DIRECTOR
古田 茂美
Dr. Shigemi Furuta
After studying at Hong Kong's graduate school at public expense, Dr. Shigemi Furuta became the first Japanese to join the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), a quasi-governmental agency of the Hong Kong government, where she received training in Hong Kong industry and world trade. After working in export support services to Eastern Europe and the Australian market, she was engaged in Hong Kong's export activities to Japan, which began in the 1980s. As part of the Japan Section of the Council, she was involved in the Japan-led development and importation from major distributors of Hong Kong, and dramatically expanded Hong Kong's functions for Japan.
Later, as Director of Japan, Dr. Furuta was engaged in multilateral trade between Japan, Hong Kong and China. During this time, she has provided many know-hows and tips to Hong Kong and Japanese companies on how to develop trade between Hong Kong and Japan.
She will share her experience and knowledge to help Hong Kong and Japanese companies to further develop and prosper in international trade.
Work
After completing the overseas study at the Chinese University of Hong Kong on a public exchange program, Dr. Furuta entered the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the quasi-Government organization of the Government of Hong Kong. Since then, she has been engaged in trade promotion projects between Hong Kong and Japan and projects for Japanese companies to enter China via Hong Kong. She was the first Japanese employed by the HQ of the HKTDC as an Executive Trainee. She was appointed to the Marketing Manager at the Tokyo Office, the Director of the Osaka Office during 80’s to 90’s, and in 2005, she was appointed to the post of the Director, Japan of HKTDC to oversee the entire market of Japan. For all these periods, she led the Council’s trade promotion to Japan and engaged in assisting Japanese and HK firms to do business each other.
In order to clarify the structure and essence of business in China through Hong Kong companies, she has continued her research at the University of Hong Kong, Kobe University, Ritsumeikan University, etc., in addition to her profession as a semi-government trade promotion officer. In 2003, she established the Chinese Management and Marketing School (CMMS) as an educational program to facilitate business with China, and has supported many Japanese companies in their expansion into China. In 2005, she published a textbook entitled "A Compass for Entering the Chinese Cultural Sphere”. After leaving the Council in 2016, she moved to China to continue her research on Japan-China business promotion at Sun Yat-sen School of Management, Zhongshan University, Guangzhou. From 2018, she worked at the Faculty of Business Administration of the University of Macau as a visiting professor of International Trade Management. She was also the Program Director of the Asia Pacific Academy of Economy and Management of the University of Macau.
Education
Exchange Student to the Chung Chi College of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Master of Public Administration (MPA),
Graduate School of Public Administration, International Christian University, Master of Business Administration (MBA),
Graduate School of Business Administration, Kobe University, Graduate School of International Relations, Ritsumeikan University (Ph.D. in International Relations)
Awards
2001: Won the Grand Prix at the Academic Thesis Competition held by the Modern Management Research Society of Kobe University
2017: Conferred the Consulate-General’s Commendation for the contribution to Japan/Hong Kong economic and trade development.
Teaching
2003 - 2008 : Visiting Professor at the Graduate School of Business Administration (EMBA), Ritsumeikan University, for the Class of "Chinese Management Research and Business Strategy for China”
2013 - 2019 : Visiting Professor at the Graduate School of Management, University of Kitakyushu, for the Class of the "Management Thoughts in Greater China”
2016 - 2017 : Visiting Scholar/Visiting Professor, Sun Yat-sen School of Management, Zhongshan University, Guangzhou, Chin
2017 - 2019 : Visiting Professor, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Kyushu University (QBS), for the Class of "Chinese Business”
2018 - 2020 : Vice Professor of International Relations, Faculty of Business Administration (FBA), University of Macau, for the Class of the "International Trade Management”
Publications
・Analysis of Economic Change in Hong Kong and Taiwan (co-authored, Institute of Developing Economies, 1988)
・The Hong Kong Advantage (Japanese translation, Union Press, 2000)
・The Road to Hong Kong and South China (co-authored, Union Press, 2002)
・Gwanxi (co-authored, Gwanxi: A Compass for the Expansion of the Chinese Cultural Area, Union Press, August 2005)
・The Road to South China in Hong Kong (co-author, Union Press, 2002)
・If you know the art of war, you can understand China (Sole author, Discover Publishing, May 2011)
・How to Create Relationships with Chinese People (co-author, Discover Publishing, July 2012)
・A Comparison of Longevity Companies in Japan and China (co-author, Chuokeizai-sha, March 31, 2021)
Academia
"Longevity Factors of Japanese Century-old Companies"
5th Report of the Online Conference of the East Asia Economic Conference, Center for Chinese Business Studies, University of Kitakyushu, March 8, 2021.
“Issues and Methods of Business Education for the Business in the Greater Chinese Economic Area: A Preliminary Discussion"
The Chinese Academy of Business Administration, The Fifth Autumn Meeting, Nagoya, Nagoya University, September 25, 2005.
"The China Business by Overseas Chinese Enterprises: Focusing on an Interview Survey of Hong Kong companies"
The Society of Overseas Chinese Studies in Japan, Fourth Session of the Second Conference, Tokyo, Hosei University, November 27, 2004
”Research on International Alliances as an International Management Strategy for Small and Medium Enterprises"
2003 Paper Competition of the Society for the Study of Modern Business Administration, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan, June 29, 2003 (Gold Award)