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1 – 10 of over 105000Hui Zhao, Chen Lu and Simeng Wang
As environmental protection and sustainable development become more widely recognized, greater emphasis has been placed on the significance of green supplier selection (GSS)…
Abstract
Purpose
As environmental protection and sustainable development become more widely recognized, greater emphasis has been placed on the significance of green supplier selection (GSS), which can support businesses both upstream and downstream in enhancing their environmental performance while preserving their strategic competitiveness. Therefore, this paper aims to propose a new framework to study GSS.
Design/methodology/approach
Firstly, this paper establishes a GSS evaluation criteria system including product competitiveness, green performance, quality of service and enterprise social responsibility. Secondly, based on the spherical fuzzy sets (SFSs), the Average Induction Ordered Weighted Averaging Operator-Criteria Importance Through Inter Criteria Correlation (AIOWA-CRITIC) method is used to determine the subjective and objective weights and the combination of weights are determined by game theory. In addition, the GSS framework is constructed by the Cumulative Prospect Theory-Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (CPT-TOPSIS) method. Finally, the validity and robustness of the framework is verified through sensitivity comparative and ablation analysis.
Findings
The results show that Y3 is the most promising green supplier in China. This study provides a feasible guidance for GSS, which is important for the greening process of the whole supply chain.
Originality/value
Under spherical fuzzy sets, AIOWA and CRITIC are used to determine weights of indicators. CPT and TOPSIS are combined to construct a decision model, considering the ambiguity and uncertainty of information and the risk attitudes of decision-makers.
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A semi‐empirical relationship is derived for the structural weight of wings, applicable to a wide range of subsonic aircraft. The method is based on a generalized expression for…
Abstract
A semi‐empirical relationship is derived for the structural weight of wings, applicable to a wide range of subsonic aircraft. The method is based on a generalized expression for the material required to resist the root bending moment due to wing lift in a specified flight condition. Appropriate factors make the result applicable to cantilever and braced wings, for passenger and general aviation aircraft and for freighters. An assessment of the accuracy, based on actual wing weights of 46 aircraft, indicates that a standard deviation of 9·64 per cent is achieved. The weight formula presented allows for the effects of variations in the main wing dimensions and operational limits of the airplane and is therefore suited to parametric design studies.
ALL the performances as well as the strength of an aeroplane are reduced by overloading or increase in gross weight. But, apart from the strength considerations, the maximum…
Abstract
ALL the performances as well as the strength of an aeroplane are reduced by overloading or increase in gross weight. But, apart from the strength considerations, the maximum take‐off weight permissible for the aeroplane probably determines the final limit of overloading, because the aeroplane must at least fly off the ground into the air.
The purpose of this paper is to propose a new approach in which cost‐based process weights are used to determine a unique weighted‐defects per million opportunity (DPMO) and its…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a new approach in which cost‐based process weights are used to determine a unique weighted‐defects per million opportunity (DPMO) and its corresponding overall sigma level in order to classify an organization as either “world‐class,” “industry average” or “non‐competitive.”
Design/methodology/approach
In order to achieve this objective, the proposed approach uses both internal and external performances of the products and processes in terms of costs involved to determine cost‐based process weights. These weights are then incorporated into the respective DPMOs for computing weighted‐DPMOs. Finally, a unique weighted‐DPMO and its corresponding sigma level are found.
Findings
The proposed method is a new one and it involves various costs for determining process weights. The findings reveal that the weight‐based overall sigma level is more realistic than the one that is calculated without weights. Further, the results of this study could provide interesting feedback to six‐sigma practitioners, as they are particular about DPMOs and return on investments in project implementations.
Research limitations/implications
The results of this paper are based on the weights of respective processes and their products that are calculated using various cost aspects. Determining such weights by means of any other process and product factors incorporating the effects of various marketing activities, if any, could extend its generality and fulfil the gap.
