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PurposeScarcity of resources and ever-changing demand have attracted the government and manufacturers for an integrated sustainable-green-lean-six sigma-agile manufacturing system (ISGLSAMS). Many organizations failed to adopt ISGLSAMS due to various barriers. The purpose of this paper is to identify and rank the various barriers to ISGLSAMS and to analyze the correlations among the various barriers to ISGLSAMS so that the adoption of ISGLSAMS can be implemented in manufacturing organizations for more sustainable development of the industries, and industrial ecology.Design/methodology/approachA three tiers methodology is used to analyze the barriers to the adoption of ISGLSAMS. First, a total of 24 ISGLSAMS barriers are identified through a comprehensive literature review. Then data are collected with a structured questionnaire from 108 Indian manufacturing industries. Then, the sign test is used to check the relevance and significance of barriers. Then ISGLSAMS barriers are ranked based on the median and standard deviation. Spearman's correlations between the ISGLSAMS barriers are identified and studied to strengthen the in-depth understanding of correlations among the barriers.FindingsThe result shows that most of the Indian manufacturing industries agreed with the selected barriers to the adoption of ISGLSAMS. Low supplier commitment, uncertain financial benefits, the misconception of high cost, difficulty in evaluation of system performance throughout the life cycle, complexity in ISGLSA process design, the complexity of management of ISGLSAMS, complexity in ISGLSA system design, lack of updated information, complexity in ISGLSA product design and uncertain future legislation are found the major barriers for the ISGLSAMS in Indian manufacturing industries. While lack of leadership, low top management commitment, lack of government support, organizational structure, low employees' commitment, technological risk and low public pressure are considered minor barriers for the ISGLSAMS. Inter-relationships study of the barriers further contributes to the methodology to overcome the barriers.Practical implicationsThe study contributes to a better understanding of ISGLSAMS barriers. Through this study, government, stakeholders and policymakers may plan the policy, roadmap and strategies to overcome the barriers to the ISGLSAMS. This will lead to the successful adoption of ISGLSAMS for more sustainable development of manufacturing industries in India.Originality/valueThis work contributes to identifying the barriers to a more sustainable manufacturing system, i.e. ISGLSAMS (7Rs based), and prioritizing them in Indian manufacturing industries. The research also contributes to the (1) study of inter-relationships among the ISGLSAMS barriers for analyzing the effect of one barrier over another barrier, and (2) ISGLSAMS literature because the sustainable manufacturing literature still lags the achievement of sustainability goals due to 6Rs focus.

PurposeResearch in agri-fresh food supply chain quality (AFSCQ) has been given less consideration in developing countries as compared to developed countries and its role in achieving organizational sustainability has not been researched yet. Thus, this study aims to determine and combine numerous significant factors to establish a framework for managing AFSCQ practices favorable to organizational sustainability in the Indian context.Design/methodology/approachTo accomplish this, all-inclusive framework of AFSCQ has been established through succeeding phases of data collection, analysis using structural equation modelling along with refinement of data. The collection of data for this study was from the Indian food industry, which relates to agri-fresh food products.FindingsThe AFSCQ practices are conducive to enrich organizational sustainability, and then enhance economic, social and environmental performance indirectly. The study established relationships among the AFSCQ practices promising to enhance organizational sustainability.Originality/valueAFSCQ practices have a huge impact on organizational sustainability by means of practices that sum up activities along the whole supply chain. The organizational sustainability consists of economic, social and environmental sustainability.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to consider one of the recent and practical extensions of the resource-constrained project scheduling problem (RCPSP) termed as the multi-skill resource-constrained project scheduling problem (MSRCPSP) for investigation. The objective is the minimization of the makespan or total project duration. Design/methodology/approach To solve this complex problem, the authors propose a teaching–learning-based optimization (TLBO) algorithm in which self-study and examination have been used as additional features to enhance its exploration and exploitation capabilities. An activity list-based encoding scheme has been modified to include the resource assignment information because of the multi-skill nature of the algorithm. In addition, a genetic algorithm (GA) is also developed in this work for the purpose of comparisons. The computational experiments are performed on 216 test instances with varying complexity and characteristics generated for the purpose. Findings The results obtained after computations show that the TLBO has performed significantly better than GA in terms of average percentage deviation from the critical path-based lower bound for different combinations of three parameters, namely, skill factor, network complexity and modified resource strength. Research limitations/implications The modified TLBO proposed in this paper can be conveniently applied to any product or service organization wherein human resources are involved in executing project activities. Practical implications The developed model can suitably handle resource allocation problems faced in real-life large-sized projects usually administered in software development companies, consultancy firms, R&D-based organizations, maintenance firms, big construction houses, etc. wherein human resources are involved. Originality/value The current work aims to propose an effective metaheuristic for a more realistic version of MSRCPSP, in which resource requirements of activities may be more than one. Moreover, to enhance the exploration and exploitation capabilities of the original TLBO, the authors use two additional concepts, namely, self-study and examination in the search process.

