Evaluation of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor Road Network: Shortest Route, Regional Distribution, and Robustness

Purpose - The transport road network plays a significant role in the economic development of any country. An appropriate road network not only reduces transportation cost but it also serves as an infrastructural enabler for further economic development. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is part of the Chinese “Belt and Road Initiative”, seeking better connectivity between Asia, Europe, and Africa. The major part of the CPEC project is the development of a road network linking the port city of Gwadar (Pakistan) with Kashgar (China). This paper focuses on the quantitative evaluation of alternate routes within the CPEC road network inside Pakistan with regard to travel times, road development in provinces, a balanced distribution of road network among provinces, and robustness against road closures. Methodology - The network is developed as an undirected graph with nodes as cities and edges as interlinking roads. Based on publicly available data, the paper identifies the shortest path from Gwadar to Khunjerab pass (Pakistan-China Border) and measures the distribution of the travelled distance among Pakistan’s provinces for each alternate route. Moreover, the robustness of road network is evaluated by a knock-out analysis. Results - The results showed that an unconsidered route by the planners promises the shortest travel time and that some proposed routes have significantly unbalanced share amongst provinces. There is a variation in robustness between the alternate routes, but with any route selected, the road network is able to remain functional even after closure of multiple connections. Practical Implications - This study provides a decision-making toolbox for analysis and policy-making related to economic corridors e.g. CPEC – which is at its inception phase, and still tied to limited availability of data. Originality - The present study is novel because no prior study has covered the road network analysis of CPEC. Also, robustness and topographical analyses with respect to CPEC have not previously been undertaken

INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF RISK MITIGATION STRATEGIES ON SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTION IMPACT AMIDST COVID-19 OUTBREAK

ABSTRACT   Purpose - This contextual study evaluates the role of risk management practices in Pakistan amidst the COVID-19 outbreak in addressing supply chain disruption and ensuring supply chain resilience and robustness. The purpose of the study was to analyze the emerging challenges in supply chain disruption due to COVID19 and to add value to literature by leveraging the study to provide insights into the Pakistani context

Case study on the Competitiveness Comparisons of Karachi Port with the Neighbouring Emerging Ports in Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean.

Abstract   Purpose: This study evaluates competitiveness of emerging ports located in the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf. Traditionally, ports operational efficacy is evaluated only on basis of throughput, a case in point being the Lloyds International Port ranking. However, we do not concur with this approach and adopt a multicriteria methodology

Recent Research Trends in Genetic Algorithm Based Flexible Job Shop Scheduling Problems

Flexible Job Shop Scheduling Problem (FJSSP) is an extension of the classical Job Shop Scheduling Problem (JSSP). The FJSSP is known to be NP-hard problem with regard to optimization and it is very difficult to find reasonably accurate solutions of the problem instances in a rational time. Extensive research has been carried out in this area especially over the span of the last 20 years in which the hybrid approaches involving Genetic Algorithm (GA) have gained the most popularity. Keeping in view this aspect, this article presents a comprehensive literature review of the FJSSPs solved using the GA. The survey is further extended by the inclusion of the hybrid GA (hGA) techniques used in the solution of the problem. This review will give readers an insight into use of certain parameters in their future research along with future research directions

Gestion intégrée de l'énergie et de la production : ordonnancement des Procédés Batch et des centrales de cogénération

