KEIO RESEARCHERS INFORMATION SYSTEM

Profile 【 Display / hide 】

Profile 【 Display / hide 】

• Dr. Shumpei Iwao is an Associate Professor at Keio University’s Faculty of Business and Commerce, a recognized authority in management studies, and an accomplished business executive. Holding a Ph.D. in Management from the University of Tokyo, his research investigates the drivers of innovation across diverse domains, including business models, production processes, and product design. By integrating a multi-methodological approach—encompassing theoretical research, case studies, statistical empirical analysis, computational experiments, and mathematical optimization—he explores the mechanisms that facilitate innovation and envisions the future of organizational management.
  
  Before assuming his current role at Keio University in 2022, Dr. Iwao served as an Assistant Professor at Meiji Gakuin University, a Visiting Researcher at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, and an Assistant Professor at Keio University. His scholarly excellence has been recognized with numerous prestigious honors, including the 73rd Gijuku Prize, the Takamiya Award from the Academic Association for Organizational Science (in both the Book and Article categories), the Japan Society for Production Management (JSPM) Award for Theoretical Literature, and the 4th Hyogensha Award. Beyond academia, he is a widely recognized bestselling author, with his publications consistently exceeding 150,000 copies sold per title.
  
  Distinctively, Dr. Iwao bridges the gap between high-level academic theory and real-world executive practice. As a business leader, he played a pivotal role as a Director and shareholder in guiding Dream Arts Corporation (TSE Growth: 4811) to a successful IPO. Subsequently, as Representative Director and CEO of THE WHY HOW DO COMPANY, Inc. (TSE Standard: 3823), he orchestrated a major corporate turnaround, remarkably increasing the company's market capitalization tenfold within just six months. Currently, as of March 2026, he leads Tri-Is Inc. (TSE Standard: 4840) as Representative Director, CEO, and a major shareholder (6% stake), continuing his mission to redefine modern organizational management through both rigorous research and bold leadership.

Message from the Faculty Member 【 Display / hide 】

Message from the Faculty Member 【 Display / hide 】

• I study what drives innovation across a broad spectrum of areas, from business models and production systems to product design. My research draws on a cross-disciplinary toolkit, utilizing theoretical research, case studies, statistical empirical analysis, computational experiments, and mathematical optimization. As I continue to refine these methods, I am currently focused on envisioning the future of organizational structures and management practices.

Career 【 Display / hide 】

Career 【 Display / hide 】

• 2022.04

  -

  Present

  Keio University, Faculty of Business and Commerce, Associate Professor

• 2021.04

  -

  2022.03

  Keio University, Faculty of Business and Commerce, Assistant Professor

• 2018.04

  -

  2021.03

  Meiji Gakuin University, Faculty of Economics, Junior Associate Professor

Academic Background 【 Display / hide 】

Academic Background 【 Display / hide 】

• 2009.04

  -

  2013.03

  Keio University, Faculty of Business and Commerce

  University, Graduated, Other

• 2013.04

  -

  2015.03

  The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Economics, Management Division

  Graduate School, Completed, Master's course

• 2015.04

  -

  2018.03

  The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Economics, Management Division

  Graduate School, Completed, Doctoral course

Academic Degrees 【 Display / hide 】

Academic Degrees 【 Display / hide 】

• Ph.D. (Management), The University of Tokyo, Coursework, 2018.03

  Kaizen Innovation and Organization Design

Books 【 Display / hide 】

Books 【 Display / hide 】

• Handbook of Organization Scinece Ⅳ

  Academic Association of Orgazanizational Science, Hakutou Shobo, 2022.09

  Scope: Ch.1 , Accepted

• Ambidextrous Global Strategy in the Era of Digital Transformation

  G. Shionoya and S. Iwao, Springer, 2022.09

• Management textbooks from teens to adults

  Iwao, S., KADOKAWA, 2022.06

• Toward the Renaissance of Japanese Management

  Shumpei IWAO, Nikkei Business Publications, 2021.06

• The KAIZEN activities revisited: Organizational structures and innovation strategies in the Japanese auto industry

  Shumpei IWAO, Yuhikaku, 2019.12

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Papers 【 Display / hide 】

Papers 【 Display / hide 】

• A New Mathematical Learning Curve Model Based on the Empirical Analysis of Japanese Sharing Economy Companies

