From the Dean

Hirokazu Kono

Dean and Professor in Operations Management,
Keio Business School

Education is the way to liberate every human being.
Keio Business School（KBS）marked its 50th anniversary in 2012. It was in 1962 that KBS was
founded within Keio University as an institute for management education. KBS achieved full-fledged
business school status in 1978 when its longstanding one-year graduate-level program evolved into
Japan’s first MBA degree program. A doctoral program was introduced in 1991, which since then has
produced numerous professional researchers of business administration. So far, one-year, MBA, anddoctoral degrees altogether have been awarded to over 3,700 graduates, while more than 18,000
students have attended seminars in KBS’s Executive Programs.
KBS has done more than merely teach management as an academic study or simply provide topics
that are at the forefront of the day. KBS uses the case method, which effectively combines theory andpractice. It has also proceeded with globalization strategy early, launching an International Exchange
Program in 1988. We are currently（as of July 2016）in partnership with more then 50 institutions
mainly in the US, Europe, and Asia, and since 2009 have also started a double degree program.
The range of educational activities, the research activities that underpin them, and the high levelof our students are clearly demonstrated in KBS’s accreditation and renewal by two internationalorganizations: AACSB and EQUIS.
50 years is definitely an important milestone. However, Japan today is faced with challenging economic
conditions: a declining population, fluctuating currency exchange rates, and competition with
rapidly-growing emerging nations. The environment surrounding business schools is also changing
dramatically. Ever since its foundation, KBS has aimed to develop both broad-based general knowledge（generality）and profound field-specific expertise（specialty）. With the management environment
being more and more complex, it becomes essential for managers to have the ability to take a broad
overview of the entire management, as well as to have knowledge of their own expertise. Accelerated
globalization will reduce our dependence on organizations and increase opportunities which requirenegotiation and cooperation based on individuals’ talent. Business schools are also places where
people from different cultures come and learn together, enabling them to grow as individuals andacquire a conviction, passion, and framework for business and management. As Japan’s mostestablished business school, KBS regards its 50th anniversary an important starting point from which
to make further progress in its mission to contribute to society and lead the Japanese business
community as the backbone of management education in Japan.

Keio Business School 1

Keio University
Keio has a proud history as Japan’s very first private institution of higher
learning, which dates back to the formation of a school for Dutch studies in1858 in Edo（now Tokyo）by founder Yukichi Fukuzawa. Since the school’s
inception, the students of Keio have risen to the forefront of innovation in every
imaginable academic field, emerging as social and economic leaders.
In today’s internationally interdependent world, Keio places great effort upon
maintaining the finest teaching faculty and superlative facilities. Based on theknowledge and experience of their predecessors, today’s Keio students strive
to develop the leadership qualities that will enable them to make valuable
contributions to tomorrow’s society.
Keio University established its Business School in 1962 and launched graduatelevel educational programs to develop skilled and innovative business managers.
In 1978 KBS launched the first MBA program in Japan. In accordance withthe key principles of self-respect and pragmatic thinking espoused by Yukichi

2Founder Yukichi Fukuzawa
By actively embracing the pursuitof knowledge against a backgroundof tumultuous political and socialchange, Yukichi Fukuzawa played amajor role in the modernization ofJapan. His writings are widely andfondly read by both children andadults alike and his image adorns theten thousand yen note, the largest
denomination of Japanese currency.
In fact, he is so well known in Japanthat most Japanese people will haveheard his name at least once. Even

Fukuzawa, KBS produces distinguished leaders who take initiative in reforming

today, Fukuzawa’s spirit and passion

established business activities and starting new ventures to contribute to thefor learning is still alive as the basis ofadvancement of society.

the education offered at Keio.

The History of Keio Business School
1956

Keio-Harvard Advanced Management Seminar was launched

1962

Keio Business School was founded to provide management seminars andprepare for the launch of graduate-level educational programs

1969

A one-year, non-degree professional general management education program was launched

1978

A two-year MBA program was started as Graduate School of Business Administration

1988

The MBA program started the international exchange program

1991

A Ph.D. Program was established2000

KBS became the first institution in Japan to receive AACSB accreditation2009

MBA double-degree programs were launched（with ESSEC in 2009, with WHU in 2010,
and with HEC in 2012）2011

KBS became the first institution in Japan to receive EQUIS accreditation

Keio Business School 3

Mission Statement

Keio Business School develops leaders who canenvision and materialize original business concept.
Here scholars and students of diverse backgrounds
find enjoyment in learning together, deliver world-classresearch, and integrate academic theory with businessexperience.

