Showing papers by "Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad published in 2018"

A Review on Bilevel Optimization: From Classical to Evolutionary Approaches and Applications

Abstract: Bilevel optimization is defined as a mathematical program, where an optimization problem contains another optimization problem as a constraint. These problems have received significant attention from the mathematical programming community. Only limited work exists on bilevel problems using evolutionary computation techniques; however, recently there has been an increasing interest due to the proliferation of practical applications and the potential of evolutionary algorithms in tackling these problems. This paper provides a comprehensive review on bilevel optimization from the basic principles to solution strategies; both classical and evolutionary. A number of potential application problems are also discussed. To offer the readers insights on the prominent developments in the field of bilevel optimization, we have performed an automated text-analysis of an extended list of papers published on bilevel optimization to date. This paper should motivate evolutionary computation researchers to pay more attention to this practical yet challenging area.

Online Education: Worldwide Status, Challenges, Trends, and Implications

Abstract: Online education in its various modes has been growing steadily worldwide due to the confluence of new technologies, global adoption of the Internet, and intensifying demand for a workforce trained...

Industry 4.0 and supply chain sustainability: framework and future research directions

Abstract: The evolution of technology from the most recent industrial age to the technology era better known as Industry 4.0 resulted in greater demand for horizontal, vertical and end-to-end digital integration. Prior studies show that Industry 4.0 adoption majorly influences the sustainability aspects in a supply chain network. The purpose of this paper is to identify the Industry 4.0 enablers of supply chain sustainability and further attempt to propose a research framework to bridge the theoretical gaps.,In this research study, the authors have used a systematic literature review methodology in the field of Industry 4.0 and sustainable supply chain management. The list of papers was downloaded from Scopus (www.scopus.com) database. Through strict screening, only journal papers were selected for conducting the review of the literature.,The review brings out some interesting findings which will be helpful for the research community. There have been limited research in the area of managing supply chain network sustainability through Industry 4.0 technologies. The authors found only 10 papers out of a total of 53 papers which emphasize on smart manufacturing, smart production system, smart warehouse management system, smart logistics and sustainability. Most of the previous research studies have ignored the social aspects of supply chain sustainability. Finally, the authors identified 13 key enablers of Industry 4.0 playing an important role in driving supply chain sustainability.,The strategies for Industry 4.0 should be refined and detailed to develop economic and social systems that can act flexibly to sudden changes in the system. Top management must be convinced for prioritizing investment support and creating a system that can facilitate technology convergence. Managers must also act on new models of employment and frame plans to continuously improve the system. In addition, managers must focus on establishing a collaborative platform to facilitate high-tech research and developments. Finally, it is essential to develop a performance management system for monitoring all actions in the supply chain network.,Integrating two independent subjects is the uniqueness of the current study. Here, Industry 4.0 and supply chain sustainability have been integrated to build the research framework, and in such a process, the authors have extended the existing knowledge base.

Analysis of external barriers to remanufacturing using grey-DEMATEL approach: An Indian perspective

Abstract: With industrialization and growth of population, implementation of sustainable technologies and environment protection has received a lot of attention. Remanufacturing is one of the sustainable technologies that provide environmental, economic and social benefits. Remanufacturing is “a comprehensive and rigorous industrial process by which a previously sold, worn, or non-functional product or component is returned to a “like-new” or “better-than-new” condition and warranted in performance level and quality” ( RIC, 2013 ). This research study aims to identify and evaluate external barriers to remanufacturing in Indian electronic waste (e-waste) sector. We applied grey-DEMATEL (Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory) approach to analyze external barriers to remanufacturing. The results indicate lack of channels to collect used products and customer unwillingness to return the products to be the most prominent barriers. Further, the results also depict uncertainty in quantity and timing of returned products to be the major causal barriers. The findings provide insights and recommendations for policy planners involved in policy making to boost remanufacturing in India. Primarily, government needs to bring awareness to customers regarding benefits of returning the used products and benefits of using remanufactured products through awareness campaigns, so that consumers also take initiative to protect environment. Channels to collects used products from customers also need to be developed.

Destination brand experience and visitor behavior: the mediating role of destination brand identification

Abstract: Destination branding has emerged as a critical tool for achieving competitive advantage through various conceptualizations, focusing on various aspects of branding. This research examines the role ...

