This research explores the causes and intensity of demand fluctuation and supply shortage of a supply chain (SC) occurred specially at the festival times. Management offers sales incentives & product ...discounts at festival times that sometimes create a complex situation to supply the demands properly. This complexity restricts SC performance and market possession. Hence, this research aimed to explore the responsible causes behind this complexity & bullwhip occurrence and claimed sales force incentives, number of echelons, price variation, quantity discount, & machine breakdown as the most responsible causes. Intensity of bullwhip effect (BWE) was measured by Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) of MATLAB
TM
to visualize their severity on SC performance. Few strategies have been proposed to minimize thier severity on SC excellence. Finally, this article proposed some managerial applications and guidelines to release the management from the frequently arising problems of distorted demands that will result in proper production & inventory management.
Nowadays, computer users are facing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and visual symptoms. Prolonged sitting in inappropriate, awkward, and static postures on the computer workstation may cause ...musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Similarly, inappropriate placement of monitors, illumination, and other factors such as prolonged usage of computers are related to visual symptoms. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the ergonomic deficiencies of computer workstations and their correlation with MSDs and visual symptoms. Methods: This study involved 271 university employees from a Bangladeshi engineering university. Ergonomic deficiencies were evaluated through direct observations and Occupational Safety and Health Administration checklists. In addition, the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to assess the prevalence of MSDs and visual discomforts. Binary Logistic Regression (BLR) analysis was also used to examine the correlation between musculoskeletal symptoms and ergonomic deficiencies. Results: Results showed serious deficiencies in workstation setup, seating arrangement, monitor orientations, keyboard orientations, other input device orientations, and accessory setup. Employees reported that the MSDs in different body regions during the last 12 months including lower back (62 %), upper back (53 %), shoulders (47 %), and neck (25 %). Moreover, itchy eyes (69 %), tired eyes (83 %), and unclear vision (56.83 %) were the most common visual discomforts or visual symptoms among the participants. Results also revealed that monitor ergonomics and its orientation deficits were significantly associated with visual discomforts. Gender, job type, age, BMI, work experience, duration of computer work, and beak taking after 2 h were the independent variables reliably predicting the MSDs and visual symptoms. Conclusion: It is evident that MSDs and visual symptoms were associated with computer workstation deficiencies and other work-related factors.
Mismatches between furniture dimensions and student anthropometry can cause discomfort, irritation, and different Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs). This study has two important purposes. One is to ...survey university student’s anthropometric measurements. Other is to identify the level of mismatch or match between the library furniture dimensions and student anthropometry. A total of 550 university students were selected as participants in this study. Eleven body measurements were collected using a standard anthropometer, whereas thirteen dimensions of library furniture were taken using an inextensible tape and then compared together. All anthropometric characteristics were larger for male participants than female participants except for Hip Breadth. Moreover, substantial levels of mismatches were identified in most of the library furniture dimensions such as Seat Height, Seat Width, Seat Depth, Seat to Table Height, and so on. The dimensions of library furniture were not suitable for a large number of students. Therefore, a correct sitting posture of the student is not attained by the existing furniture; consequently, there might be a probability of experiencing MSD problems using existing library furniture among the students. To minimize mismatches and MSD problems, the dimensions of library furniture should consider student's anthropometry.
Prolonged static and sitting posture in poorly designed furniture may increase Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs). Therefore, the research purposes were to examine the prevalence and severity of MSD ...problems among the students in different body regions and determine the relationship between furniture dimensions and MSD problems. A total of 400 university students (250 males and 150 females) voluntarily participated in this survey. Standard Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to assess the MSDs. All dimensions of the four types academic furniture were measured and evaluated. A Chi-square test was used to determine the association between furniture dimensions and body measurements. Moreover, lordosis and kyphosis abnormalities were analyzed to determine the relationship between furniture dimensions and MSDs. The results showed a high frequency of MSDs in the Lower Back region (52.25%) among the participants. Moreover, female participants were more affected than male participants in MSDs. A significant positive relationship was found between furniture dimensions and lordosis disorders at
p
< 0.05. Moreover, Chi-square results showed the dimensions of academic furniture (SW, SH, SD, BH, etc.) were unsuitable relative to body measurements. Students were affected by the MSD problems due to the inappropriate furniture. Therefore, to avoid or reduce the MSD problems, the design of the academic furniture should be changed.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relative importance of different total quality management (TQM) implementation barriers in the context of Readymade Garment (RMG) industries in ...Bangladesh. Present study has developed a hierarchical framework of several TQM barriers to assess their importance. Expert opinions from RMG industries have been taken to evaluate the importance of one barrier over another.
