Mehdi Ajalli; Ezatollah Asgharizadeh; Hossein Safari; Iman Ghasemian sahebi
Abstract
Competition of today's organizations in the supply chain has increased by growing the level of the competitiveness caused by globalization, and is included all chain members and external organizations. Intra-organizational perspectives about quality have some limitations; therefore, manufacturers should ...
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Competition of today's organizations in the supply chain has increased by growing the level of the competitiveness caused by globalization, and is included all chain members and external organizations. Intra-organizational perspectives about quality have some limitations; therefore, manufacturers should pay attention to inter-organizational approaches of quality such as supply chain quality management (SCQM). SCQM will enable the manufacturing companies to satisfy their customers' needs in a competitive market. In this study, after identifying the structure of supply chain management and quality management operation through comprehensive review of the literature, a comprehensive and conceptual definition about supply chain quality management (SCQM) and finally after studying its dimensions, a conceptual framework with 7 factors are presented. Relationship and sequencing of these factors determined by fuzzy interpretive structural modeling (ISM). In this regard, after the assessment, these factors were placed in five levels. Then the obtained structural model confirmed by using path analysis. The proposed model can help the gas industry in implementation of quality management in their supply chain to achieve competitive advantages and satisfy the customer needs better
Reza Yousefi Zenouz; Reza Olamaie; Somayeh Olamaie
Abstract
Millions of people encounter coronary artery disease annually, and this disease constitutes a large number of patients. Although considerable progress has been made in medical science, but the early detection of this disease is still a challenging issue. The aim of this paper is to describe developing ...
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Millions of people encounter coronary artery disease annually, and this disease constitutes a large number of patients. Although considerable progress has been made in medical science, but the early detection of this disease is still a challenging issue. The aim of this paper is to describe developing a fuzzy expert system that will help to detect CAD at an early stage. Rules were extracted with the aid of doctors and fuzzy approach was taken to cope with the present uncertainty in the medical domain. The results indicate a high level of correct detection of normal and abnormal groups of people. The suggested methodology can help the doctors in medical diagnosis
Seyed Mohammad A'arabi; Parinaz Shoarian
Volume 3, Issue 8 , March 2005, , Pages 29-54
Abstract
Environmental analysis study as an important factor in strategic planning includes monitoring assessment and dissemination of information related to internal and external environment of organization. The analysis of this industry is very essential according to increasing development of software technology ...
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Environmental analysis study as an important factor in strategic planning includes monitoring assessment and dissemination of information related to internal and external environment of organization. The analysis of this industry is very essential according to increasing development of software technology in iran. In order to achieve this goal after studying various models the PEST model have been used to analyses the effecting factors on software industry in iran. In this article on the basis of this model appropriate political social economical and technological factors was identified and studied. The results of which have been presented. Show existing opportunities and threats of this industry that could be used as a basis for the future planning.
Maghsoud Amiri
Volume 3, Issue 9 , June 2005, , Pages 29-40
Abstract
In this paper we used the Markov models eigenvectors and eigen values concdpts to propose a methodology for analyzing the transient reliability of system with the identical components and the identical repairmen. The components of the systems under consideration can have two distinct configurations, ...
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In this paper we used the Markov models eigenvectors and eigen values concdpts to propose a methodology for analyzing the transient reliability of system with the identical components and the identical repairmen. The components of the systems under consideration can have two distinct configurations, namely ; they can be arranged in series, or in parallel. We also consider the third case in which the system is up if k –out –of – n components are good. For all three cases we proposed a procedure for calculating the transient probability of the system availability and the duration of the system to reach to the steady state are described.
S.M. Ali Khatami Fivouzabadi; Mohsen Rahimi; Ali Mohtashami
Volume 5, Issue 14 , December 2006, , Pages 29-54
Abstract
In this paper, we will consider the problem of courses timetabling in a small educational institute. We will present the mathematical model considering six hard constraints (compelling constraints) and five soft constraints (constraints that are lot compelling, but regarding them results increasing the ...
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In this paper, we will consider the problem of courses timetabling in a small educational institute. We will present the mathematical model considering six hard constraints (compelling constraints) and five soft constraints (constraints that are lot compelling, but regarding them results increasing the utility of timetable). To formulating the model we will use a type of goal programming. In this paper we will try to define decision variables, hard constraints, soft constraints and objective function in a step by step direction. Afterward we will test the model on a mathematical example.
Ashkan Ayough; Mostafa Zandyeh; Haide Mottaghi
Volume 6, Issue 16 , June 2007, , Pages 29-54
Abstract
In this paper we develop the concept of boring caused by doing the same jobs to two types of boring, negative or undesirable and positive or desirable, which are felt by operators because of doing similar jobs and not only due to doing the same ones. Based on this new concept, the flexible model has ...
