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This paper scrutinises organisational change in Japanese and UK universities which are engaged in entrepreneurial activities. The study focuses on recent changes in governance, management, leadership, and funding in these universities. The paper argues there are convergent trends between Japanese and UK universities in terms of increasing entrepreneurial activities, a review of institutional strategies, a review of the organisation, the application of market-oriented institutional policy, links with the industrial sector, the notion of a public financial crisis and changing external environment, strong leadership of the university President or Vice-Chancellor, and the notion of the accountability of the university to society as a whole. However, the application of particular institutional strategies, entrepreneurial culture, and the way in which an institution relates itself to the private sector significantly differs among institutions. The paper suggests that those differences are related to different institutional history and characteristics--including those between national and private universities in Japan, and old and new universities in the UK--as well as different government policies between Japan and the UK. The paper first proposes a theoretical model for the five types of entrepreneurial culture of the institutions. It then examines the model by using case studies: Nottingham Trent University (UK), University of Surrey (UK), University of Tokyo (Japan), and Waseda University (Japan).

This paper explores how bureaucracy impedes the implementation of higher education (HE) policy at Japanese universities. Administrative systems employ Weberian legal-rational bureaucratic practices that are central to the institutional identity of a university. Rather than the means to internationalisation and reform in general, these systems themselves become the end, usually in direct opposition to not only innovation and change but, indeed, the university mission itself. After first outlining the macro-level processes and policies of the internationalisation of Japanese HE, I take an ethnographic approach to illustrate the micro-level administrative practices and assumptions at the university, framing them within the social theory of bureaucracy to allow for comparison with HE in other parts of East Asia and worldwide. As a way forward, I propose we borrow theories on social entrepreneurship to potentially resolve the challenge of embedded administrative practices and static institutional identities, a bureaucratic "utopia of rules" [Graeber, D. 2015. "The Utopia of Rules: On Technology, Stupidity, and the Secret Joys of Bureaucracy." New York: Melville House].

This article examines the Japanese response in terms of innovation capacity and entrepreneurship enhancement under the ever-changing economic environment. Particular focus would go to the interactions among government, industry and universities in the national innovation system at a macro level, and entrepreneurship education at the institutional level. Several key universities were selected for discussion. This article argues that under the urge to supplement the internal research and development capacity of Japanese industry and maintain competitiveness, internationalisation efforts through the strong collaboration among government, universities and industry are essential to further the development of national innovation and entrepreneurship. (Contains 2 figures, 2 tables and 1 note.)

Contextual entrepreneurship and mixed embeddedness approach alike emphasize the importance of the political‐institutional embeddedness next to social embeddedness along with further contexts for migrant entrepreneurship, yet the aspect of international migration policies as an important institutional framework has been somewhat neglected. This paper introduces the case of political‐institutional embeddedness of migrant entrepreneurship in Japan from an international migration policy perspective, discussing embeddedness of migrant entrepreneurs and their support institutions from a multi‐scalar perspective. By analysing the migration policy context of migrant entrepreneurship at different policy levels, that is, national, regional and urban scales, it demonstrates the analytical value of differentiating policies along these scales and also their inter‐connectedness, conceptually proposing the inter‐ and trans‐scalarity of these policy contexts. By bringing issues of migration regimes and particularly the East Asian developmental state as a lens to analyse migrant entrepreneurship, it brings further approaches in comparatively analysing different entrepreneurial contexts for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to investigate Japanese university students' entrepreneurial development processes using the happenstance learning theory. The current research was an empirical study investigating the role of risk propensity, lifetime employment orientation, and entrepreneurship-related exploratory behaviour in developing the entrepreneurial intention of university students in Japan. Data were collected from 214 undergraduate students in Japan. The results demonstrated that the risk propensity characteristic of students influenced entrepreneurial intentions through entrepreneurship-related exploratory behaviour and lifetime employment orientation. The research also found that leadership experience moderated the relationship between risk propensity and entrepreneurship-related