•Insights into the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on automobile and airline supply chain is provided.•Integrated time-to-recovery and financial impact analysis, empirical survey and semi-structured ...interviews were used.•Localized supply sources and industry 4.0 technologies identified as significant strategies by automobile industry.•Business continuity by defining operations at the airport and flights perceived significant strategy by airline industry.•Real-time information sharing and cooperation among supply chain stakeholders is critical.
There has been an increased interest among scholars to investigate supply chain resilience (SCRes) in manufacturing and service operations during emerging situations. Grounded in the SCRes theory, this study provides insights into the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the automobile and airline supply chain. Both the short and long-term response strategies adopted by the two supply chains are assessed, using a combination of qualitative and quantitative techniques in three distinct phases. In phase one, we use a sequential mixed-method for resilience evaluation, integrating Time-to-Recovery (TTR) and Financial Impact (FI) analysis. In phase two, we conduct an empirical survey involving 145 firms to evaluate the short-term SCRes response strategies. In the third phase, we conduct semi-structured interviews with supply chain executives both from the automobile and airline industries to understand the long-term SCRes response strategies. Our findings indicate that: (i) the automobile industry perceived that the best strategies to mitigate risks related to COVID-19, were to develop localized supply sources and use advanced industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies. (ii) The airline industry on the other hand, perceived that the immediate need was to get ready for business continuity challenges posed by COVID-19, by defining their operations both at the airports and within the flights. (iii) Importantly, both the sectors perceived Big Data Analytics (BDA) to play a significant role by providing real-time information on various supply chain activities to overcome the challenges posed by COVID-19. (iv) Cooperation among supply chain stakeholders is perceived, as needed to overcome the challenges of the pandemic, and to accelerate the use of digital technologies.
The emerging and underdeveloped countries in Africa face numerous difficulties managing infectious waste during the SARS-CoV-2 disease, known as the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, the main aim of this ...paper is to help decision-makers in African countries to select the best available waste management strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present research undertakes seamless assessment and prioritization of infectious solid waste (SW) and wastewater (WW) treatment technologies based on a criteria system involving four dimensions, i.e., environment-safety, technology, economics, and sociopolitics. A combined approach that integrates the results of life-cycle assessments and life-cycle costs (LCA–LCC), analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and VIKOR method in an interval-valued fuzzy (IVF) environment is proposed. The results reveal that combined incineration and chemical disinfection approach, and combined chlorination and ultraviolet irradiation are the most sustainable technologies for managing infectious SW and WW treatment in the present context. The proposed approach, alongside the findings of the study, constitutes a reference to devise urgent planning for contagious waste management in African countries as well as developing countries worldwide.
Purpose: The present paper aims at developing an effective framework including all the
components required for implementing lean production properly in Small and Medium-sized
Enterprises.
...Design/methodology/approach: The paper begins with the review of the main existing
framework of lean implementation in order to highlight shortcomings in the literature through a
lack of suitable framework for small companies. To overcome this literature gap, data of
successful initiatives of lean implementation were collected based on a multiple case study
approach. These initiatives has been juxtaposed in order to develop a new, practical and effective
framework that includes all the components (process, tools, success factors) that are necessary to
implement lean in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises.
Findings: The proposed framework presents many significant contributions: First, it provides an
overcoming for the limitations of the existing frameworks by proposing for consultants,
researchers and organizations an effective framework for lean implementation in SMEs. This will
allow SMEs to benefit from competitive advantages gained by lean. Second, it brings together a
set of the more essential and critical elements of lean implementation commonly used by SMEs
and derived from the practical experiences of them in lean implementation. Finally, it highlights
the successful experiences of small companies in implementing lean programs and then proves
that lean can give relevant results even for SMEs.
Research limitations/implications: the proposed framework presents a number of limitations
and still evokes extension for further researches: Although it was derived from practical
experiences of SMEs, the proposed framework is not supported by practical implementation. On
the other hand and even though the elements in the proposed framework are derived from the
practical experiences of four SMEs, the identified elements need to be generalized and enriched
by conducting a survey to identify more elements that are also commonly used in SMEs.
Practical implications: Implementing rigorously the proposed framework will help small
companies’ managers to improve considerably their organization’s performance and benefits
from lean strategies' outcomes. Researchers and practitioners in small businesses now possess an
integral framework for successfully implementing lean strategies.