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In this paper we develop the concept of boring caused by doing the same jobs to two types of boring, negative or undesirable and positive or desirable, which are felt by operators because of doing similar jobs and not only due to doing the same ones. Based on this new concept, the flexible model has been proposed by which jobs will be scheduled to minimize the total cost of assignment including the cost of doing the jobs by operators and the boring cost so that job scheduled with respect to their similarities in the smallest time period as well as dissimilarities in the biggest given time period. For the reason that the proposed job rotation scheduling model has a multi-period assignment structure and formulated as an integer non-linear model, it is recognized as a combinatorial optimization problem. So applying the metaheuristic algorithms to overcome the complexity of such a problem is required. We use the genetic and imperialist competitive algorithms to do that and verify their efficiency in comparison to that of Lingo software which solves the small integer nonlinear problems. It is also shown that the quality of imperialist competitive algorithm solutions is better than those of genetic algorithm for the proposed model.
Morteza Shafiee; FERSHTEH MOTEVASELI
Abstract
In today's competitive and global economy, the life and activity of the organization is determined by the ability to compete and adopt the most appropriate policy against environmental changes. In this regard, the knowledge about the performance of all aspects of the organization is vital for management ...
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In today's competitive and global economy, the life and activity of the organization is determined by the ability to compete and adopt the most appropriate policy against environmental changes. In this regard, the knowledge about the performance of all aspects of the organization is vital for management decisions. Although extensive studies has been carried out in evaluating the performance of organizations through the balanced scorecard (BSC), but there are defects such as focusing on a one-way causality, ignoring the replacement between indexes and between the four-way, and equality between weighted value of indexes. In the present study, focusing on the casual relationships between factors and also between the direction and strength of these relationships, we tried to improve the balanced scorecard method. To do this, first all the relationships between the four dimensions of BSC were determined using fuzzy cognitive map, and it was then used to obtain a network structure, which was used later to create a network data envelopment analysis (NDEA) model. Finally, this model was used to evaluate the performance in Maskan Bank of Fars province. The results show that between 82 branches investigated, 15 branches were efficient and the others inefficient.
A. Kazazi; Y. Dehghani
Volume 1, Issue 3 , January 2003, , Pages 31-71
Abstract
This dissertation investigates the quality of postal services and the relationship between postal services and customers satisfactions from the viewpoint of customers and postal employees. Quality of postal services is formal through the process of collection to delivery. With regard to expansion of ...
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This dissertation investigates the quality of postal services and the relationship between postal services and customers satisfactions from the viewpoint of customers and postal employees. Quality of postal services is formal through the process of collection to delivery. With regard to expansion of operations geographical discrepancies and other restrictions quality of services in postal field is more complex and more comprehensive than in other manufacturing.
The case study is Tehran province and a sample of 580 persons who were selected on the basis of stratified and random systematic sampling.
The model used is SERVQUAL which is a tool for measuring the quality.
The achievements of this research are as follows:
1- In the five -level dimensions of service quality such as Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance, Empathy and Tangibility, there seems to be a gap in grades allocated to perception and expectations of the two groups.
2- The gap between perception and expectations of customers in the fields of Reliability, Responsiveness and Empathy is greater than the gap between the existing fact and knowledge of customers’' expectations by the employees: this gap has a negative correlation with customers’ satisfactions. Concept of customers in the field of Assurance and Tangibility is less than the gap between the existing fact and knowledge of the customers' expectations by the employees. This gap has also a negative correlation with customers' satisfaction.
3- The gap between concept of customers in the field of Assurance and Tangibility is less than the gap between the existing fact and knowledge of the customers’ expectations by the employees this gap has also a negative correlation with customers’ satisfaction.
4- From the viewpoint of both, the customers and the employees, Reliability dimension is the most important variance.
5- Customers’ satisfaction from postal services in five dimensions has a more positive relation with their perception from quality of postal services (received quality). Postal employees also put emphasis on the existing fact for the customers' perception and their judgment from the quality of postal services.
Akdar Alemtabriz; Ashkan Ayough; Mahdie Baniasadi
Abstract
During the recent years, extensive research has been done on the field ofproject scheduling. There is always uncertainty in the area of projectscheduling that causes a deviation in the real plan from the scheduled plan.One of the solutions to deal with this uncertainty is using the critical chainmethod ...
