Drivers of Supply Chain Performance Enhancing Organizational Output: An Exploratory Study for Manufacturing Sector

Purpose - The Purpose of this study is to explore the drivers of supply chain performance and give a framework that how organizations can manage these drivers for their survival. This paper is written especially for the students of business management to enhance their knowledge about supply chain practices. Methodology - The paper contains qualitative approach. In first phase the authors reviewed literature about the drivers of supply chain performance. In second phase the data from internationally published articles were collected and suggest a framework to manage the drivers of supply chain performance. Findings - The whole study concluded that there are six drivers of supply chain performance in literature that need to be managed to enhance organizational performance. These drivers are; Facilities, Inventory, Transportation, Information, Sourcing and pricing. These drivers are closely related with each other and have a greater impact on organizational performance. Organizations need to find a situation where both efficiency and responsiveness in supply chain practices are at average level to enhance their performance. This average level can only be achieved through better management of drivers of supply chain performance. Paper Limitation - The paper is limited by the fact that it focuses only manufacturing sector. Originality/value - This paper provides a collective framework for managing all drivers of supply chain performance. Keywords - Drivers of supply chain performance, Efficiency, Responsiveness, Supply chain management, Supply chain performance Paper Type - Research pape

ISO, As an Agent of Change for Manufacturing Sector: A Case Study from Pakistani Perspective

Purpose - The purpose and aim of this study is to investigate how and why any organization needs to become registered with ISO. The case is written especially for the students of business management to enhance their capabilities that help them when they go in practical life. Methodology and Approach - This study contains qualitative approach. Data required to write this paper was collected from direct meetings and by conducting interviews from relevant persons. Findings - This whole study concluded that if any organization wants to make their products up to mark and never having to say sorry to customer than they must follow the quality standards of ISO and needs to become register with it. Paper Limitation - This case study is self-reported. Name of organization and names of persons are supposed and these are not basis on truth. It does not consist actual events occurred in the organization. And this study is also limited by the fact that findings relate to only one country. Originality/value - This case study elaborates the complete understanding of how any organization can get ISO quality standards certification. Keywords - Bureau verities quality information, International organizations of standards, Quality, Quality manua

Impact of Knowledge based HR Practices on Innovation with the Mediating Effect on Employee’s Creativity: Kashif Mahmood, Chaudhary Abdul Rehman, Dr. Muqqadas Rehman, Faiza Ali

The purpose of this research is to concentrate on the mindful and orderly administrative activities for business with knowledge in firms (i.e. knowledge management (KM) practices), which aims at innovation performance improvements through proactive management of knowledge assets. The study examined the impact that the KM practices have on innovation performance. A study was conducted to obtain experiential evidence by using questionnaire. The data have been collected from 366 respondents from FMCGs within Lahore City. A structured questionnaire was framed containing 27 questions. This research is significant for practitioners, policy makers and from theoretical point of view. Quantitative data have been collected for research purpose. The results reveal that employee’s creativity plays a positive role in innovation of an organization. Therefore, all hypotheses are acknowledged. The study clarifies that the knowledge based HR practices have effect on innovation and it affects positively employee’s creativity too.&nbsp

Energy Consumption Forecasting for University Sector Buildings

Reliable energy forecasting helps managers to prepare future budgets for their buildings. Therefore, a simple, easier, less time consuming and reliable forecasting model which could be used for different types of buildings is desired. In this paper, we have presented a forecasting model based on five years of real data sets for one dependent variable (the daily electricity consumption) and six explanatory variables (ambient temperature, solar radiation, relative humidity, wind speed, weekday index and building type). A single mathematical equation for forecasting daily electricity usage of university buildings has been developed using the Multiple Regression (MR) technique. Data of two such buildings, located at the Southwark Campus of London South Bank University in London, have been used for this study. The predicted test results of MR model are examined and judged against real electricity consumption data of both buildings for year 2011. The results demonstrate that out of six explanatory variables, three variables; surrounding temperature, weekday index and building type have significant influence on buildings energy consumption. The results of this model are associated with a Normalized Root Mean Square Error (NRMSE) of 12% for the administrative building and 13% for the academic building. Finally, some limitations of this study have also been discussed

Copy number variations in Saudi family with intellectual disability and epilepsy

Abstract Background Epilepsy is genetically complex but common brain disorder of the world affecting millions of people with almost of all age groups. Novel Copy number variations (CNVs) are considered as important reason for the numerous neurodevelopmental disorders along with intellectual disability and epilepsy. DNA array based studies contribute to explain a more severe clinical presentation of the disease but interoperation of many detected CNVs are still challenging. Results In order to study novel CNVs with epilepsy related genes in Saudi family with six affected and two normal individuals with several forms of epileptic seizures, intellectual disability (ID), and minor dysmorphism, we performed the high density whole genome Agilent sure print G3 Hmn CGH 2x 400 K array-CGH chips analysis. Our results showed de novo deletions, duplications and deletion plus duplication on differential chromosomal regions in the affected individuals that were not shown in the normal fathe and normal kids by using Agilent CytoGenomics 3.0.6.6 softwear. Copy number gain were observed in the chromosome 1, 16 and 22 with LCE3C, HPR, GSTT2, GSTTP2, DDT and DDTL genes respectively whereas the deletions observed in the chromosomal regions 8p23-p21 (4303127–4337759) and the potential gene in this region is CSMD1 (OMIM: 612279). Moreover, the array CGH results deletions and duplication were also validated by using primer design of deleted regions utilizing the flanked SNPs using simple PCR and also by using quantitative real time PCR. Conclusions We found some of the de novo deletions and duplication in our study in Saudi family with intellectual disability and epilepsy. Our results suggest that array-CGH should be used as a first line of genetic test for epilepsy except there is a strong indication for a monogenic syndrome. The advanced high through put array-CGH technique used in this study aim to collect the data base and to identify new mechanisms describing epileptic disorder, may help to improve the clinical management of individual cases in decreasing the burden of epilepsy in Saudi Arabia

Thigh-length compression stockings and DVT after stroke

Controversy exists as to whether neoadjuvant chemotherapy improves survival in patients with invasive bladder cancer, despite randomised controlled trials of more than 3000 patients. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of such treatment on survival in patients with this disease