The purpose of this paper is to investigate undergraduate industrial design students’ perception of sustainable design concepts and how their conceptualization evolves as a…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate undergraduate industrial design students’ perception of sustainable design concepts and how their conceptualization evolves as a function of their attendance to a specific sustainable design studio (SDS) course.
Design/methodology/approach
Two groups of students participated in the study. Students who did not attend to SDS were in the control group, whereas students who attended SDS were in the experimental group. In total, 22 concepts, which have been highlighted in literature and the SDS course, were selected as keywords. Participants were asked to provide relatedness scores of these keywords before and after they attended the course. The data were analyzed using multidimensional scaling and pathfinder (PF) networks.
Findings
Results indicate that the SDS caused a change in the conceptualization of sustainable design concepts parallel to the course outcomes and the literature. Some concepts were highlighted as conveyors that guide students to conceptualize sustainable development and design.
Research limitations/implications
This study is considered a case study focusing on declarative knowledge, and owing to the low number of participants, the results should be carefully interpreted.
Practical implications
The findings may support design educators to enhance their courses and promote deeper debates on teaching sustainable design.
Originality/value
Two specific dimensions were found from the analysis of multidimensional scaling, and several conveyor concepts were identified from PF networks. Allocating proposed dimensions and concepts into a course may have the potentials to enhance students’ perception of sustainability concepts.
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Keywords
The purpose of this study is to propose a comprehensive efficiency evaluation approach to measure the efficiency of the retailers and to determine the relative importance of a…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to propose a comprehensive efficiency evaluation approach to measure the efficiency of the retailers and to determine the relative importance of a wide variety of apparel retail-specific factors that support efficiency.
Design/methodology/approach
The first stage of the proposed approach is the measurement of the relative efficiency of the apparel retailers by using data envelopment analysis (DEA) for identifying the best practice frontier and determination of the improvement ratios. The second stage is the prioritization of the factors that are important in the apparel retail efficiency using analytical hierarchy process (AHP).
Findings
The findings of the study revealed that the quantitative criteria to be considered for efficiency through input minimization and output maximization were “number of employees” and “profit before tax,” respectively, however, focusing on output maximization was found to be more critical. In addition, it was seen that the most important qualitative components of efficiency were satisfied customers, qualified staff and branding.
Practical implications
The managerial actors in the apparel retail industry can be alerted for new strategic actions to adopt best practices or take precautions for future inefficiencies with the help of the results obtained. The customized hierarchical structure allows determining the priority areas that need to be focused on for increasing the performance of apparel retailers.
Originality/value
In this study, DEA and AHP were combined to build a comprehensive efficiency evaluation approach in the apparel retail industry for the first time in the literature. Thus, both qualitative and quantitative variables that are important in apparel retail efficiency were put forward and evaluated. The originality of the hierarchical structure in AHP was its customization to the apparel retail industry.
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The article's aim is to focus on the application of Six Sigma to minimise intraoperative and post-operative complications rates in a Turkish public hospital cataract surgery unit…
Abstract
Purpose
The article's aim is to focus on the application of Six Sigma to minimise intraoperative and post-operative complications rates in a Turkish public hospital cataract surgery unit.
Design/methodology/approach
Implementing define-measure-analyse-improve and control (DMAIC) involves process mapping, fishbone diagrams and rigorous data-collection. Failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA), pareto diagrams, control charts and process capability analysis are applied to redress cataract surgery failure root causes.
Findings
Inefficient skills of assistant surgeons and technicians, low quality of IOLs used, wrong IOL placement, unsystematic sterilisation of surgery rooms and devices, and the unprioritising network system are found to be the critical drivers of intraoperative-operative and post-operative complications. Sigma level was increased from 2.60 to 3.75 subsequent to extensive training of assistant surgeons, ophthalmologists and technicians, better quality IOLs, systematic sterilisation and air-filtering, and the implementation of a more sophisticated network system.
Practical implications
This article shows that Six Sigma measurement and process improvement can become the impetus for cataract unit staff to rethink their process and reduce malpractices. Measuring, recording and reporting data regularly helps them to continuously monitor their overall process and deliver safer treatments.
Originality/value
This is the first Six Sigma ophthalmology study in Turkey.
Details
Keywords
The selection of the contractor, as a main participant of a construction project, is the most important and challenging decision process for a client. The purpose of this paper is…
Abstract
Purpose
The selection of the contractor, as a main participant of a construction project, is the most important and challenging decision process for a client. The purpose of this paper is to propose a multi-agent systems (MAS)-based contractor pre-qualification (CP) model for the construction sector in the frame of the tender management system.
Design/methodology/approach
The meta-classification and analysis study of the existing literature on CP, contractor selection and criteria weighting issues, which examines the current and important CP criteria, other than price, is introduced structurally. A quantitative survey, which is carried out to estimate initial weightings of the identified criteria, is overviewed. MAS are used to model the pre-qualification process and workflows are shown in Petri nets formalism. A user-friendly prototype program is created in order to simulate the tendering process. In addition, a real case regarding the construction work in Turkey is analyzed.
Findings
There is a lack of non-human-driven solutions and automation in CP and in the selection problem. The proposed model simulates the pre-qualification process and provides consistent results.
Research limitations/implications
The meta-classification study consists of only peer-reviewed papers between 1992 and 2013 and the quantitative survey initiates the perspectives of the actors of Turkish construction sector. Only the traditional project delivery method is selected for the proposed model, that is other delivery methods such as design/build, project management, etc., are not considered. Open, selective limited and negotiated tendering processes are examined in the study and the direct supply is not considered in the scope.
Practical implications
The implications will help to provide an objective CP and selection process and to prevent the delays, costs and other troubles, which are caused by the false selection of a contractor.
Originality/value
Automation and simulation in the pre-qualification and the selection of the contractor with a non-human-driven intelligent solution ease the decision processes of clients in terms of cost, time and quality.