| 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. |
