International Journal of Supply and Operations Management
Volume:8 Issue: 1, Winter 2021

In Location-Arc Routing Problems (LARP), unlike the well-known locating-routing problems, demand is on the arc and using deadheading arcs is permitted. Few studies have focused on an arc-routing problem. In this research, a complex bi-objective linear mathematical model for the LARP with time windows under uncertainty is presented. Time windows in the arc-routing problem modeling have complexity since the required arc with time windows becomes a deadheading arc without time windows after service. Furthermore, modeling of the vehicle servicing to multiple required arc with the minimum deadheading arc in route is a feature of this work. The proposed LARP is used for modeling of transforming cash in the bank case study. In this case study, demand has uncertainty with unknown probability distributions and the Bertsimas and Sim’s approach is used for it. The case study problem is a node-basing problem with the closest node and time windows for servicing branches. For this purpose, the Multi-Objective Dragonfly Algorithm (MODA) and Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II) are used for locating the cash supply centers of a bank in Tehran. Furthermore, comparing results of robust and deterministic LARP models show that the mean and standard deviation of objective function values in the robust model has better performance in realization.

In this study, a two-stage mathematical model has been developed that facilitates tactical planning of supply of apples from the various location of farmers to the marketplaces and then to the cold storage facilities. The model enables efficient network planning by finding the most suitable and cost-effective dispatching method operating in multiple stages using a mixed fleet of jeeps and trucks. The model aims to optimize the cost and demand. The paper used a multi-stage model to examine the most effective and efficient route for the supply. Kullu, Himachal Pradesh has been taken as the case location, which is famous as key apple production location in India. The lack of infrastructure in the area poses challenges for the farmers to select a mix of both trucks and jeeps to make their goods available in the market. The present paper attempts to address these issues, facilitating an effective transportation planning of apple produce.

Industry 4.0 technologies have capacities to improve competitiveness in the logistics chain by taking advantage of information flow through the logistics processes. This paper aims to determine the influence of effective and new information flow on logistics management in Nigeria. The methodology used in this study includes; the quantitative methodology, a mean item score, exploratory factor analysis, normality test, and Man-Whitney test. Findings revealed negotiating better contracts, better product tracking, better quality logistics information flow, expanded network, and enhanced information transfer as the top five effect of information flow on logistics management in Nigeria. It is recommended that Nigerian companies engaging in logistics activities need to adopt industry 4.0 technologies to aid effective and new information flow in their logistics management processes. Finally, the growth of logistics firm and its ability to compete depend on effective information flow.

Improving the economic and environmental performance has become the main interest of the businesses to get the sustainability in touch in the long time. As a result of environmentally activities and reduction of resources for economic life, many companies use the reverse and the forward supply chain incorporation together; thus, in the present century the major challenge facing businesses is the needs of consumers and shareholders. Indeed, organization’s awareness of their responsibility has been addressed in a new concept called corporate social responsibility. The main question that arises is that How we can affect our closed-loop supply chain by considering social responsibility. For this purpose, in the following sections, we sort and compare 30 gathered papers from 2004 to 2019 by the term closed-loop supply chain in a table and investigate the term corporate social responsibility in these studies and present the analyzed results.

In recent times, the circular economy has gained much attention due to its emphasis on sustainability. Likewise, reverse logistics also plays a significant role in embracing and practical implications of the circular economy in the supply chain process. Disposition is among the critical factors that can strongly relate to reverse logistics in the light of sustainable practices. It also improves the overall operative productivity of reverse logistics. This study's primary goal is to investigate the concept of reverse logistics in the Pakistan textile manufacturing industry. Disposition decision effects using a triple bottom line that includes environmental, economic, and social performance under reverse logistics were also examined. Disposition decisions methodology and a triple bottom line approach were used for study hypothesis development. A survey-based approach was adopted using an online questionnaire technique by sending emails to 400 textile manufacturers in Pakistan. This study applied PLS (SEM) to test the hypothesis. Moreover, results also disclose positive linkage with triple bottom line performance. This research will be opening a new research paradigm for academicians, industries, and policymakers for the effective improvement in overall textile manufacturing reverse logistics.

Sustainability and low-carbon manufacturing have been under the scrutiny of the academics and practitioners, along with the governmental and non-governmental organizations. Not to mention the growing awareness and concern of the consumers about the carbon footprint, leading the researchers to the joint problem of sustainable supply chain coordination and emission abatement. This study contributes to the current literature by developing a contract for a dyadic supply chain model under a manufacturer-led Stackelberg game where emission abatement is a key decision. Implementing a green-sensitive consumer preference and carbon abatement level into the demand function, a revenue-sharing contract is conducted to solve the channel conflict and double marginalization effect. The analytical results and numerical example prove the profit improvement of both channel members and validate the effectiveness and environmental-friendliness of the constructed supply chain structure.

There are several critical measures in the project performance evaluation such as time, cost, and quality. In this paper, a new method for project performance evaluation is presented by combining the project Golden Triangle and the methods in decision science. At first, strategies and measures are introduced for the perspectives of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) method according to their effect on time, cost, and quality. Next, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method is used to weigh the measures by the judgments of experts after integrating AHP and BSC. Then, the weights of the five project phases — from the initiation to the closure — are calculated by the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). Our proposed TOPSIS is not only able to involve the judgments of experts, but also, in combination with AHP, can provide a comprehensive performance evaluation method for a project. Finally, using the judgments of experts of a real project-based organization, computational results show that financial measures are more important than other measures and the planning phase is the most important phase of the project. By the proposed method, a project-based organization can evaluate its performance and determine its competitiveness.