[Faculty of Modern Social Studies] Lecture by Toshimasa Watanabe, CEO of Kabushiki Kaisha

In "Marketing Research" taught by Assistant Professor Mizuyo Touma Faculty of Business Administration, students learn the importance of research and data analysis, which influence management decision-making and marketing direction. Through 15 classes, students also learn the process of formulating a hypothesis for a problem, researching, analyzing, and proposing solutions to the problem.

In the second class on October 10th, we had a workshop with a lecture by Mr. Watanabe, president of An Co., Ltd., on interview surveys for marketing research. In the lecture, Mr. Watanabe gave a detailed explanation of what he actually values in everyday interviews, as well as tips and tricks to follow if someone doesn't agree to an interview. Based on the lecture content, we then held an interview workshop focusing on familiar themes such as "The 'expectations' and 'anxieties' felt before graduating from university and entering the workforce" and "The ideal way to spend your student days, what we want to tell next year's freshmen."

When asked about "the ideal way to spend your student days" that they would like to tell next year's freshmen, the interview results were very telling, with answers such as "It's better to take classes with friends, so you can help each other," "It's better to enjoy your time at university," and "Unlike high school, at university no one will give you advice, so you have to work hard on your own." In addition, when asked about "the 'expectations' and 'anxieties' that people feel after graduating from university and before entering society," for the first time they were asked the key question, "What are your goals for the future?"

At the end of the workshop, President Watanabe gave feedback and evaluated the interviews. He said, "When conducting an interview, you need to think about your goals, such as what you are asking and how far you want to go. If you ask too many questions, you will get lost. That's why it's important to think of a catchphrase while you're conducting the interview. This will help you see the goal of the interview and decide on the questions to ask." He also gave some advice for the actual interview survey, saying, "The success or failure of an interview is determined 90% by the questions you come up with in advance."

In closing, he gave the following words of encouragement: "When you ask 10 people to do a survey (interview research), only one person will respond at most. It can be disheartening when one or two people keep refusing, but it usually takes until you reach about the 11th person. Just bear that in mind and do your best." In addition, the students were given a task to work on throughout the 15th session. The students will continue to work on marketing research in preparation for the 15th presentation, so that they can propose the task they have been given.

(Source: School Public Relations)