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The purpose of this paper is to propose an assessment approach to evaluate the organizational capabilities to deploy a Lean Six Sigma (LSS) strategy.

Based on a comprehensive literature review, critical success factors required to deploy LSS were defined. These key factors are evaluated by a questionnaire based on maturity grids and structured as a multi-criteria model to compute a potential LSS performance indicator. This approach is illustrated through two case studies.

To promote a successful implementation of LSS in SMEs, it is necessary to consider five main critical factors. The evaluation of these factors could be achieved thanks to a multi-criterion-based maturity indicator for the LSS implementation. The case studies show that this approach allows SMEs to understand their strengths and weaknesses and thus better prepare the implementation of LSS.

The proposed tool identifies characteristics of companies leading to successful LSS implementation; but is not yet able to provide a detailed strategy to improve them. The case studies were applied to manufacturing companies; therefore, there is no evidence of conclusions in the context of services.

The proposed methodology will help managers and practitioners to evaluate the readiness level of a company to implement LSS. Then, they could estimate the effort required to achieve the LSS deployment.

This paper proposes a new metric of the capacity to implement the LSS successfully in SMEs: the Lean Six Sigma Global Index. This indicator is based on a survey completed by managers and supported by observable phenomena to establish a tailored diagnosis before the LSS implementation.

Most of the proposed decision aid methods provide the user only with a prescriptive approach (quantitative analysis) without any descriptive approach (qualitative analysis). It is therefore not possible to justify and recommend ways of improvement. The purpose of this paper is to introduce visualization techniques to complement prescriptive approaches.

Visual techniques have been developed for the FlowSort sorting method, namely the FS‐GAIA and stacked bar diagrams.

It is found that with visual techniques, fine details can be captured, e.g. detection of incomparability (with FS‐GAIA) and the composition of a score (with stacked bar diagrams).

In the future, it is expected that other multi‐criteria decision methods will be complemented by prescriptive approaches.

A real case study is introduced in order to illustrate the practicality of the visual techniques. In this paper, the innovation performances of small and medium enterprises from the French Lorraine region are assessed.

It is expected that the quality of the decisions taken are improved because of being better informed.

The paper, using a real case study, provides important new tools to enhance decision quality.

Examines the tenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects discussed include cotton fabric processing, asbestos substitutes, textile adjuncts to cardiovascular surgery, wet textile processes, hand evaluation, nanotechnology, thermoplastic composites, robotic ironing, protective clothing (agricultural and industrial), ecological aspects of fibre properties – to name but a few! There would appear to be no limit to the future potential for textile applications.

The purpose of this paper is to deepen the discussion regarding the competitiveness of clusters based on a theoretical and empirical study that compares the level of competitiveness of the Brazilian wine cluster located in Serra Gaúcha with the competitiveness of the Chilean cluster located in Valle del Maule.

A qualitative-descriptive approach was applied to the study, and data collection was conducted through secondary sources.

The analysis employed a competitiveness analysis model consisting of 11 competitiveness factors. The Chilean cluster presented a higher level of competitiveness in four competitiveness factors (“scope of viable and relevant business,” “introduction of new technologies,” “balance with no privileged positions” and “oriented strategy”), while the Brazilian cluster presented a higher level of competitiveness in three competitiveness factors (“concentration,” “cooperation” and “replacement”). For four of the competitiveness factors of the model, both clusters presented similar levels of competitiveness.

By comparing the two wine clusters, it was possible to identify aspects that can be improved to increase competitiveness, especially in the Brazilian cluster. These aspects include, first, the need for bottle manufacturers in Serra Gaúcha, which would have a positive impact on production costs; second, the expansion of the geographical indication registration for the entire Serra Gaúcha region, resulting in an enhanced image of Brazilian wine abroad; and third, greater incentives for exports, which would result in an increase in market share.

The paper proposes an explanation for the superior level of competitiveness of the Chilean cluster regarding the “scope of viable and relevant business,” “balance with no privileged positions,” “introduction of new technologies” and “strategy focussed on cluster development.” In terms of its contribution, the study developed additional metrics for the model adopted, which can be used for the competitive analysis of other agribusiness clusters.

