Management towards control of risk issues appeared as an important area in E-supply chain for researchers in the present fast growing market. Extensive research has been accomplished in this area, but still there are several risks and uncertainties. The present research aims to identify and consolidate various e-supply risk factors for developing a constructive measurement model. The study also assesses the influence of risk factors over e-supply chain operation in Indian mechanical industries. Thus, after a thorough research and detailed discussion, 38 Risks factors are identified through literature to prepare the questionnaire. A questionnaire based survey is carried out for collecting the primary data from 148 experts of mechanical manufacturing industries located in the national capital region of India. The research methodology is combined with descriptive statistics and factor analysis. SPSS 21 software tools is used for investigating the reliability and Amos Graphics 21 software is used for the fitment validation of the theoretical construct. The results suggest that all risk issues create significant negative influence e-supply chain process. The results also show negative effects of risks over e-supply chain performance. The current research outcome develops a stochastic model based on the e-supply chain risk factors used for reducing risks in e-supply chain operation.

This study applied the Constructal Design Method (CDM) associated with the Finite Element Method (FEM) through computational models to perform a geometric analysis on rectangular stiffened plates of steel subjected to a uniform transverse loading, in order to minimize its maximum and central out-of-plane deflections. Considering a non-stiffened plate as reference and maintaining the total volume of steel constant, a portion of material volume deducted from its thickness was transformed into stiffeners through the ϕ parameter, which represents the ratio between the material volume of the stiffeners and the reference plate. Adopting ϕ = 0.30, 27 geometric arrangements of stiffened plates were established, being 9 arrangements for each 3 different stiffeners' thicknesses adopted: t_s = 6.35 mm, t_s = 12.70 mm and t_s = 25.40 mm. For each ts value, the number of longitudinal (N_ls) and transverse (N_ts) stiffeners were varied from 2 to 4. Thus, in each plate arrangement configured, the influence of the ratio between the height of the transverse and longitudinal stiffeners (h_ts/h_ls) was analyzed, taking into account the values 0.50; 0.75; 1.00; 1.25; 1.50; 1.75 and 2.00, regarding to the maximum and central deflections. The results have shown that transforming a portion of steel from a non-stiffened reference plate into stiffeners can reduce the maximum and central deflections by more than 90%. Moreover, it was observed that to reduce the deflections it is more effective consider h_ts > h_ls, once the ratio hts/h_ls = 2.00 was the one that led to the better mechanical behavior among the analyzed cases.

In the present work, a recently developed advanced optimization algorithm named as teaching–learning-based optimization (TLBO) is used for the parameters optimization of fabric finishing system of a textile industry. Fabric Finishing System has four main subsystems, arranged in hybrid configuration. For performance modeling and analysis of availability, a performance evaluating model of fabric finishing system has been developed with the help of mathematical formulation based on Markov-Birth-Death process using Probabilistic Approach. Then, the overall performance of the concerned system has first analyzed and then, optimized by using teaching–learning-based optimization (TLBO). The results of optimization using the proposed algorithm are validated by comparing with those obtained by using the genetic algorithm (GA) on the same system. Improvement in the results is obtained by the proposed algorithm. The results of effect of variation of the algorithm parameters on fitness values of the objective function are reported.

The performance of sustainable supply chain management today, especially for palm oil, continues to experience a drastic decline from the social, economic, and environmental perspectives. Both the supply and demand sides are undergoing severe disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To survive the COVID-19 situation and afterward, the palm oil industry needs to focus on priority indicators for immediate improvement. For that reason, our study aims to determine the primary indicators used to assess the performance of sustainable supply chain management to improve the palm oil industry's performance immediately. The F-AHP method is used to rank which indicators are focused on the COVID-19 situation and thereafter. The findings of this study designate that there are three main indicators, namely from the economic side (adaptability), the social side (improving employee health and safety), and the environmental side (sustainable supplier management). This finding is beneficial for the industry and for supply chain actors such as suppliers, customers, and the government in taking attitudes and setting policies related to sustainable supply chain management in the face of pandemic.

Work engagement has gained much prominence over the recent decades. With the aim of address-ing the global engagement crisis, the current study examined how prominent job resources such as supervisor support, coworker support and meaningful work perceptions can influence work engagement. The study also tested the moderation of meaningful work on these relationships. 537 questionnaires were distributed among the employees of six large banks of Pakistan. Structural equation modeling using Smart PLS 2.0 resulted in strong positive relationship of supervisor support and coworker support with work engagement. The findings also concluded strong positive relationship between meaningful work and work engagement. Notably, the bootstrapping results also played significant moderation of meaningful work on the relationship between supervisor support and coworker support with work engagement. The study forwards theoretical and practical implications for future.

