Student Life

Self-introduction

Since completing my graduate studies in pharmacy 7 years ago, I have worked for a pharmaceutical company as an R&D specialist. I focus mainly on experiments and rarely use English at work, except when reading research papers. During university when I went to the US for a month as an exchange student, I strongly wanted to be able to express my feelings more clearly in English. This experience encouraged me to study English conversation on my own. However with regards to business English, I am studying it for the first time now with the Kenichi Ohmae Graduate School of Business, and I am coming to realizing the many different nuances that arise in various situations. The study is very practical and useful. In my spare time I listen to music, play the piano and read. Last year my son was born and, these days, I feel that child rearing is the most difficult but enjoyable thing I have studied so far. I am also enjoying studying the rich content of the MBA management courses, which I started this year.

What motivated you to study for an MBA and to join the Kenichi Ohmae Graduate School of Business?

Before entering the Kenichi Ohmae Graduate School of Business, I had concentrated on the field of pharmacy, believing that a scientist's business is science. In the past few years though, there has been a rapid wave of globalization amongst Japanese companies on which my company is also riding on, entering a phase of globalization. In light of this reality I wanted to learn about globalization and find out how, not only corporation but also individuals, should change in such international circumstances. Furthermore, working in a global environment, we are naturally going to need English for all communication. My concern was whether my English would be sufficient for business and to withstand globalization because I simply had not had any opportunities to learn and use practical English in the past. Thus I applied for the MBA in Globalization with a view to acquiring knowledge of global business, as well as to gain experience in practical English. I believe this will be a solid foundation to start my life as a research and development "specialist" at a global company.

How do you spend an average week?

On weekdays I work from 8am to around half past 5, then pick up my son from nursery. I am busy doing so many things at home until he goes to sleep, then I finish all my daily tasks at around 10pm. After that I study for 1 or 2 hours. I also download and view lectures on the way to and from the office using Gigabeat. When I have a day off, I study while my son takes a nap. As for English, I often read English newspapers or books during my lunch break, and I sometimes watch cartoons in English with my son. The time I used to spend reading or shopping online I now use for studying. Studying whenever you have time, even if it's only for a short while, has a huge impact.

What has proved useful to you so far?

The MBA in Globalization program has broadened my range of interests and I now pay more attention to a variety of fields beyond my area of specialization, such as how my company proceeding with globalization, on what concepts we base our judgments, how far the globalization of Japanese companies has really gone, which makes it possible for me to learn about and understand global trends, rather than just the situation of my company. This helps me to have a clearer understanding of how my job and projects can fit into a bigger picture. Through the course "Problem-Finding & Solving" I am learning the skills essential to finding and then thinking about problems. These skills can be applied in almost every job across every industry, not to mention my own job. The "Real Time Online Case Study" presents cases in which companies are confronting problems in the real business environment. Engaging with these cases strengthens by ability to understand, analyze and synthesize the background facts of each case. By taking this program I am being trained not only on how to see the bigger business picture, but also to efficiently plan and execute appropriate actions based on where I fit into this picture.

What do you hope to gain from Year 2?

I would like to make the most of the practical English learnt during the first year of the course, for debate and to persuade others who have different opinions to mine. As I am now placed in an environment that is being rapidly globalized, I think it's important to practice the skills and knowledge I gained during my first year.In addition, I would like to study the corporate strategies of globally expanding companies and learn about the conflicts that arise between companies during M&A activities, especially between Japanese and American companies. In the first year, lectures in which Professor Ohmae talked about with renowned global executives gave me the opportunity to appreciate a variety of thoughts and opinions. In the second year I would like to study about these global executives more closely, analyzing the problems they have faced and understanding their problem solving strategies.

What are your career aspirations further to obtaining the MBA?

An increasing number of Japanese pharmaceutical companies has aggressively sought and bought out overseas pharmaceutical companies. Mergers and acquisitions are a way for Japanese companies to generate good business results on the global stage. Personally however, I think that Japanese companies should look at themselves first, instead of only relying on M&A. After obtaining an MBA I would like to contribute to finding and solving problems that may arise during M&A activities. The achievements of R&D within Japanese pharmaceutical companies can then hopefully be utilized and shared with overseas companies, in order to develop better medicines more quickly. To realize this dream, the knowledge and skills I can gain from the MBA program are indispensible.

A message for future students considering the MBA in Globalization.

Considering the potential changes in the business environment in the next 5 to 10 years, the knowledge and skills you learn through this MBA program will be helpful in any chosen career field. Many companies have been globalized so that they can grow rapidly. Since companies are being globalized, individuals working there also need to be globalized. We should be well prepared for this change by acquiring new knowledge and skills while working, and paying more attention to the information around us. This I believe will be helpful for all in the future.