Manufacturing lot size and product distribution problem with rework, outsourcing and discontinuous inventory distribution policy

Product quality, timely delivery, and lower cost are critical operational goals to nowadays manufacturers, and company managements constantly seek different approaches to achieve these goals in order to stay competitive in turbulent global markets. This study investigates a practical manufacturing lot size and distribution problem with rework, outsourcing, and discontinuous inventory distribution policy. In real manufacturing environments, due to different controllable and/or uncontrollable factors, production of the nonconforming products is inevitable. Careful inspection into identifying nonconforming items and instant correction of the defects are considered in the proposed study. In additions, due to the limited production capacity in real manufacturing environments, sometimes, outsourcing can be used to cope with occasional unsteady demands, or running short of in-house capacity, to allow the management to maintain a smooth operation and/or shorten the production cycle length. Furthermore, in vendor-buyer integrated supply chains, multi-delivery policy is often considered for distributing finished products to customers. Motivated by the aforementioned practical situations, this study develops a mathematical model to explicitly investigate such a manufacturing lot-size and product distribution problem. Optimization techniques are employed to solve the problem and a numerical example is provided to show the applicability of our research results

Mathematical Methods and Operation Research in Logistics, Project Planning, and Scheduling

In the last decade, the Industrial Revolution 4.0 brought flexible supply chains and flexible design projects to the forefront. Nevertheless, the recent pandemic, the accompanying economic problems, and the resulting supply problems have further increased the role of logistics and supply chains. Therefore, planning and scheduling procedures that can respond flexibly to changed circumstances have become more valuable both in logistics and projects. There are already several competing criteria of project and logistic process planning and scheduling that need to be reconciled. At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that even more emphasis needs to be placed on taking potential risks into account. Flexibility and resilience are emphasized in all decision-making processes, including the scheduling of logistic processes, activities, and projects

A structural model for sustainable growth of the south African business process outsourcing sector

he total size of the South African Business Process Outsourcing sector is not growing as quickly as other global BPO locations like the Philippines and India. The sector has been identified by the South African government as a key sector for economic growth and for reducing unemployment. Reviewed frameworks are not exhaustive in providing a framework that is suitable for countries with an apartheid history like South Africa, so, the main aim of this study has been, therefore, to develop a structural model for sustainable growth of the South African BPO sector. The research was two phased: Firstly, it interrogated existing theories and models on BPO growth to identify variables for BPO growth. The variables were identified as talent pool, infrastructure, accessibility, lower costs, and legislative framework. The relationships between variables were hypothesised. The reviewed literature discussed the global economy and traced the origins of outsourcing as rooted in the advent of Information Technology and computer-enabled production which enabled fragmented processes which could be in any part of the world. The literature showed that competition for markets, coupled with a glut of products on the market, forced creativity which resulted in companies seeking operations in low-cost locations. The first popular locations for BPO operations were India and the Philippines, with emerging locations, like South Africa, positioning themselves to tap into this global development. Secondly, a quantitative study was performed using a web-based questionnaire which was sent to a sample of BPO executives in the BPO value chain in South Africa to test relationships among between variables. The results of the study showed statistically significant relationships between talent pool, infrastructure, lower costs, accessibility and legislative framework with BPO growth, albeit with varying degrees of strength. Contrary to popular belief, lower costs are no longer the most important driver of BPO location choice. Accessibility and legislative framework have also been confirmed by data as variables affecting BPO growth. After the computation of the relationships, the research concluded that the model developed is a good fit for BPO growth.Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment, and Technology, 202

