A SPHERICAL FUZZY BASED DECISION MAKING FRAMEWORK WITH EINSTEIN AGGREGATION FOR COMPARING PREPAREDNESS OF SMEs IN QUALITY 4.0

Researchers work hard to embrace technological changes and redefine the quality management as Quality 4.0 (Q 4.0). In this context, the purpose of the current work is twofold. First, it aims to compare the preparedness of the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for sustaining in Q4. Second, it intends to propose a novel hybrid spherical fuzzy based multi-criteria group decision-making (MAGDM) framework with Einstein aggregation (EA). A real-life case study on six SMEs is carried out with the help of three experts. For aggregating the individual responses (using spherical fuzzy numbers or SFNs), EA is used. Then two very recent models such as Simple Ranking Process (SRP) and Symmetry Point of Criterion (SPC) are extended using SFN to rank the SMEs. Finally, the validation tests and sensitivity analysis are carried out. It is noted that the application of analytical tools, knowledge management and use of technology under the support and mentorship of visionary leadership are the key criteria for building up the capability to embrace Q 4.0. Interestingly, it is noted that medium scale firms are better prepared than small-scale enterprises. This work is apparently a first of its kind that focuses on SMEs for assessing their quality management practices in Industry 4.0 era

Dynamics under Uncertainty: Modeling Simulation and Complexity

The dynamics of systems have proven to be very powerful tools in understanding the behavior of different natural phenomena throughout the last two centuries. However, the attributes of natural systems are observed to deviate from their classical states due to the effect of different types of uncertainties. Actually, randomness and impreciseness are the two major sources of uncertainties in natural systems. Randomness is modeled by different stochastic processes and impreciseness could be modeled by fuzzy sets, rough sets, Dempster–Shafer theory, etc

Public policy and impact evaluation of micro-enterprises in Costa Rica : the case of the National Program of Support to Small and Medium Enterprises (PRONAMYPE).

This thesis makes an in-depth evaluation of National Program of Support to Small and Medium Enterprises (PRONAMYPE. Since 1992, this program is attached to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security of Costa Rica and it has been the most important state investment fund aimed at financing micro enterprises, hence, it is currently integrated on the axis of social welfare of the National Development Plan (NDP). The research problem is “to what extent PRONAMYPE, as an instrument of public employment policy, fulfills its objective of promoting employability and human capital of the workforce of micro and small enterprises of population in vulnerability and poverty?”. The methodological strategy is based on a mixed sequential explanatory method, where the dominant core was a quasi-experiment complemented by a strong qualitative component. Social Network Analysis was used for the evaluation of the context of the program. The empirical results are structured according to the theoretical-methodological logic of the CEval approach. Thus, the first part analyzes the external and internal context of the Program, while the second part focuses on the impact assessment according to the indicators of the statistical model and related qualitative data. In the External-Institutional Subsystem, the research found coherence between the objectives of the Program and those expressed by sectoral policy, nevertheless, PRONAMYPE’s place in the microfinance ecosystem is marginal, which reduces its incidence within microcredit sector and target population. Regarding the Internal Process Subsystem, the intervention was characterized by a complex execution and interannual inconsistent management. At the level of the Dimension Behaviour, the program achieved contradictory and statistically not significant impacts in the attended entrepreneurships, but qualitatively relevant effects in relation with the socio and familiar sphere and its basic needs. Overall evidence leads to affirm that the intervention does not fulfill the purpose of reducing inequality and promoting upward social mobility, which emphasizes the need for the program to achieve a comprehensive understanding of its intervention problem. Likewise, it is concluded that the public policy to promote microfinance for poverty reduction, it is not a matter that should be related solely to the existence of income distribution mechanisms (interventions) but is determined by quality of policy design and the need for a better execution under an inter-institutional care approach. Since public policy is an element of public scrutiny, the interventions and the stakeholders involved require greater analysis, support and control over their implementation. Structurally, the reflection on public policies and their essential role in social welfare, it is related to the (re) structuring of the State and its loss of capacity to meet the demands and needs of the population of the first and second quintile of national income. Therefore, this research represents a contribution to the understanding of the current opacity of the analyzed public action, because provides scientific information based on evidence to support the discussion oriented towards that necessary change of model and implementation of the NDP