Design/methodology/approach
Methodology adopted in this study to find out the rank of different TQM barriers is fuzzy analytic hierarchy process.
Findings
The study shows that, according to order, inappropriate planning of TQM implementation program, lack of financial support, lack of employee training, lack of empowerment of employees, lack of sufficient physical resources, etc. are critical barriers and hampering the successful implementation of TQM program in this sector.
Research limitations/implications
This study has both theoretical and practical implications. It has found out strong and weak contribution of different barriers during TQM implementation. Therefore, this finding will strengthen the knowledge of successful implementation of TQM and will further enrich the existing literature in the context of manufacturing industries in developing countries. Moreover, this finding will also help the decision makers in preparing an effective plan for successful implementation of TQM by utilizing limited resources.
Practical implications
Moreover, our results will aid the managers of RMG sector to find the weight of importance of different barriers. Accordingly, they will make a plan to overcome the major TQM barriers which will increase the success rate of TQM implementation. Every Successful program will bring business excellence. These findings could be a guideline for TQM implementation program in developing countries.
Originality/value
Present study possesses some significant values. First, so far our knowledge go, no other study has developed a hierarchical structure of TQM barrier on the basis of overall change needed within the organization for TQM implementation. Second, this study could be a good guideline for TQM implementation program in RMG sector in developing countries.
This research explores the intricate landscape of Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) risk factors, employing a novel fusion of Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques and mode-based ranking ...methodologies. Enhancing knowledge of MSD risk factors, their classification, and their relative severity is the main goal of enabling more focused preventative and treatment efforts. The study benchmarks eight NLP models, integrating pre-trained transformers, cosine similarity, and various distance metrics to categorize risk factors into personal, biomechanical, workplace, psychological, and organizational classes. Key findings reveal that the Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) model with cosine similarity attains an overall accuracy of 28%, while the sentence transformer, coupled with Euclidean, Bray–Curtis, and Minkowski distances, achieves a flawless accuracy score of 100%. Using a 10-fold cross-validation strategy and performing rigorous statistical paired t-tests and Cohen’s d tests (with a 5% significance level assumed), the study provides the results with greater validity. To determine the severity hierarchy of MSD risk variables, the research uses survey data and a mode-based ranking technique parallel to the classification efforts. Intriguingly, the rankings align precisely with the previous literature, reaffirming the consistency and reliability of the approach. “Working posture” emerges as the most severe risk factor, emphasizing the critical role of proper posture in preventing MSD. The collective perceptions of survey participants underscore the significance of factors like “Job insecurity”, “Effort reward imbalance”, and “Poor employee facility” in contributing to MSD risks. The convergence of rankings provides actionable insights for organizations aiming to reduce the prevalence of MSD. The study concludes with implications for targeted interventions, recommendations for improving workplace conditions, and avenues for future research. This holistic approach, integrating NLP and mode-based ranking, contributes to a more sophisticated comprehension of MSD risk factors and opens the door for more effective strategies in occupational health.
•Introduce natural language processing for precise categorization of musculoskeletal disorder risk factors.•Utilize an innovative mode-based ranking of risk factors to validate severity assessments effectively.•Conduct a comparative analysis of state-of-the-art transformers and distance metrics to enhance methodological rigor.•Validate the performance of the models using statistical paired t-tests and Cohen’s d tests.•Fill the gap between science and practice by offering actionable insights for workplace health.
