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Now customer relationship marketing (CRM) solutions might be the hottest topic in business world. CRM impelled the growth of both B2B and B2C markets. But the issue is how to apply the cutting‐edge CRM solutions. Do people really understand what CRM is and why they should install CRM? The mistaken concept of CRM may have disastrous effects on the company. This paper begins with the basic concepts of CRM, elaborates the characteristics, reviews its brief history and addresses the current status of CRM. Then it develops the extended concepts of CRM from micro‐ and macro‐ perspectives. In the “Implementation and tips” section, it concludes the proper steps to approach CRM and how to bear a right attitude towards CRM solutions. Related Government rules are also covered.

This study focuses on understanding how channel features can affect people's intention to continue to use an electronic channel in public affairs and their recommendation behaviors. Specifically, three different channels are focused on: email, microblogs and online meetings.

A research model on an e-participation channel based on the channel-disposition framework was developed and an online survey was conducted to collect data from 397 individuals who used three e-participation channels to validate seven hypotheses.

The study found that information quality, channel interaction quality and the social appearance of other citizens all had a significant impact on users' intention to continue to use an electronic channel, which, in turn, affected their recommendation behaviors. However, the impact differed across the three e-participation channels. Information quality had a stronger impact on microblog and online meeting users' intention to continue to use these channels than on email users' intention to continue using email to participate in public affairs. Channel interaction quality had a stronger impact on email users' intention to continue to use email than on microblog and online meeting users' intention to continue to use these channels in public affairs.

This study helps better explain how various channels and their features can affect participants' use intentions and behaviors in e-participation. It also provides practical guidance for government to better manage e-participation channels and effectively engage citizens in public affairs.

Managerial responses to employee voice have garnered significant scholarly attention. However, existing research has primarily focused on the factors leading to such responses while giving limited attention to their outcomes. In this study, we integrated two distinct managerial reactions, voice endorsement and supervisory responsiveness. We framed these reactions as employee voice experiences and adopted a model of proactive motivation to explore how these experiences influence subsequent employee voice and silence behaviors through two alternative pathways: role breadth self-efficacy (i.e. the “can do” motivation) and positive affect (i.e. the “energized to do” affective state).

Researchers conducted a two-wave field survey involving 215 subordinates and their 42 direct supervisors. A multi-level path analysis was used to examine the hypothesized research model.

The results indicate that employee experiences of voice endorsement affect role breadth self-efficacy. Role breadth self-efficacy, in turn, influences both voice and silence behaviors. In contrast, employee experiences of voice responsiveness influence voice and silence behaviors only through positive affect.

This study extends the scope of existing literature on employee voice/silence by introducing subordinates’ voice experiences based on managerial reactions as an additional predictor of their subsequent behaviors. Moreover, by incorporating a model of proactive motivation and employing its “can do” and “energized to do” motivations as two intervening mechanisms, this study underscores the distinction between having one’s voice heard and truly adopted.

Drawing on the resource-based view and resource complementarity theory, the purpose of this paper is to investigate two research questions: To what extent are logistics information system (IS) resources associated with improved operational performance? And to what extent are these relationships contingent on organizational factors?

A conceptual model with a nested structure is presented to link logistics IS resources and organizational factors with operational performance. The findings are validated using a cross-sectional sample of secondary data from domestic logistics firms in China.

This paper extends existing operational-level measures for logistics IS resources into a three-tier tactical-level typology: inside-out resources (operation-focused IS, decision-focused IS and IS development capability); outside-in resources (relation-focused IS and market-focused IS); and spanning resources (IS integration capability and IS management capability). Though logistics IS resources, in general, are positively related to operational performance, inside-out IS resources have the most significant impact. Organizational factors, such as firm size, firm age and firm ownership, may enhance or suppress the effects of logistics IS resources on performance.