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During the recent years, extensive research has been done on the field ofproject scheduling. There is always uncertainty in the area of projectscheduling that causes a deviation in the real plan from the scheduled plan.One of the solutions to deal with this uncertainty is using the critical chainmethod (CCM) in project scheduling. This method which is derived from thetheory of constraints (TOC) is a new method in project control which was firstproposed by Goldartt in 1997.In this research we attempt to use the principalsof critical chain in resource-constrained project scheduling problem. The maininnovation in this research is presentation of critical chain project schedulingproblem model with consideration of feeding buffer and using float as asupplement for feeding buffer. For this matter, the project scheduling underresources constraints with critical chain approach was first written and itsreliability was evaluated using the Lingo software. In the next step thesolution algorithm of this model was developed using the genetic algorithmand finally different sample issues were investigated. The results of thisresearch show the efficiency of the presented genetic algorithm
Milad Yari; Mir Saman Pishvaee; Armin Jabbarzadeh
Abstract
The main aim of this paper is to provide a model for supply chain design of decorative stones in competitive conditions by taking into account the risk of the disruption. The main tools used in this study are mathematical programming and game theory which Stackelberg game is often used for competitive ...
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The main aim of this paper is to provide a model for supply chain design of decorative stones in competitive conditions by taking into account the risk of the disruption. The main tools used in this study are mathematical programming and game theory which Stackelberg game is often used for competitive modeling. The aim of the proposed model is to consider potential risks of disruption and competitive situation in the market. Also, due to the problem situation, we use meta-heuristic methods like particle swarm optimization and biogeography based optimization for solving and verification of the model. The results show that the occurrence of disruption affects in location decisions of production and distribution centers, price of products and profit of chain components
Abstract
This article benefits from the perspective of knowledge management on the organization social networks. This study was an attempt to investigate how employees benefit from organizational social networks in order to create value and expand the knowledge management. It also considers different usage of ...
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This article benefits from the perspective of knowledge management on the organization social networks. This study was an attempt to investigate how employees benefit from organizational social networks in order to create value and expand the knowledge management. It also considers different usage of organizational social networks and its value for knowledge management. Also, five functions of social networks have been studied, which includes: problem solving, generating ideas, updates, task management, and informal conversations. This research is an applied one and data was gathered by questionnaires and regression analysis with SPSS software was used as means of data analysis. The community of this study included 100 employees of " Hamkaran System", who use professional social networks. A group of 75 employees was selected as the sample group for research through Cochran's formula. To evaluate the Content validity and reliability of the questionnaire was used of Comments professors and experts and Cronbach's alpha. Results showed that the organizational social network is able to create value for innovation by helping people in effective use of social networking functions and enrich the abilities of knowledge. Effective participation in organizational social networks can cause to active knowledge management and create value. The purpose of valuation is assessment of the benefits of organizational social network to gain effective knowledge.
seyed mohamad erabi
Seyed Mohammad Ali Khatami Firouzabadi; Hamid Moradi; Kamran Feizi
Abstract
Given the importance of financing small and medium-sized manufacturing companies in order to provide working capital and their profitability, this study has presented a mathematical model for financing these companies by factoring in the supply chain. Factoring is one of the most important ways to finance ...
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Given the importance of financing small and medium-sized manufacturing companies in order to provide working capital and their profitability, this study has presented a mathematical model for financing these companies by factoring in the supply chain. Factoring is one of the most important ways to finance the business world, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. Therefore, considering the relationship between the enterprise and the bank, suppliers and buyers based on the integration of financial and physical flows in the supply chain, this research has financed the enterprise in the above-mentioned method. In order to analyze the validity of financing methods, goals, parameters and important variables in modeling, the perspective of experts based on the index of content validity ratio has been used. The goals of modeling are to maximize profits and achieve the desired liquidity in time periods, and in order to solve the model, goal programming has been used and in order to cover uncertainty conditions, interval programming has been used. Finally, the model was solved using GAMS software and CPLEX solver, and the results, in addition to proposing appropriate financial and physical flows in the supply chain, have proposed an appropriate factoring financing program to small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises to provide the necessary liquidity in each period and increase profitability.
Emad Roghanian; Fatemeh Mojibian
Volume 10, Issue 26 , January 2012, , Pages 35-54
Abstract
In this paper, a novel intuitionist fuzzy TOPSIS method for groupdecision making will be presented. In this method the preferencevalues for an alternative on criteria and the weight values of criteriaare given by experts, using linguistic values of trapezoidal intuitionistfuzzy numbers, and weights of ...
