8E550991 Introduction to business creation

Hiroshima University Syllabus

Japanese

Academic Year 2026Year School/Graduate School Common Graduate Courses (Doctoral Course)

Lecture Code 8E550991 Subject Classification Common Graduate Courses

Subject Name Introduction to business creation

Subject Name
（Katakana）ジギョウソウゾウガイロン

Subject Name in
English Introduction to business creation

Instructor HAMAMOTO AMI

Instructor
(Katakana) ハマモト　アミ

Campus Across Campuses (videoconferencing, etc.) Semester/Term 1st-Year, Second Semester, Intensive

Days, Periods, and Classrooms (Int) Inte：Online

Lesson Style Lecture Lesson Style
(More Details) Online (on-demand)

Credits 1.0 Class Hours/Week 　 Language of Instruction E : English

Course Level 5 : Graduate Basic

Course Area（Area） 21 : Fundamental Competencies for Working Persons

Course Area（Discipline） 03 : Career Education

Eligible Students Graduate student (Doctoral Course)

Keywords Innovation management, Value creation, Design thinking

Special Subject for Teacher Education 　 Special Subject 　

Class Status
within Educational
Program
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students) This course is one of the elective subjects in the category of "Career Development and Data Literacy Courses" for Common Graduate Courses. This category of courses aims to provide opportunities for students to learn about the development of the current social systems, to gain knowledge needed for the future, to concretely tackle the challenges facing modern society, and to acquire the ability to utilize knowledge and skills.
※This is an on-demand class offered to students with difficulty attending school during regular hours.

Criterion referenced
Evaluation
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)

Class Objectives
/Class Outline The contemporary world is characterized by increasing uncertainty and complexity, requiring leaders in both business and research to develop the capacity to think beyond disciplinary boundaries. Effective leadership today demands the ability to identify societal and research challenges from a macro perspective and translate them into actionable solutions at the micro level.

A central challenge in business creation is the generation of innovative perspectives and ideas capable of creating meaningful value. Rather than approaching social issues through conventional competitive frameworks, this course explores the processes, methods, and mindsets necessary to reinterpret challenges from fresh perspectives and propose compelling value to target stakeholders.
Through structured exercises and individual reflection, participants will cultivate comprehensive and multifaceted perspectives essential for successful business creation.

Class Schedule lesson1　What Is Innovation?
Innovative thinking in business creation and an overview of the five stages of design thinking.

lesson2　Design Thinking — Empathize
Understanding user perspectives and the importance of value propositions in business creation

lesson3　Design Thinking — Define (Part 1)
Approaches to reframing problems

lesson4　Design Thinking — Define (Part 2)
Divergence and convergence, brainstorming techniques, affinity diagrams, and understanding customer needs and values

lesson5　Design Thinking — Ideate
Generating ideas through divergence and convergence, brainstorming techniques, and affinity diagrams

lesson6　Design Thinking — Ideate
Generating ideas through divergence and convergence, brainstorming techniques, and affinity diagrams

lesson7　Leadership in Business Creation
Developing self-awareness and exploring leadership perspectives

lesson8　Designing Solutions for Customer Value

Learning Approach
Across all eight sessions, the course consists of lectures combined with structured assignments. While the course is delivered asynchronously without live discussions, each session includes reflective and practical exercises designed to deepen understanding and support the application of concepts.

Text/Reference
Books,etc. References:
・Creativity and Innovation Management : Journal
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14678691
・DESIGN CONFERENCE : International conference
https://www.designconference.org/
・Osterwalder A (2004), The Business Model Ontology a Proposition in a Design Science Approach (Doctoral dissertation, Université de Lausanne, Faculté des hautes études commerciales ).
・Takashi Maeno, Toshiyuki Yasui, Seiko Shirasaka, Yoshikazu Tomita, Kintoku Ishibashi, Toru Iwata, Hiroyuki Yakita
“Change the world with system x design thinking” Keio SDM "How to Create Innovation"
・Alex Osterwalder, Yves Pigneur, Greg Bernada, Alan Smith, Seki Miwa 2015 "Value Proposition Design" Create products and services that customers want

PC or AV used in
Class,etc. Text, Handouts, moodle

(More Details)

Learning techniques to be incorporated Paired Reading, Post-class Report

Suggestions on
Preparation and
Review Consulting the reference text, especially Value Proposition Design, may facilitate a deeper understanding of the course material.

Requirements This course is one of the on-demand courses offered for those who have difficulty attending school during regular hours (doctoral course). All students are eligible to take these on-demand classes, but there are a limited number of places. Priority will be given to those who have filled out the priority registration request form and stated that they are unable to take the course during regular hours. Remaining places will be allocated to other students by computerized random selection. Please check the following URL for further details.
https://momiji.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/momiji-top/en/learning/cgcinfo-d-1.html

Grading Method Individual assignment :Assignments for each lecture ：100 points

Practical Experience Experienced

Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it An instructor with experience as a startup founder and board member in venture-backed and publicly traded companies brings practical expertise to question design, ideation, and value creation through design thinking.

