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Flexible job-shop scheduling is significant for different manufacturing industries nowadays. Moreover, consideration of transportation time during scheduling makes it more practical and useful. The purpose of this paper is to investigate multi-objective flexible job-shop scheduling problem (MOFJSP) considering transportation time.

A hybrid genetic algorithm (GA) approach is integrated with simulated annealing to solve the MOFJSP considering transportation time, and an external elitism memory library is employed as a knowledge library to direct GA search into the region of better performance.

The performance of the proposed algorithm is tested on different MOFJSP taken from literature. Experimental results show that proposed algorithm performs better than the original GA in terms of quality of solution and distribution of the solution, especially when the number of jobs and the flexibility of the machine increase.

Most of existing studies have not considered the transportation time during scheduling of jobs. The transportation time is significantly desired to be included in the FJSP when the time of transportation of jobs has significant impact on the completion time of jobs. Meanwhile, GA is one of primary algorithms extensively used to address MOFJSP in literature. However, to solve the MOFJSP, the original GA has a possibility to get a premature convergence and it has a slow convergence speed. To overcome these problems, a new hybrid GA is developed in this paper.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a grey clustering evaluation model based on analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and interval grey number (IGN) to solve the clustering evaluation problem with IGNs.

First, the centre-point triangular whitenisation weight function with real numbers is built, and then by using interval mean function, the whitenisation weight function is extended to IGNs. The weights of evaluation indexes are determined by AHP. Finally, this model is used to evaluate the flight safety of a Chinese airline. The results indicate that the model is effective and reasonable.

When IGN meets certain conditions, the centre-point triangular whitenisation weight function based on IGN is not multiple-cross and it is normative. It provides a certain standard and basis for obtaining the effective evaluation indexes and determining the scientific evaluation of the grey class.

The traditional grey clustering model is extended to the field of IGN. It can make full use of all the information of the IGN, so the result of the evaluation is more objective and reasonable, which provides supports for solving practical problems.

This study aims to examine issues affecting the growth and survival of traditional handicraft enterprising community in Pakistan, and analyzes their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, as well as develops strategic solutions to overcome the problems identified for their revival.

This exploratory study is based on a descriptive approach because it attempts to investigate the critical issues faced by traditional handicraft enterprising community. To operationalize the theoretical approach, this paper used a SWOT analysis of craft enterprising community. After thoroughly reviewing relevant literature, this study put forward strategic solutions for the revival of the traditional enterprising community. Moreover, secondary data on employment and gender wage gap were used to provide empirical evidence of the issues identified and emphasize the importance of strategic solutions.

This study found that traditional handicraft producers are facing many problems that hinder their survival and growth. This paper, therefore, makes some essential strategic recommendations on how to overcome these issues. The current research argues that Pakistan’s handicraft industry must be revived; else, centuries-old traditional culture and patrimonial knowledge will vanish. Moreover, there is a need to attract foreign investment to overcome resource limitations and improve the competitive capability of the enterprising community. Notably, government intervention is necessary for the revival of the traditional handicraft industry.

This study provides in-depth knowledge of issues faced by the Pakistani traditional handicraft enterprising community and suggests possible strategic solutions for the problems identified. Unlike previous studies, this research also discusses the essential characteristics of traditional handicrafts that differentiate them from identical mechanized products.

Suggests that misunderstandings frequently occur when trying to understand Chinese language and culture, and so gives the implied meaning of various Chinese expressions and sayings such as greetings, thanks, respect, age, congratulations and taboo subjects.