On 26 April 2023, 22 Executive MBA (EMBA) students and faculties of the Fordham University Gabelli School of Business visited the United Nations University (UNU) to co-host an event with UNIDO ITPO Tokyo. UNIDO and Fordham University have been cooperating since 2017 to provide opportunities for EMBA students to present business proposals for a selected Japanese company as their final project before graduation. The event resumed this year after three years of suspension due to the pandemic, and students and faculties could physically visit Tokyo for a week.
Ms. Fumio Adachi, Head of UNIDO ITPO Tokyo welcomed the Fordham University delegation and Mikuniya Corporation to UNIDO. Mr. Sertan Kabadayi, Professor of Marketing, and Mr. Francis Petit, Associate Dean, Fordham University Gabelli School of Business, addressed the event and expressed their gratitude for the cooperation and emphasized the enthusiastic efforts of the students.
Every year, UNIDO ITPO Tokyo selects one Japanese company from its database called “Sustainable Technology Promotion Platform (STePP)” for the students to give consultation services to propose a business strategy to expand the company’s overseas market. This year’s project, students had the chance to analyze Mikuniya Corporation’s business and propose strategies for expanding the company’s overseas markets. Mikuniya Corporation’s business specializes in risk management consulting in the fields of environment and disaster prevention. The company’s technology, Mishimax, is registered on the “Sustainable Technology Promotion Platform (STePP)” of UNIDO ITPO Tokyo. Fordham EMBA students from various career backgrounds had spent over four months analyzing Mikuniya’s business from various technical aspects, including economics, politics, environment, finance, law, marketing, construction, and others to provide business advice to Mikuniya Corporation. This not only provided a valuable experience to the students but also provided Mikuniya Corporation with new insights and strategies to consider for its long-term business plans.
During the presentation, the EMBA students proposed ways in which Mikuniya Corporation may expand its markets overseas with an in-depth analysis of the target countries and precise strategies for market development. After the presentation, Mikuniya Corporation actively discussed the contents with the students. At the end of the session, Mr. Makoto Tokuoka, the CEO of Mikuniya Corporation, expressed appreciation to the students and faculties, saying that the company will consider implementing the proposals in their long-term strategies.
Following the presentation by EMBA students, the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) and UNIDO gave short presentations to introduce their activities. The event concluded with a luncheon reception hosted by Fordham University to celebrate the students’ accomplishment for the final exercise before graduation in May.
UNIDO ITPO Tokyo looks forward to continuing its cooperation with Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business in the future.
