Commencement of Joint Research with Kyoto University Graduate School of Management
Link and Motivation Inc. has launched a joint research project with Kyoto University's Graduate School of Management focusing on international human resource management in Southeast Asia, aiming to fuse academic research with practical consulting expertise.
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- 📰 Published: April 2, 2026 at 01:05
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Link and Motivation Inc. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Representative: Yoshihisa Ozasa, Securities Code: 2170, hereinafter referred to as "the Company") announces the commencement of joint research on "International Human Resource Management in the Southeast Asian Region" with the Graduate School of Management, Kyoto University, supported by Kyoto University Original Co., Ltd.
## Background of Joint Research
As corporate activities become increasingly globalized, "international human resource management" (cross-border talent management) is garnering growing attention as a crucial management theme supporting sustainable corporate growth. Southeast Asia, in particular, is a region where many companies are expanding their business hubs, driven by economic growth and population increases. However, due to differences in cultural backgrounds, systems, and labor markets, there are numerous challenges regarding local talent management.
Through its consulting services in organizational and talent development, the Company has supported corporate organizational transformation and the advancement of talent management. By merging this practical expertise with the academic research insights of Kyoto University's Graduate School of Management, this joint research aims to theoretically organize global HR and create practical implications.
## Overview of Joint Research
This joint research, together with Professor Tomoki Sekiguchi and Associate Professor LIU Ting of Kyoto University's Graduate School of Management, aims to build theories and hypotheses for international talent management suited to the Southeast Asian region. This will be achieved by comparatively analyzing the global talent management of Japanese and non-Japanese multinational companies to identify similarities and differences.
The main research themes include the actual state of international human resource management and global talent management in Southeast Asia, the role of "boundary spanners" who relay communication between headquarters and subsidiaries, the optimization of talent portfolios in overseas subsidiaries, and corporate language strategies in multilingual environments.
Based on literature reviews, the research will employ a mixed-methods approach combining local interviews, questionnaires, and action research. The findings will be disseminated as academic papers in top journals, articles for practitioners in publications like Harvard Business Review, and books.
## Future Outlook
The insights gained from this research will be published as academic outcomes and utilized as practical suggestions contributing to the advancement of global talent management in companies. Currently operating hubs in five Southeast Asian countries, the Company plans to apply these findings to support organizational development and talent management in the region.
The Company will continue to promote research activities in the organizational and talent domains through collaboration with universities and research institutions, striving to enhance services that support sustainable corporate growth.
## Comment from Professor Tomoki Sekiguchi, Graduate School of Management, Kyoto University
I am extremely pleased to have formed a joint research team that contributes to both academia and practice, focusing on international human resource management in Southeast Asia. For multinational companies, including Japanese firms, Southeast Asia is an immensely vital region strategically, and management approaches reflecting its diverse institutional and cultural backgrounds are being questioned.
Through this research, we aim to construct a theoretical framework that balances intra-regional integration and local adaptation in human resource management. We will do this by understanding the macro-level characteristics of Southeast Asian countries—such as their economy, society, culture, and human capital—and by elucidating the micro-level mechanisms of international human resource management and global talent management, primarily targeting Japanese companies expanding into the region.
Through such research, we hope to provide the theoretical groundwork for multinational companies to effectively execute their regional strategies in Southeast Asia and lead them to success.
## Background of Joint Research
As corporate activities become increasingly globalized, "international human resource management" (cross-border talent management) is garnering growing attention as a crucial management theme supporting sustainable corporate growth. Southeast Asia, in particular, is a region where many companies are expanding their business hubs, driven by economic growth and population increases. However, due to differences in cultural backgrounds, systems, and labor markets, there are numerous challenges regarding local talent management.
Through its consulting services in organizational and talent development, the Company has supported corporate organizational transformation and the advancement of talent management. By merging this practical expertise with the academic research insights of Kyoto University's Graduate School of Management, this joint research aims to theoretically organize global HR and create practical implications.
## Overview of Joint Research
This joint research, together with Professor Tomoki Sekiguchi and Associate Professor LIU Ting of Kyoto University's Graduate School of Management, aims to build theories and hypotheses for international talent management suited to the Southeast Asian region. This will be achieved by comparatively analyzing the global talent management of Japanese and non-Japanese multinational companies to identify similarities and differences.
The main research themes include the actual state of international human resource management and global talent management in Southeast Asia, the role of "boundary spanners" who relay communication between headquarters and subsidiaries, the optimization of talent portfolios in overseas subsidiaries, and corporate language strategies in multilingual environments.
Based on literature reviews, the research will employ a mixed-methods approach combining local interviews, questionnaires, and action research. The findings will be disseminated as academic papers in top journals, articles for practitioners in publications like Harvard Business Review, and books.
## Future Outlook
The insights gained from this research will be published as academic outcomes and utilized as practical suggestions contributing to the advancement of global talent management in companies. Currently operating hubs in five Southeast Asian countries, the Company plans to apply these findings to support organizational development and talent management in the region.
The Company will continue to promote research activities in the organizational and talent domains through collaboration with universities and research institutions, striving to enhance services that support sustainable corporate growth.
## Comment from Professor Tomoki Sekiguchi, Graduate School of Management, Kyoto University
I am extremely pleased to have formed a joint research team that contributes to both academia and practice, focusing on international human resource management in Southeast Asia. For multinational companies, including Japanese firms, Southeast Asia is an immensely vital region strategically, and management approaches reflecting its diverse institutional and cultural backgrounds are being questioned.
Through this research, we aim to construct a theoretical framework that balances intra-regional integration and local adaptation in human resource management. We will do this by understanding the macro-level characteristics of Southeast Asian countries—such as their economy, society, culture, and human capital—and by elucidating the micro-level mechanisms of international human resource management and global talent management, primarily targeting Japanese companies expanding into the region.
Through such research, we hope to provide the theoretical groundwork for multinational companies to effectively execute their regional strategies in Southeast Asia and lead them to success.