An Evaluation of the Critical Success Factors in Sustainable Food Supply Chains in Developing Countries

Food is one of the biggest industries in developed and underdeveloped countries. Supply chain sustainability is essential in established and emerging economies because of the rising acceptance of cost-based outsourcing and the growing technological, social, and environmental concerns. The food business faces serious sustainability and growth challenges in developing countries. A comprehensive analysis of the critical success factors (CSFs) influencing the performance outcome and the sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) process. A theoretical framework is established to explain how they are used to examine the organizational aspect of the food supply chain life cycle analysis. This study examined the CSFs and revealed the relationships between them using a methodology that included a review of literature, interpretative structural modeling (ISM), and cross-impact matrix multiplication applied in classification (MICMAC) tool analysis of soil liquefaction factors. The findings of this research demonstrate that the quality and safety of food are important factors and have a direct effect on other factors. To make sustainable food supply chain management more adequate, legislators, managers, and experts need to pay attention to this factor. In this work. It also shows that companies aiming to create a sustainable business model must make sustainability a fundamental tenet of their organization. Practitioners and managers may devise effective long-term plans for establishing a sustainable food supply chain utilizing the recommended methodology.

What European Incubators Can Learn From Their American Counterparts： An Analysis of the Critical Success Factors for a Startup Incubator

This study suggests a theoretical component to the thus far proposed explanations of what makes a startup incubator successful in enabling entrepreneurial activity. Departing from a traditional focus on industry- and nation-wide resources, we develop a framework of the critical success factors for a startup incubator and a scoring mechanism to evaluate the success of existing startup incubators using these factors. We score a selection of American and European incubators using the developed scoring mechanism and comparatively benchmark the European incubators against the American ones to identify areas for improvement. Our findings suggest that European incubators, while relatively strong overall, can look to and learn from their American counterparts in certain areas. Importantly, these improvement areas are not specific to characteristics of any individual European incubator, but to European incubators overall. Finally, we aim to expand this study to other entrepreneurship hubs worldwide and we outline a plan of action to enable this expansion.

Effect of CRM＇s Critical Success Factors on Company Performance

In the last years, most of the leader companies have advantages of their CRM （customer relationship management） systems in order to improve their market share. These companies implement CRM systems to get loyal customer portfolio and maintain the sustainability of it. While they are building CRM strategies, they try to catch business excellence results like valuable marketing opportunities, improve customer value and customer satisfaction. CRM gained prominence as a marketing sub-discipline in the 1990s, fueled by publications like The One to One Future and The Loyalty Effect. Some studies were especially powerful in highlighting the gap between the cost of acquiring customers and retaining them. The quest for competitive advantage and profitability triggered a rush to implement CRM programs in enterprises both large and small in all comers of the globe. Different kinds of studies show that there are some key components which play a critical role in gaining success for companies which use CRM applications. At this situation, these key components are named as critical success factors. Purpose of this study is to find out that how these critical success factors affect results which show company performance. On this direction, critical success factors are defined as independent variable and company performance is defined as dependent variable. A supportive model is suggested. In order to verify proposed model, hypotheses are developed and a survey is applied in automotive sales agents in Turkey. The study is completed with survey results.

Analysis on Critical Success Factors for Agile Manufacturing Evaluation in Original Equipment Manufacturing Industry-An AHP Approach

Manufacturing industries are facing challenges in the implementation of agile manufacturing in their products and processes. Agility is widely accepted as a new competitive concept in the manufacturing sector in fulfilling varying customer demand. Thus, evaluation of agile manufacturing in industries has become a necessity. The success of an organisation depends on its ability to manage finding the critical success factors and give them special and continued attention in order to bring about high performance. This paper proposes a set of critical success factors （CSFs） for evaluating agile manufacturing considered appropriate for the manufacturing sector. The analytical hierarchy process （AHP） method is applied for prioritizing the success factors, by summarizing the opinions of experts. It is believed that the proposed CSFs enable and assist manufacturing industries to achieve a higher performance in agile manufacturing so as to increase competitiveness.

