A review of multi-criteria decision making techniques for supplier evaluation and selection

Supplier evaluation and selection has been a vital issue of strategic importance for long time. Different multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) approaches have been proposed by the researchers in past, to solve the supplier evaluation and selection problem. In this paper, we present a review of various MCDM methodologies reported in the literature for solving the supplier evaluation and selection process. The review is solely based on sixty-eight research articles, including eight review articles in the academic literature from 2000 to 2011. We try to find out the most prevalent approach in the articles and thereby present the future scope of arriving at an optimal solution to the problem, based on the specifications, the strategies and the requirements of the buyers. The study presents that with the change in processes and the requirements, how the approach of the manufacturing industry has shifted from striving for operational effectiveness to the strategic partnership in the dyadic relationship

MEASURING THE EFFICIENCY OF EUROPEAN BANKS: A DIRECTIONAL DISTANCE FUNCTION APPROACH.

The aim of this paper was to estimate the technical efficiency of 423 European banks during the period 2013?2015 while simultaneously dealing with discretionary, non-discretionary, desirable, and undesirable factors. The author used the Directional Distance Function approach. Particularly, he considered the fixed assets as a non-discretionary input and the non-performing loans as an undesirable output. The empirical results revealed significant effects on inefficiency measures in comparison to those obtained when excluding undesirable outputs. Moreover, the outcomes showed an increasing level of the average inefficiency for most European countries. These outcomes confirmed the persistence of the negative impact of the financial crises and the inability of the European banking system to really recover from these crises

Changes in the use of time and the state of health of the Russian population in the 1980s-1990s

This is an attempt to answer a question about how changes in the time use and in health the population relate to each other, what connection exists between duration and character of work and the state of health. The paper draws on the data from two rounds of time budget surveys of: 1) families who kept record of their incomes and expenditures (the RF Goskomstat, 1977-1990 – over 28 thous. families), 2) the rural population of the Novosi-birsk region (IEIE SB RAS, 1975-1999, 1400-1100 persons in each). In these rounds the “previous day” ap-proach was used. Used were also the data of questionnaire surveys and official statistics. Last 20 years are a unique period in the Russian modern history reflected in most different forms on all aspects of life, including time use, everyday activity and health of population. The analysis of relationship between time use and health was made at macro levels. Health is presented by life expectancy. Time use is presented by aggregated structure of average time budget, respectively. The assessment by respondents of changes in living conditions and in their own state is seen as a measure of social-psychological well-being of the population. The direction and degree of influence between “time use – state of health” depend on macro and micro life conditions, on social-psychological well-being of the society and individual, on the “initial’ state of health of the individuals.Time budget, everyday activity, living conditions, life expectancy, social changes

Representative time use data and new harmonised calibration of the American Heritage Time Use Data (AHTUD) 1965-1999

Representative and reliable individual time use data, in connection with a proper set of socio-economic back-ground variables, are essential elements for the empirical foundation and evaluation of existing and new theories in general and in particular for time use analyses. Within the international project Assessing Time Use Survey Datasets several potentially useful individual US time use heritage datasets have been identified for use in de-veloping an historical series of non-market accounts. In order to evaluate the series of American Heritage Time Use Data (AHTUD) (1965, 1975, 1985, 1992-94, 1998-99) this paper analyses the representativeness of this data when using given weights and provides a new harmonised calibration of the AHTUD for sound time use analyses. Our calibration procedure with its ADJUST program package is theoretically founded on information theory, consistent with a simultaneous weighting including hierarchical data, ensures desired positive weights, and is well-suited and available for any time use data calibration of interest. We present the calibration approach and provide new harmonised weights for all AHTUD surveys based on a substantially driven calibration frame-work. To illustrate the various application possibilities of a calibration, we finally disentangle demographic vs. time use behavioural changes and developments by re-calibrating all five AHTUD surveys using 1965 popula-tion totals as a benchmark.Representative time use data, calibration (adjustment re-weighting) of microdata, information theory, minimum information loss principle, American Heritage Time Use Data (AHTUD), ADJUST program package

