【Department of International Economics】The English seminar courses “Multinational Corporations A & B”

Currently, we are all coping with a very difficult situation inflicted by the coronavirus disease 2019.  It has affected all facets of our lives.  However, it makes clear the necessity to further promote mutual understanding and cooperation at the individual level as well as at the national level in order to overcome this or any other crisis.  From this perspective, it is appropriate to introduce courses “Multinational Corporations,” which have contributed to cultivating mutual understanding among international and Japanese students. 

The Department of International Economics offers two sets of courses of “Multinational Corporations A and B”.  One is a set of lecture courses in Japanese, and the other is a set of seminar courses in English.  This webpage focuses on the latter.  The Multinational Corporations A and B were the first English courses offered at the Faculty of Economics in 2005.  Initially they had been offered biennially for junior and senior students, and since 2009 they have been offered annually for sophomore, junior and senior students. 

The purpose of both courses is threefold.  They provide opportunities for Japanese students to learn academic subjects in English as well as to acquire writing skills in English.  In addition, the courses help Japanese students who are planning to study abroad, such as at partner universities.  Finally, the courses facilitate mutual understanding among Japanese and international students. 

The contents of the courses are as follows.  "Multinational Corporations A and B" aim at providing an understanding of the characteristics of multinational corporations, which are the major promoters of the global economy.   In the spring semester, "Multinational Corporations A" covers the historical development and theoretical approaches to multinationals and the role of nations. It also includes technological evolution, which affects the activities of multinationals and the global economy.  In the fall semester, "Multinational Corporations B" focuses on their activities in different sectors such as the extractive, agro-food, clothing, and automobile industries. Financial services are also reviewed.  

The instructor of both courses is Professor Tamiko Kurihara, who received a Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia, Canada, and taught at York University, Canada.

 The following are photos taken in class between 2015 and 2019.  Students were from Australia, China, Estonia, Finland, France, Japan, Mongol, Nepal, the Netherlands, Peru, South Korea, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Vietnam.  Please note that the photos are of students who agreed, through verbal or written consent, to be on the University’s website.