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Asymmetric warfare and anti-terrorist war have become a new style of military struggle in the new century, which will inevitably have an important impact on the military economy of various countries and catalyze the innovation climax of military logistics theory and practice. The war in the information age is the confrontation between systems, and “comprehensive integration” is not only the idea of information war ability construction, but also the idea of deterrence ability construction in the information age. Looking at the local wars under the conditions of modern informationization, it is not difficult to see that the status and role of light weapons and equipment have not decreased, on the contrary, higher demands have been put forward for their combat performance. From a forward-looking perspective, based on our army’s preparation and logistics support for future asymmetric operations and anti-terrorist military struggle, this strategic issue is discussed in depth.

The recycling of plastic materials is considered nowadays as a major strategic issue, since several million tons of plastic are the subject of recovery and recycling. The consumption of plastics in African countries is continuously growing up and the need of low-cost recycling methods is becoming more pressing. The purpose of this paper is an experimental investigation for recycling of plastic waste from PET water bottles using the free-fall electrostatic separation device. Water bottles are manufactured with two kinds of plastic, PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) and HDPE (High-density polyethylene), are first crushed into 2–3 mm size particles. Triboelectric charging of the granules was performed using a fluidized air device build-up with a plastic located between PET and HDPE in the triboelectric series. Due to the plate-shape of the particles, the free-fall tribo-electrostatic separator is efficient in terms of recovery and purity of the separated products.

Safety investment planning is a strategic issue of increased complexity for airlines due to inter-related flight safety system. In this work, the elements of flight safety system were classified as seven subsystems, and a dynamic model of the relationship between safety investment and flight safety level was developed using system dynamics (SD) theory. Then, two examples were used to demonstrate the application of the developed methodology and some interesting insights obtained were discussed, which are useful to decision-makers making optimal plans and dealing with long-term strategic management issues.

An important strategic issue in the public transportation planning process is line planning problem. This paper considers the design of multi-service lines in urban public transportation. It consists in finding lines and corresponding frequencies. Description of “multi-service” concept is represented together with discussion of its distinction from “multi-mode” or “multi-modal”. Two models for multi-service line planning problem are proposed and aimed to analysis the “multi-service”, reflecting on service speed and vehicle capacity, impacts on line plan results. Two problems are exanimated: common line problem between rapid and normal buses, common line problem between different capacities of buses. Both models take into account common line problem between rapid and normal buses with respectively consider equal vehicle capacity and different vehicle capacities.

The use of different public policies for certain areas in the same region is a strategic issue for public safety management. Therefore, this article has developed a multicriteria model based on SMARTS method that prioritizes areas for a given region using demographic and socioeconomic issues. It used the “swing weights” procedure to elicit preferences for scale constants. This model was applied in Recife, where it was divided into human development units. The sensitivity analysis of scale constants helped to show that this model is robust, since there were few and not significant changes in the positioning of zones.

As the fundamental and strategic issue in reverse logistics, reverse logistics network has become one of the academic research focuses. This paper gives a literature review on reverse logistics network researches in the last decade, and summarizes the research output of two major methodologies: case study and quantity model. This paper further classifies the numerous reverse logistic network models as closed-loop model, generic model, stochastic model and 3PLs model. This comprehensive review may help identify the future research opportunities.

Vendor selection is a strategic issue in supply chain management for any organization to identify the right supplier. Such selection in most cases is based on the analysis of some specific criteria. Most of the researches so far concentrate on multi-criteria decision-making analysis. Though many approaches have been proposed, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is the most well known as it can deal with a very complex criteria structure. In AHP, the selected criteria are ranked and organized in a hierarchical order from generic to specific to formulate the problem. Though this order of ranking is acceptably logical, it incurs a huge computational complexity when a large number of alternatives are considered as the selection criteria. Moreover, the AHP may generate wrong selection due to computational error. To address these limitations, a novel model namely vendor selection using fuzzy c-means algorithm and analytic hierarchy process (VFA) is presented in this paper by integrating the fuzzy c-means clustering (FCM) algorithm with analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The outcome of the proposed VFA algorithm is compared with the basic AHP algorithm and VFA outperforms the basic AHP and reduces the computational complexity of AHP by a factor of 7. Keywords: Vendor selection problem, analytical hierarchy process, FCM clustering algorithm, decision support system.

Supplier selection is increasingly becoming a strategic issue for companies in supply chains and it is usually made by multiple decision makers according to multiple criteria. However, almost all the supplier selection models are based on single-person decision-making and lay less emphasis on ordinal data. So a multi-criteria group decision-making method is developed for supplier selection with ordinal preferences of alternatives given by decision makers in respect to each criteria considered. At first, the individual ordinal preferences of the alternatives under each criteria were aggregated to the rankings of them for the group by 0-1 programming considering the weights of decision makers. Then the final rankings of the alternatives were derived from the group rankings of them above by 0-1 programming again after the criteria weights were taken into account. An illustrative case and some discussions show the proposed method is effective and simple in computation. This study extends Bernardo's method for multi-criteria decision-making to multi-criteria group decision-making considering the weights of criteria and decision makers with respect to each criteria.

The industry transformation of resource-based city is a world problem that is also a strategic issue relating to the sustainable development of the resource-based city. As a result, it is important to select a appropriate economic theory for providing prospective guidance for decision-making of industry transformation, providing scientific basis for making policies and taking measures by government. Therefore, this study will utilize Grey relation theory to make a selection and evaluation for leading industry of resource-based city, Daqing.

