Wrapping up the Leading Mindful Digitalization virtual summer program

By the halfway point of the Leading Mindful Digitalization (LMD) virtual summer program, participants had already gained a strong understanding of the various factors that influence digital transformation and determine its effectiveness. In line with the goals of the “Inspiration Stage” making up the first two days of the program, they had already begun discussing in their small groups the industries and organizations that are ripe for digital transformation.

But our seasonal programs are also designed to provide moments of cultural enrichment and recreational interaction as well, which is why the third day of LMD began with a guided meditation session and a presentation on Eastern philosophical views of wellness and spiritual fulfillment, given by the renowned Reverend Takafumi Zenryu Kawakami of the Shunkoin Temple.

LMD participants were also treated to the second of the “It’s Always Sunny” series, in which Kishore Kumar François and John Kang film a fun-filled trip to a Japanese historical site to share with students on the last day of the program. This time, the pair found themselves in Inuyama, home of the famous Inuyama Castle.

Day 3 Lecture: Digital Leadership and the New Normal

After an enlightening and relaxing morning meditation session, participants were ready to dive into a topic with which they, as students of a virtual study program, were somewhat familiar: remote working.

Prof. Ray Hui of NUCB Business School explored the changing nature of work and life under the New Normal and discussed how leaders in the digital age needed to find new ways to motivate remote workers. The class examined Fujitsu’s “work life shift” program as a case study in how working conditions under the pandemic require adaptation on the part of not just workers, but also the team leaders and managers who are responsible for supervising and directing them.

Day 4 Presentation: Building a Digital Marketing Proposition

Having held top positions in marketing for heavyweights such as Verizon Wireless and Vodafone, Prof. Ted Katagi of NUCB Business School took charge of the morning session on the fourth day with pointed questions guiding students to consider their digital transformation projects through the eyes of their consumers and end users. Before turning to the usual 4 Ps of Marketing (product, price, place, promotion), participants were urged to consider the 5th P, the purpose of the product, first and foremost.

Day 4 Lecture: Understanding Consumer Behavior: the Power of Rich Data

Prof. Dan Qin of NUCB Business School gave students a look into how digitalization strategies using AI could overwhelmingly transform operations and the customer experience in a seemingly unchangeable industry. Examining the success of Lemonade, Inc., the top-rated insurance company that has explosively risen to prominence since it was founded in 2015, participants were invited to consider the various factors that led to its shocking success in order to explore how that success could be replicated in different, but similar, industries.

Day 5: Production stage

After starting the day with a laugh thanks to the video presentation of “It’s Always Sunny (in Inuyama)” from aspiring travel vloggers Kishore and John, the participants were ready to jump into their groups to begin solidifying their digital transformation strategies and preparing their presentations for the program’s lecturers to evaluate.

Their time in their groups proved to be well spent, as the participants presented groundbreaking ideas with the potential to transform the tourism, real estate, and even the healthcare industries by simplifying both the customer experience and organizational operations.

Participants entered into the program expecting to experience a variety of different perspectives on and angles to digital transformation, but also came to value the sense of camaraderie they felt with the other program participants, leading to the sense of pride they earned from the successful completion of their group projects. Effusive with praise for the program, the participants contributed their program evaluation comments and signed farewell messages on the Leading Mindful Digitalization guestbook, sharing their contact details with one another to cement the friendships they had forged with their group mates and program peers.

• "This is my third digital transformation project and the most interactive one I ever had. I am very pleased to see the ideation transformed to conceptual framework and probably disrupting the industry.”
• "It was very enjoyable, our team was constantly trying to introduce new ideas (between laughs) and try to incorporate it into our final product. Overall, I am very proud of our team!"
• "It was very well organized! Each of the presentations/courses were interesting and helped me to understand the subjects in more depth."
• "Inspirational speakers and interesting case themes!"
• "It was great to work with my teammates!"
• "A friendly atmosphere made it really comfortable to study."
• "I really like the virtual tour vlog, please do more!"
• "The lectures with the case studies encouraged a lot of student involvement."
• "I enjoyed learning about digital tech applications and networking with fellow classmates."

Stay tuned to this blog to learn more about the upcoming 2021 virtual winter program! We look forward to designing the program to be better than ever and announcing the details to any interested students.