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In this paper, a novel intuitionist fuzzy TOPSIS method for groupdecision making will be presented. In this method the preferencevalues for an alternative on criteria and the weight values of criteriaare given by experts, using linguistic values of trapezoidal intuitionistfuzzy numbers, and weights of decision makers’ opinions areunknown. In proposed method, expected values and weightedaveraging operator for trapezoidal intuitionist fuzzy numbers are usedto induce the weight values of criteria and decision makers’ opinions.Then an algorithm for ranking alternatives is presented undertrapezoidal intuitionist fuzzy environment. Finally, using a numericalexample, the efficiency of new extended TOPSIS method isinvestigated.
Mohsan Shafiee Nick Abadi; Habib Farajpour Khanaposhtani; Hossein Eftekhari; Aliasghar Sadadadi
Volume 13, Issue 39 , January 2016, , Pages 35-62
Abstract
Today, companies have accepted that the maintenance and repairs are profitable business elements and therefore, the role of maintenance and repairs has become more important in modern manufacturing systems.Maintenance and repair play important roles in achieving organizational goals and improving the ...
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Today, companies have accepted that the maintenance and repairs are profitable business elements and therefore, the role of maintenance and repairs has become more important in modern manufacturing systems.Maintenance and repair play important roles in achieving organizational goals and improving the indicators of reliability, reducing the equipment downtime, products quality, increasing productivity, safety equipment and etc. In this regard, the maintenance and repairs and their strategies have the particular importance in the industry. As a result, the main purpose of this study is selecting and ranking the best repairs and maintenance strategies using a combination of confirmatory factor analysis methods (FA), AHP and TOPSIS in oil refinery of Ray. According to that many variables such as safety, cost, added value, etc. are affective in choosing a maintenance and repairs strategy, in the present study at first has been identified these variables by the aid of literature review and experts opinion and then has been addressed to select the best maintenance strategy by AHP and TOPSIS techniques and try to offer suggestions for improving refinery maintenance system.
Moslem Alimohammadlou
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to consider the importance role of operational and financial variables and also extract these variables in four-echelon supply chain network in a systematic mode. In addition, this study explores the direct and indirect relations of variables, clustering concepts, making ...
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The purpose of this study is to consider the importance role of operational and financial variables and also extract these variables in four-echelon supply chain network in a systematic mode. In addition, this study explores the direct and indirect relations of variables, clustering concepts, making co-occurrence networks and calculating micro and macro indices of Scientometrics using co-occurrence analyses. The methodology of the research is content analysis and Scientometrics. Data were collected from four databases (science direct, emerald, wiley, SID) between 2013-2016. Data analyzes were done by Excel, VosViewer and Nodexl. The results of the content analysis extract 106 variables that the most frequent variables were demand, profit and price. In addition, co-occurrence analysis of operational and financial variables shows high Solidarity of the network (more than 80 percent density) that the result confirms the goodness clustering of the variables. Regards to this study, researchers and practitioners can use and employ the results in difference modeling (like: mathematical modeling, structural equation model, …).
shaghayegh Vaziri; Arash Zaretalab; Mani Sharifi
Abstract
Course timetabling problem is a weekly assignment a set of course and teacher to the time and space with considering a lot of hard and soft constraints in universities. In each semester, heads of educational institutes take too much time and effort to prepare a timetable by using trial and error method ...
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Course timetabling problem is a weekly assignment a set of course and teacher to the time and space with considering a lot of hard and soft constraints in universities. In each semester, heads of educational institutes take too much time and effort to prepare a timetable by using trial and error method or last semester's timetable, although the rapid changing needs, resources and rules of each semester causes this method are not the perfect solutions. In this study, we design and develop a novel multi objective mathematical model which taking into account the preferences of students and teachers, Due to the complexity, we have benefited the metaheuristic algorithm to solve nonlinear model. Simulated Annealing algorithm is used to solve the mathematical model in two stages. In the first stage, the system automatically generates feasible solutions that will meet all the hard constraints. Then, the solutions are improved with spotting different neighborhood's structures. This collection is in the form of computer software application which is implemented the C# language programing and SQL database. This system is tested the data gathered by Azad University data and the results compared to the manual process showed the great progress is achieved. The entire system is flexible and easy to test different scenarios
production and operations management
abolfazl Kazazi; Mohammad Taghi Taghavifard; reza kianimavi; mohsen hooshangi
Abstract
Companies, as one of the most prominent features of today's societies, are rapidly changing and evolving, and in the current situation, improving the innovation capabilities is one of the main goals of any living and active organization. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of social ...