Dans un contexte de développement durable, la question énergétique constitue un des problèmes majeurs des décennies à venir. Bien que la solution pour faire face à la raréfaction de certaines ressources, l'augmentation globale de la demande l'augmentation des émissions de CO2, réside dans le développement des énergies renouvelables, il est clair que ces nouvelles technologies ne seront matures que dans plusieurs décennies. A court terme, les énergies fossiles demeureront la source principale d'énergie primaire. Il est donc essentiel de promouvoir de nouvelles méthodologies permettant une utilisation plus rationnelle de l'énergie. Dans le secteur industriel, le développement de centrales de production d'utilités sur le site industriel (en général des centrales de cogénération) contribue grandement à l'amélioration de l'efficacité énergétique des procédés. Traditionnellement, la gestion de ce type de système repose sur une approche séquentielle : ordonnancement de l'atelier de production, calcul des besoins énergétiques et planification de la centrale de cogénération. Toutefois, dans ce type d'approche, l'accent est mis avant tout sur l'atelier de production, la centrale de cogénération étant considérée comme une unité esclave. Pour améliorer le processus de décision, cette thèse développe une approche intégrée pour l'ordonnancement simultanée et cohérent des ateliers de production et des centrales de production d'utilités. La méthodologie proposée repose sur une formulation MILP à temps discret. Par ailleurs, une extension du formalisme RTN a été développée : les ERTN ("Extended Resource Task Network"). Celui-ci permet d'une part, de décrire de manière systématique les recettes et d'autre part, permet une modélisation explicite et générique des différents types de systèmes dont notamment les centrales d'utilités. Les résultats montrent que l'approche intégrée permet d'obtenir une réduction notable du coût énergétique grâce une meilleure coordination des activités de production et de fabrication d'utilités. En effet, les tâches de production sont ordonnancées de manière à consommer sur les mêmes périodes les utilités générées simultanément par la centrale de cogénération, conduisant ainsi à une réduction significative du rapport quantité de biens fabriqués / quantité de carburant consommé et des émissions de gaz à effet de serre.The issue of energy has emerged as one of the greatest challenges facing the mankind. The search is on for finding alternative sources of energy that will replace fossil fuels as the primary source of energy. However, for the foreseeable future, fossil fuels will remain the main source of energy. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to devise methodologies for more rational use of energy in all walks of human life. In the industrial perspective, the deployment of site utility system (generally CHP plants) provides a great potential source for energy savings. However, the management of such type of industrial units is traditionally carried out using sequential three step approach: scheduling of the production plant, estimation of the utility needs of production plant and finally scheduling of the site utility system. In this kind of approach, all the focus is placed on the production plant and the utility system is treated as its subsidiary. To improve the decision-making process, this thesis proposes an integrated approach which addresses this imbalance by carrying out simultaneous and coherent scheduling of batch production plant and site utility system. The proposed methodology relies on discrete time modeling and uses Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP). Moreover, to permit an efficient and generic formulation of various kinds of industrial problems, a new scheduling framework called Extended Resource Task Network (ERTN) has been developed. The ERTN framework (an extension of existing RTN framework) allows for accurate representation and scheduling of any type of production plant and any type of site utility system. The results show that the integrated approach leads to better synchronization between production plant and site utility system. Thereby, the integrated approach leads to significant reduction in energy costs and decrease in harmful gas emissions

Gestion intégrée de l'énergie et de la production (ordonnancement des Procédés Batch et des centrales de cogénération)

Dans un contexte de développement durable, la question énergétique constitue un des problèmes majeurs des décennies à venir. Bien que la solution pour faire face à la raréfaction de certaines ressources, l'augmentation globale de la demande l'augmentation des émissions de CO2, réside dans le développement des énergies renouvelables, il est clair que ces nouvelles technologies ne seront matures que dans plusieurs décennies. A court terme, les énergies fossiles demeureront la source principale d'énergie primaire. Il est donc essentiel de promouvoir de nouvelles méthodologies permettant une utilisation plus rationnelle de l'énergie. Dans le secteur industriel, le développement de centrales de production d'utilités sur le site industriel (en général des centrales de cogénération) contribue grandement à l'amélioration de l'efficacité énergétique des procédés. Traditionnellement, la gestion de ce type de système repose sur une approche séquentielle : ordonnancement de l'atelier de production, calcul des besoins énergétiques et planification de la centrale de cogénération. Toutefois, dans ce type d'approche, l'accent est mis avant tout sur l'atelier de production, la centrale de cogénération étant considérée comme une unité esclave. Pour améliorer le processus de décision, cette thèse développe une approche intégrée pour l'ordonnancement simultanée et cohérent des ateliers de production et des centrales de production d'utilités. La méthodologie proposée repose sur une formulation MILP à temps discret. Par ailleurs, une extension du formalisme RTN a été développée : les ERTN ("Extended Resource Task Network"). Celui-ci permet d'une part, de décrire de manière systématique les recettes et d'autre part, permet une modélisation explicite et générique des différents types de systèmes dont notamment les centrales d'utilités. Les résultats montrent que l'approche intégrée permet d'obtenir une réduction notable du coût énergétique grâce une meilleure coordination des activités de production et de fabrication d'utilités. En effet, les tâches de production sont ordonnancées de manière à consommer sur les mêmes périodes les utilités générées simultanément par la centrale de cogénération, conduisant ainsi à une réduction significative du rapport quantité de biens fabriqués / quantité de carburant consommé et des émissions de gaz à effet de serre.The issue of energy has emerged as one of the greatest challenges facing the mankind. The search is on for finding alternative sources of energy that will replace fossil fuels as the primary source of energy. However, for the foreseeable future, fossil fuels will remain the main source of energy. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to devise methodologies for more rational use of energy in all walks of human life. In the industrial perspective, the deployment of site utility system (generally CHP plants) provides a great potential source for energy savings. However, the management of such type of industrial units is traditionally carried out using sequential three step approach: scheduling of the production plant, estimation of the utility needs of production plant and finally scheduling of the site utility system. In this kind of approach, all the focus is placed on the production plant and the utility system is treated as its subsidiary. To improve the decision-making process, this thesis proposes an integrated approach which addresses this imbalance by carrying out simultaneous and coherent scheduling of batch production plant and site utility system. The proposed methodology relies on discrete time modeling and uses Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP). Moreover, to permit an efficient and generic formulation of various kinds of industrial problems, a new scheduling framework called Extended Resource Task Network (ERTN) has been developed. The ERTN framework (an extension of existing RTN framework) allows for accurate representation and scheduling of any type of production plant and any type of site utility system. The results show that the integrated approach leads to better synchronization between production plant and site utility system. Thereby, the integrated approach leads to significant reduction in energy costs and decrease in harmful gas emissions.TOULOUSE-INP (315552154) / SudocSudocFranceF

