Social Science Seminar

ProfessorUSUI, Tetsuya

The purpose of marketing is to co-create "new value" through exchange between the seller (company) and the buyer (customer). When companies and customers can cooperate with each other as partners and strive to co-create new value, marketing can make a significant contribution to the development of a sustainable society. Let us study marketing together, not only for the pursuit of economic value, but also for the co-creation of new value in the future global society of coexistence.

Courses

Marketing
Brand and Consumer Behavior
Marketing Strategy
Global Marketing
Basic Seminar Ⅰ・Ⅱ
Advanced Seminar Ⅰ・Ⅱ
Graduation Thesis

All my courses focus on the in-depth application of strategic marketing practices and theories in the real business world. Students learn how marketing theories and frameworks can be applied to create and grow new businesses in domestic, international, and global markets. Therefore, each marketing course consists of lectures and various active learning opportunities such as presentation projects and group discussions. Students are expected to recognize what they need to understand as the fundamentals of marketing strategy development and implementations in a competitive market, be aware of the skills needed to be a professional marketer, and learn how to create and grow a new business from scratch to make all kinds of consumers happy.

Seminar

In my Advanced Seminar courses, students take on the challenge of writing academic research papers by applying full knowledge of theory and methodology in social science. Students are free to choose a research topic, mainly related to marketing and strategic issues in international marketplace based upon their own interests. Students will work as a team to pursue own academic interests and write an original paper. Through a comprehensive review of previous studies and collecting qualitative data (by conducting interviews with business professionals and consumer focus groups, etc.), students will develop theoretically and practically meaningful hypotheses, which will be tested by using quantitative data analysis (e.g., questionnaire survey). Outcomes are presented to practitioners and exchanged with students in domestic and international universities to explore further discussion topics. Students will also participate in the International Business Intercollegiate Competition, the largest international business academic paper competition for undergraduate students in Japan, held every December (all in English).

Profile

2022	Professor, the Faculty of International Social Sciences, Gakushuin University
2016	Professor, College of Law, Nihon University
2010	Associate Professor, College of Law, Nihon University
2008	Assistant Professor, College of Law, Nihon University
2006	Assistant Professor, College of Business Management, J. F. Oberlin University
2006	PhD in International Marketing, Graduate School of Commerce, Meiji University
2002	Visiting Scholar, Fox School of Business, Temple University (U.S.A.)
2002	Master of Commerce, Graduate School of Commerce, Meiji University
1998	Odakyu Agency Co. Ltd., Marketing division
1995	B.B.A. in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, Georgia Southern University (U.S.A.)

Fields of Specialization

International Marketing StrategyInternationalization of Business ModelsConsumer Affinity

Research content

My main research area, international marketing, aims to identify and understand the effective system of cross-border “exchange” and the mechanism of its sustainable business development in international markets. In particular, I have been cultivating a research area that bridges international marketing and competitive strategies to better explain not only how to satisfy customers, but also how to gain and sustain competitive advantage in both local and global markets. Currently, I focus on two main research topics. First is identifying the critical factors for multinational corporations’ international marketing capabilities. The concept of marketing capability connects internal resources with external learning, and is defined as a firm’s ability to develop resources and capabilities to perform marketing tasks to achieve the desired outcomes. My research analyzed the relationship between marketing-related performance and the way in which firms develop and utilize resources and capabilities along with their value chain networks, particularly, those of channel development and supply chain management. Building cross-border inter-organizational trust based on supplier and channel relationships is one of the key marketing capabilities that leads to higher performance. Some of our critical research outcomes have appeared in leading marketing journals such as Journal of International Marketing and Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing.
The second research topic clarifies the role of marketing in the development of global business model. My research aims to identify an effective governance structure that creates strong linkages among different resources and capabilities inside and outside the firm and connects them to create and deliver value to global and local customers.
To fulfill my research objectives, I adopt qualitative case study method, that I consider are ideal for elucidating theoretical issues, starting with the real business issues faced by international marketing managers and executives when they exchange products and services with local customers.

Major Publications

Usui, T. (2024). Uniqlo: A Pathway to Becoming a Multinational Through Global Business Model Development, In Makino, S., Uchida, Y., & Kasahara, T. (Eds.), Transformation of Japanese Multinational Enterprises and Business: The 50th Anniversary of the Japan Academy of Multinational Enterprises, 161-186. Springer. ISBN: 978-981-99-8615-6. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-99-8616-3_5
Usui, T. & Song, Y. (2024). Augmenting Consumer Affinity: Ways to increase the number of Chinese fans of Japan, Journal of International Business, 16(1), forthcoming.
Usui, T. (2023). Bridging Business Model and International Business: Strategic View, The Bulletin of the Faculty of Commerce, Meiji University, 105 (3), 23-43. https://onl.bz/ZYGmfHw
Usui, T. (2020). The Direction of Future Research in Japanese Management Studies: Aiming at Global Academic Attention, Soshikikagaku, 53 (4), 4-17. https://doi.org/10.11207/soshikikagaku.53.4_4
Usui, T. (2020). Business Model Internationalization Process: A Case of Aeon Mall Indonesia, Mita Journal of Economics, 113 (1), 3-31. https://doi.org/10.14991/001.20200401-0003
Usui, T., Kotabe, M. & Murray, J. Y. (2017). A Dynamic Process of Building Global Supply Chain Competence by New Ventures: The Case of Uniqlo, Journal of International Marketing, 25(3), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1509%2Fjim.16.0052
Kobayashi, H., Hara, Y. & Usui, T. (2017). Trust building process for new market entrants: A case study of a Japanese cosmetics company's business expansion in China, Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, 32(6), 801-812. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-06-2015-0108
Usui, T. (2015). Resource Repositioning Framework as a New Perspective for Emerging Market Strategy, Journal of International Business, 7(2), 7-27. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jaibs/7/2/7_25/_pdf
Usui, T. (2013). The Network Structure View of Global Markets: Theoretical Basis and Some Propositions, MNE Academy Journal, 6, 87-102. http://www.mne-jp.org/pdf/6/6-5.pdf
Usui, T. (2005). How Relation-Specific Resources in Home Country Affect Relational Exchange between Supplier and Manufacturer across Borders: Conceptualization, Measurement, and Initial Test on Japanese MNCs, Annual Bulletin of Japan Academy of International Business Studies, 11, 165-181.

Others

Vice president, Japan Academy of International Business Studies (2021-)
Leadership team, Academy of International Business (AIB), Asia Pacific chapter, Japan (2021-)
President, Japan Academy of Multinational Enterprises (2019-2023)

Contact

E-mail : USUI, Tetsuya

Office : South 2-414

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