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The paper aims to identify, prioritize and rank lean practices in the context of an Indian automotive component manufacturing organization using interpretive ranking process (IRP) and interpretive structural modeling (ISM) approaches.

Lean practices are identified from the literature. Then, two hierarchical models were are developed using two distinct modeling approaches – ISM and IRP with expert opinions from an Indian automotive component manufacturing organization to analyze the contextual relationships among the various lean practices and to prioritize and rank them with respect to performance dimensions.

In the study, the hierarchical structural models are developed using ISM and IRP approaches for an Indian automotive component manufacturing organization. In ISM-based modeling, lean practices can be categorized into five levels. Top priority should be given to the motivators followed by value chain, system/technology and organization centric practices. IRP model shows the dominance relationship among the various lean practices with respect to performance dimensions.

The models are constructed from the organizational standpoint to evaluate their impact to the implementation of lean manufacturing. The study leverages the organizations to prioritize limited resources as per the hierarchy. Managers get the inter-linkages and ranking of various lean practices, which leads to a better perspective for the effective implementation of lean. The structural models also assist management to assign proper roles to employees/departments for effective lean implementation.

There is hardly any structural model of lean practices in the literature for clustering, prioritizing and ranking of lean practices. The study fills this gap and develops the hierarchical models of lean practices through IRP and ISM approaches for an Indian automotive component manufacturing organization. The results from both approaches are compared for illustrating the benefits of one over the other.

The purpose of this paper was to synthesize novel antibacterial reactive dyes for dyeing cotton fabrics.

Four synthetic novel antibacterial reactive dyes based on sulfonamide (D1-D4) have been synthesized by the coupling reaction of sulfonamide diazonium salt with sulfonamido-cyanurated 7-amino-4-hydroxynaphthalene-2-sulfonic acid “j-acid”. The chemical structure of the synthesized dyes was secured by their spectral data [infra red (IR) and proton Nuclear magnetic Resonance (1HNMR)].

The prepared reactive dyes (D1-D4) were applied to cotton fabrics. Optimum conditions of the dying samples at sodium sulfate 100 g/l, liquor ratio (L.R.) 1:10, sodium carbonate 20 g/l at 80°C (D1, D2 and D4), 60°C (D3 for 60 min) were investigated. The fastness properties toward washing, perspiration, rubbing and light were evaluated. Dyed fabrics showed good light fastness property and good to very good washing and perspiration fastness properties according to the gray scale. Antimicrobial activities for synthesized dyes showed excellent activity against gram-negative organisms such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus mirabilis faecalis, whereas very good activity against gram-positive organisms such as Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis with respect to the standard drugs ampicillin and chloramphenicol.

The principle advantages in this study were that the synthesis of novel synthesized dyes by introducing bisulfonamide-based moieties to increase the antimicrobial activity of the cellulose fabrics could be used as a medical textile, short reaction time and reaction procedure conducted in few steps, the work up is convenient and thus the starting material can be easily prepared.

In mature global business-to-business (B2B) product markets, management of external sales channels, governed by contractual relationships, is a key determinant of business performance. However, existing sales channel management literature lacks focus on contractual governance and reseller management success. The purpose of the study is to systematically review different governance theories in relation to sales channel management and to show which factors are the most influential in making or keeping external sales channels effective.

A case study on a large B2B information and communication technology (ICT) company is used to reflect on the way the different theoretical governance perspectives explain sales channel management success. Interviews and mini-questionnaires were used to collect data.

Expressions of interdependence and equality alongside persevered personal relationships are important in managing daily business activities and in avoiding bad will at the reseller’s grass-root level. Future-oriented planning, long-term-oriented support and jointly set incentive systems are important for reseller management. Degree of professional management sets resellers apart through shifts in power balance.

A multi-theory governance perspective offers a holistic view over reseller management and provides a comprehensive view over different sales channel management issues and their relative importance.

The findings highlight the importance of long-term orientation and cooperation in setting up a reseller management system to gain and nurture distributors’ trust and commitment towards the manufacturer.

The study is the first to comprehensively use governance perspective in studying reseller management.

This study aims to synthesize some new curcumin containing Aroyl derivatives dyestuffs and study their application in dyeing polyester fabrics, rendering to their antibacterial evaluation.

Modification of curcumin dye was carried out by introducing benzoyl rings through coupling with curcumin. All newly synthesized dyes were characterized by elemental analyses and spectral data (IR, 1 H-NMR and MS). Moreover, the optimal dyeing condition was assigned. Antibacterial activities of the dyed samples at different concentrations of both dyes were studied against gram positive (Staph aureus) and gram-negative (Salmonellatyphimurium) bacteria.

Synthesized curcumin containing benzoyl dyes were applied on polyester fabrics. Meanwhile, these synthesized dyes showed reasonable results towards fastness properties at optimal conditions matching the curcumin dye. In addition to their good fastness assets, synthesized dyes displayed antibacterial efficacy towards both gram positive and gram-negative bacteria. The dyed polyester fabrics showed higher antibacterial efficacy after multiple events of washing.

The synthesized benzoyl containing curcumin moiety was not described before.

Disperse dyes derived from curcumin were prepared via coupling of various diazonium salts of p-aminobenzaldhyde, p-aminoacetopheneone, p-aminobenzoic acid and p-aminobenzoyl chloride with curcumin. The resulting disperse dyes were applied on polyester fabrics at optimal conditions, and antibacterial efficacy of dyed fabrics were evaluated.