4

The Case Method

Case Method - The Keio ModelKBS classes are mainly conducted by the “case method”

1

where practical business problems are analyzed anddiscussed in small group setting as well as in larger class.

» The case method suitable for Japanese businesssociety, developed during the 50 years of KBS’shistory» Emphasis on sharing opinions in a respectful way,compared with the aggressiveness in American-style
discussions» Educational effects enhanced through creation of “acommunity for study”

Through experiencing a large numbers of cases, students areable to gain insights into real management and operations
within companies, and to learn how to identify and solve
managerial problems in the various real business contexts.
Theoretical topics are covered by lectures. Exercises incomputer application, group projects on various topics andmanagement simulation exercises（business games）areused as well.

2

3Class Discussion

Rich Resource of Originally-developed Case
Materials» Case materials dealing with various industries andcompanies in Japan» An extensive library containing cases of overseas
business schools translated into Japanese» 100 new cases annually developed for classes to deal
with the latest issues

Individual Study

Group Discussion

Original Methodology Developed on Japanese
Cultural Background in Economy and Society

Preeminent Faculty with Distinguished Academic
Background» Dedicated to teaching in our intimate, small classsize environment to imbue students with cutting-edgebusiness theory, policy, and practice» Committed to produce original case materials within-depth knowledge and experience in respective
research areas

International Accreditations and Partnerships
KBS was first granted accreditation by AACSB International（The Association of Advance Collegiate Schools of Business）
in 2000 and has been granted renewal twice. In April 2011, after rigorous peer review by EFMD（The European Foundation
for Management Development）, KBS was the first institution in Japan to be granted EQUIS（European Quality Improvement
System）accreditation.
The oldest business school in Japan, KBS has been constantly striving to enhance its competitiveness in our rapidly
globalizing society. Our AACSB and EQUIS accreditations are proof that the educational curricula and research activities,
faculty, students and alumni of KBS are equal to those of the world’s top management education institutions.
For over half of a century since our founding, our unwavering mission has been to provide higher education that meets
global standards. Our alumni are established as key players on the international stage. In order to nurture excellent
managers who will lead in global business, KBS is determined to further enhance its educational and research activities,
share up-to-date information that both academics and practitioners value, and actively participate in business schoolcommunities in Japan and around the world.

Keio Business School 5MBA Program
Our MBA program is two-year, full-time program, aimed
to develop business leaders with both professional
managerial skills and a sense of responsibility to society
and to corporate citizenship. An emphasis is placed
both on particular skill sets required in a specificbusiness function, and on developing well-balanced
skills to be an effective general manager who is capableof integrating multi-faceted business operations.

Application

Schedule

Entrance examinations for the MBA program areheld every October（ Fall） and January（ Winter）. An
application form, written in Japanese, is available at ourJapanese website.
http://www.kbs.keio.ac.jp/graduate/mba/application.html
Date of admission

April

Admission Quota

100 student/year

Exchange
ProgramLanguage requirement
Most MBA Program classes are conducted in Japanese except for courses offered to exchange students from foreignbusiness schools. Full-time students, therefore, will use Japanese in class discussions, and for reading and writing
assignments. A good command of Japanese is mandatory for foreign students.

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Locations of Partner Institutions

Internationalization
Keio Business School has several types of programs to meet theneeds of students and the business society for developing managers
in globalized business environment.

IP

International Exchange Program

To provide MBA students with valuable experience in an internationalsetting, we established the International Program in 1988. This
Program is a credit exchange system with partner institutions. Every
year, we accept exchange students during the Fall term（September
through December）and Winter term（January through March）when
we provide some courses in English. Also, outgoing students are
regularly sent to partner schools during the Fall term.

DD Double Degree Program
KBS recently extended international opportunities for its students
with the signing of an MBA-level double degree agreements withpartner schools. This program enables students to gain bi-cultural
insight into management issues.

