Hirotaka Takeuchi is a Professor in the Strategy Unit at Harvard Business School, where has recently taught three second-year elective courses: Knowledge-based Strategy, Japan IFC, and Microeconomics of Competitiveness (which he co-taught with University Professor Michael Porter). He received a BA from International Christian University in Tokyo, Japan, and an MBA and PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. Professor Takeuchi's first faculty position at Harvard was in the Marketing Unit from 1976 to 1983 as an Assistant Professor and his second as a Visiting Professor teaching the Advanced Management Program in 1995-1996. Starting in 1983, he taught at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo and served as the Founding Dean of its business school, Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy, from 1998 to 2010. He returned to Harvard Business School in 2010. Prior to his academic career, he worked at McCann-Erickson in Tokyo and San Francisco and at McKinsey & Company in Tokyo. (read more here)

This year, Hiro Takeuchi will lead the Japan IFC: Tohoku; The World's Test Market for Authentic Entrepreneurship.

HAVE YOU EVER TAUGHT AN IFC BEFORE? 

Yes, Tokyo and Tohoku, Japan in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 (five consecutive years).

WHAT INTERESTS YOU MOST ABOUT BUSINESS IN JAPAN?

Japan has always said, "Japan has no natural resources; the only resource it has is people." What interests me most are people working in Japan, some of whom our MBA students will meet -- e.g., the cleaning crew of Tessei at Tokyo Station, social entrepreneurs in Tohoku, CEOs at Suntory and Fast Retailing who see their mission as "doing good for society and mankind," and celebrities who appeared in the Rio Olympics, including Super Mario, Hello Kitty, Pokemon, as well as a real-live Olympian athlete.

WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST ABOUT TRAVELING WITH MBA STUDENTS?

Listening to stories over drinks on what surprised our MBA students the most about Japan -- e.g., no trash cans anywhere, but no trash on the streets; "silence please" sign inside an elevator; cat cafe, maid cafe, manga cafe at Akihabara, etc.

WHAT IS ONE THING YOU CAN’T TRAVEL WITHOUT? 

Cash....not to pay tip (never needed) but to eat ramen, go to karaoke, hop on a cab.....safety guaranteed!

IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE YOU AS A TRAVELER, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?

Looking "cool" matters.

ANY ADVICE FOR YOUR IFC STUDENTS THIS YEAR? 

Watch "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" as the Fish Market at Tsukiji has closed down for good.

WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS A TEAM OF STUDENTS CAN DO TO BUILD RAPPORT WITH THEIR PARTNER COMPANY?

Learn to say a few words in Japanese, like "Arigato...thank you," "Konnichiwa....good day," and "Oishii desu....it is delicious.

WHAT CAN EACH STUDENT DO INDIVIDUALLY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR PARTNER COMPANY THROUGHOUT THEIR ENGAGEMENT?

Be humble.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH A PARTNER COMPANY?

Speak slow/enunciate clearly and smile/laugh a lot.