Fall On-Campus Course Sessions: Thursday sessions: 3:10-5:10pm September 19, October 17, November 14, and December 5.

Travel dates: Arrive Sunday, January 5 and Depart Thursday, January 16

Course Fee: $3,500

Immersive Field Courses: IFCs require a firm commitment and carry a financial obligation. Financial aid is available in the form of a student loan, a need-based HBS scholarship, or a combination of both depending on your individual circumstances. The Add/Drop process at the start of the term is the mechanism for any IFC enrollment changes, and, after that point, the course fee is non-refundable. Refer to the GEO website for full details on IFCs and be sure you understand the Course Policies and Course Fee & Financial Aid. Visit IFC Financial Aid for a quick assessment to determine your eligibility and process or contact finaid@hbs.edu for more information.

Enrollment: Limited to 45 MBA students (due to the nature of IFCs, auditing is not permitted)

Career Focus

This course will expose students to Japan as a nurturing ground for both developing as well as enhancing the uptake of innovative products, services, and business strategies. This course will appeal to students who wish to acquire an understanding of alternative leadership styles and business models aimed at simultaneously creating economic and societal value. Through project work with a diverse range of business partners, from established corporations to burgeoning startups, students will have an opportunity to gain practical insights into Japan’s unique business ecosystem. This hands-on experience is invaluable for students aspiring to become leaders adept at navigating and leveraging diverse business landscapes for societal and economic benefit.

Educational Objectives

From cutting-edge robotics to technological art, from big data to nano-devices, Japan has become a hub for innovative projects that, despite their seemingly unconventional nature, have achieved considerable success. This course will expose students to a diverse range of pioneering organizations and business models, with the aim of achieving four learning objectives.

Firstly, the course provides students with firsthand experiences and insights into the distinctive challenges and opportunities of conducting business and introducing innovation in Japan. Secondly, it demonstrates how innovation can emerge and diffuse by combining novel business models and marketing strategies. Thirdly, students will have the opportunity to learn from social entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs who have developed innovations with a social purpose. Finally, the course will expose students to Japanese culture and traditions, allowing them to gain a deeper appreciation of a unique society.

Course Content and Model

Overview and Introduction: Students enrolled in the Immersive Field Course: Japan will work in small teams to undertake a project with an organization based in the Tokyo area. The course will meet for four on-campus sessions to (1) provide students with a basic understanding of the Japanese innovation ecosystem, (2) highlight some of the challenges and opportunities faced by businesses trying to bring innovation to market in Japan, including entrepreneurs and VCs, (3) discuss how some emerging business models and marketing strategies lend themselves to new forms of organizing, and (4) allow time for student teams to work together, engage with their project partners to define and scope the projects that will take place in January, and to prepare for travel.

Projects: By the start of the course, project partners will have submitted a brief description of the business problem they would like students to address during the immersion. Before the second on-campus session, student teams will be formed. We will do our best to allocate students to their preferred project partners. In the period from October to December, student teams will engage in conversations and early work with project partners (scope the project, request/receive additional information, conduct telephone or Zoom interviews, develop early hypotheses, develop a work plan, etc.) in preparation for the field work that will take place in Japan. While in Japan, student teams will visit and work closely with their project partners in Tokyo. Students have the opportunity to assess the market/organizational environment by talking to customers, suppliers, government officials, and related organizations, as needed. Project teams will develop a set of recommendations before the last day of the immersion.

Deliverables: Student teams will present their recommendations to the project partners. In addition, each student will present their personal take-aways at a Capstone event. Final grades will consider: (i) participation and attendance during the four class sessions in the Fall semester, as well as in Japan; (ii) engagement with project partners; (iii) on-site activities in Tokyo and Tohoku; (iv) feedback from partner organizations and peers on project work; and (v) a final report.

Tours: Students will have the opportunity to take part in company visits as well as various cultural activities in Tokyo and the Tohoku region throughout their stay in Japan. Students will come to appreciate unique business protocols practiced in Japanese companies - e.g., exchange of name cards, silence in elevators, empathy to co-workers, being on time, etc. - that contribute to Japan’s unique approach to entrepreneurship.

Accommodations and Activities: Students will experience two different types of accommodations. In Tokyo, where the majority of overnights will take place, students will stay at a modern hotel in Central Tokyo. Students will take the bullet-train (Shinkansen) to the Tohoku region, where they will stay at a traditional Japanese ryokan. They will soak in hot spring baths (Onsen) and eat dinner wearing a yukata. Students will engage in volunteer work during their stay in Tohoku, as well as advise local social entrepreneurs and NPOs. Students will also have opportunities for other cultural activities in Tokyo, such as visiting live practice of sumo wrestlers.

Course Credit and Fees

Students will receive 3 credits upon successful completion of this course.

HBS will provide logistical support for the immersion (including accommodations, select meals, and local travel arrangements). Students will be charged a course fee towards defraying a portion of these costs. Students are responsible for booking and paying for their own round-trip air travel and any costs associated with required visa documentation and immunizations. Students should ensure adequate processing time for all visas, as travel fees are not refundable if a student does not secure visas on time.

For detailed information about what the course program fee includes and excludes, as well as information about student accommodations, please visit the GEO website or email geo@hbs.edu.

GEO continuously evaluates the safety and logistical feasibility of running Immersive Field Courses in each location. Please be aware that IFCs can be canceled at any time due to changes in global health and safety or other unforeseen circumstances. Students will not be redistributed into another IFC, nor will a new course be developed. Course fees will be refunded.

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