Undergraduate Seminar
2027 seminar information in Japanese
Studying How Products and Services Work
Operations Management through Fieldwork and Data
My undergraduate seminar focuses on Operations Management (OM).
We study the systems behind products and services by asking questions such as:
- Why do queues and congestion occur?
- How should limited staff and other resources be allocated?
- How can organizations improve the flow of people, goods, and information?
- How do service and supply systems respond to changes in demand and the operating environment?
Students learn to examine these questions using field observations, records, data, prior research, and other evidence.
Seminar Activities
Third Year — Spring Semester
Students learn basic concepts in Operations Management and research methods.
Topics include:
- observing operational processes
- collecting and organizing data
- identifying operational problems
- developing research questions
Activities in collaboration with local organizations are also planned where appropriate.
At the end of the semester, students prepare an individual report based on what they have learned.
Third Year — Fall Semester
Students normally work in groups of about four to five members to develop a research question based on fieldwork or other observations.
They experience the research process from question formulation and literature review through data collection, analysis, discussion, and writing, and complete a co-authored seminar paper.
Students also present their research at a joint seminar with students from another university.
Fourth Year
Students conduct individual research and complete their graduation theses.
During the spring semester, they develop their research topics, review prior research, and prepare their research plans. During the fall semester, they conduct their analyses and complete their theses.
Research topics are not limited to the fieldwork conducted during the third year.
Possible contexts include:
- transportation
- logistics
- tourism
- hotels
- retail and restaurants
- IT-enabled services
- local and public services
- supply chains
Students also present their graduation research at a joint seminar with students from another university.
Past Seminar Activities
AY2021
In AY2021, third-year students studied service strategy and supply chain strategy.
During the spring semester, students learned about service strategy by reading a Japanese translation of Uncommon Service.
During the fall semester, students conducted group research on:
- autonomous driving services
- health promotion services provided by local governments
- supply chain and logistics
The group projects received support and advice from organizations including Eiheiji Town in Fukui Prefecture, Ibaraki City in Osaka Prefecture, and Unicharm Corporation.
Students completed co-authored research papers and submitted their final research reports to the cooperating organizations.
Information for Prospective Students
Detailed information for students considering the seminar in AY2027, including seminar activities, fieldwork plans, FAQs, and information sessions, is available on the Japanese page.