The findings are valuable to both logistics firms and buyer firms in an emerging market, as logistics IS resources may affect costs and quality of logistics service. The tactical-level typology allows logistics firms to better plan for and manage emerging IS resources in a competitive environment.

This paper extends prior work regarding the complementary effects of logistics IS resources and organizational factors on operational performance. Logistics firms should carefully manage the three types of tactical-level IS resources according to their organizational environment to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage.

The purpose of this paper is to improve the performance of the genetic algorithm-based compliant robot path planning (GACRPP) in complex dynamic environment by proposing an improved bidirectional rapidly exploring random tree (Bi-RRT)-based population initialization method.

To achieve GACRPP in complex dynamic environment with high performance, an improved Bi-RRT-based population initialization method is proposed. First, the grid model is adopted to preprocess the working space of mobile robot. Second, an improved Bi-RRT is proposed to create multi-cluster connections between the starting point and the goal point. Third, the backtracking method is used to generate the initial population based on the multi-cluster connections generated by the improved Bi-RRT. Subsequently, some comparative experiments are implemented where the performances of the improved Bi-RRT-based population initialization method are compared with other population initialization methods, and the comparison results of the improved genetic algorithm (IGA) combining with the different population initialization methods are shown. Finally, the optimal path is further smoothed with the help of the technique of quadratic B-spline curves.

It is shown in the experiment results that the improved Bi-RRT-based population initialization method is capable of deriving a more diversified initial population with less execution time and the IGA combining with the proposed population initialization method outperforms the one with other population initialization methods in terms of the length of optimal path and the execution time.

In this paper, the Bi-RRT is introduced as a population initialization method into the GACRPP problem. An improved Bi-RRT is proposed for the purpose of increasing the diversity of initial population. To characterize the diversity of initial population, a new notion of breadth is defined in terms of Hausdorff distance between different paths.

The purpose of this paper is to survey and express the advantages and disadvantages of the existing approaches for solving grey linear programming in decision-making problems.

After presenting the concepts of grey systems and grey numbers, this paper surveys existing approaches for solving grey linear programming problems and applications. Also, methods and approaches for solving grey linear programming are classified, and its advantages and disadvantages are expressed.

The progress of grey programming has been expressed from past to present. The main methods for solving the grey linear programming problem can be categorized as Best-Worst model, Confidence degree, Whitening parameters, Prediction model, Positioned solution, Genetic algorithm, Covered solution, Multi-objective, Simplex and dual theory methods. This survey investigates the developments of various solving grey programming methods and its applications.

Different methods for solving grey linear programming problems are presented, where each of them has disadvantages and advantages in providing results of grey linear programming problems. This study attempted to review papers published during 35 years (1985–2020) about grey linear programming solving and applications. The review also helps clarify the important advantages, disadvantages and distinctions between different approaches and algorithms such as weakness of solving linear programming with grey numbers in constraints, inappropriate results with the lower bound is greater than upper bound, out of feasible region solutions and so on.

Infrastructure projects play a significant role in community development. Infrastructure consists of many subcategories such as roads, bridges, railways, airports, communication infrastructure and harbors. The expressway is an essential part of modern transportation infrastructure. Due to its span and complexity, expressway construction results in several environmental impacts comparatively higher than typical road construction. In that event, environmental sustainability assessment in expressway construction and determining environmental measures to address those impacts is essential. Therefore, this research intends to investigate the environmental measures applicable to expressway projects in Sri Lanka.

This study involves a comparative analysis of different environmental impacts validated through expert interviews. The data required to perform the analysis were extracted through expert interviews and the Battelle method.

The findings revealed the importance of environmental indicators for expressway projects in Sri Lanka by assigning weightages. The Construction Phase received the highest weightage among three themes indicating that the construction phase causes greater environmental impact in expressway construction. Furthermore, the Site Maintenance Plan and Tree Compensating received the highest weightages under indicators.

