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1 – 10 of 674Nilesh Pancholi and Mangal Bhatt
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent at which the reliability of an aluminium wire rolling mill can be improved by ameliorating current control and maintenance…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent at which the reliability of an aluminium wire rolling mill can be improved by ameliorating current control and maintenance practices.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper deals with the discrimination of the most critical components by substantial shop-floor failure data. The research work narrates a method for evaluating maintainability criticality index for each failure cause of identified critical components through two different MCDM approaches: one based on grey-complex proportional risk assessment (COPRAS-G) and the other based on preference section index (PSI).
Findings
The primary findings of this research work are to prioritize the maintenance activities by comparing results obtained through different failure analysis models. It is proposing improvements in the maintenance plan of critical components like bearings, gears and shafts of an aluminium wire rolling mill which are commonly representing the most critical components in a large range of industrial processes.
Research limitations/implications
The limitation of the proposed study is that the failure models may not represent failures due to the first instant every time as adequate of design as such components are not checked for a high failure rate.
Practical implications
The proposed study is an interdisciplinary work which will help to understand about the working lives of components and associated failures. It will lead to reengineer new tools efficiently and to gain the maintenance excellence.
Originality/value
Originality mainly consists in the contemporary application of two non-identical MCDM-based methods (COPRAS-G and PSI). It will help to elucidate maintenance issues of major process industries and recommended deliverable keys.
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Zuzanna Sabina Goluch, Artur Rybarczyk, Arleta Drozd and Radosław Drozd
The objective of this study is to assess whether pro-health herbal probiotics, ascorbic acid and allicin added to the finishing diets of hybrid pig influenced the intramuscular…
Abstract
Purpose
The objective of this study is to assess whether pro-health herbal probiotics, ascorbic acid and allicin added to the finishing diets of hybrid pig influenced the intramuscular fat (IMF) content in longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle, the fatty acid profile and lipid quality indices, as it has an impact on human health.
Design/methodology/approach
After 80 days of equal fattening, the pigs were divided into the control group (CT, n = 30 received commercially allowed and applicable antibiotics) and the experimental group (EX, n = 30), which until 95 days of rearing were supplied with fermented herbs extract (FHE Multikraft® Austria) with probiotics Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum, L-ascorbic acid and extract of garlic (10% allicin). After slaughter, crude fat content and fatty acid profile were determined in LL muscle samples, and on that basis lipid indices were calculated.
Findings
Supplementation with FHE, probiotics, L-ascorbic acid and allicin has significantly impacted the crude fat content in the meat and the percentage of fatty acids content: tricosanoic (C23:0), heptadecanoid (C17:1 n-7), eicosanic (C22:1 11cis n-9) and eicosatrienoic (C20:3 11cis n-3), in comparison to CT group. Amongst lipid quality indices, IMF in LL of pigs from EX group, the C18:2 n-6/C18:3 n-3 ratio is characterised by a significantly higher value and thus is more beneficial to the health of the consumer.
Originality/value
The authors have indicated that using FHE, probiotic supplements with ascorbic acid and allicin in commercial fattening of pigs, as an alternative for antibiotic growth promoters (AGP), improves the fatty acid profile of the meat.
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Jeya Girubha, Sekar Vinodh and Vimal KEK
The purpose of this paper is to report a study on the application of interpretative structural modelling (ISM) integrated with multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques for…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report a study on the application of interpretative structural modelling (ISM) integrated with multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques for enabling the sustainability supplier selection.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, two approaches of hybrid MCDM methods are followed and the selection of sustainable supplier was based on the comparative results obtained from both the methods. The first hybrid approach is ISM – analytic network process (ANP) – ELimination and Et Choice Translating REality (ELECTRE II) and the second hybrid approach is ISM – ANP – Vlse Kriterijumska Optimizacija Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR). ISM was used to identify the inter relationship between the criteria. Inter-relationship of criteria obtained from ISM will serve as an input for ANP. The weights obtained from ANP will be used in ELECTRE II and VIKOR. ELECTRE II is an outranking method, whereas VIKOR is a compromise ranking method; comparison of both the methods was carried out in this study.
Findings
In this study, two modules ISM–ANP – ELECTRE and ISM–ANP – VIKOR were compared for the problem of sustainable supplier selection. ELECTRE results with a single solution showed that Supplier 2 can be selected as the best supplier; VIKOR result shows that Supplier 1 and Supplier 2 can be selected as the best suppliers.
Originality/value
The selection of sustainable supplier considering the interrelationship of criteria using ISM and ranking the alternatives using compromise and outranking techniques was found to be original and novel contribution of the author.