Practical implications
The proposed method is simple to implement and the required data can be collected without any additional commitments. Also, it is more generic so that it can be adapted by organizations of any nature. This paper recommends change in the practice from simply using the DPMOs with equal importance to using the weight‐based DPMOs for evaluating overall sigma level (performance) of an organization.
Originality/value
The proposed approach would have a high value among six‐sigma quality practitioners and researchers as it provides a new and more realistic measure for overall performance of an organization during the evaluation process.
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Patients in secure units are at high risk of obesity because of antipsychotic medication, restrictions on freedom, and poor motivation to eat healthily and exercise. The aim of…
Abstract
Purpose
Patients in secure units are at high risk of obesity because of antipsychotic medication, restrictions on freedom, and poor motivation to eat healthily and exercise. The aim of this paper is to investigate how consultant forensic psychiatrists address weight management, particularly with respect to inpatients.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a review of the literature, a structured questionnaire was developed and piloted locally. After revising the questionnaire, it was sent to all 442 consultant psychiatrists listed by the Royal College of Psychiatrists as having a special interest in forensic psychiatry.
Findings
A total of 183 usable questionnaires were returned (response rate 45.9 per cent). Most respondents monitored patients' weight and had some access to a dietitian. Respondents rated a median of 40 per cent of their inpatients as obese. A total of 68.9 per cent said their patients did not have unrestricted access to food. Use of weight loss drugs such as orlistat was infrequent. A few patients had been referred for bariatric surgery but most had been judged unsuitable.
Research limitations/implications
The responses reported in this paper are based on participants' self‐report and have not been confirmed by independent observation. Further research is needed to determine which weight loss measures are effective for psychiatric patients in real‐life situations.
Practical implications
Obesity appears to be common among forensic inpatients despite weight monitoring, dietetic interventions and exercise programmes. Comprehensive and continuing efforts are needed to help patients lose weight and lead healthier lifestyles.
Originality/value
This survey reports on clinicians' views and clinical practice.
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Several empirical and semi‐empirical formulae exist for predicting wing weights, and it is the purpose of this note to summarize the results of a study of accuracy associated with…
Abstract
Several empirical and semi‐empirical formulae exist for predicting wing weights, and it is the purpose of this note to summarize the results of a study of accuracy associated with some of these methods, with a view to establishing their comparative reliability. The modus operandi for effecting this has been to collect together the weights of wing structures which have actually been weighed, thus giving values of true wing weight, and to use each formula or method to ‘predict’ the weights of the same wings, and then to compare the estimated results with the true wing weights. Deviations between the true and estimated values have been tabulated and subjected to statistical analysis and the comparative measures of accuracy derived from that analysis.
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and rank the influence of internet public opinion of China’s Government work in 2015 by weighted absolute degree of grey incidence with…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and rank the influence of internet public opinion of China’s Government work in 2015 by weighted absolute degree of grey incidence with TOPSIS.
Design/methodology/approach
This disaggregation method includes four main steps, determine the vector of weights for the factors by analytic hierarchy process, calculate the matrix of consistent effect measure, determine the weighted absolute degree of grey incidence with TOPSIS, rank and evaluate the events.
Findings
We get the ranking of internet public opinion of China’s Government work in 2015 by weighted absolute degree of grey incidence with TOPSIS. The result can be used for evaluating and ranking the influence of internet public opinion in China. The positive weighted absolute degree of grey incidence, the negative weighted absolute degree of grey incidence and the weighted absolute degree of grey incidence with TOPSIS have the same ranking results. The same ranking results show that the method of weighted absolute degree of grey incidence with TOPSIS has good consistency.
Practical implications
The weighted absolute degree of grey incidence with TOPSIS can be easily used for other evaluation.
Originality/value
The weighted absolute degree of grey incidence with TOPSIS is proposed and first used for evaluating and ranking the influence of internet public opinion of China’s Government work.
