An integrated MEWMA-ANN scheme towards balanced monitoring and accurate diagnosis of bivariate process mean shifts

Various artificial neural networks (ANN)-based pattern recognition schemes have been developed for monitoring and diagnosis of bivariate process variation in mean shifts. In comparison with the traditional multivariate statistical process control (MSPC) charts, these advanced schemes generally perform better in identifying process mean shifts and provide more effective information towards diagnosing the root causes. However, it seemly less effective for multivariate quality control (MQC) application due to disadvantages in reference bivariate patterns and imbalanced monitoring performance. To achieve ‘balanced monitoring and accurate diagnosis’, this study proposes an integrated multivariate exponentially weighted moving average (MEWMA)-ANN scheme for two-stages monitoring and diagnosis of some reference bivariate patterns. Raw data and statistical features input representations were applied into training of the Synergistic-ANN recognizer for improving patterns discrimination capability. The proposed scheme has resulted in better monitoring – diagnosis performances with smaller false alarm, quick mean shift detection and higher diagnosis accuracy compared to the basic scheme

Dynamic scheduling in a multi-product manufacturing system

To remain competitive in global marketplace, manufacturing companies need to improve their operational practices. One of the methods to increase competitiveness in manufacturing is by implementing proper scheduling system. This is important to enable job orders to be completed on time, minimize waiting time and maximize utilization of equipment and machineries. The dynamics of real manufacturing system are very complex in nature. Schedules developed based on deterministic algorithms are unable to effectively deal with uncertainties in demand and capacity. Significant differences can be found between planned schedules and actual schedule implementation. This study attempted to develop a scheduling system that is able to react quickly and reliably for accommodating changes in product demand and manufacturing capacity. A case study, 6 by 6 job shop scheduling problem was adapted with uncertainty elements added to the data sets. A simulation model was designed and implemented using ARENA simulation package to generate various job shop scheduling scenarios. Their performances were evaluated using scheduling rules, namely, first-in-first-out (FIFO), earliest due date (EDD), and shortest processing time (SPT). An artificial neural network (ANN) model was developed and trained using various scheduling scenarios generated by ARENA simulation. The experimental results suggest that the ANN scheduling model can provided moderately reliable prediction results for limited scenarios when predicting the number completed jobs, maximum flowtime, average machine utilization, and average length of queue. This study has provided better understanding on the effects of changes in demand and capacity on the job shop schedules. Areas for further study includes: (i) Fine tune the proposed ANN scheduling model (ii) Consider more variety of job shop environment (iii) Incorporate an expert system for interpretation of results. The theoretical framework proposed in this study can be used as a basis for further investigation

Maternity leave

A numerous off-days which a woman is legally approved to be absent from work in the weeks prenatal and postnatal recovery phase after giving birth defines maternity leave. It is stated that at least 60 consecutive days of paid maternity leave were entitled to all female workers in Malaysia if they have worked at least 90 days with their current employers in four months leading up to their confinement period, except for exempted categories (Employment Act 1955) During the maternity leave, female workers are entitled to be provided with all relevant contractual benefits and paid with full salary as if they are in an active employment excluding the benefits that are tied to active work. The right to resume working upon their return from maternity leave is also protected

Child labour: the case study in Bangladesh

Child labour involves of person that age below than 17 years old. Child labour often happen in poor countries such as Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, the issue of child labour might be the biggest issue. Bangladesh come up with Bangladesh Labour Act (BLA) that did not allow any person age below from fourteen years old to work (Nawshin et al, 2019). One of the aim or purpose of this act is to prevent teen workers in order to get the proper payment of any work. This is because when organization use child labour, they might be paid at lower rate because children usually do not have much responsible in their family compared to teen workers. This indirectly cause an economic matter in a family

Malaysian Islamic capital market : regulatory and legal scaffold altercations in the legal 'Thick" jungle.