Originality/value: To the best knowledge of the authors, this is the first work that proposes an
effective lean implementation framework believed to be easy to understund, practical and suitable
for small companies. In short, this study is a real quantum leap to resolve the problematic
unanswered of lean implementation in SMEs.
The reliability of an electronic product highly attributes to the fatigue failure of an interconnected solder joint. The normal operating temperature for many electronic assemblies is at elevated ...temperature, such as automotive under-the-hood applications. Therefore, it is essential to study the fatigue performance of the electronic components at elevated temperature. This study includes customized sandwich Ball Grid Array test vehicles with 3×3 solder joints connected between two substrates. The tested solder alloys were SAC305 (Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu), SnPb (63Sn37Pb), and SAC-Bi (Sn-3.41Ag-0.52Cu-3.3Bi). Instron Micromechanical Tester is used to perform strain-controlled fatigue tests at elevated temperature of 75 °C. The surface finishes of the electronic assemblies were OSP and ENIG. The hysteresis loops for each sample were systematically recorded to measure inelastic work per cycle and plastic strain range. It is found that the elevated temperature would have a negative effect on the fatigue life of all the tested materials. OSP surface finish performs better than the ENIG surface finish at elevated temperature. It is also found that increasing the temperature has less effect on the fatigue life of SAC-Bi, compared with SAC305 and SnPb.
This research investigates how renewable energy consumption interacts with international trade and environmental quality in Nordic counties from 2001 to 2018. The present study adopted the CIPS unit ...root test and cross-sectional dependence (CD) test to test the stationarity and diagnose the cross-sectional dependence issues, respectively. Further, the study employed a dynamic common correlated effect (DCCE) model for robustness. The findings revealed that renewable energy strongly and positively associated with international trade in Nordic countries. Also, the results indicate that renewable energy consumption improved to environmental quality. Therefore, policies to promote renewables can provide for economic growth and environmental sustainability and ensure crucial sustainable development goals. Further, the findings provide theoretical support for the formulation of eco-friendly policies to understand the role of renewable energy in spurring international trade, which supports balancing eco-environmental sustainability.
•This study Investigated the effect of renewable energy on international trade.•This study employed a dynamic common correlated effect model for robustness.•Renewable energy positively associated with international trade in Nordic countries.•Environmental quality improved by the consumption of renewable energy.
This work investigates the impact of Bi content on the microstructure of solder joints under various thermal cycling conditions. Five lead-free solder alloys were used to assemble test boards and ...subjected to thermal cycling according to JEDEC standards. After reflowing, the boards were thermally cycled after 10 days of storage at room temperature. The thermal profile JESD22-A104E was designed for cycling from −40°C to +125°C with ramp and dwell times of 16.5 and 15 minutes, respectively, at extreme temperatures. The microstructural evolution was studied using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy at various cycle intervals. Backscatter electron imaging was used to produce electron micrographs of the specimens for each test combination. Four high-strain localized regions were identified to examine the Ag
3
Sn particles for each test condition. The multiple threshold approach was used to analyze particle size, number, and density using the surface imaging and analysis software Mountains® 9. The results revealed that the effect of adding Bi on the microstructure was instantly apparent, as solder joints with 3% Bi had more uniformly dispersed precipitates. During the accelerated temperature cycling process, the Ag
3
Sn precipitates underwent strain-enhanced coarsening and localized re-crystallization. SAC-3Bi exhibited the slowest growth of Ag
3
Sn particle size compared to other SAC-based alloys. In addition, the growth rate of the intermetallic compound layer for SAC with Bi alloys was slower compared to SAC305. This was due to the solid solution hardening processes, in which the presence of micro-alloys plays a vital role in strengthening solder joints.
Purpose
Despite the growing awareness of supply chains on industry 4.0 (I4.0) capabilities as the enabler of sustainable performance, little is known about what accelerates this interaction. Prior ...studies have focused on the ambidexterity dilemma and the need to adopt sustainable inter-organizational governance to drive I4.0 capabilities while achieving sustainable performance. To address these issues, this paper aims to explore the distinct and combined effects of several approaches such as digital business transformation (DBT), organizational ambidexterity (OA) and circular business models (CBMs) on the relationship between I4.0 capabilities and sustainable performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing upon a hybrid methodology including structural equation modeling and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis, this paper develops and tests a hypothetical model using data collected from 306 organizations in Europe, Asia and Africa.
