جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « agility » در نشریات گروه « فنی و مهندسی »

Among the existing industries, the food industry is very important because of its direct and indirect impact on people's health. In the food industry, the dairy industry and its supply chain are always the focus of researchers, industry owners and consumers of these products due to their high      consumption by society and their short shelf life for consumption. Therefore, in this research, an attempt has been made to measure the impact of blockchain implementation as a new and effective technology in the supply chain of dairy products. For this purpose, at first, the main components of the supply chain and blockchain were extracted by studying library sources, and then, using these components, the research model and hypotheses were designed, and two questionnaires were     prepared for data collection. By using the mentioned two questionnaires, it is tried to evaluate the changes made in agility and data transparency in the supply chain of the country's dairy industry before and after the implementation of blockchain. Finally, by analyzing the data collected through questionnaires, the effects of blockchain implementation in the supply chain of dairy products are measured. The results of this research showed that blockchain has a significant and positive effect on the transparency of data and the agility of the supply chain of dairy products in Iran.

This research tries to analyze the agility of heavy transportation of a defense organization using the Performance Importance Analysis (IPA) method. Today, according to the speed of environmental changes, organizations must respond to various changes and demands with high responsiveness. In this regard, the role of transportation in defense organizations is very important and practical. Also, the agility of heavy transportation of defense organizations can increase the level of success of the organization and reduce the waste of its resources. In this research, first the concepts of agile transportation and then the criteria of agility of heavy transportation are explained. In the following, the agility of heavy transportation of a defense organization has been analyzed using the Performance Importance Analysis (IPA) method. In this research, field research was used with a questionnaire tool, and the statistical population of the research includes senior managers of logistics and transport and mobility experts of the studied defense organization. The results of the Performance Importance Analysis (IPA) method provide insight to managers to identify the organization's strengths and weaknesses and finally propose implementation solutions.

The main goal of this study is to present a novel model for managing organizational processes possessing the necessary agility in complex situations. One of the most critical requirements of such a model is using systems thinking and a soft operations research approach because the methods introduced in the background to achieve the agility of the process management generally include fragmentary optimization because of the one-dimensional view and the lack of a system view to identifying agility variables in process management.

In this study, an attempt was made to provide a comprehensive model using the interpretative paradigm's capabilities. To this end, the main components were identified using the meta-synthesis technique and interviews with eighteen experts. Further, components were prioritized by using the interpretative ranking process.

The findings show that the process leadership component is given first priority based on the interpretive ranking. Therefore, organizations that want to be agile in their process management system should consider leadership characteristics in processes to implement transformational systems. After that, the results showed that environmental awareness, knowledgeable and competent human resources, organizational learning dimension, contingent and appropriate structures, governance, improvisation-based strategy-making, technological infrastructure, dynamic adaptation, culture, and creative sustainability are prioritized, respectively.

Originality/Value:

 Using soft operations research techniques, including the interpretive ranking process, in designing an agile model for managing business processes will significantly help process organizations in complex and dynamic environments to simultaneously exploit the benefits of stability in managing processes and dynamism coming from being agile.

In today's highly competitive markets, it is impossible to eliminate or ignore the resources of turbulence. Hence, supply chain managers must accept uncertainty and look for an approach to adapt to such conditions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to design a supply chain agility model with fuzzy DEMATEL approach in the oil and gas industry in Khuzestan Province. This research was quantitative research with fuzzy DEMATEL approach. The statistical population of the present research consisted of experts in the oil and gas industries in Khuzestan Province. Based on this,10 experts were interviewed from the oil and gas industries in Khuzestan Province. Supply chain agility factors in the oil and gas industries included flexibility, competitive price, reliability, responsiveness, customer relations, quality, speed, availability, innovation, and up-to-date and competence. The required data was collected using a pairwise comparison questionnaire. In order to analyze the data, the fuzzy DEMATEL approach and sensitivity analysis with Excel software were used. Findings showed that the factors of flexibility, competitive price, quality, availability and innovation and up-to-date were in the group of causal variables and the factors of reliability, responsiveness, customer relations, speed and competence were in the group of effect variables. The findings of sensitivity analysis also revealed that for every 10% change in the independent variables of flexibility, or responsiveness, or competency, the supply chain agility increased by 1.1%. In addition, the findings demonstrated that for every 10% change in the independent variables of customer relationship, speed, or availability, the supply chain agility increased by 1%.

Today, human resources have become the best competitive advantage in organizations. Workforce agility can make an organization superior to other organizations. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to identify and prioritize the components of workforce agility in the insurance industry. This research was of a mixed type. The statistical population of this research included the active employees in the insurance industry of Kerman Province. 8 industry experts were selected as the statistical sample in the qualitative and quantitative phases. In the qualitative phase with thematic analysis approach, the components of workforce agility were identified and the reliability and validity of the tool was confirmed. In the quantitative phase, workforce agility components were prioritized with the fuzzy DEMATEL approach. Qualitative findings showed that sixteen open codes were categorized into six core codes and core codes were categorized into three optional codes including individual, organizational and social characteristics. Selected open codes of workforce agility (as quantitative phase input) included technical knowledge, motivation, trainability, effective communication, emotional intelligence, adaptability, teamwork, creativity and innovation, and analytical ability. The quantitative findings showed that these components, in order of priority, were creativity and innovation, analytical ability, emotional intelligence, motivation, teamwork, technical knowledge, trainability, effective communication, and adaptability. Additionally, the findings showed that teachability, effective communication and adaptability were classified under the cause variables group; emotional intelligence, teamwork, creativity and innovation and analytical ability were grouped under effect variables and technical knowledge and motivation were grouped under neutral variables.

