Japanese Small and Medium Enterprises Tackling Social Issues – Outstanding Product and Technology Development Capabilities of Small and Medium Manufacturing Industries and the Realization of an Inclusive Society
社会課題に挑む日本の中小企業~中小製造業の卓越した製品・技術開発力とインクルーシブ社会の実現~
Business
Inclusive Society
SMEs
Program date _2025/2/17~2/23
Lecturer  /   Prof. Kiyoshi HORI, Vice-President for Admission and Career Affairs & Professor of College of Arts and Sciences
Number of participants  /  8
University  /  Rotterdam Business School (RBS)/ Netherlands, University of Eastern Finland (UEF)/ Finland
Major  /  Digital Marketing, Finance, Management, International Business, International Business and Sales Management

The role of business in the realization of an inclusive society will be discussed through Japanese small and medium-sized enterprises that are contributing to the realization of an “inclusive society” where people of diverse backgrounds, including people with disabilities and the elderly, can work together and cooperate with each other, through their outstanding product and technology development capabilities. Through this exchange, we would like to think together with students from the Netherlands and Finland, two countries with advanced welfare systems, about what role small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can play in creating an “inclusive” society by promoting the social participation of people with disabilities and the elderly.

障害者も高齢者も含めて多様なバックグラウンドを持つ人々がともに働き協力し合える「インクルーシブ社会」の実現のために、卓越した製品・技術開発力をもって貢献する我が国中小企業の姿を通して、インクルーシブ社会の実現に果たすビジネスの役割について考える。今回の交流を通して、障害者や高齢者等の社会参加を促進し「インクルーシブ」な社会を創生していくために中小企業がどのような役割を果たしうるのか、を福祉先進国であるオランダやフィンランドの学生とともに考えたい。

 

Pick up
Group photo at Nippon Rikagaku Kogyo Co.
Group photo at Avatar Robot Cafe DAWN ver.β
Group photo with Mr. Shintaro Shimada, President of Technotools Co.
Group photo at TechnoBase Co.
Everyone with their certificate of participation :)
Schedule
  • 2/12
    17:00-19:00
    Online Session
    ・Program overview about classes and fieldworks by JFOU
    ・Self introduction of participants
    ・Presentation by RBS and UEF students on examples of SMEs in Finland and the Netherlands that are developing and providing products or services that promote the social participation of people with disabilities
    image

    Participants from Finland and the Netherlands as well as from J.F. Oberlin University met for the first time online

  • 2/17
    Arrival at Haneda Airport
    image

    Everyone was tired but excited for the program ahead.

  • 2/18
    9:30-11:30
    Orientation Session by Professor Hori of J.F. Oberlin University
    13:00-15:30
    Visit to Nippon Rikagaku Kogyo Co.
    image

    Professor Hori welcoming everyone to JFOU's Shinjuku Campus

  • 2/19
    11:00-13:00
    Experience at Avatar Robot Cafe DAWN ver.β
    14:30-17:00
    Visit to National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan)
    image

    Avatar Robot Cafe DAWN ver.β is operated by OryLab Inc, famous for their avatar robots OriHime and OriHime-D.

  • 2/20
    10:00-12:00
    Lecture by University of Eastern Finland Prof. Markus Raatikainen
    14:00-16:00
    Lecture by Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences Prof. Kostas Kaimakis
    image

    Prof. Raatikainen's lecture on "Driving Inclusive Innovation: The Role of Neurodiversity in Business Strategy and Global Impact"

  • 2/21
    10:00-11:30
    Talk by Mr. Shintaro Shimada, President of Technotools Co.
    14:00-16:00
    Visit to TechnoBase Co.
    image

    President Shimada of Technotools Co. giving a speech on the company's background and products.

  • 2/22
    9:00-10:00
    Groupwork (presentation preparation)
    10:30-12:00
    Presentation, completion ceremony, group photo
    image

    Students from UEF and RBS giving their presentation.

  • 2/23
    Departure from Haneda Airport

The visits to the companies and the cafe and the fact that we could experience everything in real life. We were able to hear the stories of people, talk to them and ask them questions.

Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences

Sophomore

It was a great course and I would immediately retake It if there ever was a chance!

University of Eastern Finland

Senior