Purchase Order Research Articles

Improvement of Mro Material Procurement Efficiency Through the Six Sigma Concept at PT Krakatau Steel (Persero) TBK

PT Krakatau Steel (Persero) Tbk (PTKS) is a State-Owned Enterprise engaged in the production of steel and related services. The MRO Procurement Department is a procurement function to process MRO Material purchasing at PTKS. The main problem currently faced is the lead time for the MRO material procurement process which takes a long time, the reason is that procurement is often conducted by spot method and repeatedly for the same material. Too long lead times pose a risk to the smooth production process due to the unavailability of MRO materials when needed. Referring to the MRO Procurement Department's KPI, >85% of the number of POs (Purchase Orders) issued must have a lead time of <41 days, however, based on the actual historical data for 2022, the PO lead time achievement for the MRO material procurement process does not meet the target. Department's KPI, >85% of the number of PO’s (Purchase Orders) issued must have a lead time of <41 days, however, based on the actual historical data for 2022, the PO lead time achievement for the MRO material procurement process does not reach the target. An alternative solution used to speed up procurement lead times is implementing a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) and/or Consignment Contract for MRO routine/consumable material types. The results obtained are that the long and complicated MRO material procurement process for the same type of material can be eliminated, which means that with the improvements made, the MRO Procurement Department can implement a more efficient procurement process.

Can Social Technologies Drive Purchases in E-Commerce Live Streaming? An Empirical Study of Broadcasters’ Cognitive and Affective Social Call-to-Actions

As an emerging social technology, live streaming has facilitated a synchronous and interactive selling setting for e-commerce sellers and consumers. Despite growing operations management (OM) in e-commerce live streaming (ELS), the prior literature has largely neglected the directive social operations of ELS broadcasters, which are crucial to a company's business operations and marketing strategies. To mitigate this gap, we investigated the effects of social call-to-actions (SCTAs), an ELS-specific directive social operation, on consumer purchase outcomes in ELS. To explicate the mechanisms driving the purchase effect of SCTAs, we draw upon the notions of cognitive and affective marketing appeals to categorize SCTAs into two types: cognitive and affective SCTAs. We measure broadcasters’ SCTAs from ELS speech-to-text data using text-mining techniques and adopt econometric model