Review of constraints and critical success factors of developing urban underground space

The development of urban underground space(UUS)is of great significance for sustainable urban development because it has potential to solve many urban problems.However,the development of UUS is limited because there are still a lot of constraints and challenges.To better understand the constraining factors of developing UUS and improve the development and utilization of UUS,this study conducts a comprehensive survey of existing literature retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database.Five main constraining factors,including the limited geological conditions,high cost,lack of natural light and ventilation,high incidence,and difficulty in collecting data and information on UUS,have been discussed to better understand how they affect the development of UUS.Based on the survey,the critical success factors of developing UUS,such as the effective governance structure,planning system for integrating UUS into urban development,coordination of the design of ground and underground,delineation of land property rights of UUS,and application of information techniques in the use of UUS,have been identified and discussed.In addition,knowledge gaps in the studies on development of UUS have been identified.Finally,the research trends and future directions have been proposed for better understanding and practice of UUS development.

Logistics Factors Affecting Cross-border Ecommerce Implementation

The purpose of this paper is to provide a structured literature review of cross-border e-logistics research,uncover existing gaps and opportunities,try to find practical strategies to balance logistics costs and service levels,and improve logistics efficiency and customer satisfaction for future cross-border e-logistics research.Meanwhile this paper also uses the real data to test the tradeoff between transportation and warehousing cost.In addition,regression empirical analysis is used to make up for the lack of empirical drawbacks of many articles in the field and the result can be instructive and referential for cross-border e-commerce enterprises to make decisions on weighing logistics cost and service level to improve logistics efficiency.

The Technology Selection and Critical Successful Factors in the Information Technology （IT） Growth of Manufacturing Corporations in China

With the rapid development of the information technology （IT） and the more competitive environment of the corporations, IT is not only important for the enterprises tactically but also strategically, We extend the concept of the critical success factors （CSF） and Nolan＇s stages theory to identify the IT issues and measure their CSF of the manufacturers in China. We put forward the IT selection matrix based on Nolan＇s stages theory to analyze the IT application in manufacturers in Beijing based on our survey. We analyze the development of IT, IT selection strategy and the CSF influencing the IT growth of manufacturers in China.

Intelligent Integrated Model for Improving Performance in Power Plants

Industry 4.0 is expected to play a crucial role in improving energy management and personnel performance in power plants.Poor performance problem in maintaining power plants is the result of both human errors,human factors and the poor implementation of automation in energy management.This problem can potentially be solved using artificial intelligence(AI)and an integrated management system(IMS).This article investigates the current challenges to improving personnel and energy management performance in power plants,identifies the critical success factors(CSFs)for an integrated intelligent framework,and develops an intelligent framework that enables power plants to improve performance.The theoretical basis is founded on a systematic literature review to locate 110 out of 3108 papers studied carefully to examine the performance architecture that best enables effective maintenance.The findings from this literature review are combined with expert judgment and the big data advantages of AI applications to develop an intelligent model.Data are collected from a power plant in Iraq.To ensure the reliability of the proposed model,various hypotheses are tested using structural equation modeling.The results confirm that the measurement model is acceptable,and that the hypotheses are supported and significant.A case study demonstrates the strong relationship and significance between big data of performance and the CSFs.It is hoped that this model will be adopted to enable performance improvement in power plants.

An Inquiry into Success Factors for Post-disaster Housing Reconstruction Projects: A Case of Kerala, South India

The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami triggered significant destruction to housing and related infrastructures across various coastal districts of south India.Research shows that tsunami reconstruction projects in Kerala experienced different degrees of success and failure.On this background,this study explored factors that contributed to the successful implementation of tsunami housing projects in Kerala by(1)consolidating various critical success factors(CSFs)for post-disaster reconstruction(PDR)projects under‘‘project management success traits’’through content analysis of existing literature;(2)deriving a conceptual model that envisages project success in PDR contexts;and(3)assessing the impacts of those success traits on tsunami housing projects using confirmatory factor analysis.Necessary data were gathered through a survey of various stakeholders involved in tsunami reconstruction projects in Kerala using structured questionnaires.The research revealed that PDR project success is attributed to critical dimensions of project management such as institutional mechanisms,reconstruction strategies,project implementation,and stakeholder management.A conceptual model with the interplay of project success,success traits,as well as their CSFs identified the project management actions that must be monitored during reconstruction.Since the project management approach is widely recognized for PDR projects,these success traits hold huge potential for effective organization and management of housing reconstruction projects.The study also helped to identify project management traits that need improvements for the successful implementation of post-disaster housing projects in Kerala.Thus the research findings can serve as a foundational study for formulating project management strategies appropriate to PDR projects in Kerala.