Asia・Oceania
Australia
China
India
Korea
Philippines
Singapore
TaiwanThailandEuropeBelgium
Denmark
FranceGermany
Italy
Netherlands
NorwaySpain
Sweden
UK
North America
CanadaUSA
South American
BrazilMiddle East
IsraelAfricaSouth Africa

Keio Business School 7

Executive MBA Program

contributing to society as a whole.
T h e P r o g r a m i s o f f e r e d i n a b u s i n e s s - f r i e n d l y,c o n c e n t r a t e d f o r ma t . C l a s s e s a r e he l d ma in ly on

Overview

Saturdays, with occasional weekday night course andLaunched in 2015 to further realize our school mission,

weekend residential module options. Its small class size

the Executive MBA program provides a rigorous,of 40 enables students to share expertise and world view

accredited Master of Business Administration degree

among the cohort and to forge bonds that last lifetime.

built on a foundation of breadth and depth of topics anda culture of inquiry that prepares students to become

Program Structurebusiness leaders who will assume crucial leadership roles

The two-year program begins with Visionary Camp, inin business and society.

which students are challenged to discard a variety ofmental biases they might have accumulated throughout

Application

their managerial experiences. In the following Visionary

Entrance examinations for the EMBA program are heldcourses continuum that lasts until graduation, they

every November, December, and January. An application

envision desirable futures in forty-year frame, based onform, written in Japanese, is available from our Japanesethe knowledge acquired through the Program and action

website.

agendas for today’s corporate executives. Overall, the

http://www.kbs.keio.ac.jp/graduate/emba/application.html

entire “Visionary” learning experience functions as a basis

Date of admission

April

Admission Quota

40 student/year

onto which students build up what they learn over thecourse of the Program.
The first year of the program consists of a combination

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The program is designed to equip graduates an all-of core courses, global management seminars, visionary

encompassing, global perspective on the world, andprojects, and overseas field courses. Core courses are

the ability to envisage and enable a viable future in theon eight functional areas: organization/human resource

time frame of thirty- to forty years. Managers who aremanagement, marketing, finance, accounting, economics,

ingrained with the perspective and ability will excel not

operations management, management science, andonly in the economic aspect of businesses, but also in

strategy. Students will develop literacy for managerialsciences that is essential for practice of management in● Global Management Seminara systematic manner, through interactive sessions based

This three-day intensive course is offered twice a year inon case method, rather than through simple lecture-style

July and December. We invite renowned instructors fromteaching.

overseas business schools to provide students with a
combination of lectures and case discussions according

The second year is mainly dedicated to elective courses,

to the specialization of each instructor. In July 2015,

field courses and individual research projects. In

we invited a professor of cross-cultural management

mandatory field course that are offered in partnershipfrom HEC Paris, and in December 2015, a professor

with supporter companies, students closely observe andof marketing from National University of Singapore. As

analyze the management of the supporter companies

one of the most popular courses in the Program, thisand make proposals of new business plans or real-lifecourse offers students opportunities to understand thesolutions to their existing business issues.

difference between overseas management practices

Unique Features● Visionary Project
The Visionary Project, which comprises three courses

and those in Japanese contexts so that they can gain
a truly global perspective and insights on generalizable
managerial practices.

over two years, offers students opportunities to envision● Behavioral Leadership and Strategy Execution

desirable future in forty years in terms of economy, society,This course is offered in partnership with the CLG Group,and value systems at individual level, then to back-casta global consulting company specialized in organizational

those visions to the present time to realize their agendachange. Students learn hands-on knowledge ofat present time. As executives climb the corporate ladder,organizational change and its background theories andthey assume more responsibility for their businesses, andframeworks verified by academic research such as

business strategies are often shaped based on “forecasting”

behavioral psychology. The beauty of this course is thatapproach in which they extrapolate future directions frommanagers can apply a method they learn in a Saturday

the past trends. In this course, on the contrary, we takesession to actual business scenes during the next week,

a “back-casting” approach with an extra-long time frame

examine what worked and what did not, then bringof forty years. The outcomes of Visionary Project will be

together these results to the next session to modify the

disseminated to general public through publications in themethod and apply them again.

form of booklets or journal articles.

Keio Business School 9

Ph.D. Program
Our full-time Ph.D. program is designed to help
students build a strong foundation in his/her chosen
major and minor fields for further academic andresearch specialization. We are deeply committed toour position as the innovator and leader in developing
educators and researchers in business administration,and in continuously monitoring changes in social needs
and direction.

Schedule

Application
The entrance examination for the Ph.D. program is held
annually in February.
An application form, written in Japanese, is available atFirst year

http://www.kbs.keio.ac.jp/graduate/phd/application.html

Admission Quota

Advanced Field Study
CoursesAdvanced Research
Seminars

Advanced Research
SeminarsComprehensive
Exam(2 Fields)

Proposal Review

April
8 student/year

Third year

Elective Courses

our Japanese website.