The measurement of supply chain efficiency : theoretical considerations and practical criteria

Thesis (PhD (Logistics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.ENGLISH SUMMARY: In an effort to compete globally, South African supply chains must achieve and maintain a competitive advantage. One way of achieving this is by ensuring that South African supply chains are as efficient as possible. Consequently, steps must be taken to evaluate the efficiency levels of South African supply chains. This dissertation develops the composite supply chain efficiency model using variables specifically identified as problem areas experienced by South African supply chains. The composite supply chain efficiency model evaluates the overall efficiency of a supply chain based on three criteria, namely, reliability efficiency, cost efficiency and speed efficiency. It identifies bottlenecks along the supply chain and in so doing identifies key focus areas for firms if they want to improve their overall efficiency and become more competitive. 3AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In ’n poging om wˆereldwyd te kompeteer, moet Suid-Afrikaanse voorsieningskettings ’n mededingende voordeel behaal en handhaaf. Een manier om dit te bereik is om te verseker dat Suid-Afrikaanse voorsieningskettings so doeltreffend as moontlik funksioneer. Gevolglik moet stappe gedoen word om die doeltreffendheidsvlakke van die Suid-Afrikaanse voorsieningskettings te evalueer. Hierdie proefskrif het die saamgestelde voorsieningsketting doeltreffendheidsmodel ontwikkel wat veranderlikes gebruik wat spesifiek ge¨ıdentifiseer is as probleemgebiede in Suid-Afrikaanse voorsieningskettings. Die saamgestelde voorsieningsketting doeltreffendheidsmodel evalueer die algehele doeltreffendheid van ’n voorsieningsketting gebaseer op drie kriteria, naamlik, betroubaarheidsdoeltreffendheid, koste-doeltreffendheid en spoed-doeltreffendheid. Dit identifiseer knelpunte in die voorsieningsketting en identifiseer belangrike fokusareas vir ondernemings wat aangespreek moet word as hul algehele doeltreffendheid wil verbeter en meer mededingend raak.jfl201

Comparative evaluation of public universities in Malaysia using data envelopment analysis

Applications of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) for the assessment of performance of universities have been widely reported in the literature. Often the number of universities under the assessment is relatively small compared to the number of performance measures (inputs and outputs) used in the analysis, which leads to a low discriminating power of DEA models on efficiency scores. The main objective of this thesis is the development of improved DEA models that overcome the above difficulty, using a sample of public universities in Malaysia as an illustrative application. The proposed new approach combines the recently introduced Hybrid returns to scale (HRS) model with the use of additional information about the functioning of universities stated in the form of production trade-offs. The new model developed in this thesis, called Hybrid returns to scale model with trade-offs (HRSTO), is applied to a sample of eighteen universities, which is considered to be a very small sample for the DEA methodology. Our results show that, in contrast with standard DEA models, the new model is perfectly suitable for such samples and discriminates well between good and bad performers. The proposed combined use of HRS model with production trade-offs is a novel methodology that can be used in other applications of DEA. Overall, the thesis makes several contributions of the theory and practice of DEA. First, for the first time, it is shown that the higher education sector satisfies the assumptions and can be modelled using the proposed HRSTO model. Second, also for the first time, it is shown that production trade-offs can be assessed for such applications and the methodology of their assessment has been developed and used in the thesis. Third, it is demonstrated that the HRSTO model significantly improves the discriminating power of analysis compared to standard DEA models, which is particularly important for small data sets. Fourth, it is concluded that the HRS model is further improved if production trade-offs are used. Fifth, by experimenting with different specific values of production trade-offs, it is shown that even the most conservative estimates of trade-offs notably improve the model. Finally, our results contribute to the more general discussion of the performance of universities in Malaysia and identification of the best performers among them

