Abstract:In this study, we construct a theoretical model for strategic knowledge management in the circular agribusiness industry. Previous studies lack an analysis of strategic knowledge management and sets of measures. Hence, this study applies the fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (known as fuzzy TOPSIS), and utilizes the interrelationship weights as a parameter to justify the weights and address important attributes. The results demonstrate that strategic knowledge management improves a firm's competitive advantages through high-level management support. The theoretical and managerial implications are that high-level management support, firm performance, and knowledge management process cycles are the most important strategic knowledge management aspects for improving a firm's performance in circular agribusiness.

Purpose Responding to natural resource depletion and carbon dioxide (CO2) emission problems, and also the stricter government’s energy regulations, the purpose of this paper is to develop a sustainable waste heat recovery optimal-profit-oriented management model especially targeting on the easily forgotten low- and medium-temperature waste heat in the industry. In the paper, a system is constructed to facilitate converting the low- and medium-grade waste heat in factories into electricity, and yields optimal profit. Design/methodology/approach This paper integrates an efficient Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system from both sustainable energy reservation and cost effectiveness approaches with an optimization model that adopts particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to determine proper installation locations and feasible generator sets. The system is constructed to facilitate converting the low- and medium-grade waste heat in factories into electricity, and yields optimal profit. The model considers the environmental factors: temperature, heat amount, equipment configuration of the number of ORC sets, and detailed investment cost constraints. Findings The results show that annual investment return rate, annual increase in electricity, power generation efficiency, and annual CO2 emission reduction are all highly improved, and investment recovery period is shortened. Also, the larger scale of the waste heat emission, the better the performance is achieved. Finally, the study also completes a sensitivity test under dynamic conditions of electricity price, generator sales price and factory budget constraints, and the results are consistently robust. More valuably, this paper demonstrates applications on two different manufacturing industries with various waste heat emission scales to prove the accountability. Originality/value The main contributions are in three aspects. First, it proves that applying PSO to a nonlinear mathematical model can help determine the optimal number and style configuration of generators for waste heat sources. Second, different from the prior research works focusing on power generation, this paper also deliberates the cost factors, cost of generators, costs of numerous peripheral components and future maintenance costs to ensure the factories not conflict with the financial limitations. Third, it is not only successfully applied in two industries with different scales, but also robust with various economic tests, electricity price change, generator sales price change, and investment budget adjustments.

PurposeThis study aims to construct a valid hierarchical sustainable human resource management (SHRM) model with interrelationships among its attributes in terms of qualitative information.Design/methodology/approachThis study applies the fuzzy Delphi method to validate SHRM attributes and visualize the causal interrelationships among these attributes using a fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory method.FindingsThis study finds that green performance management and compensation lead to human resource benefits and economic sustainability in the HRM model.Practical implicationsOpen environmental communication, green human resource planning, green training and development, employee eco-friendly behavior and organizational culture are the top five criteria supporting practical improvement in the healthcare industry.Originality/valueThe emergence of new, unprepared, and inexperienced health care entities with inadequate human resource management (HRM) potentially causing social problems within the industry, SHRM is necessary to balance the social, environment, and economic performance and must be studied by both academicians and practitioners. However, the HRM application field is still in its infancy, which limits the understanding of its potential.

The Financial Supervisory Commission in Taiwan has advocated the importance of corporate governance for several years. The purpose of this study is to act in concern with the policy through the test of the relationship between the corporate governance mechanism, especially Board of Directors’ composition and ownership structure, and the involuntary delisted firms. The study extracts 58 involuntary delisted firms from Taiwan Securities Exchange (TSE) during 1997 to 2007 and matches with 112 similar control firms. The results from probit regression suggest that Board of Directors (BOD) with more number of outside independent directors, larger board size, lower ratio of shares pledged to the total shares, higher seats over control right, and lower control right over right for cash flow may reduce the likelihood of delisting. The study could become monitoring indices for internal examination system, the warning signals for investors, and the reference for the policy makers

Location is a commonly used tolerance control criteria in the geometric dimensioning and tolerancing area. This tolerance is of special importance to the high precision assembly industry. The control of tolerance in design, manufacturing, and assembly is vital to preserving the functionality of products, the validity of assembly plans, and the optimality of the tolerance and equipment assignment. This research develops a computer-aided assembly process tolerance control system to help the assembly process planner to verify the tentative assembly process plan. Also, a weighted assembly process decision support module is incorporated to help adjusting the tolerance allocation as well as the selection of appropriate assembly procedures. The optimality of the resultant assembly plan is ensured based on a minimum cost model by using the mixed integer programming technique.

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