TOVE - Ontology Methodology

The TOVE (TOronto Virtual Enterprise) methodology  is an ontological framework for enterprise integration (EI) based on and suited for enterprise modelling. The original goal was fourfold: create a shared representation of the enterprise that each agent in the distributed enterprise can jointly understand and use; define the meaning of each description or semantics; implement the semantics in a set of axioms that will enable TOVE to automatically deduce the answer to common questions questions about the enterprise, and set a common symbology for depicting a concept in a graphical context. The model according is multi-level, spanning conceptual, generic and applications layers.

Chuukan Kanriroku Tonegawa Episodes 5 & 6

Back home (that would be the Teiai headquarters), Tonegawa sets off to let the chairman know about his coveted entertainment project, namely the proposal for the Restricted Rock-Paper-Scissors. At first it seems as if the process would be smooth. One does not put rush. One should just take one's time and tell Hyodo about it when the timing is right. But one doesn't rush. However, the opportunity to make himself likeable in the tired old eyes of his overlord starts going down the tubes when he was tipped off that he was going on a 10-day holiday trip to Hawaii. Tonegawa uneasily starts to pace back and forth, trying to formulate some way to apporach him and get the necessary approval. He can't just approach Hyodo as this would upset him and likely result in a hard refusal of his plan. Providence showers on Yamazaki though, and he's able to recount the one brief moment when the chairman is most open for approaches, which is after his "king's bath". But it's just about after he steps out of the bath until he reaches the adjoining room. Afterwards his mood reverts to its sour default mode that he is known for. Tonegawa weighs his options, ponders hard over the likely outcomes, waits (one does not put pressure. One waits) and tenses up for the moment of truth. He had been told to check out the angle of the chairman's eyebrows, which should not be higher than 40°. Apparenly, a 40° angle or lower means that he's in a good mood and most likely to take a fancing for the project proposal. After what seemed like an eternity, he emerges from the cleansing chamber. Only to be wearing a mask, making it impossible for Tonegawa to have a clear reading of his eyebrow configuration. None of this matters in the long run though. He got the green light for the project by going with him on this trip and pried the approving words from the ruling geeser after the latter was spotted having fun with some young minxes at a pool party.

WIth the inception stage officially over, it's time to start the elaboration phase. First in the powerful man's agenda is finding a proper venue to hold the event. Many suggestions are thrown around, only to be quickly discarded as inane or too predictable (aka boring). One suggestion caught everyone's eye though. Saemon was the only employee that didn't shave his head to atone for his tardiness when everyone had arranged an informal meeting after work. He quickly established himself a reputation for efficiency and useful ideas by suggesting the current project in detriment of Tonegawa's original design. Now he's back at it again. This time, he throws up a presentation about the whole event being held on The Espoir, a liner owned by a company that happens to be a subsidiary of Teiai, thus ensuring the level of secrecy that theproject requires. As a bonus, it offers plenty of room to manoeuvre and contrive all sorts of schemes to come out the winner. This is jus what Hyodo wants in a game. Witness what people might do to emergy victorious in a game that might mean either their salvation or their descent into further debt. Everyone is impressed, except Ebitami, whose idea was presented in the form of bulky instruction manuals to explain the reasons for his choice of venue. It soon becomes obiovus that he completely misses the point by trying too hard on an idea that wasn't good at all to begin with. Tonegawa is still willing to help the enthusiastic learner though, and tells him to shock him with his next challenge: think up a clever design for the rock-paper-scissors card. The blowback is bad. Ebitami has the gall to intercept Hyodo at an escalator and tell him to dip his hands in a bucket of paint and imprint them on a huge sheet of construction paper to use them as the signature marks for the cards. The chairman is a bit thrown off balance by this sudden display of brash insolence, and quite angry as expected. He fires Ebitami on the spot as Tonegawa contemplates makes a run for it lest the chairman associates him with Ebitami's uncalled-for act. At least he kept true to his word. He did manage to shock Tonegawa after all.