PurposeGlobal competition has intensified pressure on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to implement lean. Recently, the debate has converged to the role of lean implementation barriers (LIBs). The purpose of this paper is to contribute to this debate by exploring the LIBs in SMEs through three case studies.Design/methodology/approachA case study approach was employed followed by interpretive structural modelling (ISM) to model the interrelationship among the LIBs.FindingsThis study reveals that lack of management commitment, leadership and resources are the key barriers to lean implementation in SMEs in India. Furthermore, poor communication between different levels of the organisation and inadequate dissemination of the knowledge of lean benefits also creates hindrance in lean implementation. Managerial implications of the identified barriers for lean implementation in SMEs have been discussed.Originality/valueThe research regarding lean implementation in SMEs is scarce. This study is the first attempt of its kind to identify the lean barriers in a small industry setup through mathematical analysis.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the concept of perishable food supply chain quality (PFSCQ) and to suggest a structural model that counts the influence of PFSCQ practices on organizational sustainable performance.Design/methodology/approachOn the basis of comprehensive literature review, PFSCQ highly significant practices were examined and designated. These practices were classified into four dimensions: upstream quality (supplier quality), downstream quality (customer focus), internal quality (process and logistics quality) and support practices (top management leadership and commitment to quality, quality of human resource, quality of information and supply chain integration). The measurement instrument of organizational sustainable performance was also build on, containing three aspects: economic, environmental and social performance.FindingsAn inventive conceptual model that specifies a comprehensive image cover up core dimensions of PFSCQ and various aspects of organizational sustainable performance was suggested. This conceptual model can be used as “a directive” for theory developing and measurement instrument development of PFSCQ practices and organizational sustainable performance. More prominently, on the road to achieving additional insight, an extensive structural model that makes out direct and indirect relationships between PFSCQ practices and organizational sustainable performance was also developed. Practitioners can apply this model as “a path plan” for implementing PFSCQ practices to improve organizational sustainable performance.Originality/valueThe integration of quality and supply chain even now remains inadequate in the literature. Consequently, it is required to have a more focused approach in assessing quality issues inside the upstream, internal and downstream of the supply chain. This study concentrates on the practices which make better quality aspects of the supply chain, known as PFSCQ practices. Suggested research models in this paper contribute to conceptual frameworks for theory building in PFSCQ and sustainable organizational performance. It is also expected that this research can suggest a useful direction for determining and implementing PFSCQ practices as well as make possible further studies in this arena.

Purpose In a developing economy like India, the contribution of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to the national gross domestic product is significant. This sector creates immense employment opportunities and produces economic products and services. To survive in the globalized marked condition, it is essential for SMEs to be competitive on several fronts such as quality, cost, delivery, lead time, flexibility, etc. Hence, it is imperative for them to have a sound supplier base. Therefore, supplier selection problem (SSP) has a vital role to play in supply chain management of SMEs. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach However, SSP has now become a significant challenge to address due to the complexity, vagueness and various criteria involved in it. Recently, fuzzy Technique for Order Performance by Similarity to Ideal Solution method has been widely used to tackle such problems. Findings The present paper aims at developing an intelligent system for SSP, which can consider the multiple criteria and the uncertainty aspects in the decision process. A case study of a small-scale manufacturing company has been presented. Practical implications This study provides a guideline for SME sector to implement intelligent systems for supplier selection decision-making problems. Case application concludes that this model improves firm’s decision making and suppliers’ performance. Originality/value The proposed intelligent model can provide the guidelines and directions for the decision makers to effectively choose suppliers in the current competitive environment. And it also provides an opportunity for supplier improvement.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to deliver a structured literature review of existing literature on agri-fresh food supply chain quality (AFSCQ) over a period of 23 years (1994 to mid-2016) and provide a platform for practitioners and researchers trying to identify the existing state of work, gaps in current research, and future directions in the field of AFSCQ. Design/methodology/approach The existing literature is classified on the basis of several classes like number of publications per year, journal-wise publications, studies across various countries, growth of empirical research, data analysis methods or tool used, issues related to supply chain quality as well as performance measurement (with respect to entity of analysis, level of analysis and element of exchange). Findings Most of the research publications discuss issues in developed countries, while relatively lesser publications are available on issues in developing countries. Hence, larger opportunities in the field of AFSCQ are available in developing countries. Empirical research is also growing in the field of AFSCQ. Largely research publications make use of “case study” research approach and “statistical analysis” as a quantitative tool of research. The literature is also categorized under the various issues of supply chain quality such as sustainability management, information management, logistic management, collaboration and coordination management, strategic management, demand management, inventory management, food safety, performance management, supply chain integration, supplier management, quality management, etc. It was found that in the majority of articles, information management, sustainability management, and logistics management are very critical issues as far as AFSCQ is concerned. Performance measurement of agri-fresh food supply chain is also on a growing stage. It is also an integral part of AFSCQ. Originality/value Most of the prior reviews are concentrated on a particular issue as production and distribution planning for agri-foods, temperature monitoring, corporate and consumer social responsibility, traceability system and ignore the wider perception. There exists a necessity of having a detailed review to cover up all the issues in AFSCQ. This review fills this gap in the extant AFSCQ literature.

