Director’s Message
The Hitotsubashi University Institute of Innovation Research was established in 1997 as the first organization in Japan to research innovation from the viewpoint of the social sciences. Since then, innovation has grown steadily in importance. Whether it is declining birthrates and ageing populations, energy and environmental problems, weakening international competitiveness, or problems such as the rising cost of social safety nets or the widening gap between rich and poor, our societies are facing multiple challenges. Finding fundamental solutions to these problems seems beyond our grasp if we merely continue with our traditional approach. Contemporary society demands innovation from a variety of perspectives, including technologies, organizations, institutional systems, and social systems….
