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This paper aims to propose a methodology to assist manufacturing companies in the implementation of condition-based maintenance (CBM) to their equipment. The developed methodology intends to consider the use of sensors already installed on the equipment and, when required, to support the selection of sensors available on the market. Since CBM using sensors is not always feasible, the information gathered for the feasibility study of CBM implementation is also used to assign other maintenance strategies.

Based on the literature review, requirements and specifications were established for endowing the methodology with relevant and distinctive characteristics. The structure of the methodology and the associated steps were defined based on this information. Then, the methodology was validated and refined using a case study.

In the case study company, following the methodology and the respective steps, appropriate maintenance strategies were assigned to a selected manufacturing machine, considering information related to the failure modes with the most significant impact, and CBM was applied to a selected component for which the benefit outweighs the costs involved, using data acquired by sensors subsequently installed on the analyzed machine.

Due to its comprehensiveness, this methodology can contribute to make CBM implementation accessible to a high number of companies and encourage the application of a wide variety of monitoring techniques.

This new methodology can be easily integrated into a computerized maintenance management system and has the advantage of facilitating the collection, organization and standardization of technical knowledge required to support CBM implementation and define the most appropriate maintenance strategy systematically and automatically. It guides the prioritization of equipment and failure modes, and the decision-making regarding the selection of sensors and the allocation of maintenance strategies with the aim of reducing costs.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a methodology to create a localised participatory research agenda (LPRA) for social enterprises (SEs) to bridge the gap between the information needs of stakeholders in SE ecosystems (SEEs) and academics.

The methodology incorporates a literature review, semi-structured key informant interviews and a questionnaire. A participatory approach was used engaging stakeholders of the SE sector in Palestine to elaborate the research agenda.

The proposed LPRA methodology, centred on localised and participatory engagement, has shown effectiveness in bridging the gap between stakeholders and academics in SEs research. Piloted in Palestine, it provided relevant insights and enabled the grassroots identification of policy directions to improve the local SEE. Being tested in the specific context of Palestine, the methodology demonstrates considerable adaptability to different maturity levels of SEEs and varied socio-economic environments. Nonetheless, further research is necessary to refine the LPRA methodology and determine its suitability in diverse SE contexts.

The present methodology offers the advantage of involving local stakeholders, enabling their participation in the construction of knowledge and serving as a possible tool for researchers to fulfil the Third Mission of the university. The methodology could be particularly useful in contexts that have uncommon political, economic or social features and need a tailored approach when building research questions and answers for local stakeholders; in contexts where non-local researchers could use the methodology to mitigate biases stemming from the application of non-local perspectives; and when the research is aimed at the creation of useful knowledge for the development of the ecosystem.

Conventional research agendas are typically developed by academics based on literature reviews. Such agendas, even if valuable for furthering research, often do not have a geographical focus and neglect the needs of diverse stakeholders in the SEE. The LPRA for SEs addresses this gap by providing a methodology able to include local SE stakeholders in building a research agenda tailored to address their specific information needs.

The aim of this study reported in this paper was to explore the application of operational excellence methodologies in a global context.

A qualitative interview approach was used to understand the current state, benefits, challenges, success factors, tools and techniques of operational excellence methodology implementation with relevance to logistics companies worldwide. About 16 interviews were undertaken with practitioners working in leading companies and with leading academics in Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America and Australia.

The findings show that operational excellence methodologies including Lean, Six Sigma, Lean Six Sigma and Agile can apply in logistics firms to improve operations and productivity and save costs. Top management support and involvement play an important role in the success of operational excellence projects in the logistics service.

The findings will be of interest to top and middle managers and logistics practitioners, with a dual aim of improving logistics performance and saving costs.

The present study has been one of the first global study attempts to explore the implementation of operational excellence methodologies in the logistics sectors.

The paper aims to clarify the relationship of various enablers of supply chain (SC) management like lean enablers, agile enablers and leagile enablers. It proposes modeling the enablers to find the most appropriate strategy or methodology for determining the lean enabled SC agility.

The paper proposed the fuzzy SWARA-WASPAS methodology for determining the role of lean in enabling the SC agility. Also in continuation the AHP methodology is applied to find the priority weightage and ranking of leagile enablers, and a comparative analysis is done to select the best approach among the above two methodologies so that it would be beneficial for all the stakeholders.

The paper provides the investigation and identification of 28 lean enablers, 11 agile factors which are highly responsible to affect any SC specially focusing of automobile sector. Apart from above 9 leagile enablers were also identified in the paper. Finally, the comparative analysis has been done in the results obtained by two methodologies – AHP & fuzzy SWARA-WASPAS – to determine the lean enabled SC agility, and also to which strategy should be adopted by the organizations as per the customized requirement of their SC.

The research limitation is that in future, there may be more number of lean, agile and leagile enablers which may be explored by different researchers in their findings, which may vary the output result accordingly. Though the research implications focus on having an advantage and impact on all aspects whether it is social, economic or commercial, there is a possibility of exploration of new and better decision-making tools and approaches in future. Also, the researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further by taking case study of any automobile manufacturing organizations for the validation of the results.