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to propose a supplier selection model for an automobile company using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach. Supplier selection is now growing to be an important but complex issue, as it involves a large number of factors and decisions. These factors have complicated operational and financial implications.Design/methodology/approach– A case study of an Indian automobile company is used to illustrate and propose a supplier selection model using AHP approach.Findings– Key criteria of the supplier selection problem are identified based on the literature review and case study. Then, a model is proposed for supplier selection using AHP approach followed by a detailed sensitivity analysis.Practical implications– This paper contributes to supplier selection process, and points out the importance of supplier selection. It proposes a supplier selection model for an automobile industry which often faces heterogeneous supply environments. The proposed model provides key criteria for supplier selection in Indian context. This model may have high acceptability, where a large number of suppliers are available to supply the materials or provide the services.Originality/value– The proposed model can provide guidelines and directions for managers involved in purchasing function to effectively select suppliers on the basis of the identified criteria in the heterogeneous manufacturing environment.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a multi-criteria supplier selection model using fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) approach for a leading automobile company in India. Design/methodology/approach – FAHP approach followed by a sensitivity analysis has been used. Findings – In this study, a FAHP-based supplier selection model is proposed to provide useful insights in choosing appropriate suppliers in dynamic situations in order to enhance long-term relationship with them. Practical implications – This study proposes a supplier selection model for an automobile industry which often faces heterogeneous supply environments. This model may have a high acceptability where a large number of suppliers are available to supply the materials or provide the services. As analytic hierarchy process is the most widely used methodology for supplier selection, however, it becomes less efficient in case of inconsistencies observed in the data. However a FAHP-based approach may overcome this difficulty. Originality/value – It contributes to supplier selection process and points out the importance of supplier selection problem, especially in the context of multi-criteria decision-making in Indian scenario.

Purpose – The problem of supplier selection gets complicated when a company looks for various criteria to evaluate different suppliers. The decision criteria used for supplier selection process can be different for different organizations due to a large number of factors. Hence, it can be said that supplier selection is basically, a multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem. The purpose of this paper is to propose a hybrid data envelopment analytical hierarchy process (DEAHP) approach to solve the supplier selection problem for an automobile company. Design/methodology/approach – In this study, the data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach is embedded into analytic hierarchy process (AHP) methodology. Literature review suggested that majority of researches found it appropriate using DEA and AHP methodologies for supplier selection process; hence it is felt that a hybrid DEAHP would be a useful methodology to offer a MCDM model for supplier selection problem. Findings – First, the key criteria of the supplier selection problem for the company are identified. Then a model is developed and implemented for supplier selection using DEAHP approach. This study concluded that quality, cost and service are the most crucial criteria for an automobile company operational in a developing country like India. Sensitivity analysis further helped to evaluate suppliers based on each criterion. Research limitations/implications – As this analysis and findings are based on only one case study of an Indian automobile company, and this necessitates caution in interpreting the results. The limited number of interviewed managers in a company restricts the generalizability of the results. Though the company selected for this study is typical of developing country businesses, the findings of the paper may not be readily extensible to other companies. Second, this study used retrospective settings, based on the interviewed feedback after the events had occurred. This method naturally poses limitations due to respondent recall and the accuracy of information provided. Third, the problem chosen for this study is based in a single country context and further additional research will be required to examine if the findings could be extended to other automobile companies in other developing nations. Also in some cases technique used in the study may pose some extra computational efforts. Practical implications – This study points out the importance of the supplier selection problem. It provides key criteria for supplier selection in Indian context also proposes a framework to deal with multiple criteria. proposed model deals with two crucial criteria long term relationships and flexibility which were relatively less discussed and considered in the literature in past. Originality/value – The proposed MCDM model can provide the guidelines and directions for the decision makers to effectively choose suppliers in the current competitive environment.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify important factors those which constrain implementation and sustenance of lean strategies in aviation sector and ways to avoid slow attrition within annals of lean. Design/methodology/approach – This research is exploratory in nature and survey methodology is used for assessing the post lean management implementation environment. The focus of study is cross-sectional, within aircraft industry based on the information collected through survey and a case study. Findings – The reasons for the weak sustenance of lean initiative have been identified. The measures as undertaken in the case study implied a successful turnaround of specific department. Comparison with automobile industry indicates suggestions and pitfalls to be avoided with suitable illustration. Research limitations/implications – The target of the study is the aircraft manufacturer and hence it has the limitation in terms of the scope. However, overall results are encouraging with the survey generating expected inputs and underline the need for similar research in the aerospace sector. The study has implications for managers in all types of industrial environment, especially in aviation, in the era of globalized lean supply chain establishment. Practical implications – Inputs obtained are from both industrial research in a live environment and a case study which impacts lean management in industries. Originality/value – This paper presents novel inputs regarding post lean implementation scenario in aviation sector, which has complicated internal processes. It also tries to establish factors relevant for any organization in assessing lean initiatives.