Islamic capital market is burgeoning in Malaysian and in the world today. This is evident from the diversified products offered to the patrons. Malaysia has fonnulated a distinctive legal framework for the Islamic capital market which is indeed an exemplary to the rest of the world, which is yet considering doing it, but is deliberating whetherMalaysia has overdone the regulating of Islamic Capital Market or not. The legal infrastructure and the regulatory measures utilized in the Malaysian capital market is indeed worthwhile looking at. This is the only way to appreciate the Malaysian regulatory and the legal infrastructure for the Islamic capital market. The main aim of this paper is to highlight the legal issues confronting the Islamic capital market due to the sparks created whilst operating it parallel with its counterpart, i.e., the conventional capital market. In this paper, the existing Malaysian legal framework for Islamic Capital Market would be discussed in depth to give the readers a vivid picture of it, and whether regulating is scalded or not, would be discusse

Prediction Model of Elastic Modulus for Granular Road Bases

The estimation of elastic modulus for road bases is the primary objective of this research which is implemented a significant role in transmitting the vertical loading to the pavement foundation layers. In this study, the effect of weathering conditions on the stiffness of base course is investigated and implied the durability test by subjecting the prepared samples to a different numbers of wet-dry cycles (0,2, 4, 6, 8 and 10). A conventional base materials of local natural gravel aggregate and treated base materials with recycled concrete aggregate RCA at different percentages (0%, 25%, 50% 75% and 100%) is adopted in this research. The elastic characteristics are estimated in terms of elastic modulus. Elastic modulus are estimated by passing the ultrasonic pulse velocity through the untreated and treated base materials laboratory specimens. This test can be used to study the elastic modulus properties of base materials. A multiple linear regression analysis is used for prediction the elastic modulus using the SPSS (software ver.21). Elastic Modulus (kPa) is the dependent variable whereas the independent variable are; No. of wet- dry cycle and Percent (%) of RCA stabilizer. The obtained results for elastic modulus (Es) of granular base material layer showed increasing in elastic modulus with percentage of RCA%., results revealed that the (Es) values reached a maximum value of (6927kPa) for 100%. For the OMC’s values increases due to the percentage increment of RCA in granular base material mixture, this increment in water contents is refer to high absorption capacity of the paste clinging to the RCA. On other side the dry density decrease gradually with adding percentage of (RCA) in granular base material mixture

Issue of hiring a criminal

Hiring a criminal. Criminal refers to a person who has committed to the crime. In some other words, there is a crime that called as felony. Felony is a crime that classified as the most serious type of offenses such as fraud, physical harm or large scale of theft. Thus, hiring a criminal is defined as company wanted to hire a person who has criminal records background as an employee. Nowadays, criminal history is quite common in the country like USA, which has over 6.6 million people been under correctional supervision such as jail, prison and parole. According to Kurlychek, Bushway, & Denver (2019), employers were asked questions regarding to the criminal history and use various methods and sources to collect the criminal background information. In contrast, some companies would prefer to hire people who are nominated and found that prison record of felony convictions reduced the employer’s motivation to hire an employee (Griffith & Young, 2017). Thus, employers are making decision based on the criminal history and checks for the record to make the hiring decisions (Young & Ryan, 2019) even though the connection between the criminal records and the employment is still at the infancy stage (Griffith, Rade, & Anazodo, 2019). In recent years, the policy attention is focus on the employment for the people who has criminal background (Agan & Starr, 2017). Consequently, “Ban the Box” policies has created to revise when and how the criminal histories were disclosed to move forward to the fair chance of employment selection process (Griffith & Young, 2017) to prevent the inequalities of economics and racial problems (Agan & Starr, 2017)

Sexual harassment in context of Malaysia

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination or unwelcome sexual action includes verbal or physical touch that can affect the individual’s employment, work performance and others including physical and mental health. Sexual harassment may occur in many condition or situation such as between opposite gender or with the same gender. The victim may be the superior, co-worker, an agent or to a non-employee (U. S. E. E. O. Commission, n.d.). Sexual harassment also not an action with interactivity, friendship or teasing that is mutually agreed (V. E. O. & H. R. Commission, n.d.). However, there are two types of sexual harassment, “quid pro quo” (this for that) and hostile environment. For “quid pro quo”, this occur when it is stated or implied that an individual must agree to conduct a sexual nature in order to get promotion. Other that, hostile environment occur when there is unwelcome action of a sexual nature create frighten, abusive working or threatening that can affect the individual’s ability to participate or perform their task (Center, n.d.)