About Toyo University Progress :Tsutomu Yoshioka Seminar(Department of International Tourism Management, Faculty of International Tourism Management)
Introducing a Promising Toyo University Student ー Progress
At Toyo University, many students demonstrate their outstanding talents in a wide range of fields, including scholarly and scientific research, sports, and volunteer activities.
In this edition, we interviewed the students of the Faculty of International Tourism Management’s Yoshioka Seminar who won the inter-university “Dessert Competition 2021.”
Department of International Tourism Management, Faculty of International Tourism Management
Tsutomu Yoshioka Seminar
The main research theme of the Yoshioka Seminar is to consider solutions to the various issues faced by corporations from business perspectives, such as management and cost control. Students of Yoshioka Seminar came up with a Tart Mont Blanc made with Naruto Kintoki sweet potato, which they put on sale and subsequently won the Dessert Competition 2021.*
*A competition held jointly by Yadoya JukuInc., a business school that develops hospitality industry professionals, and Hotel Grand Hill Ichigaya. The recipe the students came up with was made into a product with the help of the hotel pâtissier and put on sale at the hotel tea lounge. The students competed to outsell the other teams.
We were suddenly entered into a contest despite only just meeting one another.
With online lessons continuing due to the effects of COVID-19, our seminar started in mid-September last year. It was our first team meeting each other, and amidst an evidently nervous online atmosphere, Prof. Yoshioka suddenly proposed that we join the Dessert Competition.” Everyone was surprised because we thought we would give self-introductions in our first seminar. We were suddenly thrust into a practical exercise without being taught anything at all However, there was no time for small talk, and before we knew it, we were having serious conversations about how best to proceed. Then, we split into three groups. Product Development, who would think about the dessert we would sell, Promotion, who would conduct marketing and make announcements, and Costing and Field Research, who would conduct accounting management and research. We decided that we would use our weekly seminar to share our findings.
Continuing to obsess over the details without compromising led us to victory.
We held questionnaires using social media and researched the environment and customer base around the hotel where the dessert would be sold. Based on this, we decided to make a “Naruto Kintoki Tart Mont Blanc” using sweet potatoes, which are in season at the time of the competition (late November to early December). From there, it was a process of trial and error. As it was close to Christmas, we made the cake in the shape of a Christmas tree. We also added the acidity from apples so that the cake would not be too sweet, and we were very particular about how the strength of the potato taste, mouthfeel, and texture. We received advice from the patissier who was making our prototypes, but we placed importance on making the final decision ourselves about whether to incorporate their advice. In addition to this, we completed our product while also taking into account the predetermined cost ratio.
We also put a lot of effort into advertising. We thought that gaining awareness was the first step to acquiring customers, so we created an social media account as soon as we started the project. To raise awareness of our SNS account, we distributed flyers, made handwritten illustrations, and posted images so that when nine are arranged together, they produce one large picture. We posted strategically, and we tried to include elements of narrative, such as thinking about how often to post, what information to post, and when.
We created good chemistry between the groups by utilizing each other's strengths. As a result, we were the only university to sell out every day of the 14-day selling period, and we won the competition. We were concerned that the combination of Naruto Kintoki and Mont Blanc would not be enough to distinguish our product from the others,
but I think it was good that we went for a tried and tested style. Focusing on marketing and targeting is what enabled us to win the competition.
We built relationships where we motivate and encourage one another.
I think the fact that we all became close to one another by participating in the Dessert Competition was a significant positive outcome of the project. Not that we just became friends, but we understood each other’s personalities and expertise, and we became aware that we have the same motivation for learning and interests and are headed in the same direction. We are all hungry for learning and do not wait to see what others think. Instead, we have a relationship where we push one another. When one of us takes a step forward, others try to catch up and overtake them. We are now working on a new project, but I think we have become a seminar where no matter what difficulties we face, we will be able to come together and pursue our goal.
From Professor Dr. Tsutomu YOSHIOKA
Participating in a contest straight after the seminar started was perfect for team building. I thought everyone would work together if they had a shared goal. I value students' opinions and ideas in my seminar, and I rarely interfere. The act of learning is voluntary. It is not something you do because someone tells you to. I operate my seminar so that students become aware of their passive mindset of thinking they “have to” do something and turn this into a proactive mindset where they take action. I hope my students continue to value learning and grow even after graduation.
Professor Yoshioka told us that he has a group of positive-minded students this year.
