Logistics support planning model in the conditions of limited resources

Introduction/purpose: The paper presents a model of logistics support planning in the conditions of limited logistic resources based on the prioritization of customer requirements and resource allocation. Decisionmakers play a crucial role in the efficient and equitable allocation of resources as they prioritize among different user requirements. Methods: Requirement prioritization techniques that use nominal scale, ordinal scale, and ratio scale, and five methods for converting ranks into weighting coefficients have been applied to determine the degree of significance of user requirements. The Requirements triage method has been used for establishing relative priorities, while the heuristic algorithm determining the Kemeny median was used to consolidate individually ranked requests into a group rank. In order to balance opposing demands of users, consensus measures of group decision making were used. For obtaining an optimal planned solution of logistic support, the methods and techniques of resource allocation were applied. Results: A model for adaptive planning of logistics support in the conditions of limited resource capacities of the logistics system has been developed. Conclusion: The proposed model can be effectively applied in other areas of resource allocation.

Methodological foundations for calculating the parameters of collection points for electronic household waste

The article is devoted to the study of the parameters of collection points for electronic household waste. These points serve for the reception and storage of e-waste, the source of which is the public and which are an integral part of the logistic support scheme for the e-waste disposal process. The study is based on a survey of residents of the city of Hanoi in Vietnam and additional documents from the official websites of organizations on the current situation with the generated e-waste. The article identified such parameters as the potential average daily volume of e-waste generation, as well as the required number and volume of points for receiving and collecting waste, as well as the storage time of waste to achieve the lowest associated logistics costs.

Landscape Analysis of Supportive Supervisory mechanisms in Maternal and Child Health Programs in India

Background: Supportive supervision has lately been gaining traction in various national health systems as an effective way of boosting the performance of community health workers in a constructive and sustainable way. However, not much is known about the basis/mandate of supportive supervision and its approach in maternal and child health programs in India. The current analysis contributes to a clearer understanding of the paradigms within which supportive supervision is envisioned to operate within India and identifies potential strengths and areas requiring attention. Method: Document analysis of implementation documents such as guidelines/ operational manuals/operationalization modules/ training modules of nationally implemented maternal and child health programs, with data extraction according to a pre-determined domain-based template. Results: Many of the documents reviewed do not mention supportive supervision at all. In the few documents where supportive supervision is mentioned, the paradigms within which it is supposed to operate (who will do it, when will it be done, how to do it, training and logistic support, reporting formats, etc.) have not been clearly identified in most programs. Conclusion: Even though supportive supervision is being increasingly identified as an effective way of performative improvement in national health programs in India, more effort needs to be put into identifying and enforcing the tenets of supportive supervision in practice, in order to bring about the desired change.

TEACHING LISTENING AMONG BANGLADESHI LEARNERS: A CASE STUDY ON TEACHERS’ EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK AND STUDENTS’ SITUATIONAL IMPRESSIONS

Listening centralizes upon the comprehension of messages coupled with pronunciations or sounds from speakers-be they are native or non-native and local or foreigner in the scopes of formal conversation, business talk and classroom lectures in the context of Bangladesh. Bangladeshi learners find listening as a complex and incomprehensible skill of four skills of English language. They often are not able to understand pronunciation patterns and accentual variations used in speeches or conversations. Listening requires systematic strategies in understanding audio or vocal track for which logistic support is highly essential. Managing technical support is at times difficult for teachers and administration because of financial constraints. This study will concentrate on how teachers ensure pedagogical supports and experimental aspects to help learners understand listening effectively with methodological study. This paper will deal with how learners overcome the stages of listening difficulties and comprehend different phonological aspects successfully. In addition, one of the prime concentrations of this paper is to identify impediments of teaching listening, teachers’ inefficiency in listening skill and students’ negligence in achieving mastery on listening.