Consensus Building Process in Group Decision Making—An Adaptive Procedure Based on Group Dynamics

Abstract: In group decision making (GDM) problems, it is critical to arrive at an acceptable level of consensus in a group for a stable and implementable decision. This process is carried out by a moderator (either real or virtual) who advises the members to change their opinions in order to achieve higher consensus in the group. In this paper, we present an algorithm that maps the consensus evolution process of GDM based on interrelationships of members in the group. The members’ views are taken in linguistic form to incorporate qualitative aspects and vagueness, if any, in their judgment. The novelty of this work lies in the computation of shift in members’ opinions depending on their level of adoption of other ideas and support of their ideas in the group. The algorithm accounts for the relations among the members based on their earlier interactions in a network and support of their views contextual to a specific problem. The conditions governing the impact of level of adoption and support in the group are explicated using fuzzy if–then rules. The proposed algorithm converges after a finite number of iterations and maintains consistency in the members’ opinions throughout the process.

The tree structure : A general framework for food waste quantification in food services

Abstract: Food waste in the food services industry has been identified as an important unsustainability hotspot, but standardised methods for food waste quantification are lacking. Existing studies on waste ...

Unsustainability of Sustainability: Cognitive Frames and Tensions in Bottom of the Pyramid Projects

Abstract: Existing research posits that decision makers use specific cognitive frames to manage tensions in sustainability. However, we know less about how the cognitive frames of individuals at different levels in organization interact and what these interactions imply for managing sustainability tensions, such as in Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP) projects. To address this omission, we ask do organizational and project leaders differ in their understanding of tensions in a BOP project, and if so, how? We answer this question by drawing on a 5-year study of a BOP project of a global pharmaceutical company in India. In line with the existing research, we found three kinds of frames—paradoxical, business case, and business—held differently across organizational levels and over time. We also found that the shift in frames of both project and organizational leaders was mediated by the decision-making horizon. The initial divergence across organizational levels, seen in paradoxical and business frames, was mediated by long-term decision-making horizon. However, there was an eventual convergence toward business frames associated with the shift from long- to shorter-term decision-making horizons and one that led to the project’s closure. We contribute by proposing a dynamic model of cognitive frames in sustainability, where the research has either alluded to top-down or bottom-up understanding.

How can mindfulness enhance moral reasoning? An examination using business school students

Abstract: Given the comprehensive influence of mindfulness on human thought and behavior, and the importance of moral reasoning in business decisions, we examine the role of mindfulness as an antecedent to moral reasoning through two studies. In Study 1, we propose and test a theoretically derived model that links mindfulness and moral reasoning, mediated by compassion and egocentric bias using a survey design. In Study 2, we examine whether mindfulness training enhances moral reasoning using an experimental design with graduate students of business management. The findings of Study 1 substantiate the positive association of mindfulness with moral reasoning. We found that this relationship is fully mediated by compassion and egocentric bias. The results of Study 2 suggest that mindfulness meditation training has a positive impact on individuals' states of mindfulness, compassion, and moral reasoning, and decreases egocentric bias. We relate the findings of the study with contemporary neurological research and discuss the theoretical, pedagogical, and managerial implications.

Perceived CSR and Corporate Reputation: The Mediating Role of Employee Trust:

Abstract: Executive SummaryThis research article focuses on the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in building corporate reputation of an organization. Scholars have studied CSR as an antece...

A burnout model of job crafting: Multiple mediator effects on job performance

Abstract: Studies establish that job crafting, i.e. the proactive changes made in one's work through balancing available job demands and resources, results in various positive outcomes at the individual, job, and organisational levels. This study examines how employees proactively craft their jobs to avoid stress and burnout, and become better performers. We ground our study in the occupational health context of knowledge workers. Structural equation models on data from 268 Information Technology (IT) management professionals demonstrate the coping effect of job crafting in decreasing role stress and burnout, and increasing one's psychological availability, along with multiple mediation effects in improving job performance.

Racial/Ethnic Parity in Disciplinary Consequences Using Student Threat Assessment

Abstract: School psychologists are frequently called upon to assess students who have made verbal or behavioral threats of violence against others, a practice commonly known as threat assessment. One critical issue is whether the outcomes of a threat assessment generate the kind of racial disparities widely observed in school disciplinary practices. In 2013, Virginia became the first state to mandate threat assessment teams in all public schools. This study examined the disciplinary consequences for 1,836 students who received a threat assessment in 779 Virginia elementary, middle, and high schools during the 2014–2015 school year. Multilevel logistic regression models found no disparities among Black, Hispanic, and White students in out-of-school suspensions, school transfers, or legal actions. The most consistent predictors of disciplinary consequences were the student's possession of a weapon and the team classification of the threat as serious. We discuss possible explanations for the absence of racial...

