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The aim of the study is to emphasize the importance of organizational learning capacity (OLC) and to measure its influence on organizational effectiveness (OE) in metalworking manufacturing.

The research plan has been stated as; looking for the survey questions in the literature, reaching the participants, informing them about the survey, gathering the data, and measuring and analyzing the data. The survey instrument has been applied on metal industry employees in Turkey. The valid responses have reached to 578. We analyzed the data by SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) version 11.5.

There are significant correlations (at the 0.000 level) between OE and all OLC dimensions (systems orientation, organizational climate for learning orientation, knowledge acquisition and utilization orientation, and information sharing and dissemination orientation). The total explained variance of OE (depending on OLC) has been calculated as 65 percent.

We have calculated the OE value in terms of employee satisfaction, customer orientation and financial and growth performance, whereas there may be other factors to be considered for the related value.

The organizations should consider knowledge‐intensive activities more precisely when constructing their strategic maps.

This study helps to fulfill the gap between the OE and OLC from a managerial point of view in metalworking manufacturing. The main audiences are global businesses as well as academic researchers.

This paper aims to present a multi-response robust design (RD) optimization approach for U-shaped assembly cells (ACs) with multi-functional walking-workers by using operational design (OD) factors in a simulation setting. The proposed methodology incorporated the design factors related to the operation of ACs into an RD framework. Utilization of OD factors provided a practical design approach for ACs addressing system robustness without modifying the cell structure.

Taguchi’s design philosophy and response surface meta-models have been combined for robust simulation optimization (SO). Multiple performance measures have been considered for the study and concurrently optimized by using a multi-response optimization (MRO) approach. Simulation setting provided flexibility in experimental design selection and facilitated experiments by avoiding cost and time constraints in real-world experiments.

The present approach is illustrated through RD of an AC for performance measures: average throughput time, average WIP inventory and cycle time. Findings are in line with expectations that a significant reduction in performance variability is attainable by trading-off optimality for robustness. Reductions in expected performance (optimality) values are negligible in comparison to reductions in performance variability (robustness).

ACs designed for robustness are more likely to meet design objectives once they are implemented, preventing changes or roll-backs. Successful implementations serve as examples to shop-floor personnel alleviating issues such as operator/supervisor resistance and scepticism, encouraging participation and facilitating teamwork.

ACs include many activities related to cell operation which can be used for performance optimization. The proposed framework is a realistic design approach using OD factors and considering system stochasticity in terms of noise factors for RD optimization through simulation. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first time a multi-response RD optimization approach for U-shaped manual ACs with multi-functional walking-workers using factors related to AC operation is proposed.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of complementary and alternative medical applications (CAM) and non-drug treatments of women during their pregnancies, postpartum periods and the changes between these periods. The Screening Form for Non-pharmacologic Methods Used during Pregnancy and Postpartum period was administered to the participants. Passiflora (Incarnata), Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort), omega 3 supplements, bright light treatment, transmagnetic stimulation, S-adenosyl-methionine, herbal teas, biofeedback/neurofeedback, amulets, exercise, acupuncture and psychotherapy were investigated. The ratio of the use of one of the CAM methods for psychiatric complaints during people's lifetime was found to be 33.3% (n=162). Herbal teas were the main practice used during pregnancy (58.8%) and the postpartum. The use of CAM according to the utilization periods of the participants statistically significantly decreased in those who were currently pregnant (Cochran's Q=298.007; P<0.05). The use of participants' non-drug treatments in the periodical follow-up decreased in those who are currently pregnant and increased during the postpartum period.

The use of information and communication technologies has become widespread in the field of health as well as in all fields. While the intensive use of these technologies increases the productivity of the employees, on the other hand, it may cause negative effects on the employee such as stress, anxiety, anger, burnout, and addiction. In scientific studies, the use of technology is commonly related with saving time, labor, financial resources, effective, efficient, and quality service; however, there are limited studies focusing on the technostress factors in the health field brought by technological transfer and digital transition. These technostress factors are techno-overload, techno-invasion, techno-confusion, techno-insecurity, and techno-uncertainty. In this study, it is emphasized that technostress causes important mental problems such as productivity and burnout, especially for female health employees. This chapter aims to discuss the role of technostress and its factor, theoretically, in the healthcare field in perspective of digital transition.

Rabbit chase (RC) is used as one of the most effective techniques in manufacturing systems, as such systems have high level of adaptability and increased productivity in addition to providing uniform workload balancing and skill improving environment. In assembly systems, RC inspires the development of walking worker assembly line (WWAL). On the other hand, U-type assembly lines (UALs) may provide higher worker utilization, lower space requirement and more convenient internal logistics when compared to straight assembly lines. In this context, this study aims to improve assembly line performance by generating RC cycles on WWAL with respect to task assignment characteristics of UAL within reasonable walking distance and space requirement. Therefore, a novel line configuration, namely, segmented rabbit chase-oriented U-type assembly line (SRCUAL), emerges.

