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In a packaging olives manufacturing system, the drained weight of the product plays a decisive role in customer’s satisfaction as well as in financial saving for the organization. The purpose of this study is to minimize the variation of the drained weight of olives in the production system to avoid the negative consequences.

The research develops a practical implementation step-by-step of Six Sigma define, measure, analyze, improve and control (DMAIC) in reducing the variation of the drained weight of olives.

Data analysis was used at various phases of the project to identify the root causes of rejection and rework. As a result of the necessary interventions and actions to optimize the manufacturing process, the standard deviation of drained weight was significantly reduced by 51.02%, with a 99.97% decrease in the number of parts per million defectives. Thus, the yield of the production process was improved by 8.24%. The estimated annual savings from this project were US$ 228,000 resulting from reduced rejection and rework.

This research may be used in packaging olives production systems as a tool for managers and engineers planning to increase productivity and efficiency while also improving product quality. The study also provided the organization with helpful actions that will be used to guide future Six Sigma operations management on the system. Thus, practical guidelines and solutions are provided.

In this project, for the first time, the Six Sigma methodology has been applied to solve a real-world problem in the packaging olives manufacturing system and to show that the DMAIC approach may assist to improve the efficiency of their operations and hence contribute to their quest toward continuous improvement.

This chapter addresses the question of what normatively binding claims can be associated with the principle of sustainability. It proposes a theoretical reading of justice that requires a new level of morality, namely a global (spatial), intergenerational (temporal) and ecological (material) extension of the scope of responsibility. This makes it plausible that responsibility for those who are distant in space and time, as well as for nature, becomes a matter of conscience. At the same time, it is shown how the binding claims resulting from the principle of sustainability can be internalised in the course of a conscience formation and how the gap between knowledge and action in questions of sustainable development can be closed by means of an emotional underpinning. Finally, it is proposed to transfer the question of conscience to spatial units and tourism through the model of ‘Destination Conscience’ and to institutionalise the idea of ‘inner commitment’ or self-commitment. One suggestion is the creation of committees that could be a collective ethical conscience for the future issues.

The purpose of this study is to advance turbulent thermal convection inside the constant heat-flux round tube inserted by multiple perforated twisted tapes.

The novel design of this study is accomplished by inserting several twisted tapes and drilling some circular perforations near the tape edge (C1, C3, C5: solid tapes; C2, C4, C6: perforated tapes). The turbulence flow appearances and thermal convective features are examined for various Reynolds numbers (8,000–14,000) using the renormalization group (RNG) κ−ε turbulent model and Semi-Implicit Method for Pressure-Linked Equations (SIMPLE) algorithm.

The simulated outcomes reveal that inserting more perforated-twisted tapes into the heated round tube promotes turbulent thermal convection effectively. A swirling flow caused by the twisted tapes to produce the secondary flow jets between two reverse-spin tapes can combine with the main flow passing through the perforations at the outer edge to enhance the vortex flow. The primary factors are the quantity of twisted tapes and with/without perforations, as the perforation ratio remains at 2.5 in this numerical work. Weighing friction along the tube, C6 (four reverse-spin perforated-twisted tapes) brings the uppermost thermal-hydraulic performance of 1.23 under Re = 8,000.

The constant thermo-hydraulic attributes of liquid water and the steady Newtonian fluid are research limitations for this simulated work.

The simulated outcomes will avail the inner-pipe design of a heat exchanger inserted by multiple perforated twisted tapes to enhance superior heat transfer.

These twisted tapes form tiny circular perforations along the tape edge to introduce the fluid flow through these bores and combine with the secondary flow induced between two reverse-spin tapes. This scheme enhances the swirling flow, turbulence intensity and fluid mixing to advance thermal convection since larger perforations cannot produce large jet velocity or the position of perforations is too far from the tape edge to generate a separated flow. Consequently, this work contributes a valuable cooling mechanism toward thermal engineering.

This paper aims to explore the promotion decisions of heterogeneous sellers on a decentralized platform under competitive conditions and analyze how seller behaviors impact platform profit, seller revenue, buyer surplus and social welfare.

This paper considers a Cournot model consisting of a platform charging a commission rate and two sellers with different conversion rates and browsing costs. Promotion efforts by sellers can increase traffic, but they also incur promotion costs for sellers. The sellers decide on promotion effort by weighing these two effects. The authors also explore the equilibrium when the platform charges a fixed usage fee.

The seller’s profit improves as its conversion rate increases and worsens as browsing costs increase. Also, increasing the commission rate charged by the platform makes the seller invest less in promotional efforts. Therefore, the platform must consider this trade-off to determine an optimal rate. The analysis shows that the seller with a high conversion rate and high browsing cost plays a greater role in generating more overall revenue. When the market favors such a seller, the platform tends to charge less in order not to impair its profitability.

This paper incorporates conversion rate, buyer’s browsing cost, unit promotion cost and the fee charged by the platform into the model to study sellers’ promotion decisions on decentralized platforms.

This study aims to dissect the multifaceted impact of ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, specifically within civil engineering testing and calibration laboratories. To achieve this, it intends to explore several key objectives: identifying the prominent benefits of accreditation to laboratory performance, understanding the advantages conferred through participation in proficiency testing schemes, assessing the role of accreditation in enhancing laboratory competitiveness, examining the primary challenges encountered during the accreditation process, investigating any discernible adverse effects of accreditation on laboratory performance and evaluating whether the financial cost of accreditation justifies the resultant profitability.

