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.

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.

Capacitated maximal covering location problems (MCLP) have considered capacity constraint of facilities but these models have been studied in only one direction. In this paper, capacitated MCLP and dynamic MCLP are integrated with each other and dynamic capacity constraint is considered for facilities. Since MCLP is NP-hard and commercial software packages are unable to solve such problems in a rational time, Genetic algorithm (GA) and bee algorithm are proposed to solve this problem. In order to achieve better performance, these algorithms are tuned by Taguchi method. Sample problems are generated randomly. Results show that GA provides better solutions than bee algorithm in a shorter amount of time.

In the present scenario, the Six Sigma tools and techniques are used by various manufacturing industries, exporting industries and even service organizations. It focuses on improving the quality of the products, cutting down the extra costs, reducing the variations and satisfying the customers. This case study follows the Six Sigma tools called DMAIC methodology to identify and analyze various root causes of the capacitors rejection problems, which influence the performance of the company and suggests solutions to counter with it. The issue not only causes financial loss to the company but also hinders future growth in form of customer dissatisfaction. The results of the implementation indicate significant improvement in the quality of the product and cost reduction.

Supply chain management (SCM) practices have become strategic resources and capabilities for enhancing both competitive advantage logistic performance (ORGPER). However, it is not clear how SC Practices influence logistic performance in the agribusiness context. However, the mechanism of SCMPs effects is not yet understood since extant literature has produced mixed results. Hence, this study sought to test the impact of mediation of the competitive advantage of relations between SCMP and Reperform the point of view of Kenya's dairy supply chain. The study examined four estimates that were tested using partial minimum square structural equation modeling (PLS-SAME) techniques to work out the purpose of the study. Across-departmental survey design has been used to collect preliminary data from109 dairy cooperatives in thirteen major dairy producing counties in Kenya. The results reveal that SCM practice has a positive and significant effect on CA(P=0.730) and ORGPER (P=0.237). In addition, THERE is a positive, statistically significant effect on THECAORGPER (P=0.522). Further results show that CA mediates the relationship between SCMP and ORGPER. Consequently, the study concludes that SCMPs first generate CA, which in turn enhances ORGPER in a logistic sense. Theoretically, the study provides insights on the resource-based view theory as well as a conceptual framework for its validation. Similarly, the study informs managers and policymakers in knowing specific SCMPs to focus on to enhance CA and ORGPER of the dairy cooperatives in Kenya.

This study aims at investigating the impact of globalization on CO₂ emission in Vietnam. Empirical analysis is performed by employing autoregressed distributed lag approach on time series data for the period of 1990 to 2016. The paper tested the stationary, cointegration of time series data and utilized autoregressed distributed lag modeling technique to determine the short run and long run relationship among CO2 emission, globalization, foreign direct investment, exports, coal consumption per capita and fossil fuels electricity generation. The results show that globalization increases CO₂ emission in Vietnam and thus globalization is not beneficial for the long-term environmental health. Exports lowers CO₂ emissions in both short run and long run whereas coal consumption per capita and fossil fuels electricity generation raise CO₂ emissions. The study further shows that foreign direct investment did not affect CO₂ emissions directly in short run as well as in long run.