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Companies, as one of the most prominent features of today's societies, are rapidly changing and evolving, and in the current situation, improving the innovation capabilities is one of the main goals of any living and active organization. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of social capital on innovation capabilities in supplier-buyer relationships by of opportunistic and intellectual property risks. The statistical sample in this study contains 95 of supply chain managers which are active in the escalator and elevator industry. The collected data were analyzed by using partial least squares method and Smart PLS software. The findings illustrate positive and significant effect of social capital on innovation capabilities (and indirectly through intellectual property risk). Opportunistic and intellectual property risks also have a significant negative impact on innovation capabilities. The results of this study for managers reveal the fact that investing in social capital in a buyer-supplier relationship not only does not hurt but also achieves a competitive advantage through innovation capabilities.
Mohammadtaghi Moharrami; Mohammad Kazem Sayadi; Meysam Rafei
Abstract
Nowadays, due to the pollution that businesses and various industries impose to the environment, the adoption of strategies and policies by governments to improve the environmental performance of the supply chain has received more attention. The green supply chain will have many benefits, such as saving ...
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Nowadays, due to the pollution that businesses and various industries impose to the environment, the adoption of strategies and policies by governments to improve the environmental performance of the supply chain has received more attention. The green supply chain will have many benefits, such as saving energy resources, reducing pollutants, and so on. Government intervention to develop these chains takes various forms, such as subsidies, taxes, licensing, and advertising. In this study, two manufacturers with green and non-green supply chains compete in a competitive market and sell their products through a joint retailer, and the government intervenes as a leader in the Stackelberg game. These chains are designed based on the selection of agent-based pricing and wholesale pricing methods in four different models. In these models, the government advertises for green products in the first and second models and imposes taxes on the producer of non-green products in the third and fourth models, seeking to maximize social welfare and improving the environment. In order to analyze and compare the models, the game theory approach was used. The results show that in general, government intervention improves the environmental situation and social welfare, and in the case of advertising has a better effect on the overall market trend and also on social welfare than the tax imposing strategy.IntroductionToday, with the rapid growth of industries worldwide, the environmental impact and ecological effects of products have become significant concerns. There is a growing awareness of the environmental consequences and associated risks to human health resulting from industrial activities. Consequently, research on green supply chain management has seen a significant increase. As public awareness about environmental issues continues to rise and concerns about the future of our planet intensify, customers are increasingly inclined to purchase environmentally friendly products. This shift in consumer behavior has prompted manufacturers and businesses to reassess their production processes and adapt to changing customer preferences and new government policies. The primary objective of this research is to investigate the role of government intervention in influencing the demand for green and non-green products through factor-oriented green and non-green supply chains. Additionally, the study aims to identify government policies that can facilitate the development and adoption of green products. The findings of this research can be utilized by governments to promote the use of environmentally friendly goods and enhance environmental protection efforts.Materials and methodsThe approach of this research involves modeling and analysis. The research considers multiple models, each consisting of two supply chains with two manufacturers and a common retailer. One manufacturer produces a green product (environmentally friendly), while the other produces a non-green product (not environmentally friendly). Throughout the research, all comparative models adhere to this structure, with the first supply chain focusing on the production of green products and the second supply chain delivering non-green products to customers. All the analyses conducted in this research are mathematically analyzed and utilize game theory to validate the model results and analyze them. Since the model results are mathematically proven, there is no need to collect real-world data. Instead, hypothetical data are used in the examples to illustrate the various aspects of the problem. In this research, all the models are designed based on the Stackelberg game, and the government takes the initiative in determining its objectives.ResultsIn order to compare the models and analyze the results, we first considered a fixed strategy (advertisement or taxation) for the government. This allowed us to investigate the effect of pricing type on profit, demand, and social welfare. We compared the first model with the second model and also compared the third and fourth models together. Furthermore, we compared the advertising strategy models with the taxation strategy models, examining each strategy within the supply chains. The results indicate that the second model generates the highest level of social welfare and benefits for society, while also resulting in the greatest profit for producers and retailers. Following that, the first model exhibits more social welfare compared to the third and fourth models. Additionally, the profit of the green product producer in the first model significantly surpasses that of the non-green product producer. This difference in profitability serves as an incentive for producers to transition to green product production. Although the profit disparity between producers in the third and fourth models is more substantial and encourages the greater promotion of green product production, it leads to lower satisfaction and well-being.ConclusionsThe results demonstrate the high sensitivity of producers' and retailers' profits to the pricing of their products. The product price is influenced by factors such as whether the supply chain is factor-oriented or wholesale, as well as the type of government intervention. When consumers make purchasing decisions, they consider not only the price but also other parameters, such as the environmental friendliness of the product. In other words, the choice of a product is determined by a set of conditions and is not solely dependent on price fluctuations. The pricing method, whether factor-oriented or wholesale, significantly impacts the profitability of supply chain members and has implications for social welfare and environmental improvement. Different types of government intervention, such as cultural initiatives or taxation, can also lead to changes in the results
Mehrdad Madhoushi,; Faegheh Rezaee
Volume 13, Issue 37 , July 2015, , Pages 37-54
Abstract
Newcomer companies, creating dynamism in the economy, as through the provision of goods, services and new technologies, increasing competition in the market and expanding the industry, making it more dynamic. But the fact that what was going on after their entrance are also important. Because their growth ...
