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Stringent environmental regulations and the need for a robust supply chain (SC) network have necessitated organizations to adopt circular economy (CE) practices. With proven impact of CE practices on SC activities, digital technologies are prompting organizations to digitalize SC networks. Yet, the correlation between SC digitalization and CE practices has been less examined. This study aims to identify and evaluate, the critical success factors (CSFs) necessitating SC digitalization and strategies helping in SC digitalization.

An extensive literature review was performed to identify CSFs and strategies for SC 4.0 (SC4.0), and for finalization, experts’ input was obtained with the Delphi approach. An integrated Fermatean fuzzy set – analytic hierarchy process – decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory – combined compromise solution technique was used to evaluate CSFs and strategies.

Smart work environment, performance monitoring and data reliability and relevance were identified as the top three important CSFs for SC digitalization. Enhancement of analytical capability, data-driven process optimization and development of an integrated digital platform were identified as potential SC4.0 transition strategies.

This study helps SC practitioners better understand the CSFs and strategies for the SC4.0 transition. Furthermore, this study explores the integration of CE principles within these digital strategies, emphasizing how sustainability practices can be embedded in the SC4.0 framework to foster a more resilient and environmentally conscious electronics SC in India.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this work is the first to analyze CSFs for SC4.0 in the Indian electronics industry.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of titanium oxide (TiO₂) filler on the abrasive wear properties of bamboo fiber reinforced epoxy composites (BFRCs) using a Taguchi approach. The study aims to enhance the abrasive wear resistance of these composites by introducing TiO₂ filler as a potential reinforcement, thus contributing to the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly materials.

This study focuses on the fabrication of epoxy/bamboo composites infused with TiO₂ particles within the Wt.% range of 0–8 Wt.% using hand layup techniques. The resulting composites were subjected to wear testing according to ASTM G99-05 standards. Statistical analysis of the wear results was carried out using the Taguchi design of experiments (DOE). Additionally, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the influential control factors impacting the specific wear rate (SWR) and coefficient of friction (COF).

The study illuminates how integrating TiO₂ filler enhances abrasive wear in epoxy/bamboo composites. Statistical analysis of SWR highlights abrasive grit size (grit) as the most influential factor, followed by normal load, Wt.% of TiO₂ and sliding distance. Analysis of the COF identifies normal load as the primary influential factor, followed by grit, Wt.% of TiO₂ and sliding distance. The Taguchi predictive model closely aligns with experimental results, validating its reliability. The morphological study revealed significant differences between the unfilled and TiO₂-filled composites. The inclusion of TiO₂ improved wear resistance, as evidenced by reduced surface damage and wear debris.

This research paper aims to integrate TiO₂ filler and bamboo fibers to create an innovative hybrid composite material. TiO₂ micro and nanoparticles show promise as filler materials, contributing to improved tribological properties of epoxy composites. The utilization of Taguchi’s DOE and ANOVA for statistical analysis provides valuable guidance for academic researchers and practitioners in optimizing control variables, especially in the context of natural fiber reinforced composites.

The purpose of this study is to extract and characterize a novel natural dye from the leaves of Lannea coromandelica and the extraction with finding ways of dyeing cotton fabric using three mordants.

The colouring agents were extracted from the leaves of Lannea coromandelica using an aqueous extraction method. The extract was characterized using analysis methods of pH, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) and cyclic voltammetry measurement. The extract was applied to cotton fabric samples using a non-mordant and three mordants under the two mordanting methods. The dyeing performance of the extracted colouring agent was evaluated using colour fastness properties, colour strength (K/S) and colour space (CIE Lab).

The aqueous dye extract showed reddish-brown colour, and its pH was 5.94. The GC-MS analysis revealed that the dye extract from the leaves of Lannea coromandelica contained active chemical compounds. The UV-vis and FTIR analyses found that groups influenced the reddish-brown colour of the dye extraction. The cyclic voltammetry measurements discovered the electrochemical properties of the dye extraction. The mordanted fabric samples showed better colour fastness properties than the non-mordanted fabric sample. The K/S and CIE Lab results indicate that the cotton fabric samples dyed with mordants showed more significant dye affinities than non-mordanted fabric samples.

Researchers have never discovered that the Lannea coromandelica leaf extract is a natural dye for cotton fabric dyeing. The findings of this study showed that natural dyes extracted from Lannea coromandelica leaf could be an efficient colouring agent for use in cotton fabric.

The study aims to investigate the impact of board gender diversity (BGD) on firm performance (FP) by testing two hypotheses – the existence of a positive relationship between BGD and FP, and the moderating role of a critical mass of female directors on FP. The study also explores whether the association varies across different industries.

The authors collect data using Bloomberg and CMIE Prowess, from the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) 500 index for the period 2008–2018 and employ a robust statistical methodology (Dynamic Panel Data Model).

A critical mass of female directors positively moderates and strengthens the relationship between BGD and FP. The study fails to find evidence of a direct association between BGD and FP. The study also finds evidence of industry effects.

Though we use a very robust statistical methodology, any modifications in the methodology or choice of a different methodology are likely to change the results. Moreover, some of the findings are statistically significant at the 10% level.

The findings of our study hold particular significance for emerging economies like India where regulatory initiatives aim to enhance gender diversity within boardrooms.

The study contributes to the critical mass literature by examining the association between a critical mass of female directors as a moderating variable of BGD and FP. Further, the study also identifies those industries which show a positive association between FP and BGD.

The aim of this study is to offer valuable insights to businesses and facilitate better understanding on transformer-based models (TBMs), which are among the widely employed generative artificial intelligence (GAI) models, garnering substantial attention due to their ability to process and generate complex data.

Existing studies on TBMs tend to be limited in scope, either focusing on specific fields or being highly technical. To bridge this gap, this study conducts robust bibliometric analysis to explore the trends across journals, authors, affiliations, countries and research trajectories using science mapping techniques – co-citation, co-words and strategic diagram analysis.

Identified research gaps encompass the evolution of new closed and open-source TBMs; limited exploration across industries like education and disciplines like marketing; a lack of in-depth exploration on TBMs' adoption in the health sector; scarcity of research on TBMs' ethical considerations and potential TBMs' performance research in diverse applications, like image processing.

The study offers an updated TBMs landscape and proposes a theoretical framework for TBMs' adoption in organizations. Implications for managers and researchers along with suggested research questions to guide future investigations are provided.