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Jacob K. Eskildsen, Kai Kristensen and Hans Jørn Juhl
This paper examines the criterion weights of the EFQM excellence model. More and more research indicates that the official criterion weights from EFQM do not correspond with the…
Abstract
This paper examines the criterion weights of the EFQM excellence model. More and more research indicates that the official criterion weights from EFQM do not correspond with the way companies are working. This, of course, raises the question whether or not it makes any sense to compare companies according to an arbitrary weight structure, which has never been empirically tested? In this paper the criterion weights are estimated through the use of a factor scores regression based on confirmatory factor analysis of a number of bootstrapped samples. This estimation procedure is applied on data collected among Danish companies which responded to a self‐assessment questionnaire covering the EFQM excellence model in each of the years 1998‐2001. The overall conclusions are that the allocation of weights is fairly stable for most of the criteria except for one. The weight allocated to “People results” is significantly lower in 2001 than in 1999 and 1998.
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Ken Johnston, John Hatem and Thomas A. Carnes
Most investors' retirement portfolios have inter‐period cash inflows. The standard time‐weighted mean return (or geometric mean return) is generally used to report returns on…
Abstract
Purpose
Most investors' retirement portfolios have inter‐period cash inflows. The standard time‐weighted mean return (or geometric mean return) is generally used to report returns on investors' retirement portfolios. The purpose of this paper is to examine the standard time‐weighted mean return and point out additional deficiencies in the time‐weighted mean in this situation, which have not been addressed in the literature.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper provides examples that point out additional deficiencies that arise using geometric mean returns as estimates of an individual investor's performance.
Findings
With inter‐period cash flows the dollar‐weighted return can be affected by both timing and the sequence of the asset return series even if the investor has constant inflows or outflows of capital. In contrast for these same asset return arrays, the time‐weighted mean return measure may be unaffected by these important variations in the return arrays, and thus may misrepresent actual investor results. This is an important point that has not been addressed in the literature.
Originality/value
With inter‐period cash flows the dollar‐weighted return can be affected by both timing and the sequence of the asset return series even if the investor has constant inflows or outflows of capital. In contrast for these same asset return arrays, the time‐weighted mean return measure may be unaffected by these important variations in the return arrays, and thus may misrepresent actual investor results. This is an important point that has not been addressed in the literature.
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C.H.S. Ruxton, F. Hinton and C.E.L. Evans
Aims to carry out a consumer intervention study to evaluate the impact of an over‐the‐counter herbal weight management product (Zotrim®) on weight and waist circumference.
Abstract
Purpose
Aims to carry out a consumer intervention study to evaluate the impact of an over‐the‐counter herbal weight management product (Zotrim®) on weight and waist circumference.
Design/methodology/approach
Overweight women were recruited using local media and 61 passed initial screening to begin a four‐week intervention using a free sample of Zotrim at a dosage corresponding to manufacturers’ recommendations. A total of 56 subjects completed the study, but data on all 61 were included in the “intention to treat” analysis.
Findings
There was a self‐reported mean weight loss of 1.79kg (0.45kg per week) at week 4. Data on perceived hunger and fullness from three sets of questionnaires suggested that subjects felt less hungry between meals and fuller after meals at weeks 1 and 4 compared with base‐line. This is likely to have impacted on energy intake and may account for the weight loss. Average weight loss as a percentage of baseline was 2.3 per cent, but this masked a broad range, suggesting that some subjects benefited more than others. Taking into account adjusted guidelines for clinically significant weight loss, 23 per cent of subjects achieved this cut‐off, suggesting that their risk of chronic disease had reduced. Similarly, waist circumference (an independent measure of disease risk) decreased by an average of 4.3cm during the four‐week period. This reduced the number of subjects exceeding SIGN guidelines for central obesity from 93 per cent to 83 per cent.
Originality/value
Adds to the body of knowledge by proring that Zotrim can aid weight loss and help reduce waist circumference.
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