This issue consists of four papers dealing with various topics ranging from operational efficiency and green supply chain to linear goal programming. Finding optimum product-mix for production systems is an important activity in business. Literature reveals failure of the traditional ‘Theory of Constraints’ heuristic in determining product-mix when multiple constrained resources exist. In the first paper, “A Mixed Integer Linear Goal Programming Model for Optimizing Multiple Constrained Resources Product-Mix Problem Under the Theory of Constraints”, the author, Matai Rajesh, develops a Mixed Integer Linear Goal Programming (MILGP) model to deal with product-mix problem when multiple constrained resources exist. The proposed MILGP model emphasizes utilization of all bottlenecks as primary goal and maximization of throughput as secondary goal. The proposed model may be used advantageously to find what extra capacity is required for each bottleneck in the process.

In the second paper, “Does Size Influence the Operational Efficiency of the Major Ports of India? – A Study”, the authors, T Rajasekar and Malabika Deo, attempt to measure the operational efficiency of major Indian ports during the period 1993-2011 by employing Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) models. About 44.13% of the ports were found exhibiting increasing returns to scale, which indicates that these ports need to increase their scale of operations via expansion or internal growth and by building alliances. However, it was inferred from the research that inefficiency lies with ports irrespective of the size. Hence, the general notion that size contributes to the operational advantage is negated and it is seen that efficiency of ports does not depend on size.

In the third paper, “Implementation of Total Productive Maintenance in Manufacturing Industries: A Literature-Based Metadata Analysis”, the authors, Abhijeet K Digalwar and Padma V Nayagam, attempt to understand the usage of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) tools and the extent of TPM implementation, tested under various scenarios in manufacturing industry. A detailed analysis of 42 cases of implementation of TPM using the tools from literature is done in this study. Metadata analysis is carried out to analyze the frequency, pattern, and importance of certain tools on all the 42 cases in a holistic way. The results of the metadata analysis carried out on various fronts provide an increased understanding of how to better implement TPM in the manufacturing industry and provide managers with improved guidelines for identifying the most important tools that will lead to TPM success.

In the last paper, “Drivers Affecting the Green Supply Chain Management Adaptation: A Review”, the authors, V K Jain and Shivani Sharma, review the literature on Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) and list the most effective drivers on the basis of the available literature. They identify 14 drivers of GSCM among which regulations, customer pressure and competition are the key drivers, while social responsibility, business benefits and organizational factors are of intermediate importance.

-- Anupam Ghosh
Consulting Editor