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Heriyanti, Lenny Marlinda, Rayandra Asyhar, Sutrisno and Marfizal
Purpose – This work aims to study the treatment of adsorbant on the increasing liquid hydrocarbon quality produced by pyrolysis low density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic waste at…
Abstract
Purpose – This work aims to study the treatment of adsorbant on the increasing liquid hydrocarbon quality produced by pyrolysis low density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic waste at low temperature. The hydrocarbon distribution, physicochemical properties and emission test were also studied due to its application in internal combustion engine. This research uses pure Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and pure activated carbon as adsorbant, LDPE type clear plastic samples with control variable that is solar gas station.
Design/Methodology/Approach – LDPE plastic waste of 10 kg were vaporized in the thermal cracking batch reactor using LPG 12 kg as fuel at range temperature from 100 to 300°C and condensed into liquid hydrocarbon. Furthermore, this product was treated with the mixed CaCO3 and activated carbon as adsorbants to decrease contaminant material.
Findings – GC-MS identified the presence of carbon chain in the range of C6–C44 with 24.24% of hydrocarbon compounds in the liquid. They are similar to diesel (C6–C14). The 30% of liquid yields were found at operating temperature of 300°C. The calorific value of liquid was 46.021 MJ/Kg. This value was 5.07% higher than diesel as control.
Originality/Value – Hydrocarbon compounds in liquid produced by thermal cracking at a low temperature was similar to liquid from a catalytic process.
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Peter Schott, Matthias Lederer, Isabella Eigner and Freimut Bodendorf
Increasingly, dynamic market environments lead to growing complexity in manufacturing and pose a severe threat for the competitiveness of manufacturing companies. Systematic…
Abstract
Purpose
Increasingly, dynamic market environments lead to growing complexity in manufacturing and pose a severe threat for the competitiveness of manufacturing companies. Systematic guidance to manage this complexity, especially in the context of Industry 4.0 and the therewith rising trends such as digitalization and data-driven production optimization, is lacking. To address this deficit a case-based reasoning (CBR) system for providing knowledge about managing complexity in Industry 4.0 is presented.
Design/methodology/approach
First, the explicit knowledge representation for managing complexity in IT-based manufacturing is introduced. Second, the CBR process step to retrieve knowledge from an artificially composed case base with in total 70 cases of data-based complexity management in the context of Industry 4.0 is set out. Third, knowledge transfer alongside several maturity levels of information technology capabilities of manufacturing systems for reuse in new problem scenarios is introduced.
Findings
The paper comprises the conceptual approach for designing a CBR system to support data-based complexity management in manufacturing systems. Furthermore, the appropriateness of the CBR system to provide applicable knowledge for reducing and managing complexity in corporate practice is shown.
Research limitations/implications
The presented research results are evaluated in the course of an embedded single case study and may therefore lack generalizability. Future research to test and enhance the appropriateness of the developed CBR system will strengthen the research contribution.
Originality/value
The paper provides a novel approach to systematically support knowledge transfer for data-based complexity management by transferring the well-known and established methodology of CBR to the rising application domain of manufacturing systems in the context of Industry 4.0.
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Katarzyna Piwowar-Sulej and Dominika Bąk-Grabowska
The aim of this study is to analyze the differences between non-standard forms of employment (FoE) (i.e. dependent self-employment/business-to-business/B2B contract and contract…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to analyze the differences between non-standard forms of employment (FoE) (i.e. dependent self-employment/business-to-business/B2B contract and contract of mandate) in terms of investing in the development of future competencies by employees and employers. This study also examined additional factors which influence these investments.
Design/methodology/approach
To collect data, the computer-assisted telephone interview technique was used. 200 employees from different companies located in Poland participated in this study, wherein each of the above-mentioned FoEs (i.e. dependent self-employment and contract of mandate) was represented by 100 people. The Chi-Square test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used in the statistical analyses.
Findings
In the case of only 2 out of 14 competencies, there were statistically significant differences between the two groups of respondents: the employers financed training courses for B2B employees more frequently than for mandate contract workers. Moreover, in only one case there was a statistically significant difference: the self-employed financed training courses themselves more often than mandate contract workers. This study revealed an important impact of other variables such as respondents’ age, education level, parental status and industry on the training activities undertaken by employers and employees.
Originality/value
Although the issue of developing future competencies is important, there is little research examining this problem in the context of people who work in non-standard FoE. Moreover, previous research primarily focused on identifying differences between people working under employment contracts and the self-employed. This article fills these research gaps as well as shows that more factors should be considered in the research models to get a deeper insight into the problem of non-standard FoEs.
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Liang Wang, Li Ma, Kuo-Jui Wu, Anthony S.F. Chiu and Sarayut Nathaphan
The purpose of this paper is to adopt fuzzy interpretive structural modeling (ISM) to develop a precise evaluation framework and provide a theoretical basis for enhancing the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to adopt fuzzy interpretive structural modeling (ISM) to develop a precise evaluation framework and provide a theoretical basis for enhancing the understanding of responsible consumption and production (RCP) in academic and industrial fields.
