Assessment of sustainability performances of banks by TOPSIS method and balanced scorecard approach

Today, Norton and Kaplan's Balanced Scorecard (BSC) model is used to improve enterprise performance. The BSC establishes performance targets for the future by identifying current situations in the business performance reports. These targets have been both a strategy and a sustainability tool for companies. Therefore it is needed for the measurement of sustainability performance report sustainability performance of companies. This study sustainability performance balanced scorecard was created for banks. In this context, the economic, environmental, social and institutional profile dimensions of the GRI G4 (Global Reporting Initiative) sustainability reports have been determined. Sustainability dimensions were intersected with the dimensions of the BSC (financial, customer, internal processes, and learning - development dimensions). Thus, BSC model for sustainability has been issued for banks. Banks were examined by TOPSIS method and evaluate their performance with the created model

RE-EVALUATING SUSTAINABILITY OF MICROFINANCE INSTITUTIONS BY USING TOPSIS

Purpose: The measurement of sustainability for microfinance institutions (MFIs) has been a serious problem for both practitioners and researchers over the last few decades. A multicriteria decision-making approach is used to develop an index that measures the sustainability of microfinance institutions based on the double bottom line. Methodology: The sustainability score of MFIs operating in Pakistan for the year 2006-2015 is measured using the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). During the assessment, equal weights are assigned to all indicators of sustainability. Additionally, a hypothetical organization was assigned the industry threshold to generate composite scores using TOPSIS. Later, sustainability levels of individual MFIs were compared with this industry threshold. Findings: Microfinance institutions that attain higher financial sustainability and positive outreach are ranked high. The result shows that the threshold sustainability level of the microfinance sector in Pakistan from 2006-2015 was 23.52, 26.31, 23.80, 45.83, 45.83, 66.67, 77.77, 91.60, and 88.88 percent respectively. Although the sustainability level in 2015 decreases with respect to 2014, still the overall growth of the sector is remarkable. Practical implications: The results obtained from TOPSIS for evaluating the sustainability of MFIs under the double bottom line highlight its practical applicability. MFIs are under immense pressure by regulatory bodies, investors, donors, and financial experts to achieve sustainability. This index would help MFIs to track progress and improve their sustainability. Novelty/Originality: This study is the first of its kind to determine the sustainability of MFI by using all the four indicators of sustainability, including financial self-sufficiency, operational self-sufficiency, depth of outreach and breadth of outreach. Existing sustainability indicators does not provide the threshold level of sustainability. Instead, they provide a ranking of MFIs from top to bottom only. This study is novel to identify whether MFIs have met or failed to achieve sustainability by providing the threshold level

A Strong Sustainability Paradigm Based Analytical Hierarchy Process (SSP-AHP) Method to Evaluate Sustainable Healthcare Systems

The recent studies signify the growing concern of researchers towards monitoring and measuring sustainability performance at various levels and in many fields, including healthcare. However, there is no agreed approach to assessing the sustainability of health systems. Moreover, social indicators are less developed and less succinct. Therefore, the authors seek to map sustainable reference values in healthcare and propose a conceptual and structured framework that can guide the measurement of the social sustainability-oriented health systems. Based on a new multi-criteria method called Strong Sustainability Paradigm based Analytical Hierarchy Process, (SSP-AHP), the presented approach opens the availability for systems' comparison and benchmarking. The Strong Sustainability Paradigm incorporated into the multi-criteria evaluation method prevents the exchangeability of criteria by promoting alternatives that achieve good performance values on all criteria, implying sustainability. The research results offer insights into the core domains, sub-domains, and indicators supporting a more comprehensive assessment of the social sustainability of health systems. The framework constructed in this study consists of five major areas: equity, quality, responsiveness, financial coverage, and adaptability. The proposed set of indicators can also serve as a reference instrument, providing transparency about core aspects of performance to be measured and reported, as well as supporting policy-makers in decisions regarding sectoral strategies in healthcare. Our findings suggest that the most socially sustainable systems are Nordic countries. They offer a high level of social and financial protection, achieving very good health outcomes. On the other hand, the most unsustainable systems located in central and eastern European countries.Comment: 34 pages, 13 figures, 16 table

