An academic trip to Japan became a transformative experience for Lyuxamar Ortiz Miranda, a first-year student in Sagrado’s School of Business. What began as an immersion in international trade and supply chain topics evolved into a journey that reshaped her professional outlook, her understanding of globalization, and her sense of purpose in relation to Puerto Rico.
The visit included tours of emblematic companies such as Nippon Steel, Yakult, and Kikkoman. From the industrial scale of steel production to community-based service models and the global export of traditional products, the student witnessed firsthand how the Japanese economy weaves together tradition, innovation, and discipline. Concepts learned in class, such as globalization, logistics, and comparative advantage, stopped being theory and became lived experience.
The trip also revealed the value of intangible assets within an economic model. The concept of omotenashi, a form of hospitality based on genuine care and respect, left a deep impression on the student, who identified it as a cultural pillar sustaining Japan’s business practices. Everyday moments, such as the recovery of a lost phone or spontaneous acts of assistance, reinforced the role of trust as a social and professional cornerstone.
From these experiences, Ortiz Miranda reflected on parallels and challenges for Puerto Rico. She recognized that just as Japan converts its cultural identity into economic strength, the island’s greatest asset is its people: creative talent, resilience, and human warmth. However, she emphasized that transforming that comparative advantage into a competitive one requires infrastructure, entrepreneurial training, and strategies that integrate culture, industry, and innovation.
This international experience, organized by the School of Business as part of its experiential learning approach, enabled students to connect academic content with real-world global contexts. It also encouraged critical reflection on the role of future professionals in the social and economic transformation of the country.
To read more about the experience from the student’s perspective, visit the opinion column in El Nuevo Día:
Omotenashi en Japón, esperanza en Puerto Rico.