The study makes an original contribution through the identification of indicators that lead to the improvement of environmental sustainability in expressway projects in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, the use of the Battelle method within the context of measuring environmental sustainability of expressways projects in general — and within the context of Sri Lanka — is a novel research approach.

This paper aims to empirically explore the effects of intellectual capital (IC) on supplier selection (SS) and, consequently, investigates the consecutive impacts on an Asian automotive supply chain performance (SCP).

A questionnaire-oriented survey obtained from top managers and expert employees from three different Asian automotive industries, all of which exist in the same supply chain, was utilized for factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM).

The findings indicate that some dimensions of IC containing human capital, relational capital and structural capital sufficiently influence evaluation and selection of optimal suppliers which lead to more efficient performance of the supply chain.

First, as the research analyzes the findings extracted from three important Asian automotive companies which exist in the same supply chain, the results may not be applicable to other industries in different countries. Second, gathering data from other elements of the supply chain like wholesalers and retailers could enrich the research conducted. Besides, more advanced statistical methods could be utilized to evaluate the regression equations and SEM.

With a comprehensive view on IC that takes into account its creation, protection and utilization, IC plays an essential role in selecting and assessing optimal suppliers which enhance competitive advantage, especially in knowledge-based organizations. IC will also increase the SCP efficiently and effectively.

This study develops an integrated knowledge model for a SS issue based on IC, and focuses on the effects of its various elements. It offers assistance to managers who tend to select optimal suppliers effectively.

The purpose of this paper is to observe the colour and thermal stability of natural red dye consisting of anthocyanin with addition of different aqueous acids and applied as coating films.

The natural red dye was extracted from Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (roselle) flowers and mixed with 1 per cent hydrochloric acid, 5 per cent acetic acid, 5 per cent citric acid and 5 per cent oxalic acid. All the dye samples were exposed to heat and UV-B to observe the colour stability by calculating the half-life and rate of reaction. In coating film application, each of the dye samples was mixed with 25 wt% of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and applied on to a glass substrate. The coating samples’ colour stability was observed by using CIE L*a*b* colour space coordinates. The coating films’ weight loss stability against temperature was observed by using thermogravimetric analysis.

Addition of hydrochloric acid enhances the thermal and UV stability of the anthocyanin natural dye. This can be observed from the calculation of the half-life of the dye. The half-life values for the thermal and UV stability studies were 1,155 hours and 210 hours, respectively. In coating films, the sample with addition of acetic acid showed the highest colour stability with colour difference (ΔE*) value 8.95.

The coating films developed in this work are not suitable to be applied on metal substrates due to the presence of water, which can contribute to the corrosion formation.

The coating films developed in this work are suitable for washable coating application. In other words, they are non-permanent coatings applied on a glass substrate.

Development of water-based coatings from PVA binder with anthocyanin colourant is introduced in this study.

This article sheds light on the missing links concerning the study of using integrated enabling technologies toward sustainable and circular agriculture supply chains by examining the available literature and proposing future research possibilities.

The relevant literature was researched through online databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, Academic Search Premier, Emerald, IEEE Xplore, Science Direct, World Scientific Net and Springer-Link Journals, covering a period from 1999 to 2020. A systematic literature review based on 75 papers analyzed the integration of the concepts of enabling technologies, sustainability, circular economy and supply chain performance in agriculture supply chains.

It was identified that enabling technologies and agriculture supply chains alone have been explored further than integrated enabling technologies, sustainability, circular economy, supply chain performance and agriculture supply chains. Enabling technologies and agriculture supply chains' main findings are: enabling technologies have been studied to improve food safety, food quality and traceability in agriculture supply chains. The main results regarding integrated enabling technologies, sustainability, circular economy, supply chain performance and agriculture supply chains are: Internet of Things and information communication technology play an important role in addressing food security, traceability and food quality, which help achieve sustainable development goals.

This review study provides 13 research questions to underpin future trends regarding integrated technologies' application in agriculture supply chains for circular and sustainable growth.