Evaluating the effectiveness of drones in emergency situations: a hybrid multi-criteria approach

PurposeThe paper aims to build a customized hybrid multi-criteria model to identify the top three utilities of drones at both personal and community levels for two use cases: firefighting in high-rise buildings and logistic support.Design/methodology/approachA hybrid multi-criterion model that integrates fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (AHP), Best Worst, fuzzy analytical network process (ANP), fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) is used to compute the criteria weights. The weights are validated by a novel ensemble ranking technique further whetted by experts at the community and personal levels to two use cases.FindingsDrones' fire handling and disaster recovery utilities are the most important to fight fire in high-rise buildings at both personal and community levels. Similarly, drones' urban planning, municipal works and infrastructure inspection utilities are the most important for providing logistics support at personal and community levels.Originality/valueThe paper presents a novel multi-criteria approach, i.e. ensemble ranking, by combining the criteria ranking of individual methods – fuzzy AHP, Best-Worst, fuzzy ANP and fuzzy DEMATEL – in the ratio of optimal weights to each technique to generate the consolidated ranking. Domain experts also validate this ranking for robustness. This paper demonstrates a viable methodology to quantify the utilities of drones and their capabilities. The proposed model can be recalibrated for different use case scenarios of drones.

Desenvolvimento de Capacidades Dinâmicas a partir de Sistema de Gestão Ambiental em Organização Militar de Apoio Logístico: um estudo no Depósito de Combustíveis da Marinha do Brasil / Development of Dynamic Capabilities from an Environmental Management System in a Military Organization for Logistic Support: a study in the Brazilian Navy Fuel Deposit

A implantação ou adoção de práticas ambientais nas organizações a partir do ambiente externo pode desencadear o ciclo das Capacidade Dinâmica (CD), porém, há poucas pesquisas focando tal relação. Neste contexto, a gestão ambiental pode reconfigurar processos, rotinas e procedimentos da organização por influência de demanda externa. Desta forma, o objetivo desta pesquisa é identificar as CD desenvolvidas após a implantação de Sistema de Gestão Ambiental (SGA) em uma Organização Militar de Apoio Logístico da Marinha do Brasil. Esta pesquisa é do tipo exploratória-descritiva e foi desenvolvida por intermédio da abordagem de estudo de caso. Os resultados indicam que algumas práticas ambientais introduzidas na organização e capacidades associadas ao SGA foram identificadas, porém, nem todas podem ser consideradas dinâmicas. As CD identificadas neste estudo são mecanismos causais essenciais para a implementação e manutenção das práticas ambientais, bem como constituintes de um sistema cíclico para a melhoria contínua do SGA.

Organizing Investigations and Surveys

Organizing investigations and surveys can be complicated and they require careful planning. Hand-held portable devices and mobile phones are commonly used today. All questionnaires require careful design, preparation, and piloting. Survey objectives can be reviewed if they are too ambitious and survey design may require changes, such as a reduction in sample size, omission of particular questions, or fewer clinical and laboratory procedures. A pilot trial is essential to test all the methods, fieldwork plans and logistic support. A full survey check list is provided.

Disabled Students at the Palestinian Universities: Birzeit University as a Model

Universities vary in the logistic support they provide for the disabled students. At the same time, universities can be a model for the bigger society in the way they undertake and involve this category. In this study, we tried to explore how do students of disabilities perceive their university life at Birzeit University. This will definitely reflect their relationship to their wider society. We also tried to identify the various challenges face the disabled students during their university life. Participants own narratives were used to collect data in focused groups. Data from interviews was transcribed and analyzed following the qualitative approach of content analysis. Results indicated that the disabled students at Birzeit University are trying to live as independent students. They believe that their daily experiences are very similar to other students’ experiences at the university. This perception helps them to construct a positive sense of self, which, in turn, encourage them to overcome the social burdens upon them. In conclusion, the interviewees believed that their disabilities are not what identify them as students. Regarding their relationship to the society, the disabled students struggle to change the stereotype that the society stigmatizes them with as incapable and helpless. The results indicated also that the disabled students are distinguished by having the ‘desire ‘which is their main motif to achieve their dreams and to challenge the existing stereotyping about them. They do not give up; they have a strong will and determination to achieve their goals. The study recommended increasing the financial and learning support for disabled students and raising the awareness about their potentials among Birzeit University students.