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The purpose of this study is to discover the elements that affect the new technology utilization by auto parts’ micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in northern India.

Based on the literature and professional reviews, 75 critical factors were identified on the basis of that affecting technology utilization in the auto parts-manufacturing MSMEs in Punjab. A survey was conducted in 113 auto parts industries (MSMEs) in Punjab. Descriptive statistics and factors analysis (principle component analysis) in SPSS software was used to examine the data.

After the analysis, 56 prominent factors were presented those are affecting the technology utilization in auto parts industry. After the study, 23 factors were identified, which explains the variance of 74.99 per cent of the total data. Most important factors for new technology utilization in MSMEs in Punjab are proper understanding of current operation and availability of professional consultant, problems with the compatibility of equipment and fear of layoffs, and the least important factors are volume flexibility and maintenance expenses.

These results deliver valuable perceptions into the awareness of by what means technology utilization has taken place in MSMEs.

The present work delivers beneficial strategies to MSMEs facing ups and downs because of their industry atmosphere.

This research adds to the literature on technology utilization and aids MSMEs in improving themselves for the excursion ahead.

This study has been carried out in dairy product manufacturing industry of Northern India to judge the significance of supply chain strategies viz. cost reduction and optimization strategies toward performance improvement and mediator effect of strength and opportunity between strategies and performance parameters.

Questionnaire survey has been performed to justify their role toward performance improvement. Structural equation modeling, descriptive statistics, hierarchical regression and clusters and partial least square-structural equation modeling has been applied for ascertain the benefits occurred.

Results indicated that strength (success factors of strength identified from literature) is the significant mediator than opportunity (success factors) for enhancing performance of organization. Small incremental improvements and 5S activities are highly important cost reduction strategies for enhancing performance of supply chain strategies. Supply chain strategies significantly improve the quality of milk in the industry under study. The customer has got high-quality product after implementing supply chain strategies. Right-time delivery of product is only possible if failure modes are analyzed thoroughly. Reliability of performance parameters is 88% which signifies that high benefits are achieved by implementing cost reduction and cost optimization strategies of supply chain concept. Processing of milk is significantly improved after taking combined effect of processing and delivery of product.

This paper helps both academics and managers to gain a better understanding of this question by considering the role of supply chain strategies implementation practically through a standard procedure.

The purpose of this paper is to cover the significance of lean thinking using value stream mapping and six sigma methodology in managing industrial operations.

Lean manufacturing is an efficient approach for identifying and eliminating waste through a continuous improvement via flow of the product/service at the pull of customer in chase of exactness. This study has been carried out in a manufacturing unit of Northern India that was suffering from high production lead time and work in progress (WIP) inventory.

The current state and future state maps for the critical product have been prepared. On comparison of both current and future state maps, it was observed that lead time has been reduced by 14.88 percent, processing time by 14.71 percent and wastage of material movement by 37.97 percent. As proposed in model, the WIP inventories have been reduced by 17.76 percent and workforce by 17.64 percent. Further it would lead to the profit of Rs161,800 per annum. Six sigma projects have been carried out to reduce rejections of the critical product P-19 under study. The total length of the product was undersize of the critical product. Root cause analysis technique has been used through strategic DMAIC implementation. Results of investigation demonstrated net savings of rupees 145,560 annually.

The paper demonstrates the practical application of lean thinking, showing how it can bring real breakthroughs in saving cost in the manufacturing industry.

The purpose of this paper is to uncover the significance of SMED in manufacturing environments.

The paper gives setup instructions and guidelines to prepare the standardized setup procedure without ignoring actual constraints in production environment. It uses a case study in a small-scale manufacturing unit of northern India to generate an integrated setup reduction approach, utilizing Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED)-based industrial engineering tools to achieve faster setups. It describes the feasibility of quick changeovers in small enterprises based on an “SMED” approach. Finally, the paper carries out empirical analysis of the financial/non-financial benefits incurred from setup reductions.

Setup activities are a vital part of the production lead time of any product and so affect overall product cost. Industrial engineering techniques have been used to analyze the existing procedure of setups. A SMED approach can help eliminate unwanted activities, externalize the internal activities, if possible, and reduce them by simplification or standardization.

The paper demonstrates the practical application of SMED showing how it can bring real breakthroughs in reducing setup time in small-scale manufacturing.

The purpose of this paper is to uncover the significance of lean manufacturing technique in manufacturing environments.

Lean manufacturing is a management approach focused on incremental improvements in operations. Different lean strategies are being utilized by manufacturing industry to improve the performance of current manufacturing system processes. This study attempts to evaluate the performance of different lean manufacturing tools in the manufacturing industry of northern India. The importance level of different lean tools, important benefits achieved after successful implementation of lean manufacturing approach and benefits occurred after implementation of different lean tools have been identified. A questionnaire survey in the case company has been performed and the most important element of lean manufacturing has been implemented.

Results explicitly depict that just-in-time manufacturing is the most important element of lean manufacturing. Results indicate the net savings of rupees 242,208 annually after implementing lean manufacturing technique in a case company.

The paper demonstrates the practical application of lean technique showing how it can bring real breakthroughs in saving cost in the manufacturing industry.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the contributions of successful continuous improvement (CI) strategic implementation to competitive manufacturing. It also seeks to critically examine the level of importance of CI strategy implementation in Indian manufacturing organizations.

