Hitotsubashi University

Why do potentially revolutionary products and services fail to become successful? How do companies take care (or not) of innovations developed by firms that they buy? What happens when companies try to introduce radical innovations in new countries? This course addresses these questions. Furthermore, this course provides a deep understanding of the different challenges that arise when a company has to convince a market to accept its innovations. This is even more important in foreign countries, where different sets of norms and unwritten rules may impact the success of innovations. Both through instructor-led lectures, case sessions and a joint project, the course studies the complex and often overlooked dynamics at the tail end of the innovation process that may make or break a product or service that is otherwise competitive.

This course introduces low intermediate level sentence patterns and teaches how to use them in practice. The course covers intermediate level grammar, expressions and aims to acquire a balanced mastery of the four skills: reading, listening, speaking and writing.

Upon completion, students are expected to acquire skills to read short sentences about Japanese culture, society and daily life, as well as understand and summarize the main points of sentences.