Women executives are rare in Japan. Only 1.2% of all directors of Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) listed companies are women. The important fact is that even women executives are still in the minority, they are still present. How can they reach the executive position? It is generally said that human networks significantly influence work achievements and career. Granovetter(1973) pointed that a key element of promotion factor is having wide human networks. This paper focuses how women executives made human networks. We conducted deep focus interview to the eight women executives of TSE listed companies. After having checked into the human networks possessed, we found third things. First, their networks are constructed not only in the company but also outside of company. Second, they used the advantage of minority group. Third they were influenced by their male bosses.

With the rise of social media, the concept of empathy has gathered attention in the field of marketing communications. However, it is not sufficiently examined why such empathy occurs and what kind of communication effect it has. In this study, focusing on the Facebook Page, we conducted an empirical analysis by building "Communication Effect Model by Empathy". Also, we assumed that the aim of the information dissemination in a Facebook page was the improvement of corporate brand image, and examined it. The findings are as follows:

• In a Facebook page, if its content is pleasant, relaxing and useful, it is easier to obtain empathy. Also, it is the same in the case of informative content.

• Obtaining empathy has a positive influence on acceptance-diffusion and trust-satisfaction. A deep feeling of connection with the page raises the intention to acceptance-diffusion.

• The image of a corporate brand is evaluated higher after watching a Facebook page than before watching, and in most evaluation items it improves the brand image.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the demand of key person insurance of small and medium-sized business enterprises and to contribute to the sound development of the life insurance industry.

The demand of key person insurance by SME Owners is influenced by the two factors. One is the financial needs for consistency. The other is the business owner’s personal values.

As a result of the discussion, the following was confirmed.

The financial needs of SME Owners can be classified into three areas which are business interruption risk, retirement allowance and preventative issues. These financial needs make positive impacts on the demand of key person insurance.

As for values, the impact of uncertainty avoidance and collectivism on the demand of key person insurance was confirmed. The uncertainly avoidance makes a negative impact on the demand of the policyholder. Collectivism makes a positive impact on demand other than the policyholder.

The Major implication of this study is the necessity to create a segmented communication strategy based on the value system of the customer enterprises.

First, this article repositions entrepreneurs as the economic actors driving the creation of new economic geographies underlying the existing social structure by way of an examination of the "relational turn" which has been proposed in recent research on entrepreneurship, and reveals a new theoretical perspective for analysis. Next, it conducts an analytical description of the example of the Senkindo, which has created a new economic geography within the general housing industry, and presents a new variation of entrepreneurial activity. Finally, it examines the theoretical and practical significance brought by relational turn-based analytic description.

Senkindo did more than create a system to incorporate contractors, materials manufacturers, and customers. By building on the existing structure of the housing industry, establishing a liaison to conduct price negotiation with customers, and dividing construction tasks between local construction contractors, Senkindo transformed itself from a construction contractor to a home builder and general contractor, and by specializing in specialized architecture, it maintains relationships with customers from which it can continue to receive direct orders over a long period of time, such as temples, so it could be considered to be in a position to be able to circumvent the economic geography dominated by home builder companies.

This paper aims to develop and evaluate a new technology foresight methodology. A case study of a technology foresight project conducted in Ena-city, Gifu-prefecture, Japan in 2013. The new maglev (liner motor) train system will be introduced in the region connecting East-South region of Gifu-prefecture and Tokyo-metropolis in about 45 minutes by 2027. The foresight project aims to contribute in decision making for regional policies in the time, coupling several technology foresight methodologies such as the Web survey method, workshop by citizens and scenario writing.

The aim of this paper is to employ the innovation ecosystem concept to shed light on how companies manage relationships with multiple external companies to develop new products and supply them to customers, and the kinds of conditions that must be met and issues that must be tackled to that end. In this paper, ecosystems are defined as “the collaborative arrangements through which firms combine their individual offerings into a coherent, customer-facing solution” (Adner 2006). The case of Pioneer Corporation’s development of a new product, “Cyber Navi,” was investigated and analyzed in detail as an example of innovation ecosystem management in Japanese companies.

The results of the analysis showed that if innovation ecosystems are divided into product development and product supply, Pioneer is able to properly and characteristically manage product development, which is close at hand, but with respect to product supply, it faced internal issues and gaps in perceptions with suppliers. Pioneer also took stakes in or forged business partnerships with companies that continued to supply essential and important content after the launch of the product as a form of opportunistic behavior. In addition, three key conditions for management of the innovation ecosystem were presented:

(1) The company that is the leader of the innovation ecosystem is not just a technology integrator. If there are issues with its partners, it is able to manage them jointly with the partners.

(2) The company establishes partnerships with companies that could play a key role with industry partners in the innovation ecosystem.

(3) The company is able to employ and ensure the survival of the ecosystem to make its own existing technologies, services, and infrastructure “killer content.”

As of July 31, 2014, the number of convenience stores in Japan totaled 50,863. The corresponding year-over-year growth rate was 6.4%, according to the Japan Franchise Association. While the growth rate is positive, expansion into East Asia has presented difficulties for many Japanese chains. In taking the first step towards realizing the internationalization of Japanese convenience stores, this paper aims to investigate the localization process of Taiwan FamilyMart, with a focus on critical success factors.

The development processes of Taiwan FamilyMart can be roughly divided into three stages: market entry (1988-1993), growth (1994-2005), and maturity (2006-2014). This paper examines the historical development of Taiwan FamilyMart through these three stages. It also discuss how Japanese FamilyMart transfers their know-how into the Taiwanese market, with a special focus on the five-point critical success factors.

In conclusion, the results of this study show that, despite initial barriers to knowledge transfer, Taiwan FamilyMart, through localization and innovation, successfully achieved the five-point critical success factors required for effective Japanese convenience store operation. Most notably, FamilyMart achieves market entry through establishing “joint venture” arrangements, whereby local partners are granted majority management, and are encouraged to seek innovation. This is a key success factor.

In this paper, I focus on the rule of core supplier at the time of next generation vehicle development in the Japanese automobile industry. Special tooling die makers mass produce the main component motor core for automobile companies in Japan. Why they become the main component supplier? What type of close relationships exist between each die maker and the automobile company? The die maker receives the development information about the next generation vehicle from each automobile company. I analyzed a rule of core supplier that mass produced the main component motor core.