Analysis of Decision Support Systems of Industrial Relevance: Application Potential of Fuzzy and Grey Set Theories

The present work articulates few case empirical studies on decision making in industrial context. Development of variety of Decision Support System (DSS) under uncertainty and vague information is attempted herein. The study emphases on five important decision making domains where effective decision making may surely enhance overall performance of the organization. The focused territories of this work are i) robot selection, ii) g-resilient supplier selection, iii) third party logistics (3PL) service provider selection, iv) assessment of supply chain’s g-resilient index and v) risk assessment in e-commerce exercises. Firstly, decision support systems in relation to robot selection are conceptualized through adaptation to fuzzy set theory in integration with TODIM and PROMETHEE approach, Grey set theory is also found useful in this regard; and is combined with TODIM approach to identify the best robot alternative. In this work, an attempt is also made to tackle subjective (qualitative) and objective (quantitative) evaluation information simultaneously, towards effective decision making. Supplier selection is a key strategic concern for the large-scale organizations. In view of this, a novel decision support framework is proposed to address g-resilient (green and resilient) supplier selection issues. Green capability of suppliers’ ensures the pollution free operation; while, resiliency deals with unexpected system disruptions. A comparative analysis of the results is also carried out by applying well-known decision making approaches like Fuzzy- TOPSIS and Fuzzy-VIKOR. In relation to 3PL service provider selection, this dissertation proposes a novel ‘Dominance- Based’ model in combination with grey set theory to deal with 3PL provider selection, considering linguistic preferences of the Decision-Makers (DMs). An empirical case study is articulated to demonstrate application potential of the proposed model. The results, obtained thereof, have been compared to that of grey-TOPSIS approach. Another part of this dissertation is to provide an integrated framework in order to assess gresilient (ecosilient) performance of the supply chain of a case automotive company. The overall g-resilient supply chain performance is determined by computing a unique ecosilient (g-resilient) index. The concepts of Fuzzy Performance Importance Index (FPII) along with Degree of Similarity (DOS) (obtained from fuzzy set theory) are applied to rank different gresilient criteria in accordance to their current status of performance. The study is further extended to analyze, and thereby, to mitigate various risk factors (risk sources) involved in e-commerce exercises. A total forty eight major e-commerce risks are recognized and evaluated in a decision making perspective by utilizing the knowledge acquired from the fuzzy set theory. Risk is evaluated as a product of two risk quantifying parameters viz. (i) Likelihood of occurrence and, (ii) Impact. Aforesaid two risk quantifying parameters are assessed in a subjective manner (linguistic human judgment), rather than exploring probabilistic approach of risk analysis. The ‘crisp risk extent’ corresponding to various risk factors are figured out through the proposed fuzzy risk analysis approach. The risk factor possessing high ‘crisp risk extent’ score is said be more critical for the current problem context (toward e-commerce success). Risks are now categorized into different levels of severity (adverse consequences) (i.e. negligible, minor, marginal, critical and catastrophic). Amongst forty eight risk sources, top five risk sources which are supposed to adversely affect the company’s e-commerce performance are recognized through such categorization. The overall risk extent is determined by aggregating individual risks (under ‘critical’ level of severity) using Fuzzy Inference System (FIS). Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) is then used to obtain structural relationship amongst aforementioned five risk sources. An appropriate action requirement plan is also suggested, to control and minimize risks associated with e-commerce exercises

Airline service quality evaluation: A review on concepts and models

This paper reviews different major service quality concept and models which led to great developments in evaluating service quality with focusing on improvement process of the models through discussing criticisms of each model. Criticisms against these models are discussed to clarify development steps of newer models which led to the improvement of airline service quality models. The precise and accurate evaluation of service quality needs utilizing a reliable concept with comprehensive criteria and effective measurement techniques as the fundamentals of a valuable framework. In this paper, service quality models improvement is described based on three major service quality concepts, the disconfirmation, performance and hierarchical concepts which are developed subsequently. Reviewing various criteria and different measurement techniques such a statistical analysis and multi-criteria decision making assist researchers to have a clear understanding of the development of the evaluation framework in the airline industry. This study aims at promoting reliable frameworks for evaluating airline service quality in different countries and societies due to economic, cultural and social aspects of each society

Engineering and water governance interactions in smallholder irrigation schemes for improved water management.

