Voice of Success

Ms. Michelle Ann Parlan

Ateneo de Manila University

Daikin Industries, Ltd.

Why did you decide to challenge the global internship opportunity in Daikin?

I have always believed that Japan is one of the leading countries in technological advancements. Thus, I find that it is a great place to expand one's perspective and knowledge. I realized that the Daikin global internship entails learning how to translate these insights into tangible solutions. They conduct extensive research into how they can constantly improve air conditioners by reducing energy consumption and lowering Global Warming Potential. These are all in line with my belief that technology is a tool that can impact people’s lives positively by continually developing and improving day to day technologies while finding ways to minimize our carbon footprint and negative impact on the environment.

At Daikin's Technology Innovation Center

What was your role in the internship? Please share with us your experiences in your internship at Daikin in Japan.

For my internship, I was tasked to make a proposal to expand sales and meet Daikin’s Fusion 20 goals as a local in the Philippines. I started by researching the consumer lifestyle, air conditioning consumer market and industry, followed by Daikin and competitors' market share, practices, and strategies. My findings showed that Daikin's brand awareness in my country was quite low, so I proposed new promotion, product, and sales channel strategies based on consumer behavior to increase visibility and relevance.

We were given a tour of Daikin’s FUHA showroom, the Technology Innovation Center, and the Kanoaka Factory. Towards the end of the internship, we were invited to the Bon Festival held at the Shiga Factory. I witnessed the employees with their own families, which made it feel like we were all one big happy family during the celebration. I also had a chance to train in the Daikin Philippine office to learn about its operations before moving to Japan for my official employment.

What was your image of a Japanese company? Did your have some change in the image about Daikin before and after the internship?

It’s no secret that the Japanese are perfectionists with a strong attention to detail, so my image of a Japanese company before was something that had a very serious atmosphere. I was pleasantly surprised that while the Daikin employees were all efficient and focused on their work, they were also very warm and welcoming. The employees make an effort to help each other out and got along well with each other. They were also very kind and supportive to me. Even after my internship has ended, I kept in touch with some of them.

Daikin believes in People-Centered Management which means they focus on helping their employees reach their full potential in order to stay enthusiastic and be more productive. In doing so, their employees from all departments will then succeed in developing Daikin. They also practice finding strength in diversity by utilizing our differences to create fresh ideas.

Bon Festival held at Daikin's Kanoaka Factory

What do you want to perform as an global employee of Daikin in the future?

I want to continue coming up with ways to educate the global market about the importance of the air we breathe and how our company can help improve their way of life.

After having some opportunities to experience our local markets in ASEAN countries, I realized that most consumers have a tendency to overlook the indoor air quality. They sometimes forget that this directly affects health and by extension, all areas of their life. Daikin has been making different efforts to improve concentration, sleep quality, and work environments by controlling the different factors that affect not only indoor air quality. In fact, we have taken it a step further by creating an outdoor air conditioner. As a member of the Branding Group, I want to help everyone understand the ways that air affects their life, and communicate the value that our can company can provide to them through our initiatives and innovations to come up with ways to perfect the air.

Message to younger generations interested in Daikin group.

There is a Japanese saying: fall seven times, stand up eight. Knowledge and skill are not things that you are born with but things that you can cultivate. By going out of your comfort zone and taking the opportunity to explore Daikin, you will enhance your passion for learning and push your limits.

The people in Daikin and Japan in general are very helpful. Take the chance to intern at Daikin to experience learning from amazing and supportive professionals, mature as a better individual, and hopefully get the chance to work for Daikin—a company that not only prioritizes sustainable efforts to be environmentally-conscious and help society, but also cares about the growth of its employees.

Pichonkun view from the head office in Umeda.

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