exploratory behaviour and the relationship between entrepreneurship-related exploratory behaviour and entrepreneurial intention. By applying the happenstance learning theory in an entrepreneurship study, the current research provides meaningful insights for research scholars, educators, and policymakers interested in the entrepreneurial intentions of students. This paper concludes with a discussion on the theoretical implications and future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the effects of human capital on fundraising problems for necessity- and opportunity-based entrepreneurs by using a survey of 3974 new firms in Japan. The major findings of this paper are as follows. First, necessity-based entrepreneurs are more likely to have fundraising problems than opportunity-based entrepreneurs. Second, industry-specific experience contributes to solving fundraising problems for both necessity- and opportunity-based entrepreneurs. Third, necessity-based entrepreneurs with industry-specific experience are less likely to have fundraising problems than opportunity-based entrepreneurs without such experience. Plain English Summary: Do high levels of human capital help necessity-based entrepreneurs overcome their disadvantages in startup financing? In this study, we investigate whether necessity-based entrepreneurs with high levels of human capital are less likely to have fundraising problems than opportunity-based entrepreneurs without such human capital. Our results show that former entrepreneurs tend not to have fundraising problems than latter entrepreneurs. This implies that (1) high levels of human capital can be an insurance for potential necessity-based entrepreneurs when they are forced to start businesses and (2) potential opportunity-based entrepreneurs might have difficulty fundraising if they do not have high levels of human capital. Therefore, all potential entrepreneurs should recognize the importance of acquiring high levels of human capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Stanford Biodesign program was first introduced in Japan in 2015 at three national universities to develop medical technology innovation and its talent. This study aimed to (1) show the outcomes of leadership talent development, (2) indicate the educational results of the program, and (3) objectively analyze the ways in which the program executed in Japan, effectively promoted entrepreneurship orientation and the origination of new businesses. The latter is especially relevant as Japan has low entrepreneurial awareness and new business entry rates compared to the United States and Europe. Herein, fellows were subjected to questionnaires, interviews, and a survey based on academic papers, extant literature, and treatises issued by the Nihon Biodesign Gakkai (Academic Society of Japan Biodesign). Overall program performance showed notable results, despite indicating a need to improve business-related programs and team learning which is greatly influenced by Japanese culture. An externship program, planned and developed in Japan, was most inspiring and served to expose participants to role models. Comparing Japan Biodesign education elements to factors of general entrepreneurship promotion in Japan, sampled and organized from relevant White Papers, proved its educational effectiveness in entrepreneurship promotion from an objective viewpoint. Within the 4-year timeframe, the results indicated that leadership talent was indeed developed. Medical device innovation should progress through the stages of establishing new ventures, followed by contriving medical devices with novel, impactful value. This study revealed that Japan Biodesign education provides a platform for achieving these goals, despite the challenging Japanese new business environment., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

For policymakers who intend to make decisions on the policy to stimulate economic growth and enhance job opportunities, business demography statistics serve as important data sources for promoting entrepreneurship, which is a key for the policy. Business demography, which usually consists of annual demographic information such as the number of births, deaths, and survivals of businesses, can be produced from a business register in many countries. In Japan, however, it is difficult to produce business demography directly from the Japanese business resister called Establishment Frame Database because the major data source for the database is the Economic Census, conducted twice every five years. Alternatively, business demography can be estimated using the data of the Economic Census. However, it has been pointed out that short-lived births of businesses are hardly grasped by the estimation using the data of statistical surveys such as the Economic Census at intervals of more than one year. This paper introduces a stochastic model to cope with the above issue and proposes a calculation formula to estimate the number of short-lived births of businesses as well as other demographic indicators of business demography. Then the paper is followed by a numerical example, which proves to overcome the shortcomings of previous methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses questions seeking to clarify the nature of personal networking between modern Japan's wealthy economic elite and the Japanese nobility. In particular, to explore whether the social connections between the wealthy and the nobility led to changes in behaviour and formation of social ties, the marriages