JAPANESE POLITICAL ECONOMY

The course provides an opportunity to receive an overall picture of changes and challenges in Japan’s economy, corporate governance, management and culture after 1990, to acquire analytical capabilities and practical knowledge about cross-border business of Japanese corporations and to combine theoretical basics in Economics and Management with Japan specific issues through conducting a team work-based case study.

Organizations are the core element of modern societies and economies. Crisis and prosperity of the latter are always closely related to the (mal-)functioning of the first. For a deep understanding of both sides, it is essential to ask and explore, why and how individual subjects with different interests work together, knowing what is demanded or expected from them and what to do, without being explicitly ordered to do so or without having negotiated it. Since the early 1990s, Japan and its corporate organizations have been struggling with deflationary repercussions from the bursting of bubble economy or implosion of inflated asset market prices and increased industrial competition mainly from South Korean and Chinese firms. And since the late 1990s, mergers & acquisition activities have been increasing as the preferred option to grow domestically and abroad, involving not only inside-out, but also outside-in and inside-in cases. In this context, corporate culture raised attention as one of the key factors for sustainable corporate success. Japanese companies, facing fundamental challenges towards their traditional business model, value set and mode of integration by US dominated globalization and organizational restructuring are in need to reconfirm or redefine their rules and values, their corporate culture. Against this background and after an introduction into the nature of the current economic situation in Japan, this course provides an overview about different core terms and models of corporate culture, discusses the relation of culture and change and identifies current challenges, particularly Japanese corporations are facing with regard to their internal integration. Students become a team member, choose a case of cross border merger & acquisition with a Japanese corporation involved, receive guidance and analyse this case as teams.

This course is a combination of lecture inputs about the broader context of the current economy and business in Japan and a team work type case study. Lecture inputs and case study presentations will be given in English. Students are expected to conduct a case study about cross border merger & acquisition (with a Japanese corporation involved) in a team of peers, following the methodical guidance, provided by the professor in charge. Due to the importance of active and continuous participation of all students, personal attendance to classes and dedication of time and energy to team activities is strongly recommended.

Context Inputs (Sessions No. 2/5/8)
A Model, Again? Long-Term Trends in Japans Economy
Why has the Idea of “Corporate Culture” occurred?
Irony of Change: Challenges for Japan & Japanese Corporations
Methodically Guided Case Study (Sessions No. 1/3/4/6/7/9-15)
Kick Off Guidance: Process, Schedules, Assessment Rules, Team Formation;
Choosing of a M&A Case & Formulating a Hypothesis: Is the case in question a success or failure? What defines success and failure? Success and failure for whom?
Analyzing of Business Model before/after M&A: Has the way value is generated changed? Where & how can the premium be earned back? Where are zones of synergies and conflicts?
Analyzing Financial Performance (ROE Breakdown): How has the financial performance changed? What were/are the drivers?
Analyzing of Stakeholders Gain & Loss before/after M&A: Who (which stakeholder) has gained or lost? Which impact do these gains/losses have? Is it sustainable and socially acceptable?
Synthesizing a Thesis (Conclusions, Remaining Tasks): Is the case in question a success or failure? What defines success and failure? Success and failure for whom?

First, concentrate on the inputs, given in the lectures & input modules. Secondly, there is no one & single textbook required. Specific supplemental readings or recommended references are indicated in the lecture materials for each module. A digital version of the lecture materials will be uploaded. Students are expected to download the respective material in advance: There will be no handouts or hard copies provided by the teaching side. The digital materials are PDF slides in English. Enno BERNDT “J-Economy, J-Firm and J-Power” (ECF 2018, http://edizionicafoscari.unive.it/en/edizioni/libri/978-88-6969-277-2/ ) is recommended as general reference for the context inputs (sessions No. 2/5/8).

Every student, attending the classes, is expected to take actively part into team work, conducting a case study of cross border M&A with a Japanese corporation involved and delivering interim and final group presentations. Because the case study will be conducted as team work/effort, your active and continuing participation into the classes (sessions), related team work and preparation activities is absolutely required. Team performance, individual substantial contribution to it and sensitivity towards the given situation and social context & consistency in argumentation, originality in core propositions and creativity in expression will be evaluated through a combined peer review and top down assessment.
Non-attending students take an exam during the regular examination periods. The exam will cover all lecture inputs (A-module) and guidances for the case study (B-module-inputs), related teaching materials uploaded to Moodle LM 5140 and the main reference.
!!!COVID-19 EXAMS INFO:
The writing will take place during exam hours, in one or more rooms of Google Meet, depending on subscribed students number. Students must have the video camera turned on for the duration of the exam and show an identification document when asked.
a) contents as above
b) 20 true/false questions (Examination Test LM 5140 AY 2019/2020: 30 minutes, 20 x 1,5 points= max. 30 points)

Combining of lecture input (frontal) with free discussion, task explaining modules (frontal) and students presentation (team work).

English

written and oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Circular economy, innovation, work" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development