A structural model for sustainable growth of the south African business process outsourcing sector

he total size of the South African Business Process Outsourcing sector is not growing as quickly as other global BPO locations like the Philippines and India. The sector has been identified by the South African government as a key sector for economic growth and for reducing unemployment. Reviewed frameworks are not exhaustive in providing a framework that is suitable for countries with an apartheid history like South Africa, so, the main aim of this study has been, therefore, to develop a structural model for sustainable growth of the South African BPO sector. The research was two phased: Firstly, it interrogated existing theories and models on BPO growth to identify variables for BPO growth. The variables were identified as talent pool, infrastructure, accessibility, lower costs, and legislative framework. The relationships between variables were hypothesised. The reviewed literature discussed the global economy and traced the origins of outsourcing as rooted in the advent of Information Technology and computer-enabled production which enabled fragmented processes which could be in any part of the world. The literature showed that competition for markets, coupled with a glut of products on the market, forced creativity which resulted in companies seeking operations in low-cost locations. The first popular locations for BPO operations were India and the Philippines, with emerging locations, like South Africa, positioning themselves to tap into this global development. Secondly, a quantitative study was performed using a web-based questionnaire which was sent to a sample of BPO executives in the BPO value chain in South Africa to test relationships among between variables. The results of the study showed statistically significant relationships between talent pool, infrastructure, lower costs, accessibility and legislative framework with BPO growth, albeit with varying degrees of strength. Contrary to popular belief, lower costs are no longer the most important driver of BPO location choice. Accessibility and legislative framework have also been confirmed by data as variables affecting BPO growth. After the computation of the relationships, the research concluded that the model developed is a good fit for BPO growth.Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment, and Technology, 202

Networking as a Strategic Tool, 1991

This conference focuses on the technological advances, pitfalls, requirements, and trends involved in planning and implementing an effective computer network system. The basic theme of the conference is networking as a strategic tool. Tutorials and conference presentations explore the technology and methods involved in this rapidly changing field. Future directions are explored from a global, as well as local, perspective

The effects of outsourcing the logistics function at South African manufacturing companies.

MBA University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2013.Logistics is an integral part of every economy and every business entity. The worldwide trend in globalisation has led many organisations to outsource their logistics function to third-party logistics (3PL) companies and focus on their core competencies. It is therefore imperative that organisations fully understand the implications of outsourcing so that a well thought-out strategy will derive the maximum benefit. Whilst much is known about 3PL from an international perspective, knowledge from a South African perspective is limited which raised the question, “what effect does outsourcing the logistics function have on South African manufacturing companies?” The objective of this study was to identify the factors that organisations considered important in the decision to outsource. Further, benefits and limitations of outsourcing were identified. As 3PL is a strategic decision, senior managers were considered as a source of data. Due to their time constraints, it was felt that participating in a survey may prove fruitless. Therefore, a qualitative study was conducted. The objectives were achieved by conducting face-to-face interviews with senior managers of 15 companies across various industries in South Africa who had outsourced their logistics functions to 3PL service providers. The challenges and experiences collected from these interviews are presented in this study. The main conclusion drawn from this study is that the participants are in a better position than before they had outsourced logistics. Some companies achieved financial benefits, while some realised benefits such as increased efficiencies and economies of scale, and some realised a combination of both. The data analysis confirmed that while there are many benefits that accrue to companies who outsource, there are also numerous challenges and major risk factors that have to be overcome. Several recommendations have been made for companies contemplating outsourcing the logistics function