Conceptual framework for knowledge-based learning environments

The traditional concept of ”one-size-fits-all” educational and training programmes is no more fully adequate to meet the increasing demand worldwide. E-learning, as an alternative approach to traditional face-to-face education, is creating immense challenges for educational institutions to develop new approaches for the production and delivery of cost effective and efficient e-contents. Although, there have been many developments in web-based programmes, they have not fully attained their potential due to a variety of factors. These include: 1) lack of exchangeability between learning materials, 2) delivery mechanisms incompatible with the pedagogical design, 3) low student interaction and insensitive learning processes, 4) absence of intelligent online programme advice and guidance, 5) inflexibility in meeting diverse needs, and 6) institutionally centred ineffective implementation strategies. This paper addresses the critical elements for successful delivery of e-learning environments and then focuses on proposing a framework for the development of an integrated knowledge-based learning environment which has the potential to producer cost effective and personalised training programmes.

Avoiding Cost Overruns in Construction Projects in India

The main aim of this paper is to identify the major reasons for cost overruns in construction projects in India as well as the critical success factors that are helping to avoid the cost overruns. For this, the existing literature is reviewed and critical success factors are identified. Based on them, survey questions and interview questions are prepared. The findings supported the proposed hypothesis, i.e., lack of certain critical success factors leads to cost overruns in construction projects in India. They also confirmed the proposed proactive and reactive strategies of some researchers. The effective critical success factors include appropriate planning in the initial stages, skills of contractors and architects, good relationship and regular coordination among client and contractor, and early contribution of contractor with the project. The ideal methods that help to reduce cost overruns include efficient planning, proper management of site and supervision of the project, suitable planning and arrangement of project, proper methods for construction, regular meetings on development of the project, and hiring proficient subcontractors and suppliers.

Influence of Farmer Capacity Building in Institutional Linkages on Performance of Smallholder Irrigation Projects in Migori County, Kenya

The smallholder irrigation sector in Kenya is considered inadequately developed. The study views unawareness of critical success factors in the smallholder irrigation sector as contributing to poor performance of smallholder irrigation projects. Consequently, the study investigated influence of farmer capacity building in institutional linkages on performance of smallholder irrigation projects in Migori County, Kenya. The study embraced a pragmatic view of philosophy, and used cross sectional and correlation research design. The target population was 2815, and comprised farmers drawn from fifteen smallholder irrigation projects that receive water from River Kuja through Lower Kuja Project. The sample size was 341. The study used systematic random sampling procedure to draw the sample, and collected data using questionnaire. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study established that farmer capacity building in institutional linkages has a significant influence on performance of smallholder irrigation projects (r = 0.803, R2 = 0.645, F (5, 331) = 120.254 and p < 0.000 < 0.05). Thus, the study recommends that Migori County Government come up with policies that link smallholder irrigation projects in Lower Kuja Project to institutions that provide land ploughing services, certified seeds and fertilisers, control of crop pests and diseases, transportation of farm produce and marketing of farm produce.

A Framework Analysis for Lean Transformation: A Case Study of a Public Utility in Greece

Purpose: Nowadays, the worldwide economic recession has created numerous challenges in the Public Sector of Greece, which in turn affect the sustainability of public enterprises. Overall, there is a high pressure to increase productivity and reduce operating costs. The need to adapt to the new environment is pushing public organizations to implement Lean Management strategies in accordance with Private Sector standards. However, the limited budget, public deficits and debts, bureaucratic culture, political dependence and lack of transparency present several issues. These pose a serious threat to successful implementation of Lean practices in the long-run. Lack of relevant research and dichotomous role of public service organizations make this study very interesting. This research paper is aiming at exploring and highlighting the impact of the most important Critical Success Factors (CSFs) for the effective integration of Lean Management principles in Public Utility organizations in Greece by combining bibliographic research and empirical—with the quantitative method-research through case studies. Research Methodology: The research method combines bibliographic research and empirical—with the quantitative method. Quantitative method was employed on a sufficient sample of public employees from two of the largest public companies of Greece: Public Power Corporation (PPC S.A.) and Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company (EYDAP S.A.) in order to investigate the impact of the most important CSFs on successful Lean Transformation of them. Findings: Quantitative findings from this research illustrated that the most important CSFs that have a positive impact on successful Lean Transformation on Greek public organizations/utilities are: Effective Communication, flexible Organizational Infrastructure, Customer Focus, Linking Lean to Suppliers, Business Plan and Vision, competent Change Management, Top Management Support and Commitment, Training and Education, as well as Selection of Staff. On the contrary, the existence of a bureaucratic Organizational Culture has a negative effect on successful integration of Lean Management. Limitations: Important limitations of this study are the utilization of a convenience sample and the strict focus on Greek public organizations operating in a competitive environment.

