Vehicle routing problem (VRP) is a classic problem studied in logistic. One of the most important variations within this problem is called Green Vehicle Routing Problem (GVRP), in which environmental aspects are considered when designing product delivery routes. This variant arises due to the high levels of pollution produced by transport vehicles, so it is a variation whose study represents a vital impact nowadays. This project will consider a GVRP and will be developed considering the characteristics of multi-depot (MDVRP) and multi-product (MPVRP) to minimize the costs of assignation of vehicles and CO2 emissions. To solve the problem, this project proposes a hybridization between the classic tabu search (TS) metaheuristic and the PAES algorithm (TS+PAES) to generate the Pareto frontier of both objectives. An integer mixed linear programming model is formulated and developed for each objective function separately to have an optimal point of comparison for the efficiency of the proposed algorithm. Also, the TS+PAES algorithm is compared to the nearest neighbor algorithm for large instances. Two computational experiments were carried out, one for small and the other one for large instances. The experiment for small instances showed that the GAP of each extreme of the frontier compared to the MILP model is on average 0.73%. For large instances, the metaheuristic improves in 0.1% the results presented by the MILP model showing that the metaheuristic provides closer near-optimal solutions in less computational time. Besides, the metaheuristic, in comparison with the nearest neighborhood heuristic, improves in 44.21% the results of emissions and in 3.88% the costs. All these results demonstrate the effectiveness of the metaheuristic.

E-commerce is one of the industries most affected by big data, from collection to analytics in the highly competitive market. Previous research on big data analytics in E-commerce focused only on particular applications, and there is still a gap in presenting a framework to evaluate big data applications from a challenges-values point of view. This study employs a three-phase methodology to evaluate big data applications in E-commerce with respect to big data challenges and values using a hybrid multi-criteria decision-making technique that combines BWM and fuzzy TOPSIS. The results showed process challenge and the strategic value obtained the highest weight for challenges and values criteria. Financial fraud detection is relatively the most challenging, and online review analytics is the most valuable application of big data in E-commerce among identified applications. Evaluating big data applications based on cost and benefit criteria is practical for E-commerce managers and experts to make decisions on implementation priorities to overcome the challenges and make the most of values. Moreover, the proposed approach is not only limited to big data analytics in E-commerce and can also be applied in other industries to evaluate emerging technology applications.

This study was conducted to consider the relationship between the transportation export value (TR) and energy consumption of Thailand (EN) in the long run by a comparative analysis that relied on testing by the ARDL and NARDL models. The Granger causality of each item was also tested by quarterly time series data from Quarter 1 of 2011-Quarter 4 of 2021. The results revealed a long relationship from the EN to TR. However, only the reduction of the TR affected the EN. According to the results, the energy agencies of Thailand should maintain the balance of EN and sufficient energy imports to drive the TR for its stability.

With Newsvendor Problem (NvP) we refer to a specific class of inventory management problems, valid for a single item with stochastic demand over a single period. In the standard version, the newsvendor is allowed to issue a single order, before he or she can observe the actual demand. Since the newsvendor can face both overage and underage costs, due to lost sales or residual stock, the objective is to define the optimal order size that maximizes the expected profit. In this paper, we consider a specific version of the NvP, in which the buyer has the opportunity to make a last and single order for opportunistic reasons. Specifically, we consider discontinued, collectible items, for which demand will not vanish and whose value might appreciate. Hence, the objective is to define the optimal quantity that should be purchased, just before the item is retired from the market or sold-out, and that should be sold as soon as the price rises over a predefined target level. An optimal solution, maximizing the expected profit, is obtained both in case of negligible and non-negligible stockholding costs. In the latter case, to obtain the optimal solution in implicit form, some simplifying assumptions are needed. Hence, a thorough numerical analysis is finally performed, as a way to empirically demonstrate both the robustness and the accuracy of the model, in several scenarios differentiated in terms of costs and customers’ demand.

This study aims to measure people's decision-making to buy their pet insurance and compare it with the amount of insurance premium rates offered. It is important due to the increase in people's income which has triggered the birth of a community of pet lovers as part of the middle-class people’s lifestyle in Indonesia. The survey data was conducted using the Stated Preference (SP) format through questionnaires and interviews to determine the public response to pet insurance premiums. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive methods, decision-making analysis was on the basis of the choice of the dichotomous Contingent Valuation Method (CVM), and logistic regression analysis. Based on the calculation analysis using the logit method shows that the ability of the public to pay pet insurance premiums is IDR289,454.54. Analysis of calculations using the Turnbull method was obtained at IDR365,000.00. The results of the WTP amount, both using the logit method and using the Turnbull method, are greater than the minimum premium amount offered which is IDR190,000.00. The results of this study indicate that the premium rates for pet insurance offered are still within reasonable limits, compared to the size of the decision-making by the animal lover community in Indonesia. This provides a very good prospect for insurance companies that have insurance products for pets in Indonesia. This study was conducted to provide empirical evidence that the decision-making of the animal lover community is greater than the premium rate for pet insurance that has been offered. Thus, this research strongly supports the development of pet insurance companies in Indonesia, which can provide pet protection to stay healthy and well looked after.