One of the most important issues in gas distribution companies in the country is the multi-level agility of processes in their supply chains. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to investigate various factors in process agility using the systems dynamics approach. The statistical population of this research comprised of all managers of seven provincial gas supply companies. In this research, the Delphi method was used to identify the variables affecting process agility, statistical tests were used to analyze the correlation between data, the Dimtel method was used to classify the causal and effectual variables, and dynamic system analysis was used for dynamic model analysis and simulation. The validity of the model was measured based on structural and behavioral validity tests. The results showed that due to changes in performance, the cost of implementing changes in a system varied in terms of cycle and in the later stages, the cost of development increased. This delay also increased costs and reduced development productivity. Moreover, the simulation illustrated that process agility helped complete more tasks at a lower cost. The dynamics model developed in this research can be used as a tool by an organization to understand and analyze the effects of different rapid development practices and supply chain management strategies.

The lack of agility in supply chain structures causes many problems in manufacturing and service organizations. Organizations can use business intelligence as a tool to achieve agility and use its benefits.  However, its utilization is always accompanied by a great deal of challenges. This study aimed to design a native model in order to identify strategic bottlenecks and use business intelligence to increase supply chain agility. This study was carried out in two phases. In the first phase (qualitative stage), the strategic bottlenecks were identified by the use of academic and industrial experts’ opinions in the form of Grounded Theory. Then, the relationships between strategic bottleneck elements were identified through DEMATEL method and the research model was extracted in the quantitative step of the research. This was followed by structural equation modeling with partial least squares method applied to fit the model. The statistical sample of this section included the employees of Pegah-e-Gharb Company. According to the research results, nine strategic bottlenecks were identified in the form of 25 sub-categories. Based on the model developed in the present study, communication with customers can positively and significantly affect system flexibility, compliance with business needs, and quality of information sharing in Pegah Company.

The purpose of this study is to identify and explain the main factors measuring agility in the mining industry as the most important non-oil industry in the country. This research is an applied research in terms of purpose and a combined research in terms of method. The statistical population of the research in the qualitative and quantitative sections includes the experts, intellectuals and scholars of the country's mining industry. The methods of data collection are questionnaires and surveys. In the qualitative section, first, through finding related research articles by the meta-combination method, 124 sources are selected and 16 criteria for measuring agility are identified. These include communications (information technology), customer orientation, coordinated planning, staff skills development, process integration, customer satisfaction, flexibility, product quality, cost reduction, market sensitivity and responsiveness, innovation, new product launches, delivery speed, technology changes, training and learning and trust. With a survey of 20 experts in the country's mining industry by the fuzzy Delphi method, 8 main factors are extracted, validated and screened from the listed criteria, namely, the product quality, market responsiveness, delivery speed, flexibility, reduction costs, innovation, customer orientation, communications and information technology. These indicators are then evaluated and prioritized by the DANP method and the identified factors are classified into four levels and two dependent/independent groups using the interpretive structural modeling and micro-analysis. The findings show that customer orientation is an essential element of supply chain agility that reduces the costs and increases the innovation. Cost reduction and improved innovation in turn, affect flexibility, product quality and communications. Furthermore, flexibility, product quality and communications factors affect the responsiveness and the speed of delivery. Finally, the delivery speed and the market responsiveness lead to the desired supply chain agility.

Lubricant supply chain can be considered as one of the most important supply chains in various industries. This industry is responsible for supplying one of the most strategic materials in many other industry. From manufacturing to logistics and transportation industries, they somehow need the products that are produced and offered in this industry. Therefore, the performance of these its supply chains can have a significant impact on other supply chains. Agility in lubricant supply chains is affected by several factors, with domestic origin and international origin. Analysis of these factors and their interactions can be very usefull for managers to increase agility and provide them with appropriate solutions to increase competitiveness in the market. Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCM) are powerful tools for analyzing cause-and-effect relationships between factors and can show their interactions by drawing a network of factors and relationships to make the analysis more accurate and comprehensive. In this paper, using a fuzzy cognitive map approach, the factors affecting the lubricant supply chain agility were analyzed. Planning and scheduling, system for identifying future needs, creating direct communications with customers, monitoring customers' voices and using their opinions in future plans, creating integrated information systems along the supply chain, creating motivational systems to increase employee participation, growth creativity, etc. can increase agility. The level and measure of interactions between agility factors are ontained as an important result of our approach.

The current study aims to provide a framework for evaluating the large projects based on the sustainability dimensions and with agility approach using data envelopment analysis.