Masters Degree, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Smallholder Irrigation Schemes (SISs) in South Africa have reported below expectation performance, despite massive investments. A diagnosis of the SISs poor performance indicates prevalence of infrastructural deficiencies, as well as poor institutional setup. The government’s Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT) initiative compounds the problem. IMT placed irrigators in self-governance, which inadvertently made irrigators carry the burden of scheme Operation and Maintenance (O&M) costs. This study sought to investigate and evaluate how technical design principles i.e., technical aspect of irrigation design, interact with irrigation water governance for SISs in KwaZulu-Natal Province. The study hypothesized that the existing current water control infrastructure does relate to the water governance frameworks in the selected study sites. The study was carried out in Tugela Ferry Irrigation Scheme (TFIS) and Mooi-River Irrigation Scheme (MRIS). An infrastructure condition assessment was carried out followed by a root cause analysis. Questionnaires were then administered to relevant stakeholders to rate the degree of identified causal factors. Key informants ranked how water governance and infrastructure aspects are related. The data was processed using a fuzzy theory approach. Finally, structured questionnaires were administered to irrigators to establish how water governance impacted on water adequacy for crop production. A binary logit regression model was employed to process the data. Assessments revealed the poor condition of the infrastructure, such as deep cracks in canals and missing latches on hydrants. The study revealed that TFIS had a strong institutional setups according to the Closeness Coefficients( = 0.18), and clearly defined goals and objectives for the scheme operation. However, other governance aspects such as procedures ( = 0.17, = 0.16) were not strong. MRIS ( = 0.20) had a good standing on rules and regulations as compared to TFIS ( = 0.14). Eight water governance related statistically significant variables that influenced water adequacy were identified. The eight variables were irrigation scheme ( = 0.000), location of plot within the scheme ( = 0.008), training in water management ( = 0.012), satisfaction with irrigation schedule ( = 0.000), irrigation training ( = 0.085), farmer knowledge of governments aims in SIS ( = 0.012), availability of water licenses ( = 0.002), and water fees ( = 0.022). A descriptive analysis showed that 24% and 86% of the farmers in MRIS and TFIS respectively, had adequate water. The study concluded that the SISs lacked an O&M plan and the farmers were not willing to opt for collective action and iii cooperate in Water Users Association (WUAs) and Irrigation Management Committees (IMCs). Some of the water governance aspects were discordant with infrastructure characteristics and requirements, consequently, impacting on the water adequacy for the irrigators. Overall, the study proved the hypothesis that the water control infrastructure does not relate with the water governance framework. This study recommends that the stakeholders involved in SISs, i.e., government, extension workers, NGOs, should aid the irrigators in policy articulation. In addition, the WUA and IMCs should provide incentives to motivate farmers to actively participate in scheme O&M

Sürdürülebilirlik Performansı İle Finansal Performans İlişkisi Üzerine Bir Araştırma