between the wealthy economic elite and the Japanese aristocracy, will be the focus of this study. The general overview, the motives, causes and effects of marriage alliances will be explored. And the examination of the cases of aristocratic elite who entered into business through the choice of entrepreneurial occupation will be presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnic entrepreneurship can be an alternative economic strategy among immigrants whose labor market opportunities in the host society are hindered by language deficiency, institutional constraints or racial discrimination. However, it can also constrain migrants' social economic mobility. This is especially likely when, with particular visa policies, ethnic business is appropriated as a channel for labor migration, trapping migrants in a narrow economic niche. Excessive concentration in one type of business leads to low road competition within the community and co-ethnic exploitation. This study uses the case of Nepalese immigrants' restaurant businesses in Japan to illustrate this pitfall of ethnic entrepreneurship. It highlights the roles of the immigration regime and the migration industry in creating such a condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A framework model for wellness tourism development in rural areas is developed in this paper, combining the concepts of integrative diversification, tourism product development, and an endogenous approach to innovation dynamics. Three spatial levels of wellness services are considered (establishment, destination, and the region where they are located) in order to identify the required resources, services to develop, stakeholders to involve, and a process to match the supply and demand in wellness tourism. The paper concludes with an exploratory application to the case of east Hokkaido (Japan), identifying crucial challenges for a diversification of wellness services based on the traditional onsen practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Electrónica Gestión de las Personas y Tecnologías is the property of Revista Electronica Gestion de las Personas y Tecnologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper examines regional characteristics affecting the latent entrepreneurship in Japan, focusing on regional macroeconomic indicators, existing density of establishments and human capital, and business start-up assistance programs by local governments. We define two types of people having the latent entrepreneurship as follows (1) persons merely wishing to be a self-employed worker, and (2) persons preparing to be a self-employed worker out of the former definition. Total cash earnings and the unemployment rate, which are the macro economic indicators, had positive effects on latent entrepreneurship in Japan. Judging from the significance of their estimations, the latent entrepreneurship is explained by the “Push hypothesis”. If we examine the problem more closely, it is necessary for us to identify government assistance programs which make the latent entrepreneurs more self-employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women's groups in rural fishery areas were established in the mid-1950s. By 1959, they became integrated in local Fishery Cooperative Associations as parallel organizations. These Fisheries Cooperative Associations, established in 1948, represent all fishers in Japan, who are primarily men. The purpose of the women's groups was to provide well-being by improving the living conditions of families and communities. While men were busy building the production facilities and the cooperatives, women organized themselves to protect and improve the everyday life of families. From 1995 and the World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, some of these women groups ran economic entrepreneurial activities with the financial support of the State through the cooperatives. This new role of women's groups aims to improve the economic and social development and environment of families and communities facing depopulation problems who need to increase the number of young people. This paper examines the role of cooperative associations in rural, fishery communities and shows how these associations "handed over" the social responsibilities to the women groups who then developed their social skills and competences. Special emphasis is put on how the women groups changed their activity from social issues to environmental protection, promotion of fishery products, and to entrepreneurial activities. The paper also problematizes the difficulties the women met in order to get their contribution to the fisheries communities and industry recognized, as well as their status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research suggests that since the 1980s, both the United States and Europe have experienced a simultaneous expansion in social entrepreneurship. In the early 2000s, a new breed of social entrepreneurship emerged in Japan. A careful reflection on the movement will reveal that there were many manifestations of social entrepreneurship in premodern Japan as well. This paper analyzes the historical perspective and the current trends in social entrepreneurship in Japan. In particular, the paper presents what we call a ‘three-generation model’ of the primary drivers of social entrepreneurship in Japan, and a theoretical model of innovation to answer the following questions: (i) How has Japanese social entrepreneurship been developed and who are the primary drivers in the process of development? (ii) What are the characteristics of Japanese social entrepreneurship as compared with those in the United States and Europe, and what are the social contexts generating the differences? (iii) What are the characteristics of the innovation aspect of Japanese social entrepreneurship, and why is innovation particularly important in the institutional context of Japanese society? