Industrial Management Studies

Abstract This study examines the impact of supply chain integration (SCI)
dimensions on competitive capabilities. For this purpose, the
relationship between dimensions of SCI (internal integration and
external integration including supplier integration and customer
integration) and competitive capabilities (cost, quality, delivery,
product innovation) were examined using a conceptual model. The
data was collected from top managers of 44 medium and large
enterprises of Mashhad Food and Beverages Industries by survey
approach. In this study, partial least squares method by Smart pls
software and Hulland procedures are utilized to evaluate the
measurement and structural models. The results indicated that internal
integration is a prerequisite for external integration. The study also
revealed that, internal integration and external integration have
positive impact on improvement of firms’ competitive capabilities. It
was further noticed that, internal integration improves competitive
capabilities through external integration

Abstract Nowadays one of the most important decisions for the companies is
whether to outsource a part of the organizations’ value chain or not.
Some studies show that majority of them, consider outsourcing as a
cost reduction approach, not as a strategic decision. Some researches
have paid attention to this concept. This paper presents a decision
making framework which consists of five criteria, thirty scenarios and
eight strategies. According to this framework, activities outsourcing
decisions can be made. This framework has been applied for thirty
three manufacturing sets of Samand automotive. The suggested option
for twenty six of them is “Supplier Development and Outsourcing”,
for five sets is “Insourcing”. “Partial Outsourcing” is suggested for
one set and “Spin off” for another one.

Abstract
Knowledge has widely been acknowledged as one of the most
important factors for corporate competitiveness, and we have
witnessed an explosion of IT solutions claiming to provide support for
knowledge management. Due to the rapid development of knowledge
and information technology (IT), business environments have become
much more complicated. In order to cope with ensuing complications,
enterprises ought to incessantly innovate; otherwise, it will be very
difficult for them to survive in the marketplace. Hence, IT can help a
firm aiming to gain a competitive advantage. In addition, many studies
have argued that business value comes mainly from intangible assets,
such as knowledge. Thus, knowledge workers will be able to replace
clerical workers as the new mainstream of manpower resources, a
field in which the development of IT is the major force for change in
knowledge management system (KMS). Therefore, based on the
definition of the six gaps in KMS, this study explores the role and
effect of IT in the implementation of KMS in the IK company. Each
Gap is discussed and the results of an empirical assessment employed
to evaluate them are then reported in order to identify each gap's
situation in a company and which one has to be improved first.
moreover, relationships between KMS and IT are analyzed and
demonstrated by means of the literature reviews, expert interviews and
questionnaire analyses. Furthermore, this study discusses how to
enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of implementing KMS
through appropriate IT tools.

Abstract This research study aims at using Data Mining and Fuzzy Logic
approaches to classify the credit scoring of banking system applicants
as to cover uncertainties and ambiguity connected with applicant
classes and also variables that affect their behavior.
The methodology, according to a standard Data Mining process, is to
collect and refine the client data, then those variables which are in
linguistic forms are converted to fuzzy variables under the supervision
of banking experts and final data are modeled using Fuzzy Decision
Tree, subsequently. The unfuzzy data are also modeled using the other
algorithms.
The results of the study suggest that as far as client distinction
accuracy is concerned Fuzzy Decision Tree produces better results
compared to Traditional Trees, Neural Networks, and statistical
procedures such as Logistic Regression and Bayesian Network.
However, it is not as accurate as Support Vector Machine and Genetic
Tree. On the other hand, Fuzzy Decision Tree technique has gained
better prediction than prediction performance of bank credit scoring
experts.

Abstract In this research, exploratory mixed research are used and implemented
at two stages. At first stage, two questionnaires are designed. Based on
Cambridge University’s Model, responsiveness of Almas-e-Kavir and
Ehsan Industrial Group are surveyed and analyzed that are done by
comparative-theoretical case study. A questionnaire is designed
according to the comparative-theoretical case study that determines
responsiveness’s degree of ceramic tile industry’s companies. At the
same time, literature reviews of knowledge management enablers are
done and a questionnaire is designed. At the second stage, two
questionnaires are distributed and after gathering them, data are
analyzed. In this stage, questionnaire of knowledge management
enablers are validated by confirmatory factor analysis. Then, affect of
knowledge management enablers on responsiveness are analyzed by
discriminate analysis. Responsiveness at manufacturing systems is
ability to achieving operational objective with internal and external
disturbances. Results are shown that infrastructures of knowledge
management have more effect on responsiveness than people,
strategy, and processes

Abstract The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of industry
concentration on the average stock returns, and proposing a model to
explain this relationship. Explanatory variables are Herfindahl-
Hirschman Index of industry concentration, industry size (market
equity), book-to-market ratio, leverage, past 1-year's industry return
and systematic risk (beta); also the industry average return is taken as
the dependent variable. With respect to the concentration index is an
industry specific, all of the dependent and independent variables in
this research are evaluated in industry level. The study covers 1380-
1386 and uses 31 manufacturing industry-year observations. For
examine the research hypothesizes, we use the Panel Data technique
with Fixed Effect and Generalized Least Squares (GLS) method.
Results indicate that in Tehran Securities Exchange there is significant
relationship between industry concentration, size, book-to-market
ratio, systematic risk and average stock returns. On the other hand,
leverage and past 1-year's industry returns are not associated with
annual industry returns.

Abstract Now days, many internal banks of country experiment a kind of credit
risk, where can enumerate increasing non-performing loans of the
banks and not repayment problem of the central bank debts as its
results. Therefore, to establish a system of credit risk management is
necessary and essential. The Five Cs of credit valid system is one of
the rating systems of customers where can be considered for credit
risk management. In the other hand, existence of a suitable tool to
establish this system is necessary. The VIKOR method is one the
efficient tools to rate feasible alternatives where can be used for rating
credit of customers. In this paper, a method of advanced VIKOR will
be proposed which can present the optimal values of attributes
preference weights in decision making process. To illustrate the
method proposed, a numerical example will be presented about credit
rating problem of banks customers and the best feasible alternative to
give facilities will be determined

Abstract The significant role of investment in the process of societies’
economic growth and development is highlighted in most theories on
economic growth and development. Taking into account the shortage
of investment sources and the necessity of optimal allocation of these
sources for promoting economic growth, it is necessary to rightly
identify the relative advantages of a country as regards the allocation
of investment sources and also direct investment sources in most
productive and efficient sectors in order to provide for efficient use of
limited sources to accelerate economic growth. Thus, it is much
necessary to use the scientific methods of economic engineering and
economic evaluation of projects to economically and financially
evaluate investment projects. This descriptive, analytic and applied
study evaluates economic indicators of investment in Tarom (located
in Zanjan Province) as an international recreational-tourist town via
different criteria of economic and financial evaluation and the use of
COMFAR (A computer software for simulating the financial and
economic situation of investment projects). The results indicated that
conducting the project of Tarom Recreational-Tourist Town has no
justification in terms of indicators of financial and economic
evaluation.