地場産業の事業承継者によるクラウドファンディングを活用した取り組み

岐阜県関市の刃物業界ニッケン刃物株式会社の事例より

抄録

The focus is on a knife industry, one of the traditional local industries in Seki, Gifu Prefecture. I consider the case of Nikken Cutlery Co., Ltd., one of the small and medium enterprises, whose business successor made innovation using crowdfunding. After working for several years as an engineer at a big enterprise, the business successor joined the company for business succession. After exchanging constructive ideas with younger employees there, the successor developed a new product. Then, utilizing crowdfunding, the person sold the new product in new markets. This action is a thinking process to take advantage of "effectuation", starting actions from means already possessed, acting to positively aim at constructing new partnerships that were not originally anticipated and creating the environment, which I found it to be an inspiring approach. In addition, utilization of crowdfunding may contribute to reform of corporate culture and promotion of new business. Utilization of crowdfunding in traditional industries in the local area can be one of the useful ways in which business successors make innovation and reform an organization.