Is Training Effective? Evaluating Training Effectiveness in Call Centers

Due to complex, competitive and crucial nature of call center jobs, organizations in services industry are spending more resources than ever on staff training and development. This is the case also in Call Center Representative Training. However, although organizations invest billions of dollars every year in training, no concrete evaluation framework exists to adequately quantify the impact of Call Center Representative (Henceforth CCR) training on actual job performance. Filling this gap, current study attempts to develop a framework to evaluate training programs in the context of call center industry using Kirkpatrick’s learning and training evaluation model. Developed framework is then implemented in actual training programs of the case company to develop insights on evaluation of training programs and their limitations. The study is based on actual data of three call centers of a leading Telecom Company in Pakistan. These call centers answer approximately 72 Million calls a year. Study analyzed data of almost 627 CCRs who were trained in 34 different training programs by 18 different certified trainers at three locations. CCR training was selected as research setting because of two reasons. Firstly, high turnover of CCR’s in call center industry necessitates frequent and extensive training which makes CCR training a big chunk of resources utilized in call center industry on training and development; secondly, standardized scrutinizing procedures followed in the call center industry for hiring CCR’s enabled and facilitated implementation of training evaluation framework which is suggested in this paper. Data was scientifically recorded for the entire year 2012 and different aspects of training were recorded to ensure that Kirkpatrick model could be applied. By successfully applying Kirkpatrick’s learning and training evaluation model, the study developed a framework to gauge effectiveness of training program in call center using Kirkpatrick model. Our investigation of training programs using the developed framework revealed that training programs get very high scores at initial level. Trainees are inclined to rate trainings as excellent at level 1 (Reaction) of Kirkpatrick model but as we go deep with levels (Learning, Behavior) of model, it was identified that effectiveness of training programs deteriorate subsequently. Decline of almost 20% was recorded between the effectiveness of training at Level 1 (Reaction) and Level 3 (Behavior). These results suggest that reaction of trainees is an inadequate measure to evaluate training programs and training programs should be evaluated at a deeper level to get a realistic picture of training effectiveness. Though scope of this study was limited to call center trainings where results at each level of Kirkpatrick model could be gathered objectively, the study opens an interesting and challenging area for management researchers about exploring and improving quality of training programs. It shows the need to study further his field by developing and implementing effective evaluation models in diverse training fields, specifically in areas such as social and leadership training.peerReviewe

Should Organisations Compete or Collaborate when Absorbing New External Knowledge?

Organisations possessing significant resources (Resource Based View) or knowledge, as their significant capability (Dynamic Capability View), are often unaware of their own ability to acquire new knowledge entering the enterprise (level of absorptive capacity); this unawareness can lead to reduced marketplace performance and incorrect decision making, which may result in the wastage of organisational resources, including employee knowledge. This study highlights the key differences in absorptive capacity which firms possess, in the context of resource based and dynamic capability views. Based on these differing perspectives, options are provided for companies who wish to compete or mate/merge with competitors in the market, while discussion is given on the considerations that organisations must take before adopting a suggested option