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Considers a multi‐stage multi‐product production, inventory and transportation system including lot production processes and develops a mathematical model for a pull type ordering system. The decision variables of the presented model are initial ordering quantities and the objective is to minimize the sum of the replenishment level at each inventory point. The model is formulated as an integer programming problem, and an approximate procedure is proposed to obtain a near optimal solution in short time using a mathematical programming package. Finally, shows a numerical example of the model applied to an actual manufacturing system of an automobile parts manufacturer in order to verify the effectiveness of the solution procedure and to clarify the applicability of the modelling approach.

Three-dimensional (3D) mesh generation for shape optimizations needs long computational time. This makes it difficult to perform 3D shape optimizations. The purpose of this paper is to present a new meshing method with light computational cost for 3D shape optimizations.

This paper presents a new meshing method on the basis of nonconforming voxel finite element method. The 3D mesh generation is performed with light computational cost keeping the computational accuracy.

It is shown that the computational cost for 3D mesh generation can be reduced without deteriorating numerical accuracy in the FE analysis. It is reported the performance of the present method.

The validity of the nonconforming voxel elements is tested to apply it to the optimization of 3D optimizations.

The purpose of the paper is to show that how a new magnetic circuit, which the paper could not imagined beforehand, may be obtained using a newly developed ON/OFF topology optimization method by applying it to the design of magnetic head and motor.

ON/OFF optimization technique combined with finite element method.

It is shown that 3-D topology optimization of SPT head, in which the recording head is increased and the leakage flux is decreased, is possible using the proposed method. The optimization of IPM motor with the minimum torque ripple and the maximum toque is also examined.

3-D ON/OFF optimization method applied to practical problems considering the nonlinearity and rotation of rotor, etc.

This study aims to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected telework initiatives in Japanese companies and investigate the factors that affect telework based on the technology, organization and environment (TOE) model, through the analysis of published documents.

Document analysis was adopted. Documents were collected from English news articles in the Nikkei Asian Review and Nikkei Asia which cover Japan's economy, industries and markets. The results of surveys by the Persol Research Institute and Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry were also provided to discuss factors promoting and hindering telework. Content analysis was adopted to analyse the documents.

COVID-19 had an unavoidable impact on the implementation of telework that the government had previously failed to instigate. Japanese listed companies tend to implement telework, whereas small- and medium-sized companies are struggling. The ratio of telework has been low even after the declaration of the state of emergency because there exist organizational, technological and environmental barriers to telework in Japan.

This study contributes to discussions on work style reform by focusing on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on telework. This research also gives new insight into operationalization of telework in organizations not only in Japan but also in other countries known for low rates of telework and inflexible work styles such as Korea.