GEOS (eikaiwa)

Infobox_Company
company_name = GEOS 株式会社ジオス
company_
company_type = Kabushiki kaisha
company_slogan = 世界中で教えているのは、ジオス。
foundation = Tokushima, Japan (1973)
location = Tokyo, Japan
industry = Language instruction
key_people = Tsuneo Kusunoki 楠　恒男 President and CEO | homepage = [http://www.geos.co.jp/ www.geos.co.jp] ja icon
[http://www.geos-network.com/ www.geos-network.com] en icon

nihongo|GEOS|株式会社ジオス|Kabushiki Gaisha Jiosu is one of the Big Four [ [http://search.japantimes.co.jp/member/member.html?fl20040224zg.htm McEnglish for the masses] The Japan Times. Feb. 24, 2004. Retrieved June 14, 2007] private eikaiwa, or English conversation teaching companies, in Japan.

GEOS, which stands for Global Education Opportunities and Services, was started in 1973 by Tsuneo Kusunoki. The first school was based in Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan, also the location of one of the company's main registered offices. The company has regional head offices in Sapporo, Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka.

GEOS has an overseas hiring office in Vancouver. The GEOS group also runs children-only schools called "Kodomo Schools" (子供校) throughout Japan. The adult GEOS Schools have themselves taken on more classes for children. As of February 2007, GEOS had a total of around 500 "Kodomo" and adult schools in Japan and over 55 schools [http://www.geos.co.jp/school_w/index.html Geos corporate site (Japanese)] ] in countries outside of Japan.

The main language GEOS teaches in Japan and its overseas schools is English. Other languages taught at GEOS include, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Chinese and Korean. GEOS also teaches Japanese to foreigners living in Japan at their Kudan Japanese Culture, Research Center and Language Institute in Kudanshita, Tokyo [ [http://www.geos-school.com GEOS International Schools] ]

History

In 1973, roommates Kiyoshi Aki and Tsuneo Kusunoki founded the company AMVIC, an acronym of the phrase, "for AMbition and VICtory." The company would focus on foreign language studies.

Later, AMVIC International would be split into two divisions. Aki became the head of AMVIC Gaigogakuin (AMVIC　外語学院), which provided foreign language training for students. Kusunoki would assume control of the AMVIC Eikaiwa (AMVIC 英会話), which specialized in English language education for non-native speakers. In 1989, Kusunoki's branch of AMVIC International entered negotiations with Warner Pacific College to assume control of 49% of its physical plant for $6 million, a 30-year lease on the schools facilities, and a seat as a regent of the school.cite web
url= http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,956791,00.html
title= Japan's Search for U.S. Colleges
accessdate= 2007-08-12
publisher= Time Magazine
date= 1989-01-23 ]

Not long after, AMVIC International split into two separate companies, after the former partners developed differing visions of the company's future. Aki went on to create AEON, focusing on language learning in JapanFact|date=February 2007. Aki remains AEON's President as of 2008. Kusunoki created GEOS Fact|date=February 2007, focusing on global language learning with focus on English language education. GEOS and AEON remain competitors.

Labor issues

An article in The Japan Times noted working conditions of GEOS managers. In 1999, the company was taken to court by fourteen of its managers over unpaid overtime. At the time of the case, the main plaintiff said that she was working a 72-hour week under constant unmanageable pressure to increase sales at her school. Even though the managers won their suit, costing GEOS 300 million yen in unpaid overtime, the media mostly overlooked the case. In the same article, managers noted high staff-turnover and long working hours. However, a spokeswoman for the company insisted that GEOS, and the language learning industry as a whole, provided women with rare opportunities to begin business careers. [ [http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20040706zg.html Barely managing] Japan Times, July 6, 2004. Retrieved June 14, 2007]

International expansion

International expansion began in Vancouver in 1987, and New York, Brighton (UK) in 1989 and Montreal in 1998. In 2001, GEOS created a network of international support offices, starting with GEOS International Korea and followed by officesin Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Brazil, Hong Kong, Mexico and the Czech Republic. [ [http://www.hothousemedia.com/ltm/ltmbackissues/feb05web/feb05specreport.pdf Special Report: The evolution of ELT] Hot House Media, Language Travel Magazine, February 2005. Retrieved June 27, 2007] On July 6, 2007, The Japan Times reported that GEOS would open a school for 150 students in St. Petersburg, Russia as part of a recent expansion into the Russian market by Japanese companies including Toyota and Nissan. Kusunoki, CEO, said the company had "high growth potential in Russia", and that GEOS would be "targeting businesspeople, aspiring athletes and artists, including aspirants in figure skating, ballet and music". [ [http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nb20060706a5.html Geos, Mizuho chase demand for services in Russia] Japan Times, July 6, 2006. Retrieved June 27, 2007] However as of 2008 GEOS has begun closing some of its branches in Japan.

References

ee also

*Eikaiwa
*NOVA
*AEON
*ECC
*GABA

External links

* [http://www.geos.co.jp/ GEOS Japan] ja icon
* [http://www.geoscareer.com/ GEOS' English-language recruitment website]
* [http://www.geos-school.com/ GEOS International Schools]
* [http://www.generalunion.org/ General Union GEOS Branch]
* [http://www.geosmontreal.com GEOS Montreal]