As the decline in university students’ ability to comprehend reading materials and communicate in writing is often pointed out, many universities provide their students with a lecture on how to write reports and papers. However, universities that provide practical writing training are few in number due to a shortage of instructors. Given this situation, Aoyama Gakuin University is implementing a project named “Promoting academic Writing education through e-Leaning (PaWeL)” to help its students improve their writing skills by utilizing computer science technology called natural language processing technology. Can computers improve students’ writing skills?—The project makes full use of research results and technologies currently available to meet this challenge.
(This column is as of 2015.)
College of Education, Psychology and Human Studies
Paying Attention to Your Appearance Is Key to Good Communication with Others?
Professor ENDO Kenji
You may disagree if I say “Your appearance is everything.” However, other people can only infer what your inside character is like and make a judgement about you from your appearance. Appearance is, therefore, key to good communication with others and must be given sufficient attention.
This column focuses on appearance, one of the forms of non-verbal communication. We examine how others react according to the change of appearance based on multiple data and explore appropriate appearance that helps you build better communication with others.
(This column is as of 2015.)
Exploring Better Relationships between Corporations and their Employees
Professor YAMASHITA Masaru
After World War II, Japanese corporations achieved growth by spurring their employees to share the top management’s philosophy and values and take pride in the company they worked for. Society became prosperous and people started working with diverse motivations including “for personal fulfillment” and “to earn money.” Then, the bubble economy burst and corporations’ financial standing weakened. Furthermore, the poorly adopted merit-based pay system undermined the relationship between individuals and corporations, which accelerated the weakening of the latter. It must be reaffirmed that companies are sustained by the people who work for them. In this column, I would like to look at how struggling Japanese corporations should rebuild their relationship with their employees in order to regain their strength, and elaborate on the new forms of relationships between organizations and individuals that match the Japanese corporate culture.
(This column is as of 2015.)
Professional Graduate School of International Management
Can Railways Survive?
Professor FUKUI Yoshitaka
There has been a lot of news about Japan’s railway industry in recent years, with the Tokaido Shinkansen marking the 50th anniversary of the launch of its operation last year, the Hokuriku Shinkansen started service on March 14 this year, and the construction of the Linear (SCMAGLEV) Chuo Shinkansen is scheduled to begin this summer. However, as transport volume is expected to decrease in the era of population decline, is it really necessary to develop and expand the railroad network across Japan any further? This column looks squarely at the current situation of rail transportation and explores possible future courses for this mode of transport.
(This column is as of 2015.)
School of International Politics, Economics and Communication
How to Polish Your Communication Skills
Professor SUEDA Kiyoko
For the 10th consecutive year, communication skills have been ranked highest in the elements given priority in the screening of candidates for recruitment. As this indicates, communication skills have recently become the skills that are most required. But what should we do to improve our communication skills?
This column digs into the essence of communication and discusses what true communication is.
(This column is as of 2015.)
Following the review of the right of collective self-defense, the Constitution has again began attracting attention. Although the ideas in the Constitution are the basis of various laws and closely connected to people’s lives, quite a few people feel that the Constitution does not have much bearing on them. This column will reaffirm the raison d'être and roles of the Constitution. Then, it will consider some familiar issues in view of the Constitution, thereby illustrating that the Constitution is the law closest to us.
(This column is as of 2014.)
Everyone knows the playwright Shakespeare. He was born and active in the 16th century, and yet his works are still being performed all over the world 400 years later. What sort of person was Shakespeare, whose works have such ageless fascination? What is it about his works that make them so appealing? This column explores Shakespeare’s personality and the appeal of his works.
(This column is as of 2014.)
Basic research is focused, not on something that can be useful immediately, but on elucidating all phenomena on the earth and obtaining new understanding and proofs. Although it may not be immediately practical, basic research has the potential to change people’s lives dramatically or solve social issues. This column explores what basic research is and discusses how much fun it can be.
(This column is as of 2014.)
Analyzing Japan’s Current Situation and Future Outlook through Demography
Professor INOUE Takashi
The population of Japan is projected to decrease from 127.77 million in 2005 to 86.74 million in 2060 as a result of birth rate decline and population aging progressing at a faster rate than any other country in the world. Although the issue of population aging has been taken seriously, we cannot say that effective measures have been taken. In this column, I will elaborate on the current situation of Japan from the perspective of demography and discuss how we should deal with the issue of population aging.
(This column is as of 2014.)
The Japanese government announced in March 2013 that Japan would participate in the TPP. Frequently mentioned in news and newspapers, “TPP” has become a familiar term to us. But what is the TPP in the first place? Why is Japan participating in the TPP negotiations? In this column I will explain the TPP and examine the reasons for participating in the negotiations from both political and economic aspects.
(This column is as of 2013.)
In April 2014, it was decided that the rate of the Value-Added Tax in Japan (here in after “VAT”) would be raised to 8%. Did you approve of the tax hike, or disapprove? When it comes to taxes, we tend to think that they are being “stolen” from us. However, the function of taxes is therefore to contribute to the financial resources necessary for the nation we belong to. Its uses should also be decided by the citizens of a particular. Let’s take this opportunity to review the mechanisms of taxes and their use.
Professional Graduate School of International Management
Considering Management, Organization and Society through Social Networks
Professor NAKANO Tsutomu
When you hear the term “social network,” most of you probably think of social media and online communications. However, the concept of a social network is in fact one that was initially contrived in the study of the competitive and cooperative relationships among people in organizations and society. To live well in contemporary society, I would encourage you to learn about and obtain an in-depth understanding of social networks and make full use of your knowledge.
(This column is as of 2013.)
“Abenomics.” Hardly a day goes by without hearing this term being mentioned. It is a “nickname” for the economic policies of the second Abe administration. Here, I would like to explain what Abenomics is, as well as identify what is necessary for the revival of the Japanese economy and what could be its savior.
(This column is as of 2013.)
From English as an exam subject to English as a tool
Professor ALLEN TAMAI Mitsue
What Japanese people need to do in future is to state their opinions with their own words. Against the backdrop of globalization, there are increasing calls to improve the English ability of Japanese people. This column considers, in addition to the meaning of learning English, what it is that is required of Japanese people in future.
(This column is as of 2013.)
Improving interpersonal communication skills is one of the most talked about issues today. Wishing to help the related efforts, I suggest it is important to understand that interpersonal communication is basically an interaction between essentially separate, distinct individuals. Participants should try to be more aware of the inherent difficulty of establishing effective communication between individuals, all with distinct differences, rather than focusing only on the targeted function of forming a shared understanding about one another. Using this theory, I would like to discuss what it means to achieve desirable communication.
(This column is as of 2012.)
Industrial engineering (IE) is applied in many factories and companies worldwide. Also, IE is essentially intended to help improve our daily lives and to serve as a tool to make our dreams come true. This column describes what IE is and how we can apply it in our daily lives.
(This column is as of 2012.)
Considering Media Ethics and Laws with a Focus on the Leaking of “Off-the-Record” Comments
Professor OISHI Yasuhiko
“If anyone reported my (“off-the-record”) comments, their organization would be finished.”
There were a series of “off-the-record” information leaks by news media. After March 11, 2011, journalists seemed to begin raising questions themselves about media ethics in the face of the unprecedented situation caused by the tremendous disaster. What is important about “freedom of expression” not subject to laws and professional “media ethics”?
(This column is as of 2012.)
The Japanese movie industry, which was at its lowest point only 30 years ago, has been gaining momentum in recent years. How did the industry rebound? What is required to further enliven it? This column discusses how the Japanese movie industry can become an international industry.
(This column is as of 2012.)