Date of admission

Second year

Ph.D.Thesis Review
Select Major and Minor
Research Fields

Assignment of
Academic Adviser

Language requirement
Most of the classes for the Ph.D. Program, as well as the MBA Program, are conducted in Japanese language.

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Degree Ceremony

Executive Education
Advanced Management Seminar
This is a nine-day intensive seminar designed for senior executives. Current and importantmanagement issues are covered mostly by the case method. Teaching staff consistsof eleven to twelve professors of Keio Business School, Harvard University, and otherdistinguished business schools abroad. Some business leaders will also be invited asguest speakers for special lectures. This program is held off-campus（normally in Osaka）
in summer. This seminar is the oldest executive seminar Keio Business School has been

In addition to degree programs,
Keio Business School offers fourtypes of non-degree programs forbusiness executives and people
in business community, as well assome in-company seminars. These
non-degree executive programs

offering, with more than 50 years’ history.

and in-company seminars are

Middle Management Seminar

our faculty members. Most of theAn eleven-day general management program for middle managers. This program establishedin 1961 is held off-campus two times a year, in September and November. Faculty from KeioBusiness School teaches around 16 cases and gives several lectures.

Weekend Seminar Management Development Intensive Program（“MDIP”）
MDIP mainly targets on practitioners who have full-time jobs and no time to spare forregularly scheduled and taught byclasses in the executive programs
are conducted based on the casemethod.

Language requirement
Most seminar programs are conducted in Japanese language.

attending the school curriculum during weekdays. This course, consisting of three consecutive
Saturdays, focuses on specific subjects of the eight core MBA areas including “Management
Strategy”, “Marketing”, “Decision-making and Management Systems”, “Innovative Organizational
Management”, “Health Care Policy and Management”, “Production System Innovation”,“Accounting and Control” and “Financial Management”. This seminar is characterized by thecase method in which participants can communicate with and learn from each other, leading
to an accumulation of knowledge and the building of human relation networks. This study
program has inspired some past participants to move on to the MBA program.

Keio Business School 11

Access
Access from Nearest Stations
JR Yamanote LineTokyo

(bound for Shinagawa / Shibuya)Approx. 17 minutes

MeguroJR Yamanote Line

Shinjuku(bound for Shinagawa / Shibuya)Approx. 7 minutes

Shibuya

Tokyu Meguro Line
Approx. 17 minutes

Tokyu Meguro Line
Approx. 18 minutes

Tokyu Toyoko Line

Yokohama

HiyoshiHiyoshiHiyoshiApprox. 17 minutes

Access from International Airports
HanedaAirportTokyo Monorail
Approx. 19 minutes

HamamatsuchoJR Yamanote Line
Approx. 11 minutes

MeguroTokyu Meguro Line
Approx. 17 minutes

Hiyoshi

Fare: Approx. ¥850
＊Buses from Haneda Airport to major areas of the greater Tokyo region are also available.

NaritaAirportNaritaAirportKeisei Skyliner
Approx. 40 minutes

Nippori

Narita Express
Approx. 80 minutes

JR Yamanote Line
Approx. 30 minutes

MusashiKosugi

Shibuya

Tokyu Toyoko Line
Approx. 20 minutes

Tokyu Meguro Line
Approx. 5 minutes

HiyoshiHiyoshi

Fare: Approx. ¥3000～3500＊Please note that the Tokyu Meguro Line ticket gate is Approx. 15 minutes on foot from the Narita Express ticket gate.
＊Buses from Narita Airport to major areas of the greater Tokyo region are also available.

12

Location

Shinjyuku
Narita Airport
Haneda Airport

Hiyoshi Campus
Tokyo

Shinjyuku
OdaibaYokohama

Kanagawa
Kamakura

Hiyoshi Stn.

Keio Business
SchoolKamakura

Yokohama
OdaibaKeio Business School（Graduate School of Business Administration）is located at Hiyoshi Campus, Keio University.
Address : 4-1-1 Hiyoshi Kohoku-ku, Yokohama Kanagawa, 223-8526 Japan

Keio Business School 13

LEARN TO LEAD

4-1-1 Hiyoshi Kohoku-ku, Yokohama Kanagawa, 223-8526 Japan
MBA & Ph.D. Inquiries
Tel : +81-45-564-2441
Executive Education
Tel : +81-45-564-2440

E-mail : gakukbs@info.keio.ac.jp
E-mail : seminar@kbs.keio.ac.jp

http://www.kbs.keio.ac.jp/