Hosting Esade MSc Students' Japanese Business Immersion Program

In what has become something of an annual tradition, NUCB Business School welcomed MSc students from Esade Business School, consistently ranked among Europe’s best by the Financial Times and QS, for their study tour in Japan last week. Now in its fourth edition, the customized "Doing Business in Japan" program provided a comprehensive look at Japanese business through academic sessions, company visits, and cultural experiences.

Classroom sessions cover key themes in Japanese management:

• Professor Hiroshi Uchikoga explored transformational leadership through the case of Tessei
• Professor Hiroshi Ito analyzed Sony’s competition with Apple in the digital music industry
• Professor Kentaro Koga introduced Kyocera’s Amoeba Management System and its impact on corporate performance
• Professor Hoe Chin Goi led an interactive session on design thinking, preparing students for the final day's fieldwork in Okazaki

Guest speakers and site visits blend classroom learning with practitioner perspectives and experiences:

• Mr. Hiroshi Nakamura of Alpen Group shared insights on leadership transition and global expansion at one of Japan's largest sports retail firms.
• At Nagoya's Station AI, Japan's newest and largest startup incubation hub, students explored Japan’s startup ecosystem with Doudoudoujin CEO Shoichiro Mizutani.
• The visit to Maruya Hatcho Miso in Okazaki, guided by President & Representative Director Shintaro Asai, provided firsthand insight into the intersection of tradition, innovation, and sustainability and how they work in harmony with the local context.

Cultural excursions to Ise Jingu, Mikimoto Pearl Island, and Nabana no Sato complemented the academic program, offering a deeper appreciation of Japan’s rich heritage. Providing international participants with firsthand exposure to Japan’s business practices and corporate strategies through expert-led lectures with company visits and cultural experiences, customized programs for visiting partner institutions offer a comprehensive understanding of Japan’s economic landscape, the importance of cross-cultural knowledge exchange, and professional collaboration.