Findings
The study findings lead to several important implications concerning the potential paths linking I4.0 and sustainable performance. Notably, the DBT was found to mediate this relationship by integrating circular principles to devise business models. Moreover, OA was found to substitute the CBMs in developing new sustainable business models and reconcile sustainability.
Originality/value
The study is among the first to analyze the combined effects of OA, DBT and CBMs on the relationship between I4.0 capabilities and sustainable performance at the supply chain level. Moreover, the findings propose several solutions to resolve the sustainability dilemma through I4.0 capabilities, DBT, OA and CBMs.
The apparel manufacturers and retailers throughout the world are searching for innovative solutions to reduce the harmful impact the industry has on the environment. These firms cannot afford to lose ...the environmentally conscious consumers. Circular fashion is an emerging area that promotes the reuse and recycling of the used clothing. Online renting of the used clothes is an emerging business that supports circular fashion practices leading to environmental and economic sustainability. The present study investigates the antecedents of online second-hand clothing rental platforms that drive the consumer to adopt them. Based on the theoretical underpinning of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology and source credibility theory, the study finds that the utility of these platforms, ease of use, attitude, and social pressure drives the behavioral intent of the consumers to use these platforms. The study also identifies that communications from Instagram microcelebrities could positively influence the consumers to adopt these platforms promoting circular fashion and sustainability.
•Circular fashion is an emerging area that promotes the reuse and recycling of used clothing.•Online secondhand clothing retailing platform (OSCRP) clothing supports circular fashion.•Research framework based on Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and Source Credibility Theory.•Ease of use, attitude, and social pressure drives the behavioral intent.•Instagram microcelebrities influence OSCRP adoption.
Supply chain resilience (SCRes) and performance have become increasingly important in the wake of the recent supply chain disruptions caused by subsequent pandemics and crisis. Besides, the context ...of digitalization, integration, and globalization of the supply chain has raised an increasing awareness of advanced information processing techniques such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) in building SCRes and improving supply chain performance (SCP). The present study investigates the direct and indirect effects of AI, SCRes, and SCP under a context of dynamism and uncertainty of the supply chain. In doing so, we have conceptualized the use of AI in the supply chain on the organizational information processing theory (OIPT). The developed framework was evaluated using a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. Survey data was collected from 279 firms representing different sizes, operating in various sectors, and countries. Our findings suggest that while AI has a direct impact on SCP in the short-term, it is recommended to exploit its information processing capabilities to build SCRes for long-lasting SCP. This study is among the first to provide empirical evidence on maximizing the benefits of AI capabilities to generate sustained SCP. The study could be further extended using a longitudinal investigation to explore more facets of the phenomenon.
The surface finish (SF) becomes a part of the solder joint during assembly and improves the component’s reliability. Furthermore, the SF influences the solder joint’s reliability by affecting the ...thickness of the intermetallic compound (IMC) layer at the solder interface and copper pads. In this experiment, five different alloys are used and compared with the SAC305 alloy, two of which, Innolot and SAC-Bi, are bi-based solder alloys. This study includes three common SFs: electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG), immersion silver (ImAg), and organic solderability preserve (OSP). The performance of three surface finishes is examined in terms of component characteristic life. All of the boards were isothermally aged for twelve months at 125 °C. The boards were then exposed to 5000 cycles of thermal cycling at temperatures ranging from −40–+125 °C. Most of the current research considers only one or two factors affecting the reliability of the electronic package. This study combines the effect of multiple factors, including solder paste content, SF, isothermal aging, and thermal cycling, to ensure that the test conditions represent real-world applications. In addition, the electronics packages are assembled using commercialized alloys. The current study focuses on a high-performance alloy already present in the electronic market. The failure data were analyzed statistically using the Weibull distribution and design of experiments (DOE) analysis of variance (ANOVA) techniques. The findings reveal that the micro and uniformly distributed precipitates in solder microstructures are critical for high-reliability solder joints. Re-crystallization of the thermally cycled solder joints promotes the local formation of numerous new grains in stress-concentrated zones. As the fracture spreads along these grain boundaries and eventually fails, these new grains participate in crack propagation. Aging significantly worsens this situation. Finally, although the ENIG surface finish with its Ni layer outperforms other SFs, this does not imply that ENIG is more reliable in all solder paste/sphere/finish combinations.
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