Course Name Year Term Period Faculty / Graduate School All Instructors Credits
50553:Foundation Course to Policy Science Ⅵ (P) 2025 Fall Mon3 College　Of　Policy　Science HATTORI TOSHIYUKI 2

Campus

OIC

Class Venue

AS469

Language

English

Course Outline and Method

This course covers business culture and ethics in Japan through research conducted on a manuscript entitled Some Observations on Merchants, A Translation of Chōnin Kōken Roku, which was written and compiled by Mitsui Takafusa around 300 years ago in Japan and, until around 100 years ago, was kept secret. It consists of over 50 failure cases and instructions for merchants of those times. From this work, the Mitsui family's successors and employees learned not only how to deal with their business but also how to behave more appropriately as great merchants. The course dissects the research material to help deepen students' understanding of the importance of business ethics and the causality regarding the processes which bring about failure. The course provides causal relationship thinking from business administration studies. Finally, students would formulate the hypotheses of their own business ethics theories.

Student Attainment Objectives

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- understand the historical backdrop of Japanese business culture and ethics;
- deepen their understanding of intercultural exchange;
- improve their analytical skills in a business case study; and
- develop critical thinking and academic discussion skills.

Recommended Preparatory Course

Course Schedule

Lecture/Instructor（When there are multiple instructors) Theme
Keyword, References and Supplementary Information
1

Introduction to "Some Observations on Merchants"
How to study this course

Family precepts, family mottos, and sayings.

【+R-Jugyo】Information for “+R-Jugyo” will be posted on manaba+R.

2-4

Case study 1: Why can Ichiwa, a millennium cafe in Kyoto, Japan, continue its business for over 1000 years?

Inside or outside
Café or market
ability and Know-how, and location
Pilgrims or tourists
The past and present, the different eras

5-6

Introduction to Some Observations on Merchants
Historical backdrop about Some Observations on Merchants

Distribution of main material
Merchant culture, politics, and economics in the Edo period in Japan

7

Introduction of how to create causality map

How to make flowcharts of your idea and map logically

8-10

Case study 2

•Lecture regarding the failure cases of Some Observations on Merchants
•Group discussion about the question the lecturer gives
•Making a causality map and essay on the case
•Brief presentations of the report or causality map

11-13

Case study 3

•Lecture regarding family precepts, motto, or instructions
•Group discussion about the question the lecturer gives
•Making a causality map and essay on the case
•Brief presentations of the report or causality map

14

Overall review and exchange of opinions

【+R-Jugyo】Information for “+R-Jugyo” will be posted on manaba+R.

Supplementary information

Guest speaker

A guest speaker from a long-established family business may replace the case study.

Class Format

Thirteen classes on a face-to-face basis, and one class on a Media basis (either live-streamed classes or on-demand classes).

Recommendations for Private Study

Generally, the students need to:
- prepare for the next class;
- read assignments; and
- prepare for group discussion and presentation.

Grade Evaluation Method

Kind Percentage Grading Criteria etc.
Final Examination (Written)

Report Examination
(A report to be submitted by the unified deadline)

Exams and/or Reports other than those stated above, and Continuous Assessment　
(Evaluation of Everyday Performance in Class)		 100

The instructor will show the grading criteria for this course during the first week of class.
It will consist of:
- class attendance;
- class participation;
- short essays;
- causality maps; and
- classroom presentations.

Grade Evaluation Method （Note）

Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods

Textbooks

Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）

The instructor will provide students with Some Observations on Merchants as material for this course.

Reference Books

Reference Books （Frequency of Use, Note）

Web Pages for Reference

How to Communicate with the Instructor In and Out of Class(Including Instructor Contact Information)

Learning Management System （manaba+R）,Talk with Students,Other (Separate instructions will be provided)

Other Comments

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URL:https://secure.ritsumei.ac.jp/students/pathways-future/course/curriculum.html/