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Do the social and cultural environments have any impact on regional development, expressed in terms of e.g. entrepreneurship, innovations and growth of new industries? In the current literature, two partly contradicting hypotheses can be discerned: 1. Florida's hypothesis, saying that a heterogeneous civil society with diverse values combined with tolerance is influencing regional growth in a positive way, and 2. Putnam's hypothesis, saying that a homogenous civil society with common norms and values and trust between its citizens is having a positive impact on regional development. This paper studies the validity of these two hypotheses on the current regional development in Japan. The analysis does not give any significant support to any of the hypotheses. A number of reasons for this lack of support for the hypotheses are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper traces the nature and strategy of product innovations of two SMEs in two different economic environments - one each in Japan and India. While the background of entrepreneurs and internal environment are similar, what distinguishes the two is the external environment. Though external sources of support appear similar outwardly, Indian external sources lack the much needed reputation for the capability of delivering productive assistance for technological innovations in manufacturing enterprises. That is why the Japanese SME could take advantage of its external sources but not the Indian SME. Further, the domestic market has ably supported and absorbed innovated products of the Japanese SME whereas the Indian SME has increasingly targeted its innovated products at the international market[i]. [i] The Japanese and Indian case studies used in this paper have been earlier used separately for two different papers in two different journals, namely, (i) Asia Pacific Tech Monitor (2006) January-February: 40-44, and (ii) International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management (2005) 5(5/6): 401-420, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to guide managers' choices of rightmost digits in retail prices by acquiring a better understanding of the psychological mechanisms by which price endings can influence sales. Design/methodology/approach - The paper observes and compares the price endings used in large matched samples of advertised prices in two countries with considerable cultural differences, the USA and Japan. Findings - Although the digit 9 predominates among the rightmost digits of advertised prices in the USA the digit 8 predominates in Japan. In contrast to this difference, the US and Japanese prices are similar in that both show greater use of 9 or 8 endings when this choice lowers the price's leftmost digit and when the advertised price is claimed to be a discount price. Research limitations/implications - Future research should include a wider range of price advertising media and should examine usage patterns of less frequently occurring digits. Practical implications - Setting a price that falls just below a round number can be helpful in creating a low-price image. Setting this just-below price with a 9-ending would be appropriate in the USA and European countries, but in Japan and other Asian countries, it would be more appropriate to set this just-below price with an 8-ending. Originality/value - These results provide guidance to the retail price setter and illustrate to the basic researcher how universal psychological processes and specific cultural meanings can interact to determine consumer perceptions of marketing stimuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to investigate the potential for entrepreneurship in Japan using the Employment Status Survey, which is the only government-administered survey that includes questions about the desire to become an entrepreneur. We find that there are still a number of potential entrepreneurs in Japan, despite a recent decline in the number of new firms being established. We also find that there is a large regional variation in the distribution of entrepreneurial potential, with clustering into a few regions and the level in Tokyo being exceptional. Further, using panel data on 47 prefectures from 1982 to 1997, we examine the determinants of entrepreneurial potential. The estimation results show that the price-cost margin, market size, market growth and the unemployment rate have positive effects on the potential for entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article estimated the production function of new Japanese firms using cross-sectional data from the "Survey on Business Startups in Japan" in 1998, and investigated whether the total factor productivity of new firms is affected by the human capital and gender of entrepreneurs. Empirical results show decreasing returns to scale of production, which verifies the assumption of production functions in many previous studies on entrepreneur ship. Further, it is shown that the entrepreneur' s age has a significantly negative effect on productivity, and the negative effect increases after 60 years of age.

