Business Operations
How do businesses in Laos manage day-to-day operations, and what operational challenges are most commonly faced?
Active·Current Study
JŌTŌ GROUP · 上等
WELCOME TO OUR PAGE
Jōtō Group is a student-led research initiative based in Laos. Through research, surveys, interviews, and direct engagement with businesses, we aim to better understand the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of business in Southeast Asia.
Scroll
About Jōtō Group
About Jōtō Group
Jōtō Group is a student-led initiative focused on business research, trade, innovation, and economic development across Southeast Asia.
Based in Laos, our current work centers on understanding how businesses operate, grow, and adapt within a rapidly changing regional economy.
By engaging directly with business owners, managers, exporters, importers, and industry professionals, we seek to develop practical insights into the opportunities and challenges facing today's businesses.
Our Focus Areas
01
Business Research
Conducting surveys and interviews to understand how businesses in Laos operate, grow, and face challenges.
02
Trade & Innovation
Exploring how SMEs engage with international trade and adopt innovation within Southeast Asia.
03
Economic Development
Studying entrepreneurship and economic patterns shaping the future of business across the ASEAN region.
04
Sharing Insights
Contributing findings to a broader understanding of Southeast Asian business development and opportunity.
Research Focus
Areas of research interest.
Trade & SMEs
International Trade & SME Development
How do small and medium-sized businesses in Laos and Southeast Asia engage with international trade? We research the barriers, opportunities, and infrastructure gaps that shape their export and import activity.
Export Challenges
Trade Compliance
SME Growth
Market Access
Learn More
Innovation & Growth
Business Innovation & Economic Development
How do businesses adapt, innovate, and grow within a developing regional economy? We explore entrepreneurship, business models, and the conditions that support or constrain economic development across Southeast Asia.
Entrepreneurship
Business Innovation
Economic Development
ASEAN Markets
Learn More
Mission & Vision
Research-led.
Rooted in Laos.
Laos serves as the foundation of our research and learning journey. By starting here, we hope to better understand both local challenges and broader opportunities across ASEAN — and contribute meaningfully to the conversation around business development in the region.
01
Our Mission
To better understand the challenges and opportunities facing businesses across Southeast Asia and contribute to future solutions through research, collaboration, and innovation.
02
Our Vision
A Southeast Asia where businesses of all sizes have greater access to knowledge, opportunity, and the tools needed to grow.
03
Why Laos
As one of Southeast Asia's developing economies, Laos offers valuable insights into entrepreneurship, trade, business development, and regional integration — making it the ideal foundation for our research.
Geographic Focus
Rooted in Laos.
Researching across Southeast Asia.
Select a region to explore our operational presence and strategic corridors — from our home in Laos to global markets.
Research Initiative
Current Research Project
We are conducting a school-authorized research project focused on business operations, trade, and growth in Laos — learning directly from businesses through surveys and conversations.
Our goal is simple: Listen, learn, and better understand the realities businesses face today. We engage with entrepreneurs, managers, exporters, importers, logistics providers, and other industry stakeholders across Laos and Southeast Asia.
Trade & Export
What barriers do Lao SMEs encounter when engaging in cross-border trade, and how do they navigate them?
Active·Current Study
Business Growth
What factors enable or constrain growth for small and medium-sized businesses in Southeast Asia?
Active·Current Study
Innovation & Adaptation
How are businesses in Laos and the wider ASEAN region adopting new ideas and adapting to economic change?
Active·Current Study
Participate in Our Research
Share your perspective.
We welcome participation from businesses interested in sharing their experiences. Your insights help contribute to a broader understanding of business development and trade within Southeast Asia.
Contact
Get in touch.
Whether you are a business owner, researcher, educator, or someone interested in what we are doing — we would welcome hearing from you.
shun.vte@gmail.com
joshuahodick@gmail.com
Based in Vientiane, Lao PDR.