Entrepreneurship is often perceived as the interdisciplinary knowledge required for founding startups or managing venture
companies. However, it is fundamentally a field that deals with practical theories and methods for realizing creative thinking
and action. Its scope of application extends beyond startups to encompass all research activities and business domains.
This course systematically teaches the mindset and approaches for incorporating creative ideas and actions into research and practice. Specifically, through experiential learning, students acquire the thinking methods, theories, and methodologies to leverage the technology and digital skills cultivated within the university’s specialized fields, developing them into new business concepts and innovation creation. Furthermore, exercises based on design thinking and art thinking are incorporated, enhancing applied skills through repeated practice. Through these learnings, participants are expected to build a foundation for exercising leadership in business creation, solving challenges within economic and social contexts, and co-creating value.
This course systematically teaches the mindset and approaches for incorporating creative ideas and actions into research and practice. Specifically, through experiential learning, students acquire the thinking methods, theories, and methodologies to leverage the technology and digital skills cultivated within the university’s specialized fields, developing them into new business concepts and innovation creation. Furthermore, exercises based on design thinking and art thinking are incorporated, enhancing applied skills through repeated practice. Through these learnings, participants are expected to build a foundation for exercising leadership in business creation, solving challenges within economic and social contexts, and co-creating value.
•Promote understanding of entrepreneurship as a foundation for creative thinking and action applicable across diverse fields
including research, technological development, and organizational activities.
•Provide experiential learning opportunities to develop thinking methods and methodologies that foster new business concepts and innovation, leveraging technologies and digital skills cultivated within the university’s specialized fields.
•Support participants in applying entrepreneurship to their own research themes and careers, enabling them to act as agents of value creation.
•Provide experiential learning opportunities to develop thinking methods and methodologies that foster new business concepts and innovation, leveraging technologies and digital skills cultivated within the university’s specialized fields.
•Support participants in applying entrepreneurship to their own research themes and careers, enabling them to act as agents of value creation.
- Be able to explain key methodologies such as design thinking, art thinking, and lean startup.
- Develop the ability to identify societal challenges and value creation opportunities starting from one’s own research or specialized field.
- Practice processes such as idea generation, hypothesis building, prototyping, and user understanding.
- Adopt a mindset that embraces uncertainty positively and learns through trial and error.
- Cultivate an attitude that respects diverse perspectives and proactively acts toward co-creating value.
| Understand | Explain | Practice | Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 10% | 5% | 5% | 20% |
| 2. | 10% | 5% | 5% | 20% |
| 3. | 10% | 5% | 5% | 20% |
| 4. | 10% | 5% | 5% | 20% |
| 5. | 10% | 5% | 5% | 20% |
| Total. | 50% | 25% | 25% | - |
| Class schedule | HW assignments (Including preparation and review of the class.) | Amount of Time Required | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1． | Orientation ・Explanation of course objectives, learning goals, schedule, assignments, and assessment methods. |
Research articles related to business or social issues that interest you. | 180minutes |
| 2． | Overview of Entrepreneurship ・Grasp the overall concept of entrepreneurship. ・Consider the significance of entrepreneurship for researchers and engineers. |
Organize changes and challenges in the economy, industry, and society. ・Consider the significance of entrepreneurship for researchers and engineers. |
180minutes |
| 3． | Fundamental Concepts of Innovation Underpinning Entrepreneurship ・Learn the relationship between technological innovation, social change, and value creation. |
Formulate hypotheses about challenges in the economy, industry, and society. | 180minutes |
| 4． | Art Thinking ・Workshop to gain perspectives that transcend existing frameworks. |
List multiple ideas for new ventures. | 180minutes |
| 5． | Guest Lecture 1 ・Hear explanations from practitioners about the mindset and methods of entrepreneurship. |
List observations about the reality of entrepreneurship. | 180minutes |
| 6． | Guest Lecture 2 ・Deepen understanding of actual business management and societal realities through discussion with practitioners. |
Conceptualize a new business. | 180minutes |
| 7． | Design Thinking ①: Empathy and Problem Discovery ・Practice methods for understanding users, including observation and interviews. |
Identify multiple problems and organize empathy. | 180minutes |
| 8． | Design Thinking ②: Problem Definition and Idea Generation ・Practice structuring problems, brainstorming, and idea generation techniques. |
Select the problem(s) to solve from multiple identified issues. | 180minutes |
| 9． | Lean Startup ①: Hypothesis Building ・Concepts of MVP (Minimum Viable Product) and hypothesis validation. |
Formulate and validate multiple hypotheses for the new business concept. | 180minutes |
| 10． | Lean Startup ②: Validation and Learning ・Practice experiment design, feedback collection, and the learning cycle. |
Validate and refine the new business concept. | |
| 11． | Business Model Fundamentals ・Structured exercises using the Business Model Canvas. |
Create a business model for the new business concept. | 180minutes |
| 12． | Teamwork and Leadership ・Develop ideas into business concepts based on individual research and interests. |
Refine the new business concept and prepare a presentation. | 360minutes |
| 13． | New Business Concept Workshop ・Present and debate new business concepts. |
Complete final reports based on discussions from the final presentations. | 900minutes |
| 14． | Summary ・Q＆A on the practice and application of entrepreneurship. |
Organize ideas on how to apply entrepreneurship theory and thinking to your own research or work. | 180minutes |
| Total. | - | - | 3240minutes |
Organize and comprehend knowledge: 60%
Conduct logical analysis: 70%
Provide explanations that are easy for others to understand and accept: 80% or higher
Conduct logical analysis: 70%
Provide explanations that are easy for others to understand and accept: 80% or higher
| ways of feedback | specific contents about "Other" |
|---|---|
| Feedback in the class | 授業内で解決できない疑問や相談があればEmailで連絡してください。 |
Textbook:
Introduction to Business Ethnography: How to observe, listen, and communicate to uncover insights, Sadayo HIRATA, Tohoku University Press, ISBN978-4-86163-415-4
Introduction to Business Ethnography: How to observe, listen, and communicate to uncover insights, Sadayo HIRATA, Tohoku University Press, ISBN978-4-86163-415-4
List up some issues that may be of interest to society or the company in which you work.
- Course that cultivates an ability for utilizing knowledge
- Course that cultivates a basic interpersonal skills
- Course that cultivates a basic self-management skills
- Course that cultivates a basic problem-solving skills
| Work experience | Work experience and relevance to the course content if applicable |
|---|---|
| Applicable | Extensive experience in collaboration with corporations, government ministries, local governments, and others, as well as
joint research projects. https://researchmap.jp/sadayo |
- 3.GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
- 5.GENDER EQUALITY
- 8.DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
- 9.INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
- 11.SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES
- 12.RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION & PRODUCTION
- 16.PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS
- 17.PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS
Last modified : Sat Mar 14 14:26:44 JST 2026