In companies adopting the Toyota Production System, all improvement activities are concentrated in quality improvement and lead time shortening, and the results are said to lead to profits, and the efficiency of improvement activities is high. However, in cases where a mechanism has not been established, the results of improvement activities may not effectively affect profits, which is a problem faced by many small and medium-sized enterprises. In this study, in order to clarify the process in which improvement activities and profits are linked, we propose a diagnostic tool called matrix model, and verify its effectiveness from a survey of Small and Medium Enterprise A Corporation. Diagnosing improvement activities using a matrix model is considered to be an effective means for visualizing the problems faced by small and medium-sized enterprises and examining improvement activities that lead to profits.

This paper expands on the results of the analysis of external environmental factors that are assumed to have an impact in the marketing domain discussed by Arima in 2020, and analyzes changes in attitudes toward external environmental factors that marketing managers emphasize based on the results of four surveys, including an additional survey in 2020. In the analysis, we used a survey of Japanese B to C companies on the external environmental factors that are important from the viewpoint of marketing managers. The results of the survey were compared and analyzed using an independent analysis of the results for each year of the survey and a time series analysis using consolidated data from the same respondents who participated in multiple surveys. As a result of the analysis, we confirmed that the awareness of external environmental factors among marketing managers in Japanese companies did not change significantly in the COVID-19 disaster, and that there were some items that showed differences between the mean values of the independent surveys and the mean values of the time series data.

Whereas the regional financial institutions are expected to support Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), they are also affected by dual policies: finance and SMEs. Accordingly, among the regional financial institutions, I am especially focusing on the activities of the credit unions, which are closely related to the local economy, followed by an analysis on how these financial institutions affected by the dual policies have built a support system for SMEs. In order to collect data, I conducted a literature search as well as semi-structured interviews on the six credit unions that participated in the project, taking the case of the regional power collaboration center project.

Currently, start-up companies have been emerged as an essential portion of the economic growth for countries. A large number of huge unlisted start-up companies, called as “Unicorns”, have been driving the economic growth, mainly in the United States and China. However, in Japan, since starting a new business is still not prevalent, it is required to encourage people to become entrepreneurs and develop foundation of the company growth. With this problem, this document summarizes the way to make start-up companies survive and grow based on existing researches, and analyzes the factors that enhance the company growth. Moreover, by focusing on excellent companies growing rapidly in the digital economy, we will provide a new growth matrix for start-up companies, and elaborate the way to achieve the company growth.

With the expansion of COVID-19 infection after 2020, the environment surrounding the food and beverageindustry is changing rapidly, and many restaurants are required to restructure their businesses. On the other hand, the food delivery service market is making great strides. Focusing on the Japanese food delivery service industry, this paper presents an analytical framework that categorizes platform business diversification strategies into four types: (1) Horizontal B2B expansion PF strategy, (2) Vertical B2B expansion PF strategy, (3) Horizontal B2C expansion PF strategy, and (4) Vertical B2C expansion PF strategy. We then clarified that the within-side network effects and the cross-side network effects are determinants of the diversification strategy of platform businesses through a comparative case analysis of Uber Eats and DEMAE-CAN.

The SMECs (Small and Medium Enterprise Management Consultants) stopping a qualification temporarily are increasing. This paper aims to explore the suspension of the SMECs. The purpose of this paper is to show the current status and give important information for their career development, since they have to make a contribution to small and medium enterprises in Japan. This study is based on statistical research methodology. The group stopping a qualification temporarily has three typical characteristics. Firstly, the main age group is 40s and 50s. Secondly, many of them work in private companies. And lastly, many of them have a strong desire for self-development.

In this study, we designed a basic support information system to improve the productivity of health services in a nationwide project to promote collaboration between community health and occupational health. In conducting the basic design, we considered several scenarios based on the structure diagram (causal loop diagram) of the collaboration promotion projects in the previous study to identify the functions to be implemented in the support information system. In addition, we focused on the council function of the existing community health and occupational health cooperation promotion projects and proposed an expansion of the council function that would be highly productive. Furthermore, by proposing a management method for operating this support system, we examined a system that can be used in projects throughout Japan with diverse backgrounds.

The purpose of this study is to identify issues for promoting the development of lifelong health support and the provision of information to targets currently not reached by the Health and Welfare Bureau. Therefore, we conducted an interview survey of the Health and Welfare Bureau to clarify issues and the state of cooperation in current health policies. We also examined the possibility of effective collaboration with the Health and Welfare Bureau for other departments conducting health promotion events in the same municipality. We analyzed the “Ekichika Walking” event conducted by the Nagoya City Transportation Bureau. As a result, the current event has many participants, and the Department of Transportation is already working with various related organizations. There was not much room for a new collaboration with the Department of Health and Welfare. However, the participants are different from the daily target groups of the Health and Welfare Bureau, and by obtaining their information, which is not currently available for analysis, the Health and Welfare Bureau will be able to understand the health status of many of its citizens.

