Background:

At AOTS, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of our establishment in FY 2009 and has conducted the Outcome Survey (see Figure 1) as part of our ex-post evaluation, in order to gain a clear overall picture of the effects of AOTS training in Japan. This Outcome Survey consists of the following:

1. Evaluation Interview Survey
2. Awareness Questionnaire Survey
3. Success Story Survey

The Outcome Survey will highlight the effects of AOTS training in Japan from a long-term, qualitative perspective at the level of the individual ex-AOTS training participant (ex-participant), at the level of the organization to which the ex-participant belongs, and at the level of the industry or local community to which the organization belongs, in light of the ultimate aim of AOTS, which is the co-existence and co-prosperity of humanity.

*Please refer to the details on the Outcome Survey of AOTS Training in Japan.

The Success Story Survey was conducted through making use of the knowledge and experience gained by those who have participated in AOTS training in Japan, we will ask ex-participants to compile a report about activities conducted after returning home that have led to success in the workplace or the local community, in order to examine how AOTS training in Japan contributed to that success.

Moreover, we will make use of these valuable reports on experiences of success by ex-participants as a means of promoting success by other ex-participants, by sharing them with as many relevant people as possible, particularly other ex-participants.

Field of the Activity under the Success Story Survey

Success Stories include a wide variety of activities conducted by ex-participants in their home countries. Therefore, Success Stories should be related to one of the three activity fields, which are “Technology Transfer”, “Economic or Cultural Exchange” and “Social Contribution”, and they should be about an activity conducted by an ex-participant or an organizational activity in which ex-participants have taken a leading role.

(1) Technology Transfer

Success Stories about the transfer of Japanese industrial technology, management technology, or systems, etc. concerning industrial development.

(2) Economic or Cultural Exchange

Success Stories about activities that contributed to the regional economy through economic exchange with Japan or other ex-participants. Success Stories about contribution to the creation of friendly relations based on mutual understanding and respect through cultural exchange with Japan or other ex-participants.

(3) Social Contribution

Success Stories about activities that contributed to the local community or international community.

Ex-AOTS training participants are expected to play three roles; 1) leader of development in their own country or region, 2) a bridge to Japan and 3) a bridge to the international community. Therefore, the Success Story Survey is partly aimed at identifying Success Stories about specific activities and classifying them into the above three categories. For example, Technology Transfer should largely be classified into 1), Economic or Cultural Exchange should largely be classified into 1), 2) and 3), and Social Contribution should largely be largely classified into 3).

Offering for Subscription of Success Stories

As in the case of the "Awareness Questionnaire Survey" above, the Success Story Submission Guidelines were enclosed in the KENSHU magazine (English and Chinese version) issued in February 2008 and sent to 76,758 ex-participants to call for submission of success stories.

Ex-participants were asked to submit a report on their success stories after returning home, including how they overcame difficulties, effects of their activities, and how training programs in Japan contributed to the success of their activities. They were to write a 3 to 7 page report on A4 paper and send it to AOTS by the end of June 2008 via e-mail, fax or mail.

Screening and Review

Success stories were put to the first round of screening to determine if they meet submission requirements. The first round of screening was conducted by AOTS. Subsequently, AOTS Head Office and overseas offices reviewed the descriptive content of success stories that meet submission criteria and collected additional information from July to the end of October in 2008. These success stories were reviewed by means of interview, telephone calls, and e-mails. Some of them were reviewed by local AOTS Alumni Societies on a consignment basis.

The Top Ten success stories were selected as a best practice in the activity fields of “Technology Transfer”, “Economic or Cultural Exchange” and “Social Contribution” from November to December 2008, based on results of the review above. In the meantime, AOTS aims to build a “Chain Reactions of Success” among ex-participants by sharing information on success stories with participants who are currently attending in training programs in Japan, ex-participants, sending companies and host companies.

*Please refer to Ex-AOTS Trainees' Success Stories in which report of the 10 best practices are introduced. Also please refer to the AOTS Success Story Convention.

Criteria for the second round of screening of "Success Stories" are as follows.

(1) Contribution

A best practice that makes great contributions in one of the three fields; “Technology Transfer”, “Economic or Cultural Exchange” and “Social Contribution”

(2) Narrativity

A success story that clearly describes development of an incident, that has a universal sense of appeal, and that offers a lesson and would be handed down over generations regardless of the time and nationality

(3) Impact

A success story that is touching, that makes a strong impression, and that describes the thinking, feeling, action of ex-participant and outcomes

(4) Logic

A success story that is logically constructed, that has no discrepancy in the story line, and that is clear and easy to understand

(5) Objectivity

A success story that provides figures and opinions of or evaluation by a third party in a complementary manner and that avoids subjectivity as much as possible

(6) Expansibility

A success story that produced outcomes that are expected to lead to new developments, or that makes ripple effects on the mentality of other ex-participants as a success model

Status of the Success Stories Submission

A total of 198 success stories from 26 countries passed the first round of screening. Trends of these success stories by countries, regions and fields are discussed below.