PurposeToday's customer‐focused paradigm of business environment puts tremendous pressures of quality, delivery, dependability, flexibility and cost on the manufacturing organisation. Automatic manufacturing systems offer several advantages and are increasingly being adopted as a strategy to improve the performance of manufacturing organisations. Automatic manufacturing systems are highly sophisticated and expensive, and it is therefore important to maximise their productivity. Yet, one can improve only what one can measure. Performance measurement is the key to improving performance, and is a prerequisite to diagnosing, trouble‐shooting and improving the production system. Accordingly, performance measurement has been attracting increasing attention over the last two decades, and several frameworks have emerged for the design, review, evaluation and improvement of performance measurement systems for businesses and manufacturing organizations. The performance measurement, monitoring and continuous productivity improvement of automatic manufacturing systems has assumed special significance on account of their high investments and operating costs.Design/methodology/approachA review of the current literature is undertaken to determine the current status and the status of performance measurement in automated production systems.FindingsOverall equipment effectiveness (OEE) has emerged as one important and universally accepted metric for measuring the overall performance of single automatic equipments. OEE has been further adapted and extended into several variations for use as a metric for automatic manufacturing systems consisting of several automatic machines.Originality/valueThis paper reviews the recent developments and the current status of performance measurement of automatic manufacturing systems.

PurposePerformance measurement in the implementation of information systems is under‐developed for, under‐researched in, small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). This article aims to develop a framework for IS that measures and evaluates IS performance from the following six perspectives: operational efficiency of the IS function, down time of IS, responsiveness of IS, timeliness of information, accuracy of information, overall competitive position.Design/methodology/approachThis research is exploratory in nature, a survey methodology is used for study and the focus of study is cross‐sectional. The objective of the study was to become more familiar through survey and information collected at one point in time. The methodology was based on a questionnaire survey and personal interviews.FindingsEmpirical analysis from 147 Indian SMEs suggests that IS performance measurement framework can be the foundation for SMEs' strategic growth in the era of globalization. These findings provide SMEs the opportunity to compare their IS performance against other firms of similar size.Research limitations/implicationsThe target of the study is the SMEs operational in the western part of India and hence it has the limitation in terms of the scope. However, the overall results are encouraging with 70 percent response rate in the survey and underline the need for more such studies. The results have implications for all managers responsible for IS, in any SME in the era of globalization.Originality/valueThe paper presents a framework for IS performance measurement for SMEs. Findings reported in the paper provide SMEs the utility of IS‐related practices and its performance measurement in day‐to‐day business operations.

PurposeTo provide the outcome of information system (IS) related practice survey designed to identify current trends in Indian small and medium enterprises (SMEs).Design/methodology/approachThis research is exploratory in nature, a survey methodology is used for study and the focus of study is cross‐sectional. Two companies have been selected for detailed case studies. The objective of the study was to become more familiar through survey and information collected to one point in time. The methodology was based on a questionnaire survey and personal interviews.FindingsThe outcomes, based on a survey of 210 SMEs, reveal that though SMEs understand and acknowledge the importance of the IS in day‐to‐day operations management in the present dynamic and heterogeneous business environment but these are yet to implement, operate and exploit it fully in a formal and professional manner so as to enable them to derive maximum business gains out of it. SMEs are not found equipped adequately with the IS resources to suit their needs.Research limitations/implicationsThe target of the study is the SMEs operational in the western part of India and hence it has the limitation in terms of the scope. However, the overall results are encouraging with 70 percent response rare in the survey and underline the need for more such studies. The results have implications for all managers responsible for IS, any SME in the era of globalization.Originality/valueThe paper presents IS‐related practices going on in Indian SMEs. Findings reported in the paper provide SMEs operators the utility of IS in day‐to‐day business operations.