Wage subsidies to combat unemployment and poverty

Wage or employment subsidies have been used in both developed and developing countries to raise employment levels. Various advisers to the South African government have endorsed wage subsidies as a policy measure to deal with this country�s massive unemployment problem. This paper takes stock of the international literature and conducts an economywide macro-micro analysis to obtain insights into wage subsidy design and implementation issues facing developing countries. It also investigates whether this policy measure is appropriate in dealing with South Africa�s particular sources of unemployment. We argue that although wage subsidies may be successful at creating jobs in South Africa, they should not be seen as the primary or dominant policy instrument for dealing with the broader unemployment problem. To enhance the effectiveness of wage subsidies, they should preferably be linked to structured workplace training, be targeted to industries where employment will be responsive to changes in labor costs, and be focused on the youth. In the long run, addressing unemployment in South Africa requires policies that improve economic growth and the economy�s employment absorption capacity, that raise skills of new labor market entrants, that reduce labor market rigidities, and that promote effective job search, especially among the youth.Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) microsimulation modeling, Developing countries, economic growth, employment absorption capacity, labor costs, macro-micro analysis, Unemployment, wage subsidies,

Benchmarking the performance of UK electricity distribution network operators: a study of quality, efficiency and productivity using data envelopment analysis

The aim of this thesis is twofold. The first is to develop a comprehensive methodology for assessing performance and then to apply it to the UK electricity distribution network operators (DNOs) to analyse the impact of the regulatory reforms and privatisation introduced in 1990-91 on their quality, efficiency and productivity developments. The models and methods developed will not only be useful in the electricity distribution context but also to other organisations that need to assess and monitor both their efficiency and quality. These objectives are realised through the use of the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method, the main subject area of this thesis. This method has recently become very popular in the empirical literature due to the minimal assumptions underlying it, the case of handling multiple inputs and outputs, and its usefulness in the measurement of productivity. Performance measurement needs to keep pace with the changes in the industry. With the developments in energy and regulatory policy, and the enactment of the Utilities Act 2000, the focus of regulation has broadened from a narrow economic focus towards a wider one of protecting the interests of consumers. The latter includes not only price but also quality of service. Given this broadening focus, it is essential that performance measurement takes into account these aspects. This thesis incorporates new dimensions into efficiency and productivity measurement of electricity distribution network operators by taking into account the quality characteristics of electricity distribution operations. The dimensions of quality of service in electricity distribution were defined in this study, namely the quality of supply dimension and the quality of customer service dimension. Plausible measures of service quality were suggested. In order to provide a more balanced performance assessment, the new DEA model that incorporates the quantity as well as the quality of the services that distribution network operators provide their customers was used. In this study, only the quality of supply dimension was used in the analysis. (The quality of customer service dimension was omitted due to lack of data). Besides this, in order to achieve a more comprehensive assessment, both the operating and capital costs of distribution operations were included as inputs. The technological realities of the electricity distribution production process were captured in this study by taking into account the production trade-offs that exist between inputs and outputs. When trade-offs occur, the reduction in one factor can lead to increases in another, thereby reducing the overall reduction. The reflection of production trade-offs provides more reliable results than can be utilised in management and policy making. The production trade-offs were accounted by developing an enhanced DEA model using weight restrictions that are constructed on the basis of production trade-offs. The enhanced DEA model thus was referred to as the ‘weight-restricted’ model. This model developed was used to evaluate the DNOs efficiencies in 1999/00. A new productivity index called the ‘weight-restricted’ Malmquist productivity index was also developed in order to evaluate the quality and productivity changes of the DNOs since 1990/91. This new index is similar in spirit to the Malmquist productivity index but it reflects production trade-offs and service quality rather than just quantities per se. In this regard, the index is more appropriate to evaluate the DNOs. The index was decomposed in this study into its root components of efficiency change and technological change