Facility selection model for BOPS service for an omni-channel retail chain

Retail sector around the world is going through a transition due to digitalization. Customers now demand convenience of online channel with instant fulfilment of offline channel. As a result, the concept of omni-channel retailing has come into existence. In omni-channel retailing, both the channels of a firm are fully or partially integrated. There are many strategies that may be developed by retailers for efficient functioning of the omni-channel retail chain. The choice of such a strategy depends upon the comparative benefits that can be derived from them. One such strategy gaining immense attention of retailers is the Buy Online Pickup in Store (BOPS) strategy. In order to understand this BOPS, we conducted a detail case study of an Indian multi-channel retail chain who is considering the option of launching BOPS option in few of its retail stores. The focus is to evaluate and select a fixed number of operational retail stores to also act as pick-up points for online deliveries. K-means clustering is utilized for formation of retail zones as per the number of retail stores to be selected. The retail stores in each zone are evaluated on the basis of a number of criteria such as demand, inventory carrying capacity, cost, and population characteristics using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Complex Proportional Assessment-Grey (COPRAS-G). Based on these evaluations the best suitable retail store is selected for expansion from each zone. The result implications drawn in the study can provide an understanding of the future strategies that can be developed by the decision makers of the firm for launching the BOPS option. The study can also be beneficial to other Indian retail firms who can derive meaningful insights from the findings

Analytical structural model for implementing innovation practices in sustainable food value chain

In the current scenario, sustainability is asserting a profound effect on the global Food Supply Chain (FSC). It is driven primarily by growing consciousness of consumers who want healthy food and at the same time, they demand that food production should not harm the environment. However, sustainability cannot be improved in isolation. It has to be a collaborative effort of all the players involved in the supply chain. This study is aimed at exploring the possibilities for agri-food sector of India to sustainably remunerate as good as its potential. From the perspective of a company engaged in production of an agri-food product, it is a challenging area of research to investigate into the decision-making methodologies which suit the requirements of the stakeholders as well as generate a positive sustainable impact on the FSC. In this study, a detailed analysis is done considering the present sustainable practices followed and scope for future strategies which can be adopted by its Production Plant (PP). This is achieved with the aid of Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) technique, a multi-criteria decision methodology and fuzzy-MICMAC analysis. A structured framework is obtained which shows the strength of the impact of each practice on the other. Using the result findings, it has been concluded that the PP must prioritize their efforts in taking measures for water reservation, pollution reduction, creating awareness among farmers and traders, and adopting sustainable employment practices. This research work can, hence, steer the focus of the company in the direction of appropriately prioritizing their sustainability practices for achieving a sustainable supply chain.http://www.springer.comseries/111562020-11-28hj2020Industrial and Systems Engineerin

Abdominal transplantation for unresectable tumors in children: the zooming out principle

To present our experience in abdominal transplantations to manage unresectable abdominal neoplasms in children and to describe the role of extensive surgeries in such cases. This is a retrospective study of 22 abdominal transplantations in 21 patients for abdominal tumors over 16 years. Transplantation techniques included liver transplant (LT), multivisceral transplant (MVTx), and intestinal autotransplant (IA). Follow-up intervals ranged from 0.3 to 168 months (median 20 months). LT alone was performed in 15 patients for primary malignant (11) and benign (4) liver tumors. Pathological classification included HB hepatoblastoma (6), HCC hepatocellular cancer (3), hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma HEH (1), angiosarcoma (1), benign vascular tumors (3), and adenoma (1). IA was performed in four patients for lesions involving the root of the mesentery; tumors of the head of pancreas (3) and mesenteric hemangioma (1). MVTx was performed in 2 patients for malignancies; pancreaticoblastoma (1), recurrent hepatoblastoma (1), and in one patient as a rescue procedure after IA failure. Four of the eleven patients who underwent LT for malignant liver tumor had metastatic disease at presentation. Six of them died of recurrent neoplasm (3), transplant-related complications (2), and underlying disease (1). All LT patients who had benign tumors are alive with functioning grafts. All IA patients survived and are on an oral diet, with one patient requiring TPN supplementation. One of the three patients who underwent MVTx died of metastatic disease. Allo/auto transplantation for abdominal tumors is a valuable modality when conventional treatments fail or are not feasible