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Contemporary literature reveals that, to date, the poultry livestock sector has not received sufficient research attention. This particular industry suffers from unstructured supply chain practices, lack of awareness of the implications of the sustainability concept and failure to recycle poultry wastes. The current research thus attempts to develop an integrated supply chain model in the context of poultry industry in Bangladesh. The study considers both sustainability and supply chain issues in order to incorporate them in the poultry supply chain. By placing the forward and reverse supply chains in a single framework, existing problems can be resolved to gain economic, social and environmental benefits, which will be more sustainable than the present practices.

The theoretical underpinning of this research is ‘sustainability’ and the ‘supply chain processes’ in order to examine possible improvements in the poultry production process along with waste management. The research adopts the positivist paradigm and ‘design science’ methods with the support of system dynamics (SD) and the case study methods. Initially, a mental model is developed followed by the causal loop diagram based on in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and observation techniques. The causal model helps to understand the linkages between the associated variables for each issue. Finally, the causal loop diagram is transformed into a stock and flow (quantitative) model, which is a prerequisite for SD-based simulation modelling. A decision support system (DSS) is then developed to analyse the complex decision-making process along the supply chains.

The findings reveal that integration of the supply chain can bring economic, social and environmental sustainability along with a structured production process. It is also observed that the poultry industry can apply the model outcomes in the real-life practices with minor adjustments. This present research has both theoretical and practical implications. The proposed model’s unique characteristics in mitigating the existing problems are supported by the sustainability and supply chain theories. As for practical implications, the poultry industry in Bangladesh can follow the proposed supply chain structure (as par the research model) and test various policies via simulation prior to its application. Positive outcomes of the simulation study may provide enough confidence to implement the desired changes within the industry and their supply chain networks.

Several inferential procedures are advocated in the literature. The most commonly used techniques are the frequentist and the Bayesian inferential procedures. Bayesian methods afford inferences based on small data sets and are especially useful in studies with limited data availability. Bayesian approaches also help incorporate prior knowledge, especially subjective knowledge, into predictions. Considering the increasing difficulty in data acquisition, the application of Bayesian techniques can be hugely beneficial to managers, especially in analysing limited data situations like a study of expert opinion. Another factor constraining the broader application of Bayesian statistics in business was computational power requirements and the availability of appropriate analytical tools. However, with the increase in computational power, connectivity and the development of appropriate software programmes, Bayesian applications have become more attractive. This chapter attempts to unravel the applications of the Bayesian inferential procedure in marketing management.

THE following list of contracts placed by the Air Ministry during March is extracted from the April issue of The Ministry of Labour Gazette:—

Aero-engine components endure combined high and low cycle fatigue (CCF) loading during service, which has attracted more research attention in recent years. This study aims to construct a new framework for the prediction of probabilistic fatigue life and reliability evaluation of an aero-engine turbine shaft under CCF loading if considering the material uncertainty.

To study the CCF failure of the aero-engine turbine shaft, a CCF test is carried out. An improved damage accumulation model is first introduced to predict the CCF life and present high prediction accuracy in the CCF loading situation based on the test. Then, the probabilistic fatigue life of the turbine shaft is predicted based on the finite element analysis and Monte Carlo analysis, where the material uncertainty is taken into account. At last, the reliability evaluation of the turbine shaft is conducted by stress-strength interference models based on an improved damage accumulation model.

The results indicate that predictions agree well with the tested data. The improved damage accumulation model can accurately predict the CCF life because of interaction damage between low cycle fatigue loading and high cycle fatigue loading. As a result, a framework is available for accurate probabilistic fatigue life prediction and reliability evaluation.

The proposed framework and the presented testing in this study show high efficiency on probabilistic CCF fatigue life prediction and can provide technical support for fatigue optimization of the turbine shaft.

The novelty of this work is that CCF loading and material uncertainty are considered in probabilistic fatigue life prediction.