Sentiment analysis of financial news articles using performance indicators

Abstract: Mining financial text documents and understanding the sentiments of individual investors, institutions and markets is an important and challenging problem in the literature. Current approaches to mine sentiments from financial texts largely rely on domain-specific dictionaries. However, dictionary-based methods often fail to accurately predict the polarity of financial texts. This paper aims to improve the state-of-the-art and introduces a novel sentiment analysis approach that employs the concept of financial and non-financial performance indicators. It presents an association rule mining-based hierarchical sentiment classifier model to predict the polarity of financial texts as positive, neutral or negative. The performance of the proposed model is evaluated on a benchmark financial dataset. The model is also compared against other state-of-the-art dictionary and machine learning-based approaches and the results are found to be quite promising. The novel use of performance indicators for financial sentiment analysis offers interesting and useful insights.

From resistance to readiness: the role of mediating variables

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of trust, perceived organizational support, and emotional attachment in bridging the gap between resistance and readiness to change.,A conceptual model including five constructs is developed. The questionnaire survey using the study variables readiness to change, trust, perceived organizational support, emotional attachment, and resistance to change was used in this study. Descriptive statistics and mediation regression analysis are used to test all hypotheses using the survey data of 276 middle-level managers.,The findings reflect how readiness to change reduces the impact of resistance to change during organizational change. Furthermore it also finds that how trust, perceived organizational support, and emotional attachment mediates the relationship between resistance and readiness and reduces the gap between the two.,The findings in the study have made significant contribution to the literature especially on middle-level managers in the Indian context. There was a paucity of research done on the study variables. The mediating effects of the study variable have never been explored earlier and therefore make an immense contribution to the field of knowledge for practitioners and academicians.,The research results have many practical implications. It could be established that trust, perceived organizational support, and emotional attachment have a strong and positive association with the management of change. Linking of study variables during change is helpful for the top managers for better understanding during a major organizational change. Supporting the employees through human touch during change will lead to easier transition. Understanding of various dimensions that influence employee to readiness for organizational change is an important endeavor for organizational change.,The research is of utmost significance for the top management as it can provide a better insight to understand and keep in mind the key aspects during organizational change in such a way that chances of resistance reduces to minimal. If the employees are contented by receiving support from their bosses, if there exists a mutual trust which increases emotional attachment, introducing change in the organization will be much easier for the management.,This research attempts to investigate how during times of turbulent change in an organization trust between the employees and their supervisor, perceived social support, and emotional attachment with the organization positively impact the change management process. The findings provide valuable insights for the top management to understand the psyche of its employees and provide them a human touch during the time of organizational change.

Does telecommuting promote sustainable travel and physical activity

Abstract: Researchers have explored the efficacy of telecommuting as a travel demand management strategy in the U.S. Conditions under which telecommuting can reduce VMT (vehicle miles traveled) and ease peak-period traffic congestion have been extensively investigated; empirical findings are well documented in the literature. Analysis of the impact of telecommuting on non-motorized travel, public transit use, and physical activity, however, has received relatively less attention in the past. In this paper, I use the 2009 U.S. National Household Travel Survey to explore how telecommuting is associated with usual travel behavior, i.e. walking/bicycling, transit use and driving, as well as with average time spent in daily physical activity. I also compare telecommuters’ travel behavior and physical activity on a typical workday in telecommuting vs. non-telecommuting scenarios. I find that frequent telecommuting (4+ times/month) is associated with 15% more walk trips per week, 56% higher odds of 1+ transit trip per month, 44% higher odds of 30+ minutes of physical activity per day, and 27% higher odds of driving 20,000+ miles per year compared to no-telecommuting scenario. On a typical workday, telecommuting is associated with 41% higher odds of walking/bicycling > 1 mile, 71% higher odds of 30+ minutes of physical activity, 71% lower odds of riding transit, and 3.58 times greater odds of driving

India in 2 °C and well below 2 °C worlds: Opportunities and challenges

Abstract: India's contributions to meeting global mean temperature increases of 2 °C or well below 2 °C would require transformational changes in its energy systems. A bottom-up model analyzes alternate futu...