University of Sydney EMBA Program Returns for Second Year of Japan Study Tour

In May, NUCB Business School welcomed participants from the University of Sydney Executive MBA program for the second consecutive year of its customized study tour in Nagoya titled "Leading Change: Innovation and Culture in Japan." The group, consisting of senior professionals from diverse industries, engaged in a series of company visits, academic sessions, and applied workshops exploring how Japanese organizations are responding to technological disruption, global competition, and evolving leadership challenges.

Industry Perspectives & Site Visits

• Matsumoto Gishi, a leading prosthetics and orthotics manufacturer known for its patient-centered innovation and precision engineering
• Denso Takatana, a key production site of Denso Corporation, where participants observed advanced automotive manufacturing and discussions centered on electrification, smart mobility, and sustainability-driven innovation
• Aichi Dobby, the company behind Vermicular cookware, where participants explored the transformation of a family-owned manufacturer navigating generational change, product reinvention, and global brand development
• An on-campus session with Alpen Group further examined leadership succession, overseas expansion challenges, and evolving approaches to talent management and organizational restructuring in a shifting labor market.

These industry experiences were framed and contextualized through academic insights and expert analysis delivered by NUCB Business School faculty and MIT Center for Information Systems Research (CISR) researchers Dr. Nils Fonstad and Dr. Kristine Dery. Professor Lian Liu provided macroeconomic perspectives on Japan and regional market dynamics, Professor Hoe Chin Goi introduced design thinking approaches to organizational transformation, and Professor Ted Katagi led applied discussions and workshops on digital transformation and AI adoption in Japanese firms, including hands-on team consultations supporting participants’ project development.

The program concluded with reflection and applied project sessions, where participants worked closely with faculty and researchers to refine their group outputs. Together, the experience offered a practical lens on how Japanese industry is addressing structural change while balancing tradition, innovation, and digital transformation in a rapidly evolving global context.