before and after introducing the
amoeba management system.