Bu çalışmanın amacı, finansal performansın sürdürülebilirlik performansı üzerine etkisini ortaya koymaktır. Bu amaç çerçevesinde Borsa İstanbul Sürdürülebilirlik Endeksi’ne kayıtlı imalat sanayi sektöründe faaliyet gösteren işletmelerin 2018-2020 yıllarına ait verilerinden yararlanılmıştır. Çalışmada, sürdürülebilirlik performansı bağımlı değişken; finansal performans bağımsız değişken; işletme büyüklüğü, aktif devir hızı ve kaldıraç oranı kontrol değişkenleri olarak kullanılmıştır. Sürdürülebilirlik performansı TOPSIS yöntemi ile elde edilen sürdürülebilirlik skorları ile ölçülmüştür. Finansal performansı ise aktif karlılık oranı ve fiyat/kazanç oranı temsil etmiştir. Elde edilen veriler panel veri regresyon analizine tabi tutulmuştur. Analiz sonucuna göre sürdürülebilirlik performansı ile finansal performans arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmamışken işletme büyüklüğü ile pozitif yönlü ve anlamlı bir ilişki saptanmıştır. İşletme büyüklüğünün sürdürülebilirlik performansı üzerine olumlu etkisi olduğu söylenebilir

Contributions to the selection and implementation of standard software for CRM and electronic invoicing

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Stakeholder attributes and approaches in natural disaster risk management in the built environment: the case of flood risk management in transport infrastructure

The increasing number of natural disasters has demonstrated the importance of natural disaster risk management. There is little consensus regarding the role of stakeholder attributes in reducing flood damage and explaining stakeholder approaches. Local Councils are important stakeholders in flood risk management in transport infrastructure. Hence, the characteristics of floods, Local Councils’ stakeholder attributes, and the exposure and vulnerability of the socio-economic and transport infrastructure were contextualised to examine flood damage and Local Councils’ proactive and reactive approaches. This study examines three dominant Local Councils’ stakeholder attributes of power, legitimacy and urgency by focusing on flood damage and Local Councils’ proactive and reactive approaches. Data was collected from historical archive databases and a structured questionnaire survey involving Local Councils in New South Wales, Australia that covered the time period from 1992 to 2012. This data was analysed using multi-attribute decision-making and structural equation modelling with partial least square estimation approaches. The results show that the exposure and vulnerability of Australian states and territories to flood damage depend on both socio-economic and built environment conditions. The greater the flood characteristics such as frequency, severity and type, the greater the flood damage. The exposure and vulnerability of socio-economic and transport infrastructure of a Local Council have mediating effects on the direct relationship between their stakeholder attributes and flood damage. Proactive and reactive approaches by Local Councils are highly affected by stakeholder attributes. The developed stakeholder disaster response index shows that Local Councils have practised more reactive approaches than proactive approaches. Policy makers might use the stakeholder disaster response index through continuous assessment of proactive and reactive approaches to achieve a high level of flood risk management

Stakeholder attributes and approaches in natural disaster risk management in the built environment: the case of flood risk management in transport infrastructure

The increasing number of natural disasters has demonstrated the importance of natural disaster risk management. There is little consensus regarding the role of stakeholder attributes in reducing flood damage and explaining stakeholder approaches. Local Councils are important stakeholders in flood risk management in transport infrastructure. Hence, the characteristics of floods, Local Councils’ stakeholder attributes, and the exposure and vulnerability of the socio-economic and transport infrastructure were contextualised to examine flood damage and Local Councils’ proactive and reactive approaches. This study examines three dominant Local Councils’ stakeholder attributes of power, legitimacy and urgency by focusing on flood damage and Local Councils’ proactive and reactive approaches. Data was collected from historical archive databases and a structured questionnaire survey involving Local Councils in New South Wales, Australia that covered the time period from 1992 to 2012. This data was analysed using multi-attribute decision-making and structural equation modelling with partial least square estimation approaches. The results show that the exposure and vulnerability of Australian states and territories to flood damage depend on both socio-economic and built environment conditions. The greater the flood characteristics such as frequency, severity and type, the greater the flood damage. The exposure and vulnerability of socio-economic and transport infrastructure of a Local Council have mediating effects on the direct relationship between their stakeholder attributes and flood damage. Proactive and reactive approaches by Local Councils are highly affected by stakeholder attributes. The developed stakeholder disaster response index shows that Local Councils have practised more reactive approaches than proactive approaches. Policy makers might use the stakeholder disaster response index through continuous assessment of proactive and reactive approaches to achieve a high level of flood risk management