(1) Trend by Country

Table 1 shows the number of success stories submitted by countries. In terms of the number of submitted success stories, India won the first place (43 success stories), followed by the Philippines (20) and Thailand (20), Malaysia (18), China (13) and then Vietnam (13). It is believed that many success stories were submitted from these countries because they have many ex-participants and there are AOTS overseas offices and AOTS Alumni Societies, and all concerned parties appear to have effectively promoted success story submission. In the case of India where there is a large English speaking population, the fact that many ex-participants are used to writing a report in English is probably reflected in the outcome.

In the meantime, the number of success stories submitted from Iran, Mexico, Argentina, Ghana, Brazil, Nepal and Peru with only a small number of ex-participants reflect the fact that local AOTS Alumni Societies are active and they have successfully promoted success story submission, despite the lack of AOTS overseas offices.

It is noteworthy that two success stories were submitted from Iraq, which is in the post-war years of recovery. In addition, two success stories were submitted from Singapore, which no longer receives ODA and its GDP per capita exceeded that of Japan in 2007. Singapore has long since it became ineligible for AOTS training programs in Japan. Submission of success stories from Singapore therefore represents ex-participants’ wishes to sustain a good relationship with AOTS. Table 1 shows that a success story was submitted from New Zealand. This success story was submitted from a ex-participant who migrated to New Zealand from Sri Lanka and it was on his activities after his migration. His story clearly shows that he still benefits from training programs in Japan even after moving to a new country.

Given the above situation, it can be concluded that many ex-participants are actively working in many countries around the world while keeping active interest in AOTS and having an influence of training programs in Japan.

In relation to the above, Table 2 shows the number of success stories submitted by regions.

(2) Classification of “Individual Activity” and “Organizational Activity” by Nature of Activity

“Success Stories” can be classified into either “Individual Activity” or “Organizational Activity” depending on the nature of activity. The latter is an activity, which is conducted at ex-participant’s parent organization and in which the ex-participant plays a leading role by collaborating with his colleagues or concerned parties. Table 3 shows the number of “individual activities” and that of “organizational activities” by regions.

(3) Classification by Activity Fields

As stated above, Success Stories are categorized into three activity fields, “Technology Transfer”, “Economic or Cultural Exchange” and “Social Contribution” depending on activities conducted. Table 4 shows the number of success stories submitted for each field by regions.

Summary of Success Story Survey

Success stories of participants in the AOTS training after returning to their home countries speak about positive and the precious life of every single ex-participant. Also, the success stories describe well that the AOTS training in Japan made a huge impact on participants mind’s while they were in Japan and have in the long term positively affected their various activities after they returned home.

 In this survey we prepared 3 fields of activities: “technology transfer”, “economic or cultural exchange”, and “social contribution” to find out a variety of success stories of ex-participants as well as activities being undertaken by ex-participants as partners for co-existence and co-prosperity of human beings, which AOTS has aimed at.

In fact, we see that many of the success stores fall into more than 2 of the fields. Only 10 selected success stories are compiled herein as examples of best practice, but they clearly show the direct effects, ripple effects, and even subsidiary effects, which the ex-participants have provided to industry in developing countries or local community, based on the spirit of independence, having been revealed in various forms. At the same time, the stories show us the challenges of the AOTS training in Japan in the future.

Following are 8 factors, which we consider to be common traits in ability and behavior of the ex-participants who have taken the initiative on the above 3 fields of activities.

1. With a clear mission and passion, eager to attain the goal.
2. Having a great deal of curiosity and mental capacity. Have the eagerness to absorb every single piece of information available.
3. Cherish meeting people and always show gratitude for any benefit they receive from people.
4. Respect equality and volunteer work.
5. Have a clear vision and purpose, and make precise plans to attain their goal. Repeat hypotheses and verification in a process of carrying out activities regardless, both consciously and unconsciously.
6. With an aim to attain the goal, provide education and communication to people, organizations, and community with conviction, by which change their mind and build a relationship of trust step by step.
7. Have support from people who they share values or ambition with.
8. Rich in ideas and have a great sense of perspective for developing activities.

Above are factors of success displayed in the ex-participants but not limited to them; they are elements necessary for everyone to attain goals. On that point, we would like stakeholders such as participants of AOTS training, ex-participants, sending companies, and host companies to share the intangible assets; success stories of participants of AOTS training, in a more effective way.

We will also try to utilize the assets as methods to promote a “chain reaction of success” among the ex-participants and eventually strive to spread these intangible assets all over the world without distinction of stakeholders.