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Newcomer companies, creating dynamism in the economy, as through the provision of goods, services and new technologies, increasing competition in the market and expanding the industry, making it more dynamic. But the fact that what was going on after their entrance are also important. Because their growth and longevity in achieving long- term goals and policies in regarding employment and economic growth are of particular importance. This study was conducted to investigate the factors that influence the survival of newcomer companies. Company size and growth rate of the industry are features that are assumed to affect the survival of the company. So the effects of these variables on the survival of newcomer companies of Electronic and Electric Industries in Mazandaran province during1981-2011 were studied.
Semi-parametric Cox regression model was used to test the hypotheses. In order to further analyze the data, nonparametric model life table and product limit estimator was used. Data from the Mazandaran province database of Industry, Mine and Trade were collected and for data processing, winTDA software is used. As a result of this study, a positive relationship between firm size and survival rates were approved. But there was no significant relationship between industry growth rates and survival
Laya Olfat; Seyyed Mahmood Zanjirch
Volume 3, Issue 11 , December 2005, , Pages 37-61
Abstract
Agile manufacturing as the most modern production system has covered significant portion of literature in operations management. But there is a great vague. whether agile manufacturing is the same as prior concepts but in a new form or it's ...
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Agile manufacturing as the most modern production system has covered significant portion of literature in operations management. But there is a great vague. whether agile manufacturing is the same as prior concepts but in a new form or it's a completely new concept accompanied with necessary techniques? Lean production and Agile production are two dominant production systems that were studied through literature survey and their dimensions were defined. Then dimensions similarities and differences among these two approaches were investigated. Finally considering the importance of different dimensions, weighted difference between them is demonstrated. Results show that although there are some common features between these two concepts, their emphasis on different aspects has formed a new approach. The proper attention of agile system to nowadays business requirements and continuous change, has distinguished it from other production systems such as lean production system.
Mostafa Ebrahimpour Azbari; Mohsen Akbari; Fatemeh Rafiei Rashtababdi
Abstract
Today, organizations in an environment with growing changes, should be flexible enough to manage unpredictable threats and opportunities in an uncertain future and lead to better performance. Also, they should optimize their business processes to achieve operational efficiency. Besides, Operational absorptive ...
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Today, organizations in an environment with growing changes, should be flexible enough to manage unpredictable threats and opportunities in an uncertain future and lead to better performance. Also, they should optimize their business processes to achieve operational efficiency. Besides, Operational absorptive Capacity is a significant learning capabilities that may explain why some companies are enable to create a more effective response to environmental uncertainties. In this study, the impact of environmental uncertainty mediated by manufacturing flexibility and operational efficiency and moderating role of operational absorptive capacity on the performance of manufacturing firms has been tested. Also, the effect of manufacturing flexibility on the operational efficiency has been tested. A questionnaire is used as an instrument to collect data that is provided by experts and managers of 101 manufacturing companies in Rasht province. For the data analysis, structural equation modeling techniques (SEM) with the approach of Partial Least Squares (PLS) has been used. The results show that the company's performance can be improved by increasing manufacturing flexibility and operational efficiency . Also, with increasing flexibility, can provide more effective responses to environmental changes. The results confirmed the effect of manufacturing flexibility on the operational efficiency, as well as moderating role of operational absorptive capacity
perfomance management
Sharmineh Safarpour; Alireza Amirteimoori; Sohrab Kordrostami; Leila Khoshandam
Abstract
Since the healthcare system is one of the most important pillars of community health, and considering that providing healthcare services to the people is one of the elements of individual development in any country, attention and supervision of this sector can lead to development and social welfare. ...