Institutions, Strategic Posture and Performance of Micro, Small and Medum Enterprises

The thesis of this study is that perceptions of formal and informal institutions permeating the business environment in a city in an emerging economy have significant influence on the strategic posture of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs); and that strategic posture is viewed to have significant influence on the firms' overall organisational performance. The study emphasises the mediating role of strategic posture, being the conduit through which perceptions of sub-national institutions exert their influence on organisational performance. Institutional theory, which considers institutions as 'the rules of the game' that govern human interaction, serves as the study's theoretical foundation. An extensive review of the literature was undertaken in the areas of institutional theory, strategic management, organisational performance, investment or business climates, MSME/entrepreneurial development, decentralisation and local economic development at the city level. The study adopts an empirical-deductive research design through which a survey generated a total sample of 900 MSMEs located in two cities in the south-eastern region of the Philippines. Hierarchical multiple regression modelling, using ordinary least squares method with confirmatory robust technique, was applied to test the hypotheses. Results suggest that all of the five formal institutions and two of the five informal institutions had positive relationships with an entrepreneurial strategic posture, which in turn, was shown to be positively associated with higher levels of product/service, strategic and financial performance. Moreover, strategic posture was shown to partially mediate the relationships between three formal institutions and two facets of organisational performance. However, when the five formal institutions and five informal institutions were aggregated into two sets of indices, mediation analysis revealed that the index of formal institutions - product/service performance relationship was partially mediated by strategic posture. The index of formal institutions - strategic performance relationship was shown to be fully mediated by strategic posture. On the other hand, the index of informal institutions - product/service performance relationship was shown to be fully mediated by strategic posture. Overall, the empirical results offer acceptable level of support to the main thesis of the study

Design and Management of Manufacturing Systems

Although the design and management of manufacturing systems have been explored in the literature for many years now, they still remain topical problems in the current scientific research. The changing market trends, globalization, the constant pressure to reduce production costs, and technical and technological progress make it necessary to search for new manufacturing methods and ways of organizing them, and to modify manufacturing system design paradigms. This book presents current research in different areas connected with the design and management of manufacturing systems and covers such subject areas as: methods supporting the design of manufacturing systems, methods of improving maintenance processes in companies, the design and improvement of manufacturing processes, the control of production processes in modern manufacturing systems production methods and techniques used in modern manufacturing systems and environmental aspects of production and their impact on the design and management of manufacturing systems. The wide range of research findings reported in this book confirms that the design of manufacturing systems is a complex problem and that the achievement of goals set for modern manufacturing systems requires interdisciplinary knowledge and the simultaneous design of the product, process and system, as well as the knowledge of modern manufacturing and organizational methods and techniques

Life Skills Education for Children with Special Needs In Order to Facilitate Vocational Skills

Children with special needs generally consist of children who experience delays and disruptions in their development so that require special handling to improve the ability of children with special needs. After conducting a survey at several extraordinary schools (SLB) in Makassar, it was found that the conventional delivery of materials from teachers resulted in an uncomfortable situation so that the students 'interest to learn a particular subject was very low, therefore a learning method was needed that could attract students' interest in following the lesson. Students hope to gain more knowledge and experience as study results, while teachers, on the other hand, expect that practical learning process can bring achievement in term of better cognitive, psychomotor, affective changes, and improvement of student life skill. After producing a Multimedia Based Learning model, this research carried out trial test on the developed product to several students of SLB (Sekolah Luar Biasa) in Makassar. It was found that the use of this Multimedia Based Learning Model by SLB students can develop their life skills such as personal skills, thinking skills, social skills, and vocational skills