JICA 2012

Abstract

Japan International Cooperation Agency (hereafter JICA) is an incorporated administrative agency (public agency) that has coordinated official development assistance (ODA) in developing countries and regions for nearly fifty years. Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (hereafter JOCV) is one of the most recognized JICA’s activities among the public. JOCV’s fundamental stance is summed up in the words “working with people in the community.,” and engages in cooperation by making use of the technical skills and knowledge of JOCV members to help nation-building and human development in developing countries. After returning home many people struggle to find employment, but in recent years there has been a trend to start using them as so-called global human resources, and JICA is now examining how to cultivate global human resources in cooperation with private enterprises, universities, NGOs and so on. Building on five former volunteers’ stories of their experiences, from their motivation for joining JOCV until the present, this case tackles the global management principles and strategy demanded of Japanese companies in the future by examining the gap between the abilities as a global human resource that can be gained as a volunteer and the abilities sought by Japanese companies.

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