Works Applications

Overview

Its product AI WORKS is not just a system; it helps businesses transforming their operations by offering every employee a personal assistant. It is the next generation AI-infused enterprise system suite with the latest machine learning technology. AI WORKS studies and analyzes vast amount of operational log data generated from daily operations and makes intelligent predictions based on the task at hand and user’s position. Experience the next level of business operations with AI WORKS. Currently Works Applications market share is number 1 in Japan and accounts for more than 30% of companies using ERP systems.

Since its inception in 1996, it has realized revenue growth in 19 consecutive quarters. Its customers include government agencies, major trading companies, manufacturers and other big companies from Japan and outside Japan. As of 2016, it has more than 7,000 customers.

Unique Business Model

Unlike competitors, Works Applications' cost structure is completely predictable. All costs associated with implementation and future configurations are included within annual maintenance fee.

While the industry norm supports utilising third-party consulting firms or service providers, Works Applications provides everything from product development, sales, consulting, and after support in-house.

Clients receive better and faster support since there is no communication time lag.

History

Achievements

Having offices in Tokyo, Singapore and Shanghai and recruiting top talents from across the globe including China, India, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Taiwan, Works Applications was selected as "Best Company" among over 940 companies in 9 Asian Countries for Two Consecutive Years

Works Applications designed product AI WORKS, which is one of a kind AI powered ERP system aiming at high speed and usability in enterprise systems won itself The Good Design Award in 2015.

Works Applications was named a winner of Amazon Web Service’s "Think Big" AWS Leadership Award, presented at the AWS re:Invent 2014 conference in Las Vegas. This award honors Amazon Web Service business partners who embody the philosophy of devising grand ideas and focusing on long-term business results.

Unique HR Policies

Employees who are recognized for their significant contribution are given Come Back Pass that would allow them to come back anytime within three years time frame regardless of their reason of leaving.

Given Japan’s rising problem with insufficient number of child care facilities, WithKids was established to support employees with children between the age of 0 to 5 years old. The facility operates long hours from 8am to 8:30pm, therefore offering flexibility to employees. In addition, care givers are employed full-time with 1.5 to 2 times above market average.

Works Applications has established Works Milk Club to support employees raising family with various support from pregnancy to graduation of primary school.

The Right Path System is a global-standard-level evaluation system that targets young employees below manager class and tracks their growth rate to achieve early promotion. Regardless of experience or knowledge, employees with high potential are selected and continuously challenged with more difficult missions matching their growth rate and promotion rate. The system enables employees to attain management class and career advancement as soon as from second year after joining the company.

Other leading practices

More than 80,000 applicants apply to Works Applications’ “Development of Problem Solving Ability” internship every year. The program is designed to discover and train innovators. During the one month internship, participants are challenged to design and develop a new product based on current market situation and customer needs. Participants with great performance during the internship is honored with “Entry Pass” which allows flexile entry period to Works Applications and award of 500,000 JPY.

In order to support its aggressive global growth, Works Applications has been hiring extensively from top universities such as Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore, University of California Berkeley, Beijing University, Tsinghua University, and Indian Institute of Technology. In 2016 alone, the company has hired more than 2,000 talents globally.

Works Applications China has established a scholarship program “Works Applications Fund” for School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science of Beijing University. The program is aimed to support talented students in Beijing University who have the capacity to be the next leaders in the IT industry. 19 students have been selected up to date since its founding in 2015.

Contributing back to society

Works Applications has been organizing the largest business forum in Japan, “COMPANY Forum” annually since 2003 with aim to push for innovation within businesses both from business practices and operational aspects. Every year, the event invites leading pioneers from various fields to exchange idea with attendees coming from all range of areas. Some of the speakers include Steve Wozniak (co-founder of Apple Computer), Sebastian Thrun (founder of Google X and Udacity), Jack Welch (formerly chairman & CEO of GE), and Joichi Ito (director of MIT Medea Lab). More than 40,000 people attend the event annually.

Works Applications has established a joint project CIA (COMPANY Innovation Academy) with top universities such as Tokyo University to advance HR strategies and policies within Japanese companies. The project conducts analysis on HR practices based on raw data such as employees’ allocation, promotion, working hours, appraisal, and compensation, collected over decades from major Japanese corporations. The research result is in turn shared with other Japanese companies as means to advance HR practices within. The project is also supported by the Japanese government