Message

Other

Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes.
Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

Academic Year	2026Year	School/Graduate School	Common Graduate Courses (Doctoral Course)
Lecture Code	8E550991	Subject Classification	Common Graduate Courses
Subject Name	Introduction to business creation
Subject Name （Katakana）	ジギョウソウゾウガイロン
Subject Name in English	Introduction to business creation
Instructor	HAMAMOTO AMI
Instructor (Katakana)	ハマモト　アミ
Campus	Across Campuses (videoconferencing, etc.)	Semester/Term	1st-Year, Second Semester, Intensive
Days, Periods, and Classrooms	(Int) Inte：Online
Lesson Style	Lecture	Lesson Style (More Details)	Online (on-demand)

Credits	1.0	Class Hours/Week		Language of Instruction	E : English
Course Level	5 : Graduate Basic
Course Area（Area）	21 : Fundamental Competencies for Working Persons
Course Area（Discipline）	03 : Career Education
Eligible Students	Graduate student (Doctoral Course)
Keywords	Innovation management, Value creation, Design thinking
Special Subject for Teacher Education		Special Subject
Class Status within Educational Program (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)	This course is one of the elective subjects in the category of "Career Development and Data Literacy Courses" for Common Graduate Courses. This category of courses aims to provide opportunities for students to learn about the development of the current social systems, to gain knowledge needed for the future, to concretely tackle the challenges facing modern society, and to acquire the ability to utilize knowledge and skills. ※This is an on-demand class offered to students with difficulty attending school during regular hours.
Criterion referenced Evaluation (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Class Objectives /Class Outline	The contemporary world is characterized by increasing uncertainty and complexity, requiring leaders in both business and research to develop the capacity to think beyond disciplinary boundaries. Effective leadership today demands the ability to identify societal and research challenges from a macro perspective and translate them into actionable solutions at the micro level. A central challenge in business creation is the generation of innovative perspectives and ideas capable of creating meaningful value. Rather than approaching social issues through conventional competitive frameworks, this course explores the processes, methods, and mindsets necessary to reinterpret challenges from fresh perspectives and propose compelling value to target stakeholders. Through structured exercises and individual reflection, participants will cultivate comprehensive and multifaceted perspectives essential for successful business creation.
Class Schedule	lesson1　What Is Innovation? Innovative thinking in business creation and an overview of the five stages of design thinking. lesson2　Design Thinking — Empathize Understanding user perspectives and the importance of value propositions in business creation lesson3　Design Thinking — Define (Part 1) Approaches to reframing problems lesson4　Design Thinking — Define (Part 2) Divergence and convergence, brainstorming techniques, affinity diagrams, and understanding customer needs and values lesson5　Design Thinking — Ideate Generating ideas through divergence and convergence, brainstorming techniques, and affinity diagrams lesson6　Design Thinking — Ideate Generating ideas through divergence and convergence, brainstorming techniques, and affinity diagrams lesson7　Leadership in Business Creation Developing self-awareness and exploring leadership perspectives lesson8　Designing Solutions for Customer Value Learning Approach Across all eight sessions, the course consists of lectures combined with structured assignments. While the course is delivered asynchronously without live discussions, each session includes reflective and practical exercises designed to deepen understanding and support the application of concepts.
Text/Reference Books,etc.	References: ・Creativity and Innovation Management : Journal https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14678691 ・DESIGN CONFERENCE : International conference https://www.designconference.org/ ・Osterwalder A (2004), The Business Model Ontology a Proposition in a Design Science Approach (Doctoral dissertation, Université de Lausanne, Faculté des hautes études commerciales ). ・Takashi Maeno, Toshiyuki Yasui, Seiko Shirasaka, Yoshikazu Tomita, Kintoku Ishibashi, Toru Iwata, Hiroyuki Yakita “Change the world with system x design thinking” Keio SDM "How to Create Innovation" ・Alex Osterwalder, Yves Pigneur, Greg Bernada, Alan Smith, Seki Miwa 2015 "Value Proposition Design" Create products and services that customers want
PC or AV used in Class,etc.	Text, Handouts, moodle
(More Details)
Learning techniques to be incorporated	Paired Reading, Post-class Report
Suggestions on Preparation and Review	Consulting the reference text, especially Value Proposition Design, may facilitate a deeper understanding of the course material.
Requirements	This course is one of the on-demand courses offered for those who have difficulty attending school during regular hours (doctoral course). All students are eligible to take these on-demand classes, but there are a limited number of places. Priority will be given to those who have filled out the priority registration request form and stated that they are unable to take the course during regular hours. Remaining places will be allocated to other students by computerized random selection. Please check the following URL for further details. https://momiji.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/momiji-top/en/learning/cgcinfo-d-1.html
Grading Method	Individual assignment :Assignments for each lecture ：100 points
Practical Experience	Experienced
Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it	An instructor with experience as a startup founder and board member in venture-backed and publicly traded companies brings practical expertise to question design, ideation, and value creation through design thinking.
Message
Other
Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes. Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

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