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Since the healthcare system is one of the most important pillars of community health, and considering that providing healthcare services to the people is one of the elements of individual development in any country, attention and supervision of this sector can lead to development and social welfare. To ensure better and higher quality healthcare services, performance evaluation in the health sector plays a crucial role. In order to achieve this, proper and proportional use of existing facilities and assets is inevitable. In this study, by introducing an application in the field of healthcare systems, the educational hospitals of the country have been measured in terms of performance and their managerial ability has been calculated. Additionally, by identifying and introducing the impact of contextual variables on the performance of decision-making units, their efficiency has been assessed. For this purpose, data related to educational hospitals in 31 provinces of the country was collected, and then by identifying contextual variables and with the presence of undesirable factors, the efficiency was evaluated and the managerial ability of each was calculated. To reach this goal, in the first step, technical efficiency with the presence of undesirable factors was calculated using data envelopment analysis technique, and then the logarithm of technical efficiency obtained from the first stage was regressed on a set of contextual variables that affect hospital performance. In the next stage, managerial ability was extracted from the residual of the regression obtained from the previous stage. Finally, a unique ranking based on the managerial ability of each unit was provided. Ultimately, the results obtained were analyzed and examined in order to provide valuable suggestions for managers and more efficient management of the country's hospitals to maintain public health. According to the study, without considering contextual variables, 25 effective units were evaluated, but by applying the effect of contextual variables on the efficiency index, no unit becomes effective, proving the high impact of such indices on the performance of units. Additionally, in the ranking of units based on managerial ability, Lorestan province ranked first and Golestan province ranked last.IntroductionThe issue of increasing productivity and efficiency in healthcare costs is important for all countries. The health sector, by identifying the factors that affect community health precisely, influences national macroeconomic planning and minimizes their adverse effects on health. By utilizing the best practices in healthcare, significant improvements in the health of individuals and communities can be achieved. Therefore, proper investment in healthcare facilities and health centers, as well as improving the quality and efficiency of their services, is essential for sustainable development. In order to increase efficiency and productivity, understanding the current status and measuring the performance of hospitals in the healthcare system is of paramount importance. Ensuring the provision of better and higher quality health services requires evaluating the performance of the healthcare system. Therefore, it seems that employing efficiency measurement techniques and improving performance and productivity in this sector can improve processes and optimize the use of resources and the fair distribution of resources for the provision of desirable services. In recent years, various studies and methods have been proposed by researchers to measure the efficiency of decision-making units, which can be divided into two categories: parametric and non-parametric methods. Farrell (1957) first introduced the non-parametric method, and then Charnes et al. (1978) extended the initial analysis by Farrell from multi-input and single-output to multi-input and multi-output. The model developed by them was named the Charnes-Cooper-Rhodes model. Then, Banker et al. (1984) introduced the model. The non-parametric method is a linear programming-based method in which a linear programming problem is solved for each decision unit. This branch of operations research has rapidly advanced and is called data envelopment analysis. Data envelopment analysis is a mathematical programming technique for evaluating decision-making units and plays a fundamental role in identifying efficient boundaries and measuring the relative efficiency of units under scrutiny. Data envelopment analysis allows for the comparison of units with each other. Considering the importance of the health sector in improving the quality of life for individuals in society, we felt it necessary to examine the performance level and calculate the managerial capacity of hospitals in all 31 provinces of the country to ensure the proper functioning of this sector and take even small steps towards improving the quality of this sector. The aim of this research is to analyze and evaluate the performance of health sector hospitals in Iran in the presence of contextual variables and provide a ranking method based on managerial capacity. For this purpose, data related to educational hospitals in all 31 provinces of the country were collected, and then, by identifying contextual variables and the presence of undesirable factors, an attempt was made to evaluate the efficiency and calculate the managerial capacity of each hospital unit. To achieve this goal, in the first step, technical efficiency with the presence of undesirable factors was calculated using data envelopment analysis technique, and then the logarithm of technical efficiency resulting from the first step was regressed on a set of contextual variables that affect hospital performance. In the next step, managerial ability was extracted from the residual of the regression from the previous step. Finally, a unique ranking based on the managerial ability of each hospital was presented.MethodologyIn this article, based on studies conducted by Demerjian et al. (2020) and Banker et al. (2020), we examine the performance analysis and managerial abilities of 31 hospitals in the country through a three-stage process. Firstly, considering the presence of undesirable outputs, the efficiency analysis of the units of interest is obtained using the efficiency model proposed by Kuosmanen (2005) with the (3) technology. Then, using the least squares method, the impact of each of the contextual variables in this study, including "asset base", "density", and "number of physicians", on the efficiency scores obtained from the first stage is regressed. Subsequently, managerial ability is obtained from the residuals of the previous least squares method. Finally, a unique ranking based on the managerial ability of each hospital is presented.ResultsIn this study, which was conducted on the performance of the health care in Iran, a new ranking based on managerial ability was provided for comparing units. Based on calculations performed on a number of hospitals in 31 provinces of the country without considering contextual variables, 25 efficient units were