Design/methodology/approach
An integration of fuzzy set theory and ISM is proposed to maintain a higher level of consistency and reduce the uncertainty inherent in expert responses.
Findings
RCP can be categorized into seven levels, which represent the driving power from higher to lower. The top aspect is management style; the remaining aspects are stakeholder management, regulation compliance, efficiency improvement, sustainable awareness, sustainable production and social responsibility.
Research limitations/implications
This study attempts to integrate the triple bottom line (TBL) concept and corporate sustainability to develop a significant framework for evaluating RCP. Although the proposed aspects and criteria can be used to evaluate the Chinese construction industry, these may be insufficient for other industries. In addition, further discussion regarding important aspects and criteria is required to complete the theoretical basis.
Practical implications
The results indicate that the top two criteria are establishing transparent communication channels and promoting managerial attitudes and behavior, which are followed by technology capabilities, organizational culture and stakeholder engagement. These five criteria play important roles when implementing RCP practices among Chinese construction firms.
Originality/value
This study is the first to discuss RCP via an integration of the TBL concept and corporate sustainability. The framework developed herein provides a precise guideline for Chinese construction firms to improve their performance, and it also promotes the efficient use of resources via sustainable practices.
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Vanessa S.M. Magalhães, Luís Miguel D.F. Ferreira, Aldara da Silva César, Renato Manzini Bonfim and Cristóvão Silva
The livestock sector contributes significantly to the Brazilian economy, but also creates many environmental and social issues. To mitigate these problems and help counteract the…
Abstract
Purpose
The livestock sector contributes significantly to the Brazilian economy, but also creates many environmental and social issues. To mitigate these problems and help counteract the effects of the growing production demand, it is essential to address the prevention of food loss and waste (FLW). Therefore, the aim of the present study is to identify the causes of FLW, model their interrelationships and determine their root causes for the Brazilian beef supply chain (SC).
Design/methodology/approach
16 causes are analysed using an integrated interpretive structural modelling (ISM) and matrix impact of cross-multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) methodology. ISM identified interrelationships among the causes and MICMAC determined the root causes of FLW.
Findings
The ISM highlights the “Lack of transportation infrastructures”, “Inadequate handling”, “Poor operational performance”, “Variety of products available in supermarkets” and “Unhealthy animals and outbreaks of disease” as the most influential causes and the MICMAC classifies them as the root causes of FLW in the Brazilian beef SC.
Practical implications
The results provide fundamental insights for researchers, practitioners and policymakers, by exploring which causes are more influential and which are the root causes, thereby assisting the SC members in the definition of suitable strategies to mitigate FLW.
Originality/value
This is the first empirical analysis of the interdependencies between the causes of FLW in the beef SC.
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D.F. HERSEY, W.R. FOSTER, E.W. STALDER and W.T. CARLSON
Comparative performance profiles were determined, by two independent scientific information centres, for on‐line retrieval by means of (a) tree text words and (b) subject indexing…
Abstract
Comparative performance profiles were determined, by two independent scientific information centres, for on‐line retrieval by means of (a) tree text words and (b) subject indexing codes, from a data base of 4,600 descriptions of on‐going research projects in four broad subject areas. Altogether, thirty‐nine questions that users had previously asked of the Science Information Exchange (SIE) of the Smithsonian Institution, and that were in the four subject areas, were employed by SIE staffscientists, and twelve of these were independently used by staff members of the Biological Sciences Communication Project (BSCP) of the George Washington University. Results for the two studies showed average recall values 30–40% higher, and relevance values 15–20% higher, for subject index code use as compared with text word use. Advantages and disadvantages of both approaches are discussed.
Timothy Cawsey and Jennifer Rowley
The purpose of this paper is to provide a unique overview of business-to-business (B2B) companies engagement with and strategic approach to use of social media in brand building…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a unique overview of business-to-business (B2B) companies engagement with and strategic approach to use of social media in brand building. This research complements the much more extensive knowledge base regarding social media use in business-to-consumer (B2C) contexts.
Design/methodology/approach
Since social media marketing is a relatively new activity for B2B companies an interpretivist stance that is inductive in nature is adopted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with marketing professionals involved in managing social media programmes in France, Ireland, the UK and the USA.
Findings
The study found that the level of enagement with social media marketing varied, as summarised in the B2B Social Media Engagement Taxonomy. Enhancing brand image, extending brand awareness and facilitating customer engagement were the most common social media objectives. There was no evidence to suggest that companies saw social media as heralding a paradigm shift in brand management and control of the kind discussed and experienced in B2C social media contexts. The B2B social media strategy framework is proposed; this identifies the following six components of a social media strategy: monitoring and listening, empowering and enagaging employees, creating compelling content, stimulating electronic word of mouth, evaluating and selecting channels, and enhacning brand presence through integrating social media.
Originality/value
The research contributes to the knowledge base associated with social media marketing by offering insights into and a framework summarising B2B social media strategy.
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