Management/Business

What Is the Essence of Integrity? A Dialogue Between Business and Philosophy

Integrity is highly valued in Western business management and is considered a fundamental concept taught in MBA (Master of Business Administration) programs. However, embedding this Western-derived concept within Japanese companies is by no means easy. What does integrity-driven management bring to a company, and how does it transform it?Through a dialogue between Yoshimasa Watabiki (Director, Representative Executive Officer, and Executive Vice President of the Dentsu Group), who is leading this reform, and philosopher Takahiro Nakajima (Professor at the University of Tokyo), who explores how people can “transform together,” we explore practical knowledge for incorporating philosophy into management—from codes of conduct centered on integrity to methods for generating profits, and even the evaluation and development of employees.

Takahiro Nakajima, Yoshimasa Watabiki

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Retail investors “don’t look at things based on numbers alone.” So, how should we approach them?

Now that the general public is becoming a key stakeholder in IR activities, how should companies engage with individual investors? With the new NISA system gaining traction, investing has become more accessible to the average person. The total number of individual shareholders in Japan has now exceeded 80 million...

Yasumi Minato, Yu Maeda

IR × Branding in the Age of Individual Investors [2/2]

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Incorporating the Concept of “Memorial Services” into Management Decisions: How We Bring Things to a Close Shapes a Company’s Future

An experimental exploration of the essence of the challenges faced by business professionals, viewed through the lens of Shōkei Matsumoto, a Buddhist monk and philosopher. We welcomed Yuko Kitakaze of Dentsu Group GCSO as our guest and, following our previous discussion on “Integrity,” engaged in a dialogue on the theme of “Management Decisions and Commemoration.” It is no exaggeration to say that corporate management consists of a continuous series of “decisions.” Ms. Kitakaze explains that a decision is “deciding what not to do.”Management “decisions” and Buddhist “memorial services.” What insights into corporate growth emerge from their commonalities? In an era of increasing uncertainty, we present a dialogue where contemporary management challenges intersect with Buddhist thought.

Shokei Matsumoto, Yuko Kitakaze, Teisuke Ido

Buddhist Philosopher × Business Executive: “A Dialogue on the Future of ◯◯◯◯” [2/2]

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[Call for Participants] Webinar Hosted by PR Consulting Dentsu Inc.: “What Is a ‘Company-Wide Response’ to Protect Your Company from Ransomware Attacks? — Learning from Case Studies: Collaboration and Preparedness Across Technology, Public Relations, and Management” — To Be Held on September 16

PR Consulting Dentsu Inc. is accepting registrations for the webinar “What Is a ‘Company-Wide Response’ to Protect Your Company from Ransomware Attacks? — Learning from Case Studies: Collaboration and Preparedness Across Technology, Public Relations, and Management,” to be held on Wednesday, September 16.

Online (Teams)
[2026/09/15]

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“Opening a sake brewery that has been closed for 200 years to the community.” What is this unprecedented, integrated brand experience design?

Our guest is Satoshi Hamamoto, a spatial producer at Dentsu Live Inc. He will present a case study of the “&KASEN Project,” which opens the 200-year-old “Tamura Sake Brewery” in Fussa City, Tokyo, to the public. Dentsu Live Inc. proposed and built an integrated brand experience spanning all touchpoints—including facility development, the launch of food and beverage operations, merchandise development, the commercialization of guided tours, and PR strategies.

Satoshi Hamamoto

Events Can Contribute to BX! —Dentsu Live Inc.: Pioneering the Future with Expertise and Creativity [5/5]

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Corporate “Integrity” is Connected to “Karma”: Seeking Insights for Management in Buddhist Thought

An experimental series exploring the essence of the concerns faced by business professionals from the perspective of Shōkei Matsumoto, a Buddhist monk and philosopher. In this episode, we welcomed Yuko Kitakaze, Global Chief Sustainability Officer (GCSO) of the Dentsu Group, as our guest for a dialogue on the theme of “Corporate Integrity.”What are the commonalities between corporate “integrity” and the Buddhist concepts of “karma” and “body, speech, and mind”? What insights into management emerge from these connections? In an era of growing uncertainty, we present a dialogue where contemporary management challenges intersect with Buddhist philosophy.