The paper includes implications for the development of a powerful interrelationships between lean enablers, agile enablers and leagile enablers, which will help organization and the managers to take decisions regarding selection of best strategy appropriate to them to enhance their SC. This will also help new researchers of the field to take help of the research findings for exploring new and better optimization tools and techniques in future.

The findings of the research work will definitely help society, as the successful implementation of the lean, agile or leagile strategies in their SC system will leads to an increase in their efficiency and productivity, which will ultimately results in huge advantage to all the stakeholders directly or indirectly connected with the organization. The productivity dynamics cycle will also improve which will lead to more benefits to all in the market and achieving higher living index with better living standards.

This paper fulfills an identified need to study the various enablers of lean, agile and leagile SC, as well as their interrelationships. Also there is a need to understand the importance and effect of lean in enabling the SC agility.

The QS World ranking framework is a globally renowned ranking framework that ranks institutions globally as well as on a regional basis. This research aims to examine an alternative methodology for obtaining world rankings. This ranking is very popular, yet the research presents a case to have a re-look on the methodology used in the ranking.

The QS Ranking framework uses a simple additive weighting (SAW) approach to get a total weighted score for each candidate institution, and these are ranked according to descending order of total weighted score. An illustrative example of QS world ranking 2025 of four institutions is taken, and the results are compared with ranks obtained using the SAW methodology implicitly employed by the QS ranking framework. In our research, a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method, TOPSIS, is employed to rank and compare institutions with the QS ranking.

In the QS World University Ranking 2025, RWTH scores 59.9 with a rank of 99. The University of Copenhagen, Denmark, scores 59.6 with a rank of 100; IIT Bombay scores 56.6 and IIT Delhi 52.1. These ranks are interchanged with subtractive differences in the TOPSIS Score of 0.6350 for Copenhagen University and 0.4617 for RWTH and remain unchanged for IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi.

This paper adopted a small dataset of four universities/institutions to test the alternative methodology that appears intuitively appealing to derive meaningful inferences. However, this paper does not comment on the basic structure of the QS ranking system, giving large weight to academic and employer reputations based on a survey-based approach.

This paper suggested an alternative but well-known MCDM technique (TOPSIS) for ranking world universities rather than the SAW technique implicitly employed by QS.

This paper aims to assess the combined application of Lean Six Sigma and agile approach for optimizing operational processes of order management in the seed industry.

This study is based on an action research case conducted in a multinational Brazilian Seeds Business enterprise. This paper reports on the application of the Lean Six Sigma define-measure-analyze-improve-control (DMAIC), using the steps of DMAIC cycle as a sprint of agile approach. The methodology involves outlining an operational process through sequential activities, each associated with a cycle time, equivalent number of full-time employee and number of orders. Performance metrics for the order management process include continuous monitoring of these activities, using monitoring systems, management software and manual records to collect data.

The findings reveal significant improvements in critical-to-quality measures related to customer care, planning and logistics. The implementation of the DMAIC methodology and agile approach resulted in tangible enhancements in cycle time, defects per opportunities and overall process efficiency. The results allow the classification of defects, the identification of their causes and, consequently, the presentation of a control plan to mitigate these problems. Furthermore, the study identifies key causes of operational issues and proposes a prioritized action plan.

The limitation of this research is its restriction to a single case. The external validity of the results and generalizability to other organizational contexts may be compromised due to the lack of case diversity. The fact that the research focuses on a single company, even if it is a large multinational company, may limit the applicability of the findings to different sectors, sizes and organizational structures, which may be an opportunity for future research.

The findings suggest that the integrated approach of DMAIC and agile methodology contributes to a culture of continuous improvement and operational efficiency. The systematic collection and analysis of data enhance evidence-based decision-making, providing a robust foundation for strategic and operational choices. Moreover, the successful integration of methodologies presents a comprehensive framework applicable to diverse organizational challenges.

The paper applies action research to understand and address operational challenges, emphasizing practical solutions. The integration of DMAIC and agile enhances the depth of process analysis, enabling the identification, implementation and control of improvements. This study offers a significant contribution both to practitioners, providing practical implications, and to academics, enriching the Lean Six Sigma and agile body of knowledge.

The study aims to explore the complexities and challenges of measuring social impact, with a particular emphasis on the practical application of the social return on investment (SROI) methodology. By investigating social enterprises in Georgia, the study seeks to understand how social value is quantified and the implications of such measurements for policy and practice.

This study uses a mixed-methods approach, centered on the SROI methodology, to measure the social impact of 11 social enterprises in the Republic of Georgia. It incorporates qualitative interviews and quantitative financial analysis, engaging stakeholders from enterprises, beneficiaries and local authorities. The methodology adapts SROI to the Georgian context, addressing challenges such as data scarcity and cultural sensitivity.

Findings reveal significant challenges in social impact measurement, including the complexity of quantifying diverse impacts, lack of standardized methodologies and resource constraints. The application of SROI in Georgia demonstrates its flexibility and the critical role of stakeholder engagement, yet underscores the need for context-specific adaptations and rigorous data collection.