Design scheme selection is an important step and strategic issue for complex product development. However, it is more difficult to evaluate scheme directly due to product complexity and evaluating process uncertainty. In this paper, a novel selection model is proposed through quality function deployment (QFD) with group decision-making. In this model, each parts scheme which outline design schemes are divided into is evaluated through group decision-making, and parts weights are determined by QFD approach. All design schemes are order-sorted and selected based on multiplying parts scheme evaluation values with weights of parts. This model is illustrated with a case concerning the product design scheme selection of horizontal directional drilling.

This paper presents technologies that have strategic importance for the evolution of future motor drives. The underlying strategic issue for motor drives is increasing high value-added functionality without adding cost. The high value-added functionality should include reliability in the presence of unknown loading, continuous energy loss minimization, integrated sensing suitable for application specific diagnostics, and continuously optimized thermal utilization of full drive capacity. This paper will address each of these issues and discuss the technology status for each case, with a focus on research needed to evolve the needed functionality.

Automotive electronics is a rapidly growing market that is likely to contribute significantly to the vehicle's safety and performance. In this transition, automotive electronics is evolving from fairly simple, "hang-on" kinds of products to becoming one of the mainstream disciplines for building the car. This increasing complexity raises important issues for the vehicle manufacturer, including how to retain a span of control with a new and growing set of players in the business. The strategic choices facing the vehicle manu facturer take the question of automotive electronics beyond a mere technology issue to a strategic issue of participation and control

This paper presents technologies that have strategic importance in future motor drives. The underlying strategic issue for motor drives is maintaining cost while increasing certain dimensions of functionality. The dimensions of functionality which should increase include reliability and added value features such as providing continuous energy optimization, providing sensing of the driven system suitable for application specific diagnostic purposes, and providing continuously optimal thermal utilization of the capability of the drive. This paper addresses each of these issues and discuss the technology status for each case, with a focus on research needed to fully deliver the needed functionality.

Knowledge management (KM) is a strategic issue and has as its mission to support management's effort in developing a more competitive company, applying the resource based view. Furthermore, KM is an organizational issue as it is aiding in the effort to provide a leaner and more effective organization. Finally, KM is about productivity and the application of computers and computational intelligence in the production of goods and services. Concerned with the company's drive for improvement, innovation and the creation of new knowledge, a holistic KM approach combines these three domains. Poorly managed knowledge costs the companies around the world billions of dollars. Knowledge can be developed, disseminated, shared, learned, stored and retrieved; likewise it can also be managed. Computers, and the application of computational intelligence, can improve profitability if applied together with the restructuring of companies' structures, their business and production processes, and organizational changes. We demonstrate in This work the need for a holistic approach to the KM view for companies in the manufacturing industry planning to create competitive advantage for itself.

Supply chain planning is a strategic issue for every company because of the evolution of its technical and economic environment. Many disciplines such as operations research, management science, automatic control, information science, industrial engineering, etc., contribute to the development and improvement of various planning methods: synchronization, flexibility, forecasting, multi-stage planning, dynamic and stochastic aspects, lot sizing etc. Literature relating to supply chain planning mostly focuses on cost minimization, and the theoretical approach in this field usually follows the concepts introduced by the economic order quantity model (EOQ) of Harris-Wilson. However, despite the quasi-systematic resort to sophisticated mathematical models, the strategy of cost minimization is not always useful in the real industrial context. Several studies and papers showed the limits of these models. This paper deals with dynamic optimisation of the quantity to order in a supply chain for several products. The model takes into account the demand process, economic characteristics and logistic constraints, in order to determine the quantity which will maximize profits and satisfy customer requirements without compromising the profitability of the company.

It is noted that the economics of electrification in the rural and urban settlements of southern Africa is a sensitive and highly politicized issue, but the electrification of this region is a fundamental prerequisite for the development of the region. The economics of electrification as a strategic issue of public interest is emphasized and critically analyzed in the present work. The need for electrification and the role it has to play in everyone's wellbeing is addressed. Issues pertaining to the philosophy, technology, and practices of electrification are discussed, and their influence on the economics of electrification is pointed out.

Management of quality has become a strategic issue for companies in all industries around the world. Companies without a clear focus on satisfying customer needs and expectations through a total quality management (TQM) approach will be unable to compete. This paper describes the integrated TQM approach for the United States Customer Business Unit (US CBU) in AT&T's Switching Systems Business Unit. Our TQM approach is used to manage an array of switching and related products, with project staff sizes ranging from very small to very large. Functions include front end process, software design and development, system assurance, deployment, customer technical support, product realization, project management, and business management. The paper outlines elements of our TQM model and how the system works to produce products and services that meet and exceed our customers' needs and expectations. Key aspects of our strategies include the Malcolm Baldrige criteria and elements of ISO 9000 standards. The paper also discusses lessons learned with implementing TQM in an environment that includes a dynamic marketplace, state-of-the-art technology, a highly-educated and independent workforce, and customers who are communication service providers. >

The aging infrastructure of large GSU and EHV power transformers built in the '60s and '70s poses a serious strategic issue for users worldwide. Catastrophic failures are escalating both in number and cost including environmental impacts. Extension of the useful life of power transformers is the single most important strategy for extending the life of power transmission and distribution infrastructures starting with the GSU at the power plant itself. Continuous assessment of transformer operating condition, accomplished through on-line monitoring, off-line diagnostic tests, and expert system diagnostic and analysis modules, existing and under development, are examples of the practical implementation of that strategy. For example, on-line gas analysis, including oxygen and moisture, offers the potential for gaining a much better understanding and assessment of the dynamic operating condition of such transformers than is possible through periodic laboratory dissolved gas analysis (DGA) tests. However, field experience and learning are vital in order to understand more fully the dynamic relationship between on-line gas analysis and the changing condition of the transformer insulation structure under all operating conditions. This paper presents a survey of new monitoring and diagnostic technologies and applications, including laboratory experimental work, in power transformer insulation monitoring for the purpose of condition assessment.