Curcumin being was used in food colouration and was effective for dyeing and antimicrobial finishing on textile fabrics. Novel antibacterial dyestuff containing curcumin moieties with benzoyl amine coupling components showed interesting colourant for polyester fabrics. This work introduced innovative disperse dyes for medical textile applications.

In order to pursue men's suit wear comfort, the basic data on an accurate men's suit comfort analysis with clothing pressure is required. Therefore, in such investigation, it is difficult to find out ideal persons as test subjects. In the measuring experiments, we used dummies designed for resuscitation practice to obtain the clothing pressure with both normal standing posture and movement patterns and compared these data with subjects' to give the relationship of clothing pressure between the dummy and subject. The correlation between the measurements with dummies and the subjects' are shown. It turns out that the dummy D1 and D6 are mainly as intended in pressure measurement with normal standing posture. But the dummy D2 and D3 are not. It turns out that the dummy D1 can imitate the human shoulder's movement patterns well, and the dummy D4 and D6 are mainly as intended. But the dummy D2 is not. It turns out that all the dummies have a certain limitation to be placed in clothing pressure measurements. It also shows that instead of subject to use dummy to investigate clothing pressure with both normal standing posture and movement pattern, not only dummy's features such as compression hardness, form and size, but measuring postures are also needed to take into consideration.

THE first of 60 Rolls‐Royce RB 211– 524 C2 turbofans to incorporate modifications bringing it up to—524 D4 upgrade standard was recently completed and tested by British Airways at Heathrow. These engines (including some spares) power 12 of the airline's Boeing 747–236 aircraft and it is hoped tht enough of the power‐plants will have been completed by the end of the year. The contract which was negotiated in 1985, envisages the completion of all 12 aircraft in two years from the commencement of improvements.

The purpose of this research is to identify the dimensionality of the procedural justice construct and the criteria used by employees to assess procedural justice, in the context of salary determination.

Based on a survey of 297 Canadian workers, the paper uses confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test the dimensionality and the discriminant and convergent validity of our procedural justice construct. Convergent and predictive validity are also tested using hierarchical linear regressions.

The paper shows the multidimensionality of the procedural justice construct: justice of the salary determination process is assessed through the perceived characteristics of allocation procedures, the perceived characteristics of decision‐makers, and system transparency.

Results could be biased towards acceptance; this is discussed. The results also suggest possible extensions to the study.

Knowledge of the justice standards improves the ability of organizations to effectively manage the salary determination process and promote its acceptance among employees. Emphasizes the need to adequately manage the selection, training, and perception of decision makers.

The paper identifies the standards of procedural justice for salary determination processes. It contributes to the theoretical literature by providing a new multidimensional conceptualization, which helps to better understand the psychological process underlying the perception of procedural justice. The presence of a dimension associated with decision makers is novel and critical for compensation studies.

Studies that examine the relationship of economic value added (EVA) to market value did not isolate the EVA effect in conjunction with controlling for the economic effect of the market. Since the EVA metric is viewed as value‐added apart from the market, operational managers will benefit from a procedure that separates the market driven versus firm driven (EVA) effects. Our paper examines the effects of the economy and EVA on MVA. The results indicate that EVA and GDP significantly affect MVA. Furthermore, the MVA‐EVA relationship shows a systematic bias between the largest MVA firms and the smallest MVA firms. Overall, our study provides implications for corporate executives utilizing EVA to evaluate managerial performance linked to MVA.

It has been shown that the Hersey and Blanchard situational leadership model suffers from fundamental flaws since it violates three logical principles — consistency, continuity and conformity. If the model is corrected to avoid this violation, allowing smooth progression of leader as parent (using LT/LR leadership style) to the leader as developer (using an HT/HR leadership style) the leader will maintain balanced emphasis on task and relationship as long as the ability and willingness of the group are developing symmetrically. The model performs all the functions of the original while avoiding its flaws.

The research empirically investigates the firm-level impact of ISO 9000 certification on innovation propensity. The study aims to distinguish between manufacturing and service sectors and adopts different innovation definitions aimed at capturing the peculiarities of innovation in services and small firms.

Relying chiefly on Community Innovation Survey data for Luxembourg, the impact of certification on innovation probability is assessed using a logit model that controls for relevant firms characteristics and market features.

The innovation potential of services and small firms is understated when adopting innovation definitions restricted to technological aspects and more formalised innovation activities. ISO 9000 certification may promote innovation when adopting definitions that captures sectoral innovation specificities. In particular, certification increases innovation propensity in manufacturing when the focus is on technological innovation and formalised innovation expenditures. On the contrary, when non-technological aspects are included and allowance is made for wider innovation activities, the impact of certification on services tends to emerge. However, sharper statistical evidence for manufacturing indicates a more important role of certification for innovation success in this sector.

Case-study research could supplement the findings concerning the relative effectiveness of certification in services and manufacturing. The investigation would also benefit from extensions in the econometric analysis to address comparisons across samples and potential causality issues.

Findings are interesting to practitioners and registrars in order to identify the specific characteristics of firms for which certification provides higher innovative potential.

The study highlights the relevance of sectoral specificities and innovation definitions for the debate about the effect of ISO 9000 certification on innovation.