Start-up support by small business owner-managers looks extremely promising for the formation of a pool of latent informal investors in countries like Japan with a bank-based financial system and small-scale informal investing. First, small business owner-managers have superior potential in regard to the hands-on capacity to provide management know- how. Second, there are a large number of small businesses in Japan. Third, small businesses exist not only in financial centres and new venture clustering areas, but also in all regional areas. This paper demonstrates the activities of small business owner-managers acting as financial and non-financial supporters of business start-ups in Japan, by using two data sets both surveyed in 1999 by the National Life Finance Corporation. The empirical results showed that owner-managers who are younger, from larger small businesses, or who had received support when their own businesses were starting tended to provide start-up support. It was shown that there was a clear tendency to provide financial support to business types ‘different’ from the managers' own businesses. One way of increasing the pool of informal investors would be to attract managers in various positions to make informal investments and expand their businesses and entrepreneurial skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents two case studies of how large, traditional corporations simultaneously created new service markets and established a dominant position in the competitive fields of the Internet and mobile communications in Japan. The corporations accepted new organizational bodies imbued with an entrepreneurial spirit supported by different types of personnel and then continuously promoted entrepreneurial strategies based on time pacing. At the same time, with the aim of implementing strategic innovation, the companies integrated the above strategies with deliberate strategies based on event-based pacing practiced by the existing organizational bodies. This paper uses case studies to discuss the factors in success and the problems encountered in the course of achieving strategic innovation in the communications field, specifically in the creation of new markets, through the deliberate and strategic maintenance and subsequent integration of paradoxical organizations and strategies under a single corporate umbrella. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The restructuring of Japan's iron and steel industry between 1919 and 1934 sees a shift from the "entrepreneurial" mode of exchange to that of "mercantile." In this context, the paper considers the use of moral persuasion exercised by government to convince business to restructure the industry to achieve greater aggregate efficiency. Particular attention is given to what we call the "moral imperative" argument. This form of moral persuasion derived its strength and legitimacy from national aspirations embedded in such goals as fukoku kyohei or shokusan kogyo. Apart from Yawata, the government- owned and -operated integrated producer, the industry was largely divided between iron and steel producers. It is thus that government came to the negotiation table not only mandated to realize the industry7 s greater efficiency, but also was decidedly the most efficient producer. As our analysis shows, despite this, business resisted for much of the period in question. It was only when business' financial calculations turned in favor amalgamation that this was achieved and a new mode of exchange emerged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through the lens of Institutional Entrepreneurship, this paper discusses how governments use the levers of power afforded through business and welfare systems to affect change in the organisational management of older workers. It does so using national stakeholder interviews in two contrasting economies: the United Kingdom and Japan. Both governments have taken a ‘light-touch’ approach to work and retirement. However, the highly institutionalised Japanese system affords the government greater leverage than that of the liberal UK system in changing employer practices at the workplace level. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

As main model for a manager, the German managers come from all walks of life, are graduates of higher technically and economically education, paying special attention to the individual qualities of leadership and to community professional competence to professionalism and to experience. In this paper we describe managers ' style of leading. A key feature of the Euroentrepeneur and Euromanager activity is achieving a sixth feature (creating outposts in major economic centers of Europe) that is not addressing to traditional management techniques, but making use of specific techniques. The main conclusion reveals that the consolidation of European single market will grow the European management model rapidly, with its economic, social and cultural traits that will confer distinction from the North American and Japanese management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Japanese Sociological Review / Shakaigaku Hyoron is the property of Japan Sociological Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper investigates the evolution patterns of eight territorial systems in Japan during the period of industry relocation. Multiple case study methodology was applied. Data were collected through interviews with entrepreneurs and local government officials. Based on the findings that reveal adaptation processes in which manufacturing firms are involved, we propose a three-stage evolutionary model to conceptualize the changes that are taking place in Japan's territorial systems. We argue that the transactional relationships are evolving towards