evaluated. However, by applying the effect of contextual variables on the efficiency index, no unit appears to be efficient, proving the significant impact of contextual variables on the performance of units. Furthermore, the relationship between contextual variables and efficiency index was determined. For example, an increase in the amount of the contextual variable "number of physicians" will lead to an increase in managerial ability. This means that an increase in the number of physicians will benefit the improvement of the system's efficiency and managerial ability.ConclusionWithout a doubt, studying and investing in the healthcare industry is one of the most profitable and best areas for investment. In this regard, government hospitals in each country are one of the main and most important components of the healthcare sector. The hospitals studied in this research are considered as 3 government hospitals per province. Based on past efficiency studies, we find that each decision-making unit had its own specific inputs and outputs. The aim of this study is to analyze and examine the managerial ability of public hospitals in Iran. In this study, the performance of selected hospital units is analyzed in terms of managerial efficiency, considering the impact of other variables known as contextual variables on the performance of a decision-making unit. In this study, the performance of government hospitals in Iran is analyzed from a managerial perspective. The first step involves calculating the efficiency of units using basic models and considering undesirable outputs. Then, in the second step, the logarithm of technical efficiency obtained from the first step is regressed on a set of contextual variables that affect hospital performance. Furthermore, the impact of contextual variables, including total assets, physician density, and number of physicians, on the size of unit efficiency is measured in this study. Based on the results, 25 efficient units were evaluated, but with the application of contextual variables on efficiency indicators, no unit becomes efficient, proving the high impact of such indicators on unit performance. Additionally, based on the calculations performed, in the ranking of units with a managerial approach, Lorestan province ranks first and Golestan province, which has the weakest performance among the units under study, ranks last. The impact of contextual variables on efficiency indicators has been examined. For example, the impact of the "number of physicians" indicator on efficiency is direct, and a one-unit increase in it will lead to an increase in managerial efficiency. This means that an increase in the number of physicians will benefit the system's efficiency and managerial ability. However, the impact of the density variable, unlike the number of physicians, has an inverse effect on managerial ability. To provide suggestions for future studies, one can refer to generalizing the problem to the uncertainty space and studying different applications by bringing the problem into random spaces, providing more predictive predictions. Furthermore, this study can be implemented in analyzing performance and calculating managerial ability in various industries such as power plants, insurance industry, banks, etc., and based on the applications and the type of technology used, different approaches can be provided for calculating managerial
Ali Atashsooz; Kamran Feizi; Abolfazl Kazazi; Laya Olfat
Abstract
In a complex and volatile environment of the supply chain, any attempt to reduce the risks may increase or decrease other risks; thus, achieving an overall picture of the risks of supply chain and relationships between them are necessary and will lead to more effective and comprehensive strategy to response ...
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In a complex and volatile environment of the supply chain, any attempt to reduce the risks may increase or decrease other risks; thus, achieving an overall picture of the risks of supply chain and relationships between them are necessary and will lead to more effective and comprehensive strategy to response to risks. The purpose of this paper is identifying and extracting the potential risks of supply chain using interpretive structural modeling (ISM) approach. In order to do that, first an in-depth litreture review has done and Delphi method with content validity has used, and then, the ISM model, representing the structure of risks relationship has extract. The results show that the external environment supply chain risks (natural risks, political/social, policy and macroeconomic), at a low levels of the model, have the most impact on other risks and are as a emerging and or increasing factor for industrial environment (market and product competition; market inputs, communications and collaboration) and organizational environment risks (operational, financial, strategic, commitment and organizational culture and employee).
quality management
amir mohammad khani; Abolfazl Kazzazi; Soraya birami
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between comprehensive productive maintenance, TQM, supply chain management, learning organization characteristics and operational performance. In order to conduct research operations, the conceptual framework of the research was first presented ...
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The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between comprehensive productive maintenance, TQM, supply chain management, learning organization characteristics and operational performance. In order to conduct research operations, the conceptual framework of the research was first presented by studying the theoretical foundations. In the next stage, by compiling and distributing a questionnaire among 180 people from the statistical population of the research consisting of senior, middle and operational managers aware of the subject under study, export companies of Golestan province were distributed randomly, the information needed to test research hypotheses was collected. Finally, 146 completed return questionnaires were covered by the structural equation modeling technique based on the partial least squares method. The results obtained based on this technique showed that the maintenance and repair of comprehensive productivity has a positive effect on total quality management, while the maintenance and repair of comprehensive productivity alone could not achieve an acceptable result to achieve operational performance and requires comprehensive quality management. . Another result obtained indicates the positive effect of total quality management and supply chain management and the mediating role of supply chain management in achieving operational performance between the two variables of total quality management and operational performance. In addition to these results, it was found that total quality management has a positive effect on the learning organization and the learning organization has an important role between total quality management and operational performance of export companies in Golestan province.