브라질의 간접고용에서의 근로자 권리에 관한 연구 - 소의 아웃소싱법을 중심으로 -

학위논문 (석사)-- 서울대학교 대학원 : 법과대학 법학과, 2018. 2. 이철수.Over the last decades, Capitalism has transformed under the aegis of flexible accumulation by disrupting the Fordist and Toyotist pattern of pro-duction and generating a flexible way of working. In terms of Labor Law, the inevitable effects of flexibility on the labor relationship caused the emergence of indirect forms of employment, such as part time jobs, temporary workers, outsourcing, and subcontracting. Once explained as a strategic plan to survive the fierce competition of the new globalized world, enterprises opt to out-source labor so that they can reduce costs, amplify productivity, and offer a lower price than their competitors. In Brazil, indirect forms of employment are ruled by the Superior Labor Court's Precedent No. 331, which outlawed the practice of so-called outsourc-ing through establishing that the outsourcing of core activities is unlawful. This ruling, which has prevailed for more than two decades, has played the important role of objectively distinguishing between core and non-core activi-ties in order to define the legitimacy of the outsourcing. Therefore, the ques-tion of the existence of subordination is not primarily analyzed to define the legality of the outsourcing. When workers are outside the scope of employment or when they are indirectly used by a third company that is not their employer, it places them in a position of precarious labor relationships, weakened union representation, lack of social security, and insufficient protection for industrial accident. Be-cause indirect forms of employment cause a perverse degradation of worker's rights, it became necessary to strengthen workers' protectionhowever, Bra-zilian legislators have opted for more flexibility. The recently approved regu-lations, especially Law No. 13,429/17 and Labor Reform no. 13,467/17, broadens the scope of outsourceable activities. With that, the objective and material differentiation of core and noncore services falls as recent regulations authorize any and all activities, including core business-related activities. This study analyzes the principal regulations related to indirect forms of employment in Brazil, especially those services provided on a continuous ba-sis. Even with the recent legislation authorizing all activities, the present work focuses on limiting the practice of outsourcing by interpreting the law through the constitutional principles of human dignity, the value of work and the social function of enterprise. Not limited to that, this study proposes the criterion of humanizing the practice of outsourcing through the application of isonomy. Hence, all outsourced workers shall be guaranteed equal salary, benefits, and working conditions. Further, as the Brazilian Constitution limits the freedom of association, the collective agreement applying to regular employees shall be equally extended to outsourced workers, as both provide labor for the same company in the same workplace.CHAPTER I - INTRODUCTION 1 1. 1. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 1 1. 2. COMPOSITION AND SCOPE OF THE STUDY 6 1. 3. DEFINITION OF 'OUTSOURCING' 8 CHAPTER II - PROTECTION FOR EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP 11 2. 1. PROTECTION BY ILO 12 2. 1. 1. The Importance of the ILO's Employment Protection to Brazilian Legislation 14 2. 1. 2. Convention No. 158 - Termination of Employment Convention, 1982 15 2. 1. 3. Employment Relationship Recommendation No. 198 (2006) 18 2. 2. BRAZILIAN CONSTITUTION ON EMPLOYMENT PROTECTION 20 2. 2. 1. Brazilian Constitutions and Evolution of Social Rights 20 2. 2. 2. Constitutional Employment Protection 24 2. 3. PROTECTION BY LABOR LEGISLATION 27 2. 3. 1. Employee and Employer: Articles 2 and 3 of the CLT 28 2. 3. 2. Employment Relationship Protection: Article 9 of the CLT 31 CHAPTER III - THE REGULATION OF INDIRECT FORMS OF EMPLOYMENT 35 3. 1. BACKGROUND OF PRECEDENT 331 OF TST 35 3. 1. 1. Labor Outsourcing in the Public Sector 38 3. 1. 2. Labor Outsourcing in the Private Sector 40 i. Subcontracting in Civil Construction 41 ii. Temporary Work: Law 6,019/74 43 iii. Surveillance Service: Law 7.102/83 47 3. 1. 3. Precedent 256 (1986) of the Superior Labor Court 48 3. 2. TWO DECADES OF PRECEDENT 331 OF THE SUPERIOR LABOR COURT 50 3. 2. 1. Precedent 331 of the Superior Labor Court 51 i. Core Activities and Non-core Activities 56 ii. Service Taker's Responsibility 58 3. 3. NEW OUTSOURCING REGULATION, 2017 61 3. 3. 1. Resistance to Approval 61 3. 3. 2. Outsourcing Law 13,429/17 and Labor Reform No.13,467/17 Legislation's Content 66 i. Temporary work: First Part of Law 13,429/2017 67 ii. Outsourcing: Second Part of Law 13,429/2017 71 iii. Labor Reform: Law 13,467/2017 76 iv. Bill 4,330/04 (to be voted upon) 78 CHAPTER IV - EFFECTS OF OUTSOURCING ON WORKERS' RIGHTS 80 4. 1. UNLAWFUL LABOR INTERMEDIATION 81 4. 1. 1. Lawful Outsourcing and Unlawful Labor Intermediation 81 4. 1. 2. Outsourcing of core activities: Fraud to Labor Laws 86 4. 2. PRECARIOUSNESS OF WORKING CONDITIONS 90 4. 2. 1. Derogation of Labor Laws 92 4. 2. 2. Fragmentation of working class 97 4. 2. 3. Precariousness of Safety and Occupational Health 102 4. 2. 4. Social Exclusion 106 4. 3. OUTSOURCING AS SOCIAL DUMPING 109 CHAPTER V - LIMITS TO UNRESTRAINED OUTSOURCING 115 5. 1. LIMITATION BY ILO 117 5. 1. 1. Philadelphia Declaration (1944) and Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (1998) 117 5. 1. 2. Decent Work 122 5. 2. LIMITATION BY BRAZILIAN CONSTITUTION 126 5. 2. 1. Human Dignity and Value of Work 127 5. 2. 2. Social Function of Property and the value of social Free-enterprise 132 5. 3. HUMANIZING THE PRACTICE OF OUTSOURCING 136 CHAPTER VI - CONCLUSION 140 BIBLIOGRAPHY 144 국문초록 158Maste