This study employs a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews with 23 industry professionals—including technical managers, quality managers, external auditors and clients. Thematic analysis, guided by Braun and Clarke’s six-stage paradigm, was utilized to interpret the data, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the accreditation’s impact.

Findings reveal that accreditation significantly enhances operational processes, fosters quality awareness and facilitates continuous improvement, contributing to greater client satisfaction. In addition, standardized operations and rigorous quality controls further result in enhanced performance metrics, such as staff capability and measurement accuracy. However, the study also uncovers the challenges of accreditation, including high resource costs and bureaucratic hurdles that can inhibit innovation and slow routine operations. Importantly, the research underscores that the impact of accreditation on profitability is not universal, but contingent upon various factors like sector-specific regulations and market demand. The study also highlights sector-specific variations in the role of accreditation as a marketing tool and differing perceptions of its value among clients. It further emphasizes the psychological stress of high-stakes evaluations during audits.

This study represents the first in-depth investigation into the impact of ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation on civil engineering testing and calibration laboratories, directly contributing to the enhancement of their quality and operational standards. Providing actionable insights for laboratories, it underscores the importance of weighing accreditation costs and benefits and the necessity for a tailored approach to the unique market and regulatory landscapes they operate in.

Despite the detrimental effects of supervisor knowledge hiding on employees and organizations, little research has focused on how subordinates cope with it. Drawing on the impression management theory, this study proposes a mediated moderation model to explain who and how cope with supervisor knowledge hiding.

Using a sample of 340 full-time participants in various organizations and industries in China, the proposed model was tested using ordinary least squares regression with the PROCESS 3.5.

The results support the mediated moderation model, indicating that proactive subordinates are motivated to manage their impression towards supervisors and engage in upward ingratiation to cope with supervisor knowledge hiding. In contrast, subordinates with low level of proactive personality trait have less impression management motive and engage in fewer upward ingratiatory behaviors.

Based on the impression management theory, the current paper contributes to the literature on supervisor knowledge hiding by expanding the consequences of supervisor knowledge hiding, identifying a boundary condition of supervisor knowledge hiding on subordinate’s subsequent behaviors and enriching the mechanism underlying the effect of supervisor knowledge hiding with proactive personality.

This study aims to examine the relationship between audit committee (AC) effectiveness and firm performance (FP) with the moderation of knowledge intensity while observing the varying effect of each AC characteristic’s influence on its effectiveness.

This study examines 133 companies covering five years from 2016 to 2020 using the partial least squares-structural equation model and weighing AC effectiveness-related characteristics through multiple regression between AC characteristics and the AC effectiveness construct.

The results indicate that the knowledge intensity of the firms negatively influences the relationship between their AC effectiveness and FP, implying that the ACs are not sophisticated enough to monitor the knowledge component of the firm’s assets. Among AC characteristics, six attributes have a significant positive impact, two have a negative impact and three have no significant influence on AC effectiveness while influencing FP.

Apart from guiding the regulators, managers and other stakeholders to choose an appropriate mix of AC characteristics for enhancing FP, the study contributes to the existing literature by providing evidence that ACs are ineffective in monitoring the knowledge assets of the company compared to physical assets.

This study is pioneering in investigating the moderation role of knowledge intensity on the relationship between AC effectiveness and FP. While providing a comprehensive and holistic view of AC effectiveness by considering 11 AC characteristics’ individual as well as aggregate effects on FP, it removes the obsolescence of earlier research in the Indian context owing to the latest regulatory reforms.

This survey explores the application of real options theory to the field of health economics. The integration of options theory offers a valuable framework to address these challenges, providing insights into healthcare investments, policy analysis and patient care pathways.

This research employs the real options theory, a financial concept, to delve into health economics challenges. Through a systematic approach, three distinct models rooted in this theory are crafted and analyzed. Firstly, the study examines the value of investing in emerging health technology, factoring in future advantages, associated costs and unpredictability. The second model is patient-centric, evaluating the choice between immediate treatment switch and waiting for more clarity, while also weighing the associated risks. Lastly, the research assesses pandemic-related government policies, emphasizing the importance of delaying decisions in the face of uncertainties, thereby promoting data-driven policymaking.

Three different real options models are presented in this study to illustrate their applicability and value in aiding decision-makers. (1) The first evaluates investments in new technology, analyzing future benefits, discount rates and benefit volatility to determine investment value. (2) In the second model, a patient has the option of switching treatments now or waiting for more information before optimally switching treatments. However, waiting has its risks, such as disease progression. By modeling the potential benefits and risks of both options, and factoring in the time value, this model aids doctors and patients in making informed decisions based on a quantified assessment of potential outcomes. (3) The third model concerns pandemic policy: governments can end or prolong lockdowns. While awaiting more data on the virus might lead to economic and societal strain, the model emphasizes the economic value of deferring decisions under uncertainty.

This research provides a quantified perspective on various decisions in healthcare, from investments in new technology to treatment choices for patients to government decisions regarding pandemics. By applying real options theory, stakeholders can make more evidence-driven decisions.

Decisions about patient care pathways and pandemic policies have direct societal implications. For instance, choices regarding the prolongation or ending of lockdowns can lead to economic and societal strain.

The originality of this study lies in its application of real options theory, a concept from finance, to the realm of health economics, offering novel insights and analytical tools for decision-makers in the healthcare sector.