Affiliations: Biztech Inc., Tokyo, Japan | Musashi Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan | Musashi Institute of Technology, Kanagawa, Japan
Abstract: Innovation-related education is regarded increasingly important in
Japan these days, especially for engineers, and a corresponding education,
innovation enabling education entitled "Innovation Engineering", has been
developed as part of a planned MOT course at Musashi Institute of Technology,
and verified through trial provision of the education. Considering some
inherent features of Japanese companies, such as an inward-looking attitude in
thinking and a middle manager's role characterized by the middle-up-down
management model, emphases in the development has been placed on the following
three points; expanding the horizon of engineers, providing a practical tool
for engineers, and working on innovation enabling environments of business
practices, and the intended students were set to be engineers at middle
management positions. We have proposed a new concept of innovation enabling in
practical business environments, as a core of the innovation enabling education
for engineers, and named it "Innovation Engineering." A framework, called 2D
Matrix, is developed along with this concept, in order to offer some objective
and analytical perspectives to middle-management engineers, by especially
distinguishing management activities and operational practices.The developed
education course of twelve modules has been shortened to four-module seminar,
and tested through the trial provision. By taking appraisal of the attendants
there, the contents of education and the background concept have been proven to
be well-accepted and verified for its importance. This kind of methodological
approach could be a good first step for them to expand organizational and
managerial horizon in an organization.
Keywords: innovation engineering, education of innovation enabling, practical business engironments