In this article, the application of the Multi-Skilled Resource-Constrained Flow Shop Scheduling Problem (MSRC-FSSP) in preventive maintenance as a case study has been investigated. In other words, to complete each maintenance order at each stage, in addition to the machine, a set of required human resources with different skills must be available. According to human resources skills, each of them can perform at least one order or at most N orders, and each maintenance order must be done by a set of human resources with different skills. To carry out a maintenance order, different human resources must be in communication and cooperation so that a preventive maintenance order can be completed. In this article, these resources are considered as technical supervisors, repairmen and maintenance managers who complete all maintenance orders in a flow shop environment as a job. For this problem, a new Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model has been formulated with the two-objective functions, minimizing total orders completion time and the human resources idle time. To solve the model on a small scale, CPLEX is used, and to solve it on a large scale, due to the fact that this problem is NP-Hard, a meta-heuristic algorithm named Genetic Algorithm (GA) is presented. Finally, the computational results have been done to validate the model, along with the analysis of the human resources idle time.

The Internet of Things (IoT) has become essential for business. The adoption rate of IoT has dropped recently and this could be due to security, privacy, and trust issues. Blockchain (BC) has the potential to mitigate the risk of security, privacy, and trust. However, few studies examined the integration between IoT and BC in the context of developing countries. The purpose of this study is to examine the predictors of IoT adoption by telecommunication companies in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). In addition, the study aims to examine the moderating role of BC as well as the effect of using IoT and BC on the competitive advantage of companies. Based on technology acceptance model, social exchange theory, and resource-based view, the study proposed that security, privacy, trust, communication quality, perceived ease of use (PEOU), and perceived usefulness (PU) affect positively the adoption of IoT. BC is proposed as a moderating variable and expected with IoT to affect the competitive advantage of companies. The population includes all the telecommunication companies in GCC. Data was collected using purposive sampling from IT professionals. The results of data analysis using SmartPLS showed that security, privacy, trust, PU, and PEOU positively affected the adoption of IoT. BC and IoT adoption have a positive effect on competitive advantage. Further, BC moderated only the effect of security and privacy on the adoption of IoT. Services providers must enhance the security, privacy, and trust of IoT services by deploying BC technology. Effective integration of IoT and BC will lead to the achievement of competitive advantages.

In this paper, a memory-based simulated annealing algorithm called the Dual Memory Simulated Annealing Algorithm (DMSA) is presented to solve multi-line facility layout problems. The objective is to minimize the total material handling cost. Two memory buffers and a restart mechanism are considered. Two benchmark problems were selected from the literature review papers and solved using the standard simulated annealing (SA) algorithm and the DMSA. The obtained results show that solutions provided by the DMSA algorithm are cost-effective compared to the standard SA algorithm and the other algorithms used for solving these test cases. Moreover, to further evaluate the performance of the DMSA algorithm in large scale problems, eleven test cases were selected from the benchmark library of the quadratic assignment problem (QAP). According to the results, the performance of the algorithm in finding solutions to complex problems is exemplary.

Tracking abundant gene transcripts quantification over continuous cancer progression stages may reveal the mechanism of disease advancement. In this work, we profile the transcript quantification over the stages using a time-series approach, in which the stages/sub-stages of the disease are the time points, and the quantification measurements are the values. The values over time points are used to interpolate the growth of the progression using the cubic spline function. Then, the transcripts profiles are universally aligned and clustered using the time-series profile hierarchical clustering method based on the area between each pair of the aligned profiles; the method is named (HC-UAP). We compare the proposed method with a hierarchical clustering method based on Euclidean distance (HC-ED). Both methods were applied on two next-generation sequencing (NGS) prostate cancer datasets, the first from the Chinese and the second from the North American population. HC-ED clusters the dataset to find patterns while HC-UAP was able to single out outliers that trend differently in both datasets. While finding patterns in gene expression that trend over stages is the standard approach for analyzing time-series models, identifying outlier transcripts that grow differently than other transcripts can provide more details about the contribution of the mRNA transcriptional activity to the disease. They also can be a potential biomarker for the disease progression.

The Indonesian creative economy has been on the rise since 2015 when it has started being measured and prioritized by the government. Its contribution towards the Indonesian GDP has risen significantly as well. A small part of that creative sector is the video game industry and market. The video game global market will be worth USD 200 Billion in 2023. Indonesia currently is ranked 16th in terms of market size. Although having an enormous market opportunity, local video game producers only contribute 1%. Growth opportunities exist, however local game studios are facing the difficulty of recruiting quality game developers. Higher education institutions need to produce graduates having the knowledge, competences, and skills relevant for their work. This study is done to identify and prioritize attributes for the design of a university level program in game development that ensures employability in the sector. A qualitative thematic analysis is done in identifying the important factors for an academic program, followed by an analytical hierarchical process in determining the factors. Result of the study shows that a curriculum with internships in game studios, ensuring students are knowledgeable on the business models & video game market, having practitioners teach in the program, and creating a community of practice in the university is essential in producing quality graduates.