  Iwao, S, Park, Y.C, Park, Y.W, Hong, C.P

  IEEE Access (IEEE)  11 ( 1 ) 4944 - 4955 2023.01

  Research paper (scientific journal), Lead author, Corresponding author, Accepted

  　View Summary

  Mathematical learning curve models have been widely used in strategic and production planning. In some emerging industries, the learning curve effect may be delayed or inhibited by various factors. This study proposes a new mathematical learning curve model - the squiggly learning curve model - for these emerging industries. The model incorporates any potential impeding factors in learning. It can present all the learning curve shapes in a single formula, from traditional log-linear learning curves to the S-curve learning curve and squiggly or sawtooth-shaped learning curves. This study adopts a mixed methods approach that combines mathematical modeling, nonparametric regression analysis using smoothed spline methods, questionnaire surveys, interviews, and case studies. The findings confirm that the model suitably represents the shape of sharing economy companies' learning curve; this learning curve is affected by several factors, including the increase in site-patrol costs to prevent users from violating rules and regulations, site modification costs, and salaries for customer service and sales employees, which occur as the number of sharing economy platform users increases. Thus, the model can be a useful analytical tool for operations and strategic management in the growth phase of emerging industries, such as the sharing economy industry, where learning impediments exist.

  • Access to Document (DOI)

• Continuous Improvement Revisited: Organization design as the last step for gaining full competitive advantage from Kaizen

  Iwao, S

  Management and Business Review  2 ( 1 ) 56 - 61 2022.08

  Research paper (scientific journal), Single Work, Accepted

• Inter-Organizational Knowledge Sharing and Creation in Toyota Group

  Iwao, S, Kato, Y

  Production Management : Transactions of the Japan Society for Production Management  2022.04

  Research paper (scientific journal), Accepted

• An accounting perspective on the Toyota production system: Why are Just-in-Time and Jidoka the two key pillars of TPS?

  Iwao, S

  Industrial Management and Accounting  2022.04

  Research paper (scientific journal), Single Work

• Extraordinary Organizations of Ordinary Individuals: A Study on the Management of Innovation "Itself"

  Iwao, S.

  Mita Business Review (慶應義塾大学出版会)  64 ( 3 ) 59 - 78 2021.08

  Research paper (scientific journal), Single Work, Lead author, Last author, Corresponding author

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Papers, etc., Registered in KOARA 【 Display / hide 】

Papers, etc., Registered in KOARA 【 Display / hide 】

• Designing technology strategies : action research at Sony

  Iwao, Shumpei

  Mita business review (慶應義塾大学出版会)  67 ( 3 ) 57 - 75 2024.08

  ISSN  0544571X

• Work system reform and dynamic capability : a comparative case analysis of SCSK, Haruyama Holdings, and Dai Nippon Printing

  Iwao, Shumpei

  Mita business review (慶應義塾大学出版会)  66 ( 5 ) 109 - 124 2023.12

  ISSN  0544571X

• New organization design for innovation

  Iwao, Shumpei

  科学研究費補助金研究成果報告書 2022

• Extraordinary organizations of ordinary individuals : a study on the management of innovation "itself"

  Iwao, Shunpei

  Mita business review (慶應義塾大学出版会)  64 ( 3 ) 59 - 78 2021.08

  ISSN  0544571X

• A study of the impact of the shape of organizational networks on innovation activities

  Iwao, Shumpei

  学事振興資金研究成果実績報告書 (慶應義塾大学)  2021

Research Projects of Competitive Funds, etc. 【 Display / hide 】

Research Projects of Competitive Funds, etc. 【 Display / hide 】

• Social Experimental Study on Quality Control of Business Strategies

  2023.04

  -

  2028.03

  若手研究, Principal investigator

• New Organization Design for Innovation

  2019.04

  -

  2023.03

  MEXT,JSPS, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research, Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists , Principal investigator

Awards 【 Display / hide 】

Awards 【 Display / hide 】

• 4th Hyogensha Award

  2022.04, Hyogensha

  Type of Award： Award from publisher, newspaper, foundation, etc.

• 73th Keio Prize

  2021.10, Keio Gijuku

  Type of Award： Keio commendation etc.

• 37th Susumu Takamiya Book Award

  2021.06, Academic Association of Organizational Science

  Type of Award： Award from Japanese society, conference, symposium, etc.

• 22th Book Award of Japan Society for Production Management

  2020.09, Japan Society for Production Management

  Type of Award： Award from Japanese society, conference, symposium, etc.

• 36th Susumu Takamiya Publication Award

  2020.06, Academic Association of Organizational Science

  Type of Award： Honored in official journal of a scientific society, scientific journal

Other 【 Display / hide 】

Other 【 Display / hide 】

• 株式会社AD ワークスグループ（東証プライム上場企業）との共同研究

  2023年10月

  　View Details

  詳細は下記のURLに記載。
  
  https://contents.xj-storage.jp/xcontents/32500/5083b307/ae22/4dd6/ad82/9fb2e88116af/140120231006563914.pdf

Courses Taught 【 Display / hide 】

Courses Taught 【 Display / hide 】

• SEMINAR (QA)

  2026

• SEMINAR (QD)

  2026

• INTRODUCTION TO MANAGEMENT (ORGANIZATION AND STRATEGY)

  2026

• SEMINAR (QB)

  2026

• SEMINAR

  2026

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