Shokei Matsumoto, Yuko Kitakaze, Teisuke Ido

Buddhist Philosopher × Business Executive: “A Dialogue on the Future of ◯◯◯◯” [1/2]

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Key Players Facing the Future of Deep Tech Gather—What Is the “Creative Conflict” That the TECHNIUM Global Conference Aims For?

As social issues grow increasingly complex, expectations for deep tech as a solution are rising. However, outstanding research findings and technologies do not automatically translate into the power to drive societal change. This requires long-term funding, management talent to drive the business forward, partnerships with large corporations, and support for real-world implementation...

Akio Arima, Keigo Yato, Tomohiro Yamamoto, Ryo Sasaki, Tomohiro Katayama, Yoshiaki Takai

STARTUP GROWTH TALK [11/11]

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It seems “dialogue” is all the rage these days…

As I sip my beer at my favorite izakaya, all sorts of memories come flooding back… In this installment, Dentsu Inc.’s Takeo Yamada reflects on memorable “encounters” from his student days to the present, exploring the “hope” and “despair” involved in “understanding” others, as well as what’s necessary for dialogue that sparks innovation.

Sōo Yamada

【Continued】Local Gurgle [208/208]

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Accelerate “Ambidextrous Management” Through the Internal Utilization of Technology PR

・What is Technology Public Relations? It refers to corporate communications regarding a company’s “technology,” particularly external communications. Collaboration between the technology and public relations departments to appropriately communicate the company’s technology to the outside world is of great significance in corporate management. In this series, we will examine both the management perspective and the academic perspective...

Atari Norihito

The Case for "Technology PR": Are There "Treasure Troves" Hidden in Your Company’s Technology Department? [2/2]

110

Entries are now being accepted for the “PR Awards 2026,” which recognizes the very best in public relations and PR activities.

The Public Relations Society of Japan (PRSJ) began accepting entries for the “PR Awards 2026” on Thursday, August 20.

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Kirin Beverage President Kazuhiro Inoue speaks. A long-term management vision is not something to be “proclaimed,” but something to be “set in motion.”

This series delves into the essence of business transformation by interviewing top executives who are driving these changes. In this installment, we interviewed Kazuhiro Inoue, President of Kirin Beverage, who unveiled the long-term management vision “BV2035 (Biba Ni-maru San-go).”

Kazuhiro Inoue, Tomoyasu Katagai, Takaaki Koshiba

Architect of Transformation [17/17]

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In the age of AI, where will dentsu’s competitive edge come from? Global CEO Suguru Sano Discusses the New Era of “Innovating to Impact”

The “Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2026” is one of the world’s largest celebrations of creativity. At the Debussy Theater—one of the festival’s main venues—dentsu Global CEO Suguru Sano held a discussion with Julia Boorstin, Senior Media & Tech Correspondent at CNBC.

Takeshi Sano

Let’s talk about Cannes. CANNES LIONS 2026 [1/3]

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The Supporters ~Kyushu MaaS: Behind the Scenes of the Challenge~

Hiroshi Majima of Toyota Financial Services, who was responsible for the development and implementation of “my route,” and Takuya Murakami of Dentsu Inc., who was seconded to Toyota Motor Corporation during the development phase and continued to support the project afterward, have reunited. As they look back on the trial and error and numerous challenges they faced on the ground, the two—who worked together on the project—share their memories of that time.

Hiroshi Majima, Takuya Murakami

dentsu BX “The Supporters” [1/1]

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What is “Practical Knowledge,” anyway?

I’m not sure if it’s because of the rainy season or because I’m still feeling the effects of yesterday’s drinks, but the phrase “practical knowledge” has been making my already foggy mind feel even more muddled lately. How do you all use this term? For example, the other day, while talking with a client, they mentioned, “A skilled con...

Sōo Yamada

【Continued】Local Gurgle [207/208]

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Behind the Scenes of the “Hakata no Shio” Sound Logo Karaoke Blockbuster Hit

“Ha-ka-ta-no-shio!” A sound logo lasting just a few seconds that everyone has heard at least once. Inspired by the “Sound Logo Karaoke AWARD” held in February 2026, this phrase became a song people actually “sing” at karaoke, sparking a huge buzz. “Sound...”

Junpei Inoue, Masahiro Yasui, Kohei Morimoto

Leveraging Business and Music in Management [3/3]

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