The mathematical programming approach treats SRCUAL balancing problem in a hierarchical manner to decrease computational burden. Firstly, segments are generated via the first linear programming model in the solution approach for balancing SRCUALs to minimize total number of workers. Then, stations are determined within each segment for forward and backward sections separately using two different pre-emptive goal programming models. Moreover, three heuristics are developed to provide solution quality with computational efficiency.

The proposed mathematical programming approach is applied to the light-emitting diode (LED) luminaire assembly section of a manufacturing company. The adaptation of SRCUAL decreased the number of workers by 15.4% and the space requirement by 17.7% for LED luminaire assembly system when compared to UAL. Moreover, satisfactory results for the proposed heuristics were obtained in terms of deviation from lower bound, especially for SRCUAL heuristics I and II. Moreover, the results indicate that the integration of RC not only decreased the number of workers in 40.28% (29 instances) of test problems in U-lines, but also yielded less number of buffer points (48.48%) with lower workload deviation (75%) among workers in terms of coefficient of variation.

This study provides convenience for capacity management (assessing capacity and adjusting capacity by changing the number of workers) for industrial SRCUAL applications. Meanwhile, SRCUAL applications give the opportunity to increase the capacity for a product or transfer the saved capacity to the assembly of other products. As it is possible to provide one-piece flow with equal workloads via walking workers, SRCUAL has the potential for quick realization of defects and better lead time performance.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, forward–backward task assignments in U-type lines have not been adapted to WWALs. Moreover, as workers travel overall the line in WWALs, walking time increases drastically. Addressing this research gap and limitation, the main innovative aspect of this study can be considered as the proposal of a new line design (i.e. SRCUAL) which is sourced from the hybridization of UALs and WWAL as well as the segmentation of the line with RC cycles. The superiority of SRCUAL over WWAL and UAL was also discussed. Moreover, operating systematic for SRCUAL was devised. As for methodical aspect, this study is the first attempt to solve the balancing problem for SRCUAL design.

Introduction: Financial failure is a concept that may arise from many internal and external factors such as operational, financial, and economic items and may incur serious losses. Over-indebtedness arising from managerial misjudgments may cause high financial distress, insufficiency, and bankruptcy. In this regard, determination of effects of capital structure decisions on financial failure risk is crucial.

Aim: The main purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between capital structure decisions and financial failure risk. For this purpose, data from Borsa İstanbul (BIST) for listed food and beverage companies for the period from 2004 to 2019 is used. Another purpose of this study is to compare the financial failure models considering capital structure theories.

Method: In the study, capital structure decisions are associated with five different financial ratios; while the financial failure risk is proxied by financial failure scores of Altman (1968), Springate (1978), Ohlson (1980), Taffler (1983), and Zmijewski (1984). Therefore, five different panel data models are used for testing these hypotheses.

Findings: The results of panel data analysis reveal that capital structure decisions have statistically significant effects on financial failure risk for all models; however, those effects vary from one financial failure model to another. Also, the results show that in the models in which financial failure risk is proxied by the Altman (1968) and Taffler (1983) scores, the aggressive financial policies increase the financial failure risk. However, regarding the models in which financial failure risk is proxied by the Springate (1978), Ohlson (1980), and Zmijewski (1984) scores, aggressive financial policies decrease the financial failure risk.

Originality of the Study: To the best of our knowledge, this chapter is original and important in terms of revealing the effects of capital structure decisions on the financial failure risk and comparing the financial failure models.

Implications: The results revealed that the risk of financial failure models represented by Altman (1968) and Taffler (1983) scores are found to be statistically stronger and more successful in meeting theoretical expectations compared to other models. Therefore, it would be more appropriate to refer Altman’s (1968) and Taffler’s (1983) financial failure models in financial failure risk measurements.

Industry 4.0 and the new technological transformation process it represents pose major challenges for the world today. Now, a new period has been entered, which will affect every point of daily life, from production to trade, and from health to entertainment. In terms of its scope and complexity, this period is unlike any that humanity has experienced before. The concept of Industry 4.0 is an external reflection of the innovations and applications made and to be made not only in today but also in the production methods of the future. Because this change and development occurs as a result of a certain accumulation and continues to occur continuously, it is evident that strategy is of great importance in today’s constantly changing and developing world. It is of great importance for leaders to develop strategies for evaluating the opportunity areas emerging by anticipating change in the Industry 4.0 process and to carry organizations and society into the future. Strategic leaders can do this effectively. At this point, strategic leadership is an important issue. Based on this idea, in this study, the strategic leadership issue from Industry 4.0 perspective will be examined in a theoretical context.