This chapter explores social enterprises as an alternative and addition to traditional entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs). It reviews the substantial social enterprise literature in order to identify the myriad of competing tensions constraining development and success of social EEs in areas of significant poverty and economic deprivation. Following this, the findings of several contemporary and novel studies are discussed. These collectively evidence ways social enterprises are overcoming the seemingly immutable constraints they operate under. In particular, the Social Enterprise Places initiative has been highly effective in supporting the development of flourishing social EEs in many locations in the UK. However, the growth of social enterprises, both in number and economic importance, presents further challenges that social enterprise owners and managers will have to contend with. Consequently, these organisations and their allied ecosystems require continued structural, financial and skills support.

A brief review of the conditions to which a crankcase oil is subjected during engine operation is given prior to a consideration of the relevance of the current SAE J300 viscosity classification to the needs of today's engines. Regarding the high‐temperature part, it is concluded that the current classification based on the low‐shear‐rate kinematic viscosity at 100°C provides a useful guide to oil consumption and a convenient means of evaluating used oils; it is, however, unsatisfactory as a guide to the fuel consumption and journal‐bearing performance of polymer‐containing oils. Whilst modification of J300 to include high‐shear‐rate viscosity limits could provide a classification relevant to the fuel consumption of such oils, knowledge of the complicated effects of both elasticity and viscosity on load‐bearing capacity, although increasing, is currently incomplete and it will be some years yet before J300 could be usefully modified to provide a guide to the rheological performance of oils in automotive journal bearings.

FROM the conventional wartime under‐carriage consisting of a straight through axle suspended on bracing struts by shock absorber cord has developed the complex modern undercarriage which is required to absorb the energy of descent, provide smooth taxying and the braking effort, and disappear when not in use. These requirements have brought in their trail a collection of hydraulic, pneumatic and electrical auxiliaries and a comprehensive treatment of the subject would assume some magnitude. This paper therefore summarises existing practice to some extent, and presents some notes on various design aspects which, it is hoped, will prove informative.

THE method given in “The Stressing of Rigid‐Jointed Frames” published in the Journal of the Royal Aeronautical Society for June, 1936, may be applied to the case of frames embodying initially curved members, as for example, monocoque rings.

In this chapter, we aim to investigate the emotional and performance consequences of negative feedback in the workplace and provide an explanation for the varying reactions exhibited by employees.

We adopt a theoretical approach to develop propositions that elucidate the impact of negative feedback on task performance, with a specific focus on the mediating role of emotion regulation. By considering individual differences in task versus relational orientation, we aim to shed light on how these differences influence individuals' responses to negative feedback.

We propose that individuals with a task orientation are more inclined to engage in emotion regulation strategies following negative feedback, leading to improvements in subsequent task performance. Conversely, individuals with a relational orientation tend to internalize negative feedback, impeding their ability to regulate negative emotions and, consequently, hindering task performance enhancement.

Our research contributes to the existing literature by examining the emotional and performance consequences of negative feedback in the workplace. By emphasizing the significance of emotion regulation and individual differences, we provide valuable insights that can inform the management of feedback processes within organizations.

Inspired by a food bank distribution operation, this paper aims to study synchronized vehicle routing for equitable and effective food allocation. The primary goal is to improve operational efficiency while ensuring equitable and effective food distribution among the partner agencies.

This study introduces a multiobjective Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) model aimed at addressing the complex challenge of effectively distributing food, particularly for food banks serving vulnerable populations in low-income urban and rural areas. The optimization approach described in this paper places a significant emphasis on social and economic considerations by fairly allocating food to food bank partner agencies while minimizing routing distance and waste. To assess the performance of the approach, this paper evaluates three distinct models, focusing on key performance measures such as effectiveness, equity and efficiency. The paper conducts a comprehensive numerical analysis using randomly generated data to gain insights into the trade-offs that arise and provide valuable managerial insights for food bank managers.

The results of the analysis highlight the models that perform better in terms of equity and effectiveness. Additionally, the results show that restocking the vehicles through the concept of synchronization improves the overall quantity of food allocation to partner agencies, thereby increasing accessibility.

This paper contributes significantly to the literature on optimization approaches in the field of humanitarian logistics.

This study provides food bank managers with three different models, each with a multifaceted nature of trade-offs, to better address the complex challenges of food insecurity.

This paper contributes significantly to social responsibility by enhancing the operational efficiency of food banks, ultimately improving their ability to serve communities in need.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to propose and analyze this new variant of vehicle routing problems in nonprofit settings.