Optimal scheduling of job is a very crucial decision for a manager to make.
The first paper, “Minimization of Makespan and Total Tardiness in a Flow
Shop Scheduling Using Artificial Neural Network”, by Ashwani Kumar Dhingra, Naveen Kumar and Sunita Dhingra, discusses a flow shop scheduling problem. The objective of the paper is to minimize the makespan and total tardiness in the flow shop. The authors use Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and NEH heuristic to solve the problem. Finally, the authors find 93% accurate results using Baygon regression training algorithm.
The second paper, “Investigating the Technical and Scale Efficiencies of Indian Textile Industry: A Target Setting-Based Analysis Through DEA”, by Jatin Goyal, Harpreet Kaur and Arun Aggarwal, tries to measure the overall technical, pure technical and scale efficiencies in the Indian textile industry and provides target setting analysis for the same using cross-sectional data of 101 companies for the year 2014-15. The results of the study show that the level of Overall Technical Inefficiency (OTIE) in Indian textile industry is to the tune of about 16.44%, and out of this 11.79% points are principally attributed to managerial inefficiency rather than inappropriate choice of the scale size. The authors recommend elimination of managerial inefficiencies in the process of resource utilization and correcting the scale of operations through concerted efforts of technology infusion.
In the third paper, “Some Aspects of the Barrier Probability in a Classical Risk Model”, the authors, Palash Ranjan Das and Tripti Chakrabarti, consider a classical risk model with dividend barrier, in which claim inter-occurrence times are exponentially distributed with an aim to obtain explicit expression for the barrier probability. The authors assume that claim amount distribution follows either exponential or erlangian distribution. Finally, it is found that there is no significant difference in the values of barrier probability for two specified claim amount distributions.
The objective of the last paper, “Ranking of JIT Attributes for Indian Manufacturing Industries Using TOPSIS Technique”, by Amit Gupta, is to evaluate and rank Just-in-Time (JIT) attributes for Indian manufacturing industries. The author uses TOPSIS to solve the problem. Quick response is found to be the most important attribute, followed by productivity, lead-time reduction, product variety, employee commitment, and cost reduction.
Automated Teller Machines (ATMs): The Changing Face of Banking in India
Bank Management
Information and communication technology has changed the way in which banks provide services to its customers. These days the customers are able to perform their routine banking transactions without even entering the bank premises. ATM is one such development in recent years, which provides remote banking services all over the world, including India. This paper analyzes the development of this self-service banking in India based on the secondary data.
The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is playing a very important role in the progress and advancement in almost all walks of life. The deregulated environment has provided an opportunity to restructure the means and methods of delivery of services in many areas, including the banking sector. The ICT has been a focused issue in the past two decades in Indian banking. In fact, ICTs are enabling the banks to change the way in which they are functioning. Improved customer service has become very important for the very survival and growth of banking sector in the reforms era. The technological advancements, deregulations, and intense competition due to the entry of private sector and foreign banks have altered the face of banking from one of mere intermediation to one of provider of quick, efficient and customer-friendly services. With the introduction and adoption of ICT in the banking sector, the customers are fast moving away from the traditional branch banking system to the convenient and comfort of virtual banking. The most important virtual banking services are phone banking, mobile banking, Internet banking and ATM banking. These electronic channels have enhanced the delivery of banking services accurately and efficiently to the customers. The ATMs are an important part of a bank’s alternative channel to reach the customers, to showcase products and services and to create brand awareness. This is reflected in the increase in the number of ATMs all over the world. ATM is one of the most widely used remote banking services all over the world, including India. This paper analyzes the growth of ATMs of different bank groups in India.
International Scenario
If ATMs are largely available over geographically dispersed areas, the benefit from using an ATM will increase as customers will be able to access their bank accounts from any geographic location. This would imply that the value of an ATM network increases with the number of available ATM locations, and the value of a bank network to a customer will be determined in part by the final network size of the banking system. The statistical information on the growth of branches and ATM network in select countries.
Indian Scenario
The financial services industry in India has witnessed a phenomenal growth, diversification and specialization since the initiation of financial sector reforms in 1991. Greater customer orientation is the only way to retain customer loyalty and withstand competition in the liberalized world. In a market-driven strategy of development, customer preference is of paramount importance in any economy. Gone are the days when customers used to come to the doorsteps of banks. Now the banks are required to chase the customers; only those banks which are customercentric and extremely focused on the needs of their clients can succeed in their business today.