more socialized relationships and that these relationships are evolving towards more formalized, knowledge-based innovation networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aoyama Y. Entrepreneurship and regional culture: the case of Hamamatsu and Kyoto, Japan, Regional Studies. Successful entrepreneurship today must respond to the demands from global market forces. Yet, simultaneously, entrepreneurs must also respond to local social contexts, shaped by historical and regional economic conditions. This paper illustrates how regional culture plays an important role in shaping entrepreneurship, even in a new economic sector. By taking two 'entrepreneurial regions' of Japan, Hamamatsu and Kyoto, it is shown how historical legacy and lead firms strongly influence business practices of information technology entrepreneurs. Results of this qualitative research show how entrepreneurship is an integral aspect of evolving and complex regional systems. [image omitted] Aoyama Y. L'esprit d'entreprise et la culture regionale: etudes de cas de Hamamatsu et Kyoto, au Japon, Regional Studies. De nos jours, un esprit d'entreprise reussi doit repondre aux forces du marche mondial. Neanmoins, les entrepreneurs doivent repondre simultanement aux contextes sociaux locaux determines par des conditions historiques et regionales economiques. Cet article cherche a illustrer comment la culture regionale joue un role important dans le developpement de l'esprit d'entreprise, meme dans un nouveau secteur d'activite economique. A partir de deux 'regions entrepreneuriales' au Japon, a savoir Hamamatsu et Kyoto, on montre comment le legs historique et les entreprises de pointe influent fortement sur les usages commerciaux des entrepreneurs en informatique. Les resultats de la recherche qualitative montrent comment l'esprit d'entreprise constitue une partie integrante des systemes regionaux complexes en pleine evolution. Esprit d'entreprise Perspectives regionales Kyoto Hamamatsu Japon Aoyama Y. Unternehmertum und Regionalkultur: der Fall von Hamamatsu und Kyoto in Japan, Regional Studies. Ein erfolgreicher Unternehmer muss heute auf die Bedurfnisse der globalen Marktkrafte eingehen. Gleichzeitig muss er jedoch auch die lokalen gesellschaftlichen Kontexte berucksichtigen, die durch geschichtliche und regionale Wirtschaftsbedingungen gepragt werden. In diesem Beitrag illustriere ich, wie die Regionalkultur selbst in einem neuen Wirtschaftssektor eine wichtige Rolle bei der Pragung des Unternehmertums spielt. Anhand von zwei 'Unternehmensregionen' in Japan - Hamamatsu und Kyoto - zeige ich auf, wie das geschichtliche Erbe und fuhrende Firmen einen starken Einfluss auf die Geschaftspraktiken von Unternehmern im Bereich der Informationstechnik (IT) ausuben. Aus den Ergebnissen meiner qualitativen Forschung geht hervor, dass das Unternehmertum einen wesentlichen Aspekt von sich entwickelnden komplexen Regionalsystemen darstellt. Unternehmertum Regionale Dimensionen Kyoto Hamamatsu Japan Aoyama Y. Empresariado y cultura regional: el caso de Hamamatsu y Kyoto, Japon, Regional Studies. Un empresario con exito debe responder hoy a las demandas de las fuerzas del mercado global. Sin embargo, los empresarios tambien deben responder a la vez a los contextos sociales a nivel local determinados por condiciones historicas y economicas regionales. En este articulo ilustro de que modo la cultura regional desempena un importante papel a la hora de formar el empresariado incluso en un nuevo sector economico. Comparando dos 'regiones empresariales' de Japon, Hamamatsu y Kyoto, demuestro como el legado historico y las empresas lideres tienen una gran influencia en las practicas comerciales de los empresarios en el sector de la tecnologia de la informacion (TI). Los resultados de mi estudio cualitativo demuestran que el empresariado representa un aspecto integral de sistemas regionales complejos y dinamicos. Empresariado Dimensiones regionales Kyoto Hamamatsu Japon [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New technology-based firms are acknowledged as playing an important role in the knowledge-based economy. Policy makers in Japan have advocated the creation of such firms, focusing on two primary fields - biotechnology and information technology (IT) - which are expected to make major contributions to Japan's international competitiveness, to the creation of new industries, and to employment opportunities. Although several empirical studies have been conducted into such firms in the West, few comparable studies have been undertaken in Japan using original data from indigenous firms. This paper addresses this gap by examining several firm-level and managerial characteristics of Japanese biotechnology and IT venture firms, in the context of three social institutional variables that impact on entrepreneurship and the growth of such firms: knowledge, finance and human capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until recently, Japan had relatively few biotechnology start-up firms and they did not play a significant role in the commercialisation of university research results. This was surprising given the pivotal role ascribed to such firms elsewhere in the commercialisation of biotechnology. However, the system of university-industry collaboration, the management of intellectual property and the role of universities are undergoing significant transformation in Japan. These changes, and others in the financial and labour markets, are proving conducive to entrepreneurship. Consequently, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of biotechnology venture firms hoping to commercialise research results from universities. This paper gives an overview of these institutional transformations in the light of recent deregulation and