Implementation of Six Sigma Projects in Fortune 500 Companies

Six Sigma was introduced as a quality management tool at Motorola in the 1980s. Since then, leading U.S. companies have gained significant financial and non-financial benefits/results from the implementation of Six Sigma projects. Despite Six Sigma popularity, some companies have failed to gain quantifiable net financial benefits/results from Six Sigma implementation. In the process of Six Sigma implementation, vital components are critical factors and key ingredients for the success of Six Sigma projects because if these vital components do not exist, Six Sigma projects have little chance of success. Thus, this paper identifies most influencing and least influencing vital components. The results are generated from a survey conducted in U.S. Fortune 500 companies employing descriptive statistics. Based on the data analysis, ＂leadership commitment to Six Sigma＂ was the most influencing vital component and ＂overall, training on Six Sigma to reduce employee turnover＂ was the least influencing vital component.

Implementing a model for identifying organizational complications for the purpose of increasing productivity in hydropower plant

The present economical conditions on today＇s world require specific point of view and policy making in business agencies. In this competitive world to achieve competence, competitive advantages in order to better governance, organizations have to increase their competitive powers through promotion and productivity. One of the fundamental approaches to elevate the productivity level is finding the complications and obstacles, and arise planning to remove them. In order to understand organizational complication, we have tried to take critical factors of success and continue improvement into consideration to demonstrate a model to find the main and radical problems and complications and recognize the recoverable areas in the business agencies. In order to verify and validate the performed research, he planned model has been accomplished in the Hydropower Plant Department, positive and acceptable results were obtained and organizations total factor productivity improvement was achieved which was appreciated by the organization.

Supplier development and its incentives in infrastructure mega-projects： A case study on Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge project

In this paper the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge project is taken as a case to analyze supplier development in infrastructure mega-projects. Compared with manufacturing industry, the characteristics of supplier development in infrastructure mega-projects is analyzed in term of development motives, supplier selection, quality management, production mode, owner participation and risks. The critical factors influencing the construction supplier development are identified, which include incentives, collaboration, future market, trust and bilateral communication. Furthermore, focusing on the incentives for the supplier's product quality and production capacity improvement, decision-making framework models are proposed to design the incentive mechanisms.

Measuring project performance by applying social network analyses

It is often argued that the core of organizational success is efficient collaboration.Some authors even posit that efficient collaboration is more important to organizational innovation and performance than individual skills or expertise.However,the lack of efficient models to manage collaboration properly is a major constraint for organizations to profit from internal and external collaborative initiatives.Currently,much of the collaboration in organizations occurs through virtual network channels,such as e-mail,Yammer,Jabber,Microsoft Teams,Skype,and Zoom.These are even more important in situations where different time zones and even threats of a pandemic constrain face-to-face human interactions.This work introduces a multidisciplinary heuristic model developed based on project risk management and social network analysis centrality metrics graph-theory to quantitatively measure dynamic organizational collaboration in the project environment.A case study illustrates the proposed model’s implementation and application in a real virtual project organizational context.The major benefit of applying this proposed model is that it enables organizations to quantitatively measure different collaborative,organizational,and dynamic behavioral patterns,which can later correlate with organizational outcomes.The model analyzes three collaborative project dimensions:network collaboration cohesion evolution,network collaboration degree evolution,and network team set variability evolution.This provides organizations an innovative approach to understand and manage possible collaborative project risks that may emerge as projects are delivered.Organizations can use the proposed model to identify projects’critical success factors by comparing successful and unsuccessful delivered projects’dynamic behaviors if a substantial number of both project types are analyzed.The proposed model also enables organizations to make decisions with more information regarding the support for changes in observed collaborative patterns as demonstrated by statistical models in general,and linear regressions in particular.Further,the proposed model provides organizations with a completely bias-free data-collection process that eliminates organizational downtime.Finally,applying the proposed model in organizations will reduce or eliminate the risks associated with virtual collaborative dynamics,leading to the optimized use of resources;this will transform organizations to become more lean-oriented and significantly contribute to economic,social,and environmental global sustainability.