To this end, sustainability indicators, agility indices in project management and project management critical success factors are identified. By calculating the large projects efficiency numbers in each of attitudes include financial, social and environmental, three dimensions of sustainability and by drawing a regional graph based on the projects’ efficiency numbers in both attitudes of agiliy and project management critical success factors, the project performance is studied in both attitudes. 

Graphs and efficiency results in sustainability attutudes show that among 27 projects, just three projects are efficient in all three attitudes. In addidtion, to deliver product/service in the shortest time is the meaning of delivering value to the customer with extending the agility in project management. Also, to protect the resources for the next generation, project manager can dedicate the financial and social resources in order to control the environmental impacts of the projects in parallel with the sustainable development principles which which can be translated to be responding efficiently and effectively to the customers while meeting the requirements of the sustainable development. 

The project as a temprory organization should be managed in such a way that while adapting to the changes and being agile in responsiveness, it also keeps the time range, cost and qulity for delivering the created product/service. Agility has been proposed as an approach to gain and keep the competitiveness in a changing and unpredictable environment and it focuses on meeting customers needs while sustainability attitude does focus on the reduction of the udesireable affects of the meeting customers demands. To integrate these two concepts in the field of project management leads to the efficiency and success of the project, comprehensively.

Today, given the changing circumstances, in order to maintain their competitive forces strong, successful enterprises should adapt themselves to the turbulent and changing conditions in the business environment. To achieve this, supply chain agility has been taken into consideration as an essential component for improving competitiveness. Thus, this study aimed at assessing the agility of supply chain in the ceramic tile industry, as one of the most important industries in Iran. Using a descriptive analytical study design and quantitative techniques, this study was conducted as a desk research and followed a practical application. The ceramic tile companies of Yazd, Iran made up the statistical population of this research. The statistical data were based on the effective criteria and sub-criteria of agile supply chain, which by fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) method, weighting, and then were analyzed and ranked using the combined model of FAHP and VIKOR, with the help of some macro software such as Super-Decision and Excel. The results of the study showed that mahceram ceramic tile company was ranked first in terms of supply chain agility, followed by EEFA Ceram and Aghigh companies, respectively. Furthermore, regarding the importance of the criteria, product development flexibility held the highest importance with an importance coefficient of 0.307, while manufacturing flexibility had the lowest importance with an importance coefficient of 0.106.

The aim of the present study was to present the model of organizational agility with an emphasis on the role of information technology. The research method was applied from goal of research point of view and classified as correlation research. The research population included all faculty members of Islamic Azad University of Mazandaran which was 1761. A sample of 213 persons was calculated based on Cochran formula and stratified random sampling based on the number of faculty members in each academic unit .Data collection tool was a 38-items researcher- made questionnaire. The survey questions were designed inspired by the agility capabilities model by Khavari and colleagues (2016) and Fathian, M., Sheikh(2012) past researches on information technology capabilities in the organization. Content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by the experts and the questionnaire reliability was obtained based on Cronbach alpha 87% for Agility questionnaire and 81% for information technology questionnaire .The data analysis was performed based on structural equation modeling using LISREL software. The results showed that the impact of information technology on organizational agility was 63%. Although architectural components of information technology, IT infrastructure, IT human resources (users and administrators) and network security were introduced as IT capabilities in the organization, as well as the integrity of the universities human resources, cooperation between universities, the acceleration of academic processes, flexibility, responsiveness and the culture of the capabilities changes of an agile university were also presented

Due to the increasing changes in customers' needs in today's competitive environment, organizations arelooking for solutions that provide timely and proper response to these changes. In order to achieve this, in recent years, supply chain agility and its factors have been discussed. The main objective of this paper is to investigate the interactions of factors affecting supply chain agility in Guilan Steel Industries. Fortythree factors were identified in this regard which were reduced to twenty-one factors after consultation with experts. Then, the selected factors were divided into four groups: managerial, market, technological and process groups, and the gray demetal questionnaire was designed and made available to experts. The results showed that the use of the Internet to access information and knowledge, seeking an opportunity to increase customer value, management and planning of logistics and infrastructure for encouraging innovation by reducing the time and offering customer-oriented products are the most influential factors in the agility of the supply chain of Steel Industries.

Assistive exoskeletons are a category of wearable robots that provide a portion of the forces, required by users in performing different motions. Hence, the users will be able to perform the motions with less effort. Hitherto, different control algorithms for assistive exoskeletons are proposed and their various effects on the users’ performance are evaluated. Recently, the authors of the present paper have proposed a new control method, called output feedback assistive controller, for compliantly actuated exoskeletons. This method is independent from user’s intent, requires a very low number of sensors and possesses a simple model-free structure. This paper evaluates the effect of the output feedback assistive controller on the agility of the users. A knee physiotherapy robot is considered as a single joint exoskeleton. Connecting a series elastic actuator to the robot and implementing the output feedback assistive controller, the agility of the user is evaluated in a target following experiment. Two markers are displayed on a monitor to represent the actual and desired knee angles for the user. The user is asked to follow the desired angles by moving his/her leg. The accuracy of the user in following the target is measured and compared in two assisted and unassisted cases. The results clearly verify the positive effect of the output feedback assistive controller on increasing the user’s agility.