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Article
Publication date: 30 August 2021

Sanjoy Kumar Paul, Priyabrata Chowdhury, Md. Tarek Chowdhury, Ripon Kumar Chakrabortty and Md. Abdul Moktadir

The recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses numerous challenges to supply chains. This pandemic is quite unique when compared to previous epidemic disruptions…

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Abstract

Purpose

The recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses numerous challenges to supply chains. This pandemic is quite unique when compared to previous epidemic disruptions and has had a severe impact on supply chains. As a result, the operational challenges (OCs) caused by COVID-19 are still unknown among practitioners and academics. It is critical to comprehensively document current OCs so that firms can plan and implement strategies to overcome them. Consequently, this study systematically identifies and ranks COVID-19-related OCs.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses an integrated methodology combining expert interviews and the best-worst method (BWM) to analyze the results. The data have been collected from the electronics industry of Bangladesh, an emerging economy. This study also conducts a sensitivity analysis to check the robustness of the results.

Findings

The results reveal 23 COVID-19-related OCs under five categories: sourcing, production and inventory management, demand management and distribution, return management and after-sales service, and supply chain-wide challenges. The quantitative investigation reveals that overstock in finished goods inventory, low end-customer demands, order cancellations from dealers and retailers, high inventory holding costs and lack of transportation are the top five OCs.

Practical implications

The findings will help practitioners to understand the OCs and allow them to prepare for future major disruptions and formulate long-term strategies for operations during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on supply chain complexity and challenges by considering a major pandemic outbreak. Moreover, the study also contributes to the knowledge on emerging economies, which have been largely neglected in the current literature.

Details

The International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. 34 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-4093

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 10 October 2006

Muriel J. Bebeau

This chapter reviews the evidence of the development of ethical decision-making competencies of medical professionals. Selected studies are reviewed that use a theoretical…

Abstract

This chapter reviews the evidence of the development of ethical decision-making competencies of medical professionals. Selected studies are reviewed that use a theoretical framework that has shown the most promise for providing evidence of character formation. The evidence suggests that entering professionals lack full capacity for functional processes that give rise to morality (sensitivity, reasoning, motivation and commitment, character and competence). Further, following professional education, considerable variations in these abilities persist. Whereas many perceive that role modeling is the most effective way to teach professionalism, there is no empirical evidence to support the role of modeling in professional development. The chapter concludes with suggestions for facilitating character development resistant to influence by negative role models or adverse moral milieu.

Details

Lost Virtue
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84950-339-6

Article
Publication date: 7 September 2010

A. Panas and J.P. Pantouvakis

The paper aims to provide a structured framework for comparing different productivity estimation methodologies and evaluate their sensitivity to operational coefficients variation…

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to provide a structured framework for comparing different productivity estimation methodologies and evaluate their sensitivity to operational coefficients variation for excavation operations.

Design/methodology/approach

Two process‐oriented methodologies were analysed in a deterministic fashion in terms of their input requirements and their respective outputs. A phase‐oriented framework was presented to enable their comparison. The research methodology allows the estimation of excavation productivity in relation to the selected operational coefficients.

Findings

The system productivity is significantly influenced by operational conditions, such as the digging depth and the swing angle from the excavation front to the dumping position. Each methodology presents a differing sensitivity to every operational factor. Since the excavator is considered as the system's leading resource, the variation on productivity has direct implications for the truck fleet size and the unit cost of operations.

Originality/value

The proposed approach is useful in analyzing process‐oriented productivity estimation methodologies under a given set of operational coefficients when no historical data is available. Thus, it provides an alternative to intuitive estimates based solely on personal judgment. The concept of “baseline reference” conditions is introduced, so as to enable the transformation of any operational scenario into equivalent mathematical models that allow comparisons between different estimation methodologies and computational approaches.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 17 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 November 2022

Murat Kizildag, Jeffrey Thomas Weinland and Ilhan Demirer

The main stance of this paper is to draw an authentic and rigorous outlook in terms of the financial and operational performance of small lodging establishments (SLEs) and put…

Abstract

Purpose

The main stance of this paper is to draw an authentic and rigorous outlook in terms of the financial and operational performance of small lodging establishments (SLEs) and put forth achievable and practical economic solutions that demonstrate the relative effectiveness of the adopted measures. This paper also suggests practical solutions to help minimize SLEs' financial vulnerability to long-term crisis and to boost their resilience with relative measures by applying recovery revival strategies for this particular segment of the lodging industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors have picked a locally owned resort hotel in Central Florida area and structured a real-life, case study-based inductive approach that is purposeful and offers rich economic outlook and analysis for the entire lodging industry, especially for the resort-hotel type of accommodation facilities. The main reason for why they only focus on one company is that they can fully understand the financial effects of COVID-19 on resort type of hotels and layout countering strategies. To achieve paper objectives, they have implemented cost–benefit (C–B), break-even (B-E) analyses along with a sensitivity testing approach.