Chuukan Kanriroku Tonegawa Episodes 3 & 4

How every man should end his day

Teiai makes some very compelling TV ads

Since when did Donald Trump ever work at Teiai?

Episode 3 starts off with our title character recollecting his past interactions with his team and trying to figure out ways to get closer to them. He's even shown reading some kind of corporative publication on this subject! It eventually dawns on him that he needs to step out of the box and try something to make him stand out from his peers. Next we are treated to Tonegawa acting as some kind of compassionate compère on a company tour bus and orders Teiai's human assets to read page 3 of the camping manual they were given. Their whole trip is scheduled with just one activity: have fun! Everyone looks bewildered at first, but they soon warm up to the idea that maybe Tonegawa just wants to get on their good side. Except Yamazaki, who is distrustful of his superior and thinks that he has some ulterior motivation. It's already hard enough to feign ingratitude when someone is being so generous to you (at least I think it is hard. the world is a vast and unknown place on so many levels, and there are people who just want to take without giving. I'm sure that a Fukumoto character has more integrity than some people IRL). Back to where we left off. Where were we? Yep, Yamazaki's suspicions start to gnaw at him and he's unable to enjoy himself, even trying to ruin the barbecue planned for by his boss. The latter still finds a way to grill that delicious-looking Kobe steak though, and hauls in a contraption that will do the trick. Yamazaki senses something is amiss and, amidst his recollections of his time working directly under Hyodou, recognises the whimsical device as a wicked construct used on people who were late with their payments. According to his memories, that was meant for making people perform a forced kneeling ritual on a sizzling hot plate. This was done both as punishment and as a means to make them apologise in a more sincere way. His respect for Tonegawa goes through the roof and all is well at the end. Everyone returns to Teiai full of beans and ready to take on the dreaded project. With the gap between leader and team narrowed, confidence and satisfaction start yielding the first fruitful results. First a young team member shows off his power point presentation skills and suggests a game of janken-po (rock-paper-scissors). Only that the gestures are printed onto cards and after using one up it's permanently discarded, forcing the player to balance his choices. This set-up also adds a strategic edge, which draws Tonegawa's attention. Tonegawa had thought of implementing Mahjong and using real people rather than tiles.

The elements of success

 
The expectation was that discord would soon start brewing about whom should be discarded and kept, providing Hyodou with his much-needed entertainment. Tonegawa's previous idea suddenly started to sound lackluster compared to this young man's plan. Defying everyone's expectations, Tonegawa ditches his original design and adopts rock-paper-scissors in card format as the official proposal for the chairman. There's a whole scene about Tonegawa making "an adult decision", but at least it served another purpose: show Tonegawa as a humane leader who can appreciate other people's efforts while at the same time recognise when his own weren't good enough. The chairman is shown as someone who is prone to falling asleep often. This time he can sleep peacefully knowing someone reliable enough is in control.

Guiding one's team to victory

Chuukan Kanriroku Tonegawa - episodes 1 & 2

Here it is. A whole series dedicated to Tonegawa, Kaiji's nemesis in his first season. Kaiji was detailed extensively here in the archives (I'm too lazy to look it up, but it's there). Tonegawa was the man behind the gambles featured in Kaiji, playing the role of host and making sure that the rules were being followed.

One rule for Pariahs is that they should always be facing away from the camera while sending out a bright light

Eventually he was defeated in spectacular fashion and, strangely enough, no longer seen again. Maybe he was demoted or removed altogether from Teiai Corporations, but it's never made clear. He briefly appears in Kaiji season 2 (as a portrait, to be exact) as one of the two people who had beaten The Bog before Kaiji's fateful attempt. But nothing substantial about his whereabouts. His future might be left in the dark, but his past ha finally surfaced to anyone curious enough about the travails of the man suffering behind the shadow of the Chairman.

Ken Masters and Elisa. Fukumoto style.