Vendor-managed inventory (VMI) is one of effective and crucial tools to alleviate the demand volatility of stocks problems, reduce time and operating cost in healthcare sector. VMI strategy becomes a necessity for both suppliers and hospitals to sustainably develop and to cope with stock availability and overall reliability process by sharing information. The process and management of VMI is a complicated work which needs substantial degrees of collaboration, expertise, and information sharing. This paper purposes a comprehensive multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) to select the best potential supplier for VMI collaboration in healthcare organization. The study developed MCDM framework consists of (i) Fuzzy Delphi approach to select the appropriate evaluation criteria for VMI supplier selection (ii) Fuzzy Step-wise Weight Assessment Ration Analysis (SWARA) method to determine the relative importance weight of evaluation criteria, (ii) Fuzzy Complex Proportional Assessment of Alternatives (COPRAS) to compare, rank and select the best appropriated supplier. An empirical case study was applied for a local famous public hospital and the best potential supplier was selected. The study reveals that the most evaluation criteria when selecting supplier for VMI in healthcare sector are institutional trust, information sharing and exchanging as well as information technology.

This study uses an alternative fabrication scheme to study the effect of rework of nonconforming items and delayed differentiation on a multiproduct supply-chain system. Traditional economic production quantity model focuses on a single-product inventory system where all products made are assumed to be perfect quality and finished products are issued continuously. To increase machine utilization, lower quality costs in production, and reflect the real-world vendor-buyer integrated systems Chiu et al. (2016a) [Chiu, Y-S.P., Kuo, J-S., Chiu, S. W., Hsieh, Y-T. (2016a). Effect of delayed differentiation on a multiproduct vendor–buyer integrated inventory system with rework. Advances in Production Engineering & Management, 11(4), 333-344.] employed a single-machine two-stage production scheme to study the effects of rework and delayed differentiation on a multi-product supply-chain system. With the intention of further reducing fabrication cycle time, this study considers an alternative two-machine two-stage fabrication scheme to re-explore the problem in Chiu et al. (2016a). Machine one solely produces all common parts for multiple end products. Then, machine two fabricates the customized multiproduct using a common cycle time strategy. Through the use of mathematical modeling and analyses, the optimal production cycle length and distribution policy are derived. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate practical usage of the research results, and show its significant benefit in reducing fabrication cycle time compared to that obtained from prior studies that used different schemes.

Dry Port, a supply chain company, strives to bring its workers up to speed in the current VUCA world. The study explores the degree to which ambidexterity affects agility, which can impact organizational effectiveness. The structural equation model with multilevel simulation used to test the research hypothesis. The study indicates that ambidexterity is an influential factor to agility, and that ambidexterity is also an impactful factor to agility and organizational effectiveness. Furthermore, there is also evidence that the power of agility contributes to greater organizational effectiveness, and also that ambidexterity has an impact on organizational effectiveness through workforce agility. To achieve organizational effectiveness in dry port business, mobile devices and social network technology are functional enablers of ambidextrous activities that can allow staff to be agile in handling dry port business tasks.

This study presents a finite element approach of a numerical model to investigate the profile of the deformed sprayed particles and the compressive residual stresses analysis at the interfacial zone of particle and substrate impact using cold gas dynamic spray (CGDS). The Lagrangian approach was used to analyze, in details, the material deformation behavior during impact, contact problems of single-particle impact process and the outputs of equivalent plastic strain and temperature to achieve a qualitative understanding of cold gas dynamic spray contact process of cold sprayed particle on the substrate. The evolution of residual compressive stresses during impact was also analyzed for multiple-particles impact process using the Lagrangian approach. It can be observed that the compressive residual stresses increase by increasing the preheating temperature and particle initial impact velocity.

Human resource management (HRM) was first developed as a corporate business strategy that aimed to retain employees in the workplace and to develop personnel who generated results and whose capabilities could be effectively utilized. In recent years, human resource perspectives have been emphasized in personnel management by hospital nursing organizations. This study examined effective HRM strategies for creating an attractive nursing practice environment from the perspec-tive of “magnetism.” A questionnaire (“32 Items Regarding Effective Human Resource Management Policies”) was developed. The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index was employed to assess the type of environment in which nurses wished to continue working, and factors contributing to a desirable nursing practice environment were defined as “magnetic.” Analysis of data obtained from nursing managers (n=305) yielded five factors that were effective HRM policies for hospital nursing organizations. It was also shown that the nursing practice environment was made more attractive by incorporating more of these policy elements. The following six strategies were identified: (1) enhancement of personal career development and organizational develop-ment; (2) goal management and personnel evaluations to assure the quality of patient care and pro-mote team collaboration; (3) flexible hiring and transfer policies based on business execution; (4) promoting outside interactions to make the organization an open system; (5) ensuring support for career development; and (6) supporting a safe and healthy nursing practice environment by enhancement of manpower.