It is considered effective to utilize the information dissemination function of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry when making health approaches to Small-Scale Enterprises in the Occupational and Community Health Service. In this study, we conducted a questionnaire survey to Small-Scale Enterprises to clarify the current status of cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, including the utilization of the Chamber’s information dissemination function by small-scale enterprises, and discussed more effective and efficient forms of cooperation. The results of the survey showed that small-scale enterprises have some involvement with the Chamber of Commerce, but they are not involved in health activities. Subsequently, we proved the importance of approaching employers’ health awareness through holding health-related workshops cooperation between Health Center and Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The COVID-19 had a major impact on university life, mainly due to remote teaching. In this study, we considered that the sense of loneliness felt under such circumstances had a negative impact on university life, and after creating a hypothetical model regarding loneliness and university life, we conducted a survey among university students. The analysis of the hypothesized model using the analysis of covariance structure revealed that loneliness indirectly affected the level of satisfaction with university life. Next, we analyzed the results separately for each grade level, and confirmed that loneliness had a negative impact on college life satisfaction only for first-year students. It was also confirmed that loneliness had a negative impact on satisfaction with university life in the group whose satisfaction with university friendships was lower than satisfaction with friendships outside the university.

With the development of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen, the three major metropolitan areas will be connected to each other in about an hour, forming a super megaregion that is unique in the world and includes about 60% of Japan’s population. Regarding the undecided intermediate station west of Nagoya, it is rumored that a new station will be set up around Kameyama City in Mie Prefecture, but it remains doubtful whether it is the most appropriate considering the convenience and tourism demand along the line. In this study, we propose to construct new stations for the Linear Chuo Shinkansen at Chubu International Airport (Centrair) and around Suzuka City in Mie Prefecture. We specifically evaluate the reduction in travel time due to the direct connection between the ultra-high-speed railway and the international airport, and estimate the impact on inbound consumption at each intermediate station.

The quality of life (QOL) of long-term care service users is greatly affected by the quality of long-term care services provided by long-term care service providers. Therefore, non-profit corporations (social welfare corporations) and for-profit corporations (long-term care service companies), which are long-term care service providers, are required to strengthen their governance in order to provide efficient and high-quality long-term care services. This paper aims to explore the current state of governance of social welfare corporations and long-term care service companies, and to clarify the issues for strengthening governance. Regarding long-term care service companies, I will mention what kind of influence the Japanese Corporate Governance Code has and the current situation and problems. Concerning social welfare corporations, I consider the factors that cause the governance to malfunction from the characteristics of non-profit corporations. On that basis, I propose the formulation of a governance code to strengthen governance.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss what intercultural competence is necessary for the development of global human resources, and to discuss how to acquire intercultural knowledge. The purpose of this study is to clarify that the development of intercultural competence is linked to the ability to cope with different cultures. Specifically, we examined whether knowledge (cognitive CQ) in Thomas & Inkson’s (2017) and Miyamori & Miyabayashi’s (2019) Cognitive Intelligence Quotient (CQ) is the basis for behavior toward cross-cultural competence (metacognitive CQ), and whether the CQ is linked to international competence (metacognitive CQ). We will clarify how intercultural exchange and interest in foreign countries, as well as intercultural understanding education at universities, are related to this. We will verify the above through the awareness of university students by means of a questionnaire survey.

Live commerce, a rapidly growing approach of e-commerce that has emerged over the past few years, is characterized by providing immediate interaction, such as asking questions to the live commerce distributors in real time, and it can eliminate the intrinsic anxiety in e-commerce. The effectiveness of live commerce is thought to be affected by the performance of the live commerce distributors. This study empirically examined the role played by influencers in live commerce by analyzing sample data in Structural equation modeling from a questionnaire survey. The results show that influencers in live commerce play an intermediary role between brands and customers, and positively influence customer engagement in the process.

The purpose of this study is to clarify the importance of collaboration between rice-growing farmers and sake brewers during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the Muramai System which has continued for about 130 years in the Yamadanishiki Toku A district. The research method utilized is based on a continuous interview survey with farmers and sake brewers. The period of the study is about two years from the spring of 2020 to the spring of 2022. The research confirmed the important characteristic of the Muramai System: A lack of communication between farmers and sake brewers results in a prominent reduction in production. The Muramai System encourages adaptation during emergencies, but longterm collaboration seems to be disappearing. Farmers and sake brewers know the significance and necessity of the Muramai System, however, it is imperative that they continue to have strong collaboration and mutual assistance during such emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since 2020, the global spread of COVID-19 has significantly reduced international passenger demand in the Air Transport Lndustry, plunging airlines into an unprecedented crisis. This paper discusses management strategies for airlines to overcome the COVID-19 crisis from an integrated perspective of firm resources and dynamic capability. First, a diagnosing model of firms’ capabilities on responsing to the crisis was presented. And then a comparative case study of two major Japanese airlines, ANA and JAL, was conducted. As a result, this paper proposes three hypotheses, found that both companies have high dynamic capability, and also clarified the difference ANA and JAL. ANA shows a high flexibility by using VRIN resource during the COVID-19 crisis, while due to lack of VRIN resources, JAL tended to using the external resource in order to response to the COVID-19 crisis.