Findings

The most striking result was that during the state-mandated shutdown period in 2020, overhead and overall operational costs associated with room sales and revenues were very high during this period that shrank the contribution margin ratio for rooms CMRw (room) and eventually yielded high sales volumes to be achieved at the B-E points vs lower sales volumes with almost the same average daily rate (ADR) levels needed for the B-E levels.

Research limitations/implications

Future studies should specifically delve further into a portfolio of SLEs in the region or state or nation wise because the units comprising the SLEs might be too small to muster the changes required to bounce forward for the entire lodging industry in the world.

Practical implications

The resort's revenue re-optimization focus should center on financial re-benchmarking and business re-viability stress under different levels of shock scenarios. According to the different scenarios and calibrations for the ADRs, room nights, net present values (NPVs) of cash flows and profit margins derived from our main analyses, minimizing expenses and preserving cash would be the best key strategy for financial recovery during an ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Originality/value

It is obvious that the lodging, hospitality and tourism industry are the hardest-hit industries by the harsh and adverse effects of COVID-19. The effects of pandemic are differently shaped on operations in different industries and subsectors. Therefore, the operational and financial evaluation for the SLEs as the core and a catalyst in the entire lodging industry can shed a light on the strategic financial recovery procedures with broadly applicable real-life and endogenous capabilities and reasoning.

Details

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, vol. 6 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-9792

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 April 2008

S. Thomas Ng and Jingzhu Xie

The purpose of this paper is to devise a simple but practical model to assist decision makers in evaluating the tariff stability of concession schemes.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to devise a simple but practical model to assist decision makers in evaluating the tariff stability of concession schemes.

Design/methodology/approach

To develop such a model necessitates the identification of parameters that could contribute to an increase or decline in investment return. With that a Monte‐Carlo‐based simulation model is devised to determine the probability that the tariff regime remains unchanged even when the identified risks do occur at the operational stage. Sensitivity analysis is performed to identify the most influential factors to investment return and tariff stability.

Findings

The results of the scenario indicate that the internal rate of return could be profoundly influenced by the risk factors which reaffirm the needs for a more comprehensive model for tariff stability evaluation.

Research limitations/implications

Through the simulation model, a tariff stability indicator is derived and when integrated with the results of sensitivity analysis this could generate a weighted indicator for alternative tariff regimes for use in decision support systems.

Practical implications

With the aid of simulation techniques, decision makers can predict the impact of a range of possible market conditions and/or levels of demand on the investment return and hence the stability of the tariff regime.

Originality/value

The model could be extended to other types of public‐private partnerships schemes upon suitable adjustment

Details

Construction Innovation, vol. 8 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-4175

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 May 2016

Siddhant Masson, Rachit Jain, Narendra Mani Ganesh and Sajeev Abraham George

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate performance of Indian telecom service providers through a benchmarking study of their operational efficiency and service delivery…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate performance of Indian telecom service providers through a benchmarking study of their operational efficiency and service delivery effectiveness. The paper also carries out a peer-to-peer comparison and identifies-specific areas of improvement for different service providers to attain sustainable growth and profitability.

Design/methodology/approach

A two stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) model was used to compare the performances of the service providers. The first stage represents how efficiently a unit is able to use its infrastructure and resources to generate better quality services. The second stage captures how well the company is able to communicate and deliver these services to the customer.

Findings

The results of the study support the applicability of the two stage DEA for comparing the performances of the telecom service providers as they are in line with the financial performance indicators and brand ranking. It is observed that those companies which score high on both operational efficiency and service delivery effectiveness have achieved superior profitability.

Research limitations/implications

This study has been carried out at a pan-India level and hence does not take into account circle level or local performance which varies significantly for most service providers. Besides, this the analysis was constrained by limited data in the public domain, which necessitated estimations and extrapolations for some variables of few service providers.

Practical implications

The study has helped to provide inputs for the Indian telecom companies for potential performance improvements by providing a comparative analysis of their operational efficiency and service delivery effectiveness. It has enabled to derive deeper insights on potential target areas for managerial attention that could be translated into implementable actions. The benchmarking analysis has also helped to understand whether the current performance of the service provider is sustainable, unprofitable or ephemeral.

Originality/value

This paper goes beyond the traditional benchmarking studies of Indian telecom service providers introducing a two stage DEA model to understand the operational efficiency as well as the service delivery effectiveness. The study has helped to derive valuable academic and practical insights on the issue of performance measurement of the Indian telecom service providers.

