"Long-lived Companies: In Search of Japan's secrets" Winter School in Japan opened for GSB students
The programme of the educational intensive included lectures and master classes on management, HR, production management, marketing and new product development, as well as visits to the headquarters and production facilities of leading Japanese companies in the cities of Nagoya, Tokyo and Yokohama. The main lecturers of the Winter School were Professor Kenji Yokoyama and Associate Professor Sergey Shaposhnikov, whose area of specialisation is Japanese management.
Kenji Yokoyama
Professor of NUCB Business School
"GSB students examined the peculiarities of Japanese management with great interest, demonstrating a high level of activity. At the end of the course everyone showed an understanding of the specifics of Japanese business and knowledge of its features. Visiting companies and communicating with their representatives, students asked really deep and interesting questions, so now their theoretical base is backed up by practical personal experience," said Professor Kenji Yokoyama of NUCB Business School.
Professor Kenji Yokoyama is one of the foremost experts in Japanese family business and has been recognised for his contributions to academic research: he was awarded the International Trade Development Award in 1992 and 1998, and was the recipient of the International Trade Association Award in 2002. Prior to joining NUCB Business School in 2021, Kenji Yokoyama held a number of leadership positions at APU Ritsumeikan, including Dean of the School of Management, Vice President of APU, and Trustee of the Ritsumeikan Trust. He also served as president of AAPBS for 2019-2020 and as vice-chair of the Japan University Accreditation Association (JUAA) Business Schools Committee.
Within the Winter School GSB students learnt about the national and business culture of Japan, went through the specifics of Japanese management of the past and nowadays, and got information about innovative Japanese business technologies. Visiting companies, the students learnt the characteristics of long-lived companies’ adaptability and resilience, and those shared their sustainable development practices applied in response to modern market challenges.
The GSB group visited the Tokyo Stock Exchange which is one of the largest in the world, and it also was Japan's first financial institution. At the headquarters of the Japan External Trade Development Organisation (JETRO), the guests were told about the history of the company, its main strategic objectives and the activities of Japanese companies abroad.
Top managers of the consulting company Skylight Consulting made a presentation on the peculiarities of doing business in Japan, the specifics of work in the field of consulting, and also shared successful cases from their practice. The head of SAMI Japan, who also conducts consulting projects, told the students about the features of recruiting in the country. At the headquarters of Kinjirushi Wasabi, the world's leading manufacturer of wasabi food products, whose products are considered a reference, the delegation took part in the process of wasabi production using ancient technologies. Employees of the training centre of the company-integrator of industrial robotics solutions Daido presented different types of industrial robots, talked about their application for the automation of enterprise processes and discussed the practice of production management.
The students spent a significant portion of their time studying the practices of the legendary Toyota Motor Corporation. The group visited educational centres at the Toyota Kaikan Museum and Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology, assessing how Japanese management theory is put into practice and what factors influenced the company's success. The representatives also visited the Nissin Food Products Museum, where they learnt about another example of creative approach to entrepreneurship in Japan and also cooked Ramen noodles with their own hands.
The intensive sightseeing programme, in addition to the educational programme, helped GSB students to enter the cultural context of Japan. The students visited the main sights in Tokyo: Tokyo Sky Tree, Imperial Palace, Asakusa historical district, Sensoji Temple, Nakamise shopping street, Shinjuku Gyoen National Park, Akihabara district - the centre of otaku and anime culture, Shibuya district. In Kyoto they plunged into the atmosphere of ancient Japan, seeing Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kyoto Gyoen National Garden, Kinkaku-ji, Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion, Kiyomizu-dera Buddhist temple complex and Gion historical district. The Winter School concluded with a visit to Yokohama, the "city of the future" that impressed the GSB delegation most of all.
"This is our first experience of organising a joint Winter School with our colleagues from NUCB Business School, and it proved to be quite successful. Our students were able to dive into the world of Japanese business, discover some of its secrets and peculiarities, visited companies. They also have the opportunity to communicate with business representatives and learn about Japanese culture. We are grateful for the support and hospitality! We thank all our business partners and NUCB Business School represented by Professor Kenji Yokoyama for the opportunity to organise this project. We hope to go on this successful cooperation with our Japanese colleagues!" - emphasised Sergey Shaposhnikov.
"The programme left very positive impressions. I learnt a lot about Japanese business and management, as well as about the culture in general. I look forward to my next trip to this wonderful country!"
Nikita Sentyurin, 2nd year student of the Business Management programme
"I was struck by the Japanese originality of the organisation of everyday life and business. If there was a Red Book of Business Styles - I would have decided on the number one candidate unequivocally! Thank you very much for the organisation, impressions for life!!!"
Alexander Malikov, 2nd year student of the Business Management programme
"Participating in the Winter School was a great experience! During ten days we learnt about the culture and history of Japan, the peculiarities of mentality and everyday life. Studying at NUCB allowed us to feel what it is like to be a student of the best Japanese business school (spoiler: we loved it). Professor Yokoyama's lectures surprised us with information about the specifics of Japanese business and career development. We were able to experience real business practices by visiting several Japanese companies - there were both start-ups and family companies existing for many decades. After the daily intensive classes, we were treated to an equally intense cultural programme with visits to tourist locations, walks and delicious food. With careful planning and timing, we had time to see many sights and feel the atmosphere of Japan! We would like to thank Sergey Shaposhnikov for this opportunity”.
Victoria Makovskaya, 2nd year student of the Marketing and Market Analytics programme
"The "Long-lived Companies: In Search of Japan's secrets" Winter School was an incredible opportunity to get to know Japan. During the trip we learnt about the concept of "kaizen", peculiarities of Japanese management, as well as got directions on how to grow up to the position of the company presiden. We also visited Shinto and Buddhist temples, Japanese gardens and museums. We saw corporate culture from the inside - in company offices, shinkansen, and restaurants. The lectures at NUCB Business School were especially helpful to us as future managers and entrepreneurs. When I left, I took with me not only new knowledge and business practices, but also a great desire to return to this distant but so amazing country someday".
Ksenia Popova, 1st year student of the International Management programme