A study of Indian print exports to the United States

Offshoring is the reality of globalization. According to a survey conducted by trendstowatchgraphics.com, the percentage of American print providers who are worried about US print buyers offshoring their print requirements increased from 1% in 1995 to 7% in 2005. According to a survey conducted by the Graphics Arts Technical Foundation, 40% of the printers in the US think that their current customers are also seeking out offshore printers for their printing needs. According to UN Comtrade, exports of printed matter to the US from China in 2005 amounted to $722 million, and exports of printed matter to the US from India during the same period amounted to$52 million (The market for overseas print providers, 2006). China is currently the preferred destination for US print buyers for offshoring their print requirements. But India, having invested heavily in education, is likely to see phenomenal growth in the upcoming years. While China is well-known for manufacturing, India has grown in the IT sector. India is also developing its infrastructure to enhance growth in the manufacturing sector. According to Mr. Regis Delmontagne, former president of the Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing, and Converting Technologies (NPES): xii India, today, is not merely a target market for products from outside its borders . . . and not just a place foreign customers will turn for less expensive printing. It is also a source of new products, new technologies, and new ideas. . . . The United States remains India’s largest trading partner, providing both a market for Indian goods and services and a dependable flow of the latest technologies to help India continue its competitive emergence. (as cited in Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing, and Converting Technologies, 2006) This thesis reports on the results of two surveys: one sent to book publishers in the US and the other sent to Indian print service providers. The main results of the thesis are as follows: • Turnaround times and quality concerns are the biggest barriers prohibiting the growth of Indian printers in the US print buying market. • The US book publishers are not aware of the manufacturing capabilities of the Indian printers. They are more prone towards sending their pre-media requirements to India • Confidentiality, level of technology and infrastructure, and range of services offered by the Indian print service providers are the three main criteria by the US book publishers while selecting Indian print service providers. • There is definitely an opportunity for the Indian print service providers in the US print buying market if they can create brand name, pay more attention to quality, establish a common medium for communication, and plan and schedule accurately

Transaction Cost Management

All organizations, institutions, business processes, markets and strategies have one aim in common: the reduction of transaction costs. This aim is pursued relentlessly in practice, and has been perceived to bring about drastic changes, especially in the recent global market and the cyber economy. This book analyzes and describes “transactions” as a model, on the basis of which organizations, institutions and business processes can be appropriately shaped. It tracks transaction costs to enable a scientific approach instead of a widely used “state-of-the-art” approach, working to bridge the gap between theory and practice. This open access book analyzes and describes “transactions” as a model..