Article
Publication date: 20 December 2021

Yasanur Kayikci, Damla Durak Usar and Batin Latif Aylak

This paper aims to explore the potential of blockchain technology (BT) to support the operational excellence in perishable food supply chain (PFSC) during outbreaks, by doing…

1930

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the potential of blockchain technology (BT) to support the operational excellence in perishable food supply chain (PFSC) during outbreaks, by doing use-case analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review is performed to determine the dimensions of operational excellence in the food supply chain (FSC), then a single use-case analysis is conducted to explore the potential of blockchain in order to achieve operational excellence for PFSC during the pandemics by applying context, interventions, mechanism and outcomes (CIMO) logic.

Findings

The findings of this study reveal that blockchain capabilities such as immutability and transparency, visibility, traceability, integration and interoperability, disintermediation and decentralisation, smart contracts and consensus mechanism provide better sustainable operational excellence outcomes for PFSCs to be more responsive, flexible, efficient and collaborative to cope with the impacts of COVID-19.

Research limitations/implications

This research employs only one real case with multiple PFSC participants. Statistical generalisation is not possible at this stage of the research. However, the findings are not restricted to this single use-case.

Practical implications

This study provides a research direction to explore the potential of BT to achieve operational excellence in the PFSC during outbreaks and generates prescriptive knowledge for better managerial decision-making across the PFSC during outbreaks.

Originality/value

This research conducts semi-structured interviews with different participants in one blockchain ecosystem to understand multiple participants' perspectives of operational excellence within PFSC.

Details

The International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. 33 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-4093

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 March 2008

K‐J. Tseng, Jow‐Fei Ho and Yuan‐Jing Liu

This paper aims to assess the performance evaluation of major international airports in the world.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to assess the performance evaluation of major international airports in the world.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the authors utilized data envelopment analysis in an input‐oriented method to discuss the overall operational performance of 20 major international airports between 2001 and 2005. They used cross efficiency measure to determine the international airports that enjoy the best operational performances and used the bilateral model to compare the performance differences between international airports of different regions.

Findings

The Atlanta Airport (ATL) in the USA and the Beijing Airport (PEK) in China experienced MPSS. The overall performance of international airports in Asia is better than those in Americas, Europe, and Oceania.

Research limitations/implications

Service quality can be discuss in the field in the future.

Practical implications

In sensitivity analysis, four inputs had positive impacts on overall performances.

Originality/value

The ATL in the USA and the PEK in China were the best practices for the other international airports.

Details

Journal of Modelling in Management, vol. 3 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5664

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 31 March 2021

Mei Sha, Theo Notteboom, Tao Zhang, Xin Zhou and Tianbao Qin

This paper presents a generic simulation model to determine the equipment mix (quay, yard and intra-terminal transfer) for a Container Terminal Logistics Operations System…

Abstract

This paper presents a generic simulation model to determine the equipment mix (quay, yard and intra-terminal transfer) for a Container Terminal Logistics Operations System (CTLOS). The simulation model for the CTLOS, a typical type of discrete event dynamic system (DEDS), consists of three sub-models: ship queue, loading-unloading operations and yard-gate operations. The simulation model is empirically applied to phase 1 of the Yangshan Deep Water Port in Shanghai. This study considers different scenarios in terms of container throughput levels, equipment utilization rates, and operational bottlenecks, and presents a sensitivity analysis to evaluate and choose reasonable equipment ratio ranges under different operational conditions.

Details

Journal of International Logistics and Trade, vol. 19 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1738-2122

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 January 2014

Salman Ahmad and Razman bin Mat Tahar

The purpose of this paper is to provide an assessment of Malaysia's renewable capacity target. Malaysia relies heavily on fossil fuels for electricity generation. To diversify the…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an assessment of Malaysia's renewable capacity target. Malaysia relies heavily on fossil fuels for electricity generation. To diversify the fuel-mix, a technology-specific target has been set by the government in 2010. Considering the complexity in generation expansion, there is a dire need for an assessment model that can evaluate policy in a feedback fashion. The study also aims to expand policy evaluation literature in electricity domain by taking a dynamic systems approach.

Design/methodology/approach

System dynamics modelling and simulation approach is used in this study. The model variables, selected from literature, are constituted into casual loop diagram. Later, a stock and flow diagram is developed by integrating planning, construction, operation, and decision making sub-models. The dynamic interactions between the sub-sectors are analysed based on the short-, medium- and long-term policy targets.

Findings

Annual capacity constructions fail to achieve short-, medium- and long-term targets. However, the difference in operational capacity and medium- and long-term target are small. In terms of technology, solar photovoltaic (PV) attains the highest level of capacity followed by biomass.

Research limitations/implications

While financial calculations are crucial for capacity expansion decisions, currently they are not being modelled; this study primarily focuses on system delays and exogenous components only.

Practical implications

A useful model that offers regulators and investors insights on system characteristics and policy targets simultaneously.

Originality/value

This paper provides a model for evaluating policy for renewable capacity expansion development in a dynamic context, for Malaysia.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. 43 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

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