A reasonably large number of manufacturing organizations with successful experience of CI approach have been surveyed to assess the contributions of CI strategies and approach towards accruing useful benefits. The study involves working out the correlations between various CI strategies and manufacturing performance parameters to ascertain the contributions of significant strategies towards realization of manufacturing performance improvement.

The results of investigation demonstrated that CI strategies and approach significantly aimed at improving the quality of product manufactured by small- and medium-scale manufacturing enterprises. Supportive tools have negative impact on manufacturing performance parameters. Total productive maintenance strategies have highly significant impact on manufacturing performance improvement.

The study establishes that CI strategic implementation can systematically contribute towards realization of significant manufacturing performance enhancements.

The study highlights both positive and negative potentials of CI strategic implementation affecting performance improvements. The achievements of Indian manufacturing organizations through proactive CI approach have been evaluated and the critical impact of CI strategies has been identified for enhancing the effectiveness of CI activities in the Indian context.

The purpose of this paper is to uncover the significance of green supply chain management (GSCM) to study the impact lean practices, namely, Kaizen and innovation management practices on organizational sustainability.

The subject of green supply chains attracts a growing interest in academic and professional literature since 1990. Questionnaire survey and structured interviews (set of questions) among the industrial professionals and academicians of northern India region have been performed to ascertain the significance of GSCM toward organizational sustainability. Structural equation modeling, Cronbach’s alpha, z-test, correlation and t-test have been used to ascertain the significance of lean practices toward sustaining organization by taking the mediating effect of GSCM.

The results signify the negative potential of combined Kaizen, innovation management and government policies on environmental thinking through supply chain. The innovation management strategies and Kaizen individually has positive influence on environment supply chain but government policies should be improved to improve the positive impact on environmental thinking through supply chain by decreasing pollution. Economic performance, environmental performance and competitive performance are significantly improved by implementing Kaizen and innovation management through GSCM.

The research is limited to northern India. Moreover, selection of industry and academic organizations has been done on convenient sampling technique.

The paper demonstrates the application of lean techniques, namely, Kaizen and innovation management practices, showing how it can bring real breakthroughs in organizational sustainability through GSCM.

The purpose of this paper is to uncover the significance of KAIZEN technique in manufacturing environments.

KAIZEN is a management approach focused on incremental improvements in operations. Different elements of KAIZEN are being utilized by manufacturing industry to improve the performance of current manufacturing system processes. This study attempts to evaluate the performance of different elements of KAIZEN in manufacturing industry of Northern India. The importance level of different elements of KAIZEN, important benefits achieved after successful implementation of KAIZEN approach and benefits occurred after implementation of different elements of KAIZEN have been identified. Questionnaire survey in the case company has been performed and the most important element of KAIZEN has been implemented.

Results explicitly depict that failure mode and effective analysis is the most important element of KAIZEN. Results indicate the net savings of rupees 422,208 annually after implementing KAIZEN technique in a case company.

The paper demonstrates the practical application of KAIZEN technique showing how it can bring real breakthroughs in saving cost in the manufacturing industry.

The purpose of this paper is to implement new concept of mobile maintenance in manufacturing industry of Northern India. This study tries to introduce the new concept of total productive maintenance program in the case company.

The approach is to study the role of mobile maintenance in the context of Indian industry through significant improvement in overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).

This industry adopted the mobile maintenance strategy and improved their productivity by decreasing breakdown time. This mobile maintenance strategy can reduce major breakdowns, setup and adjustment losses and improve productivity, product quality and OEE of equipment. Results indicate an average increase in production of 15.63 percent, average reduction in breakdown time of 23.14 percent, average reduction in rejection rate of 17.94 percent and average increase in OEE of 17.08 percent. Moreover, the results of improvements in parameters are validated by using multi-criteria decision-making approaches.

Maintenance is of great importance in modern era of manufacturing systems for those organizations who consider maintenance as a profit-generating factor. In the dynamic and highly challenging environment, reliable manufacturing equipment is regarded as the major contributor to the performance and profitability of manufacturing systems. Moreover, the selection of manufacturing industry is done on the basis of convenience sampling technique.

Industry can improve machine availability and OEE by implementing this mobile maintenance concept especially in the Indian context and is very beneficially for the case company under study.

This paper aims to examine the indirect tax reform process in China. Specifically, it examines the reform of business tax to value-added tax. Inefficiencies within the new tax system are identified and discussed. The “business tax to value-added tax” reform was seen as an essential element in promoting the economic transition and stimulating the service industries (Jin and Jin, 2013).

The paper uses archival and current literature. In undertaking the study, the different periods of indirect tax are examined, prior to 1994, 1994-2012, the changes from 2012 culminating in the new 2017 regime. Attributes of “good” value-added tax (VAT) systems are covered as well as a comparison with New Zealand’s goods and services tax (GST).

The paper finds that to align with the international trend of indirect tax development and more efficiently accomplish the economic transition China needs to build a more neutral VAT system with fewer reduced rates and exemptions and the tax system have created tax inefficiencies and increased the compliance cost. VAT is imposing an increasingly significant impact on China’s national economy and industrial structure as well as accountants.

This is the first study that analyses the indirect tax reforms that are currently being implemented in China and as such has lessons for China but also for VAT/GST in general. We should not forget how special New Zealand’s GST is and the clarity of focus of those who implemented it!