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors that enable total quality management (TQM) implementation in the readymade garment (RMG) sector of Bangladesh. More specifically, the ...present study is a supplement of the previous call from research to investigate the TQM-enabling factors from a broader aspect of organizational change.Design/methodology/approachThis study was conducted through an online survey, followed by phone calls. Data were collected using a questionnaire survey with 256 respondents of the Bangladeshi RMG sector. The TQM-enabling factors were divided into five distinct groups, based on strategic or overall changes required within an organization for TQM implementation. A theoretical research model was created to investigate the contingency of various TQM-enabling factors. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to confirm the factor that enabled TQM implementation in the RMG sector of Bangladesh.FindingsThe main finding of this study shows that structural, strategic, contextual and human resource-enabling factors are significant to TQM implementation in the Bangladeshi RMG sector.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has been completed in single time frame. Therefore, consideration of the time factor is completely ignored in this research. Furthermore, understanding of TQM-enabling factors in this research relied on quantitative findings only. Also, this study was limited to one industry and one geographic region. However, this study could determine whether data triangulation will provide a good perception on enabling factors and the methodology can be extended to other industries and regions.Practical implicationsThis study provides a research methodology for other manufacturing industries that are planning to implement TQM in their organization. This research will contribute to the existing literature by examining the contingency of various TQM-enabling factors in the context of the Bangladeshi RMG sector, and it, therefore, provides direction to increase the success rate of TQM implementation. Furthermore, the research methodology can be used in other studies for variation of contextual variables such as size of the industry, developed or underdeveloped country and manufacturing or service industry.Originality/valueThe methodology used in this study can lead the way for other industries in the RMG sector that implements TQM in their organization. Also, this research further contributes to the existing literature by investigating the contingency of various TQM enabling factors in the context of the Bangladeshi RMG sector and developing associated strategies to raise success rate of TQM implementation.
Improving equipment effectiveness is crucial for flexible manufacturing, ensuring that machines and tools perform their functions efficiently and consistently. Our study aimed to enhance the Overall ...Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) in Bangladesh’s Ready-Made Garments (RMG) manufacturing system. We used the DMADV methodology incorporating Visual Stream Mapping (VSM) and OEE. By utilising VSM, we identified issues, eliminated them in the design phase, and evaluated performance in the verification phase. We automated the material handling system to reduce handling time, and the result was a significantly improved OEE in the automated manufacturing system compared to the manual one. This study has numerous benefits in flexible manufacturing and operations management, from immediate efficiency improvements to long-lasting organisational cultural transformations. Thus, it’s a noteworthy topic for practical applications and research. Enhancing Equipment Effectiveness through Visual Stream Mapping 4.0 has broad-reaching implications, including improved productivity, reduced waste, increased efficiency, better resource utilisation, and a more agile and responsive manufacturing environment. Although OEE and VSM are frequently used separately in different manufacturing systems, this study’s novelty lies in their combined application within garment manufacturing.
Purpose
The aim of this study is to investigate the perceived benefits offered by integrated management system (IMS) in the readymade garments (RMG) sector in Bangladesh and the respective linkage ...with corporate social responsibility (CSR) to promote sustainable development. This study presents a list of IMS benefits composed of different international management standards according to ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, OSHAS 18001: 2007 and SA 8000:2014.
Design/methodology/approach
To identify the possible benefits of IMS, a systematic literature review was conducted from 2009 to 2019, namely, in the database of Elsevier, Emerald and John Wiley. A questionnaire survey was developed with the purpose of examining the perceived main benefits of IMS. The questionnaire was e-mailed to 355 representatives of 15 RMG sectors in Bangladesh. A total of 256 complete and useable responses were received, constituting the base of this work. Subsequently, statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 20 software.
Findings
The main findings of the present study show that the most important five benefits of IMS in RMG sector in Bangladesh are better capacity to achieve organization’s objectives, optimum use of various resources, business sustainability, synergies of different management policies and reduction of duplication efforts.
Practical implications
Two major limitations of the study are as follows: first, it is not a longitudinal study; second, IMS benefits were examined in the national sector context. The present study has both theoretical and practical implications. The study presents a comprehensive list of IMS benefits that contribute to the existing literature from a theoretical point of view. On the other hand and from a practical point of view, this study encourages managers to implement IMS in their organizations.
Originality/value
This study helps in understanding the contribution of IMS benefits to cleaner production and CSR in Bangladesh. The focus on the benefits of IMS in the RMG sector in Bangladesh is another significant aspect of this study because it promotes the development of environmental policies linked to CSR with stakeholder engagement, as a driver to sustainable development.
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