We present a critical literature review debating Brazilian research on social and environmental accounting (SEA). The aim of this study is to understand the role of politics in the construction of hegemonies in SEA research in Brazil. In particular, we examine the role of hegemony in relation to the co-option of SEA literature and sustainability in the Brazilian context by the logic of development for economic growth in emerging economies. The methodological approach adopts a post-structural perspective that reflects Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory. The study employs a hermeneutical, rhetorical approach to understand and classify 352 Brazilian research articles on SEA. We employ Brown and Fraser’s (2006) categorizations of SEA literature to help in our analysis: the business case, the stakeholder–accountability approach, and the critical case. We argue that the business case is prominent in Brazilian studies. Second-stage analysis suggests that the major themes under discussion include measurement, consulting, and descriptive approach. We argue that these themes illustrate the degree of influence of the hegemonic politics relevant to emerging economics, as these themes predominantly concern economic growth and a capitalist context. This paper discusses trends and practices in the Brazilian literature on SEA and argues that the focus means that SEA avoids critical debates of the role of capitalist logics in an emerging economy concerning sustainability. We urge the Brazilian academy to understand the implications of its reifying agenda and engage, counter-hegemonically, in a social and political agenda beyond the hegemonic support of a particular set of capitalist interests.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate perceived sensory differences of organic and conventional leafy green vegetables through three sensory tests – blind, informed and inverted and the willingness to buy (WTB) them, and associated factors of organic food consumption by these students.

The research had a cross-sectional design with university students. First, a questionnaire with 16 statements was presented to 233 consumers with a five-point Likert scale response. The assertions were categorized into five domains: trust in organic production; trust in conventional production; positive attitude to organic; affordable price; and perceived quality. Afterwards, a hedonic scaling was conducted with 150 consumers, 50 in each type of test with conventional and organic leafy green vegetables: lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.); kale (Brassica oleracea L.); common chicory (Cichorium intybus); and endive (Cichorium endivia). Visual aspect, taste, texture, bitterness and overall liking for all samples were evaluated on a nine-point hedonic scale.

In general, the participants did not perceive sensory differences during the blind test, but when the information about the vegetables was provided, higher scores were obtained by those products labelled as organic in the informed test and in the inverted test (conventional labelled as organic). This effect was higher for students with stronger attitudes towards organic food. These results indicated that the perceived differences between organic and conventional leafy green by university students tended to be attitudinal and, therefore, can be greatly influenced by the information provided with the product.

This research showed that university students were influenced by the organic label, revealing their sensory perception about vegetables. This study had multiple methodological approaches, including hedonic scaling and consumers’ WTB. This combination allowed identifying the students’ attitudinal tendency in relation to their sensory perceptions of organic green leafy green vegetables.

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a subjective multi-dimensional concept referring to an individual’s perception of health and well-being in domains related to physical, mental, emotional and social functioning. The current study aims at investigating possible associations between dietary quality, disordered eating attitudes and HRQOL in Greek adolescents.

A total of 400 students (198 boys; 202 girls), 14-17 years old, were recruited from five high schools in the area of Kallithea in Athens, Greece. Standard anthropometric measurements were taken, and obesity classification was conducted using the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cut-off points. Students completed the KIDMED index, which evaluates the degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) as a diet quality index, the EAT-26 questionnaire, which assesses disordered eating attitudes and the KIDSCREEN-27 questionnaire for children and adolescents assessing perceived HRQOL.

Disordered eating attitudes are significantly negatively correlated with the total score of HRQOL (p < 0.01) and with the subcategories: psychological well-being (p < 0.01), parents and autonomy (p < 0.01) and school environment (p < 0.001), whereas adherence to the MedDiet was positively correlated with all the components and total score of HRQOL. Linear regression analysis revealed that adherence to the MedDiet (p < 0.05), total number of meals/day (p < 0.01) and number of meals with the family (p < 0.05) were significant predictors of HRQOL in adolescents.

The convenient sampling of 400 students was conducted from five schools, from one municipality of Athens, Greece.

Adherence to the MedDiet positively affects important components of HRQOL in adolescents, whereas disordered eating attitudes has a negative effect. Identifying adolescents with low HRQOL is highly important because it could result in an early detection of individualised healthcare needs and possible non-diagnosed ill-health problems.