| 回 | 項目 | 内容 |
| 第1回 | Class orientation and the definition of "a firm" | The instructor goes over the contents of this course, the schedule, the expected goal, and the evaluation method.Then, as an introduction to the spring semester, the class reviews the definition of "a firm". The essentials of the comparative institutional analysis （CIA) and its neiboring area such as the varieties of capitalism (VOC) are also referred to. |
| 第2回 | Review of the game theory | In order to understand the comparative institutaional analysis closely, this class review the basics of game theory on which CIA is based. |
| 第3回 | Players in Japanese firms I: managers | From the third class through the seventh, the course checks the players in Japanese firms one by one. Managers are the focus of the third class. |
| 第4回 | Players in Japanese firms II: shareholders | The class checks the role of shareholders in Japanese firms. The difference between Japan and US is to be the main interest. |
| 第5回 | Players in Japanese firms III: employers and employees | The class discusses how employees and trade unions affect the decisions and the strategies of Japanese firms, as well as how the long-term employment tradition has been changing in this country. |
| 第6回 | Players in Japanese firms IV: stakeholders | The class looks into how the influence of "keiretsu" or other stakeholders have been changing in Japan. |
| 第7回 | Players in relation to Japanese firms: government | Policies and rules are important components of the institutions in a country in the theories of CIA or VOC. The class overviews what kind of policies, rules, and regulations are decided and implemented in what way, focusing on the role of government. |
| 第8回 | Innovation in Japanese firms | The class checks what kind of innovation Japanese firms are said to be good at according to CIA or VOC, and sees if what the theories say is applicable to the reality. |
| 第9回 | Globalization | The class investigates how Japanese firms attempt to cope with the globalization of economy. |
| 第10回 | Industry pick-up I: ICT industry I | Based on the piror discussion, the classes from the 10th through the 13th pick up two industries as case studies. The tenth class overviews the history of the information and communications (ICT) indstry. |
| 第11回 | Industry pick-up II: ICT industry II | The class discusses the strength and weakness of Japanese ICT industry from the perspective of CIA or VOC. |
| 第12回 | Industry pick-up III: automobile industry I | The class overviews the literature on Japanese automobile industry mainly in the management studies. |
| 第13回 | Industry pick-up IV: automobile industry II | The class discusses the strength and weakness of Japanese automobile industry from the perspective of CIA or VOC. Students are expected to select a topic of their report for the spring semester. |
| 第14回 | Review of the spring semester | The class reviews the contents of the spring semester. The instructor checks with students how they are preparing the report. |
| 第15回 | Short presentation by students and discussion | Each student gives a short presentation based on his/her report followed by the discussion in the class. All the class participants are to submit the written report at the end of the class. |
| 第16回 | Review of GDP | As an introduction to the autumn semester, the class reviews GDP since the course is organized according to the components of GDP. |
| 第17回 | Japanese economy in the post World War II | The class overviews what has been happening in Japanese economy in the post-war era. |
| 第18回 | Households I: consumption and investment | From the 18th class through the 25th, the course looks into each component of GDP. The 18th class covers the consumption and investment by Japanese households. |
| 第19回 | Households II: employment | The class focuses on the employment, the unemployment rate, and the labor market in Japan. |
| 第20回 | Businesses I: investment | The class checks one of the major indicators representing the status of economy: capital investment by firms. |
| 第21回 | Businesses II: corporate governance | In addition to the wrap-up of the spring semester, the class discusses changes in corporate governance of Japanese firms including the diversity in management. |
| 第22回 | Government I: financial policy | The class overviews financial policies in Japan including Abenomics. |
| 第23回 | Government II: monetary policy | The class discusses the past an the latest monetary policies in Japan. |
| 第24回 | Price index | The class checks the changes of price index since the Bubble economy. |
| 第25回 | International balance of payments | The class looks into the status of the international balance of payments. Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and other international/global issues are also to be discussed. |
| 第26回 | Aging and the decrease of population I: the current status | From the 26th class through the 28th, mid/long-term challenges Japanese economy faces are to be covered. The 26th class overviews the aging and decreasing trend of population in Japan. |
| 第27回 | Aging and the decrease of population II: policies | The class discusses what kind of policies and measures have been and to be taken to cope with the population decrease. |
| 第28回 | Industy 4.0 | The class looks into what is going on with regard to the Industry 4.0 or the fourth industrial revolution in Japan, and discusses its implication for the further economic development. Students are expected to select a topic of their report for the autumn semester. |
| 第29回 | Review of the autumn semester | The class reviews the contents in the autumn semester. The instructor checks with students how they are preparing the report. |
| 第30回 | Short presentation by the students and the discussion | Each student gives a short presentation based on his/her report followed by the discussion in the class. All the class participants are to submit the written report at the end of the class. |
