Analyzing the Product Substitution Approach in a Two-Stage Supply Chain

--Srikanta Routroy and C V Sunil Kumar

Product substitution refers to the use of product configuration Y to satisfy the demand for product configuration X when there is a stock-out for product configuration X in a multi-product configuration environment. Both product configuration X and Y are from the same product family where product configuration Y is higher in comparison to X. In this paper, a simulation model is developed for a two-stage supply chain for a multi-product configuration environment to study the impact of product substitution on supply chain performance along different dimensions and to determine the suitability of product substitution approach in a specific supply chain environment. Regression analysis is also carried out to establish the relationship between output parameters (i.e., total profit and product fill rate) and various input parameters.

© 2013 IUP. All Rights Reserved.

Critical Success Factors for e-Gov Project: A Unified Model

-- Prabir Panda and G P Sahu

Research indicates that any e-governance project has 70% chances of failure. This is equally applicable to India, and proof of this could be seen in the limited success of e-Procurement (a Government-to-Business type e-government project) implementations in India. In fact, while National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) was launched in 2006 to promote e-government, the country has not made much progress since then. Various Government Orders on compulsory changeover to e-procurement w.e.f. 2007 (for purchases above a specified threshold) are yet to be implemented. Since procurement efficiency has a profound impact on the optimal utilization of public funds in a transparent manner, the e-procurement has been the subject of constant interest to researchers. Therefore, e-procurement system and Critical Success Factors (CSFs) associated with its success is a well-researched area. However, a detailed literature review by the authors reveals that studies on the subject do not provide a synthesized framework for identification and testing of CSFs in a particular cultural/ environmental context. In this paper, we aim to suggest a unified framework for identification of CSFs of any e-gov project, their empirical evaluation in various e-gov project stages, and subsequent classification into various project dimensions.

© 2013 IUP. All Rights Reserved.

Development of Supply Chain Tools Using Genetic Algorithm and Comparison with Particle Swarm Optimization and Simulated Annealing Optimization Algorithms

--S Shakeel Ahamed, G Rangajanardhana and E L Nagesh

Inventories, facilities and transportation are considered to be the important tools of supply chain management. The efficiency of any manufacturing unit can be increased if the above elements are under proper control. In today’s scenario one of the significant fields in supply chain management is inventory management. To effectively manage inventory levels, it is essential to consider the appropriate reorder points as well as the optimized ordering quantity at that reorder point for the inventory items. In this paper, the optimized ordering quantity and reorder points are obtained with the aid of a proposed genetic algorithm. This proposed system considers the raw material-wise holding cost and shortage cost to find the minimized total cost. The ordering quantity and reorder points that minimize the cost function are found by using the demand rate as well as the associated solution demand matrix. Further, the robustness of the proposed technique is compared to that of the other familiar optimization algorithms such as particle swarm optimization and simulated annealing optimization techniques. The results prove that the proposed methodology is more efficient as compared to other optimization techniques.

© 2013 IUP. All Rights Reserved.

Empowering Quality Management Systems Through Supply Chain Management Integration: A Survey of Select Hospitals in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula

-- S K Chadha and Gagandeep

The rapidly developing economy of India has led the product lifecycle to become shorter and allocation of task to become more precise. Due to changing times and upcoming industrial forces, the manufacturing sector has already taken the backseat, giving enough space to service sector. In order to meet the future challenges to empower quality management systems, the role of supply chain management integration comes into play. The main objective of the study is to identify whether supply chain management integration empowers quality management systems or not in the selected hospitals of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula. The study also attempts to unblock the factors having a major impact on overall integration and overall quality management systems in the sample under study. Data collected through a structured questionnaire on 5-point Likert scale is analyzed with the help of various statistical techniques like reliability analysis, factor analysis, and regression analysis. The results indicate that supply chain management integration catalyzes the quality management system in healthcare sector. With the help of these findings, the hospitals can reframe their strategies related to supply chain management to identify areas in which they can improve the quality of service for efficient patient care.

© 2013 IUP. All Rights Reserved.

Evaluation of Vendor Managed Inventory Elements in Manufacturing Sector Using ANOVA Technique

-- Viyat Varun Upadhyay, P C Tewari and Amit Gupta

Today the market is moving toward multiformity, and it requires a variety in products, which in turn generates variation in demand that gives rise to many managerial problems such as planning, forecasting, production, inventory management, and timely distribution. To minimize the level of risk due to variation in demand, from raw materials to final customers, the whole process should undergo innovative and revolutionary changes. Organizations must emphasize on gaining competitive advantage by managing their supply chains in the most effective manner. Inventory performance directly connects to the success of supply chain management. This study attempts to find various Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) elements which are important to both the customer and the manufacturer (vendor) in the Indian context. This paper presents the relative importance and difficulties in the implementation of VMI elements in the manufacturing sector and the results are subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The study also identifies the VMI elements which are most important and easy to implement in the manufacturing industries.

© 2013 IUP. All Rights Reserved.