PRESS RELEASE
January 23, 2026
Hitotsubashi University Establishes the “Ikujiro Nonaka Knowledge Creation Endowed Laboratory”
Hitotsubashi University Graduate School of Business Administration, School of International Corporate Strategy (Hitotsubashi ICS), will establish the “Ikujiro Nonaka Knowledge Creation Endowed Laboratory.” This initiative aims to advance cutting-edge research and education in the field of knowledge management, to which Professor Emeritus Ikujiro Nonaka made tremendous contributions before his passing in January 2025, and to contribute to organizational value creation activities.
Professor Nonaka’s theory of knowledge creation, proposed as a management theory originating from Japan, has had a profound impact on global academic communities and the business world. Knowledge management theory has become even more important in today’s technological and social environment, including generative AI, and is expected to continue making significant contributions.
This endowed laboratory plans to undertake the following three main activities:
Organize and preserve Professor Nonaka’s academic achievements and make them widely accessible,
Support further theoretical development in contemporary contexts such as generative AI, and
Continuously create practical impact for industry.
Specific activities include inviting researchers from overseas, supporting research initiatives, and disseminating knowledge to academic societies and industry.
Expected outcomes include:
Strengthening domestic and international research networks and advancing research in knowledge management,
Developing educational materials and providing students with cutting-edge education, and
Promoting collaborative research with industry.
Hitotsubashi ICS served as the central base of Professor Nonaka’s research and educational activities until his passing.
Name: Ikujiro Nonaka Knowledge Creation Endowed Laboratory
Period: September 2026 – August 2031 (planned)
Main Research Themes:
Knowledge creation and corporate value creation
Knowledge management and innovation
Leadership
Faculty in Charge:
Endowed Chair Specially Appointed Professor: Patrick Reinmoeller (Professor, IMD)
Fellows:
Georg von Krogh, Professor and Chair of Strategic Management and Innovation, ETH Zurich
Shinobu Kitayama, Robert B. Zajonc Collegiate Professor of Psychology, University of Michigan
Donor:
Nonaka Institute of Knowledge (General Incorporated Association)
(Address: 2-1-1 Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Hirotaka Takeuchi), and several corporate sponsors
Contact for Inquiries:
Public Relations and Social Collaboration Division
Hitotsubashi University
E-mail: pr1284@ad.hit-u.ac.jp
Download the official press release here.