legislative changes, and describes why 'bioventures' are a viable means to commercialise Japanese biotechnology discoveries. Examples are given of such bioventures, based on interviews conducted with the founders and chief scientists of these firms in Japan. Some of the salient characteristics of these firms are illustrated, including their use of university collaboration and ownership of intellectual property rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Japanese economy, which produced continued strong results through the 1980s on the basis of the competitiveness of Japanese big business, has stagnated since the early 1990s and has recently headed into recession. It is widely felt that Japan should encourage the development of new venture businesses as a new motor of economic growth and both government policy-makers and the Japanese private sector are making efforts to encourage the emergence of entrepreneurial businesses. In this context, the role of 'business angels'persons who provide initial start-up capital to entrepreneurial businesses- has attracted attention but, thus far, no research has been undertaken on this topic in Japan. This paper, which is the first detailed study of this subject, profiles potential and active Japanese business angels, examines their characteristics and evaluates their potential to spark the development of new venture businesses. The paper concludes by comparing Japanese business angels with their counterparts in North America and Western Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aim to investigate the impact of environmental entrepreneurship and green innovations on CO2 emissions in highly polluting Asian economies. For empirical estimation, we have applied ARDL and NARDL models. In the short run, the linear estimates of environmental entrepreneurship are significant in China and India. The short-run non-linear estimates of environmental entrepreneurship are significant in the case of China, India, and Japan. Similarly, the short-run linear estimates of green innovations are significant in China, India, and Japan, whereas the non-linear estimated coefficients of green innovation appeared to be significant in India, Japan, and Russia. In the long run, the linear estimates of environmental entrepreneurship are negative and significant in three countries, namely China, Japan, and Russia. Similarly, the estimates of green innovations are negative and significant in China, India, Japan, and Russia. In the non-linear model, the estimated coefficients of positive shock in environmental entrepreneurship are significant and negative in the case of China, India, and Japan; while, the estimates of negative shock in environmental entrepreneurship are negative and significant in India only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated entrepreneurs' motivations to implement circular economy (CE) practices and the ways in which their approaches to CE practices differed by their sociocultural context. The research aimed to contrast the contemporary instrumental perspective on CE through an ecologically dominant logic. The empirical analysis focused on Finland and Japan, two countries with distinct sociocultural contexts but similar regulatory environments regarding the CE. The study analysed entrepreneurs' motivations towards the CE through self-determination theory that makes a distinction between different levels of internalization in motivations. The Finnish entrepreneurs were characterised by more frequent intertwined intrinsic/transcendent motivations and a vocal approach to CE. The Japanese entrepreneurs' motivations were more varied; some were intrinsically interested in the CE, while some were even unaware of the CE concept despite operating CE businesses. The Japanese entrepreneurs resorted to masking their CE businesses to better relate with the surrounding linear system. The study shows how the individualistic Finnish culture fostered progress on the CE, while the collectivistic Japanese culture emphasised the need for relatedness and caused stagnation in the CE in its society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that the comparatively low levels of business start-ups in Japan need not be a matter of concern in so far as the pattern of growth relying on existing companies persists. But the declining trend of start-up rates may be worrisome for it may indicate waning entrepreneurship and weakening mechanisms of resource reallocation and economic growth. Policy measures to promote business start-ups are not based on well-founded studies at an aggregate level, which are lacking in the absence of comparable data, but rather are inspired by the successful US experience. The paper looks into two specific areas of policy - private equity markets and bankruptcy - where important progress has been made, and points to further scope for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the birth of the market for Japanese black tea, its decline, and its rebirth. Currently, the black tea consumed in Japan is mostly imported. But the production of Japanese black tea has gradually increased, and more than 200 tons was produced in 2016. We investigate the history of Japanese black tea, the use of manufacturing technology, and the components of tea and their effects on humans to influence quality. We found the main reasons for the revival and spread of Japanese black tea were production and manufacturing innovation. Fermentation was especially an important process because it determined tea quality. Manufacturing technology for fermentation was established by entrepreneurial farmers and transferred to other Japanese black tea farmers, resulting in the rapid market creation of the Japanese black tea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]