In this, the first episode of Chuukan Kanriroku Tonegawa, we are introduced to a recap of the 1st season of Kaiji, then the real attraction soon starts dominating the screen: Tonegawa is middle manager who has to make an impression at Teiai, the company owned (either that or presided by) Hyodou, an elderly man worth several millions whose sole purpose in life is to not get bored. Someone hell bent on excitement might not look threatening at first. But displeasing the chair man usually results in harsh punishment. Displeasing him doesn't even need to be externalised by offensive gestures or language. Merely not agreeing with him strongly enough is liable to severe corporal punishment, with implied tougher sactions. His assumption that everyone is under him and must allow him to do as he pleases comes instinctively to him, and it doesn't seem to occur to him that it could be otherwise.

Almost makes you want to take a loan with them, doesn't it?

Tonegawa is at firsdt shown a moderately successful man, having established himself among the higher-ups of Teiai by being the ruthless supervisor to a group of debt collectors. The pursue their prey with deadly accuracy, and always manage to collect on them. Granted, they borrowed money knowing the terms imposed on them. Yet, not making payments on time gives rise to active pursuit by the men in black. They trace their target and proceed to extract the amount owed to their beloved company. Most people repay with little trouble. Only a failed business owner makes some difficulties, at which point Tonegawa steps in and shows his underlings how it should be done. Everyone stares in awe, including some random passers-through, but Tonegawa chalks up another personal victory as he nonchalantly walks off while contemplating his next move.

Things seem to be looking up to the protagonist. Until the chairman calls him in. Complaining about the flitting nature of life and how futile most forms of entertainment are, he asks Tonegawa to come up with a creative solution to brighten up the rest of his days as a mortal: concoct some entertaining idea that will draw him in, and that has to be something that brings to the fore the ugly side of humanity. He wants people degrading each other for his own amusement, while Tonegawa needs to think this up and present it to Hyodou. And hope he likes it.

Tonegawa gets down to work and his very first problem is to find a way to recall his underlings' names. They all look and dress alike. Yet, one needs to find out a way to tell them  apart and recall their names without mixing them up. It proves to be an unsurmountable hurdle when each one of them has a name that is similar to their adjoining peer. Tonegawa still wants to find some easy way to differentiate them from each other and tells them to mention their hobbies. After the fifth staff member cites his hobby as bowling as all of the previous four, Tonegawa is just about plomb fed-up and freaks out. The meeting is over and the dutiful Teiai solidiers are discharged for the day. They all arrange to go bowling after work while Tonegawa needs to think the whole situation through. At least they were consistent with their choice of leisure.

Even the Chairman can be in a flowery mood sometimes.

The next day Tonegawa sets off to being a popular project leader and tries to instill some humour in the otherwise serious professionals. At first it doesn't go as planned. He is caught off in two minds: should he try to say something silly to break the ice, thus risk sounding foolish or should he take the conservative road and just go by the book, thus ensuring that real work start right away but without much of the cohesion and personal warmth that should characterise a healthy organisational culture? He freezes, he hits a dead-end and there is no option in sight to make a U-turn and go back to instilling the team spirit that his underlings need. He eventually finds a working routine and soon people are pitching ideas for the chairman's desirable project like mad. In classic requirements stage, they have to brainstorm ideas for a game that will pique the chairman's interest. Of course, this being a work by Nobuyuki Fukumoto, Mahjong is soon listed as a potential option.

Nestfuls of black suits chirping for attention.

The amiable atmosphere soon dampens as Tonegawa's group momentum hits a snag though. The chairman steps in to check out on them. Tonegawa is overhwhelmed by a creeping form of dread that only those close to the Chairman know it. He tries to think of ways to make him withdraw, but one of the team naively offerd him a chair and tells him to sit down. Without none of the vim that had carried the project to its current stage, Tonegawa decides that they would have to start over from scratch as the ideas mentioned were too drab to actually be any fun to their tyrinical ruler. The latter had long fallen asleep though, and it's up to Tonegawa to carry him back to his quarters. On his own back and without disturbing his precious burden.

TOASTY!!