The study is limited by its geographic focus on Georgia, which may affect the generalizability of findings. In addition, the reliance on stakeholder-reported data introduces potential biases. These limitations highlight the necessity for broader, cross-cultural studies and methodological advancements in social impact measurement.

The study offers practical insights for organizations implementing SROI, emphasizing the importance of stakeholder engagement, cultural sensitivity and adapting methodologies to local contexts. It suggests strategies for overcoming data limitations and enhancing the credibility of social impact assessments.

The research underscores the transformative potential of social enterprises in addressing societal challenges. By quantifying social impact, organizations can better articulate their contributions to societal well-being, informing policy decisions and fostering a culture that values social over mere economic returns.

This study contributes to the literature on social impact measurement by detailing the application of SROI in a novel context – Georgia. It addresses a significant gap in understanding how social impact can be measured in transitional economies and offers valuable insights into the methodological and practical challenges involved.

Social enterprises (SEs) are increasingly expected to rely on formal methodologies to assess their social impact. These structured methodologies, which produce objective and evidence-based measures of impact, are sometimes opposed to bricolage approaches that “make do” with what is at hand. This paper aims to question this distinction by identifying the conflicting considerations that arise in the process of implementing a formal methodology, which might lead SEs to rely on bricolage mechanisms. The authors propose a model of “formally-driven” bricolage with core principles to navigate between those considerations.

Adopting an inductive approach, the authors draw on the in-depth case study of a work integration SE engaged in a formal social impact assessment (SIA) through collaborative research.

First, the authors identify five types of considerations (feasibility, efficiency, ethics, legitimacy and aim) that come into tension with the primary considerations of formality in formal methodologies, leading SEs to still rely on bricolage mechanisms. Second, the authors identify five principles (multidimensional, participative, cultural, mixed-method and adaptive) that permit navigation between those conflicting considerations. Based on the findings, the authors develop a model of “formally-driven” bricolage.

The contribution is methodological, theoretical and practical. The authors bridge the gap between theory and practice through long-term immersion in an SE. The authors contribute to the understanding of the use of bricolage in SIA by investigating why and how bricolage is still at play in formal assessments. The proposed model of “formally-driven” bricolage can help researchers and practitioners to better grasp the ins and outs of the SIA process.

The purpose of this study is to develop a systematic approach by demonstrating the Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) approach for reliability improvement of moulded case circuit breaker (MCCB) (current rating 250A).

In this study, the Define, Measure, Analyze, Design and Verify (DMADV) methodology of DFSS has been used to improve the reliability of MCCB. Mechanical endurance test (MET), project risk management, customer-based product development (PD), and other tools and techniques are used appropriately in DMADV methodology for improving the reliability of MCCB.

It has been observed that the reliability of MCCB has been improved from 61.76% to 98.17% for 20,000 operating cycles by implementing suggested improvement measures and the Weibull distribution is the most suitable distribution for reliability analysis of collected data.

This study considered only the aspects of DMADV methodology of the DFSS approach and does not cover other PD approaches such as lean and green PD.

This study clearly shows an enhancement in the reliability of MCCB which further leads to an increase in the warranty period. This will attract more customers and enhance business.

The improvement in the reliability of MCCB would significantly reduce fatal accidents ensuring workplace safety in the industry.

The originality of this study is the reliability assessment using degradation analysis in the design phase of the DMADV process to predict failure during design verification.

The 5Whys methodology is a problem-solving technique used across diverse fields to unearth the root causes of issues. Despite its widespread use, challenges persist with adequately using the tool and effectively eliminating the root cause. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of using the 5Whys technique and employees’ proficiency in problem-solving.

The research methodology uses a 91 completed 5Why case studies data set. It involves systematically retrieving 5Whys worksheets and pertinent documents, extracting data and relevant details and meticulously organizing this information within MS Excel. Subsequently, the data undergoes cleaning and transformation to achieve a structured format suitable for analysis. Finally, the data is analyzed and discussed and recommendations are provided.

Despite 96.7% of cases having a clear problem statement, only 57.1% quantified problem impact. Problems varied in complexity, with 53.8% classified as moderate difficulty and 25.3% having multiple root causes. However, 48.4% lacked a proper cause-and-effect sequence and 22.0% failed to identify root causes. Only 39.6% of cases eliminated root causes, with 34.1% featuring a clear problem statement, identifying root causes, implementing corrective and preventive actions and verifying their effectiveness. Employee skills were a concern, with 63.2% categorized as “Novice” and 63% completed only one 5Why problem-solving. Resolutions averaged 5.6 days, indicating the need for streamlined processes and highlighting areas for improvement in organizational capabilities.

The study’s reliance on 91 production cases limits its generalizability to other environments like offices or warehouses. Practically, the findings highlight the need for improved training in the 5Whys technique, standardized root cause validation and integrating preventive actions with corrective measures. Expanding the 5Whys beyond production and complementing it with tools like fishbone diagrams can further enhance problem-solving capabilities.

This study examines the effectiveness of the 5Whys methodology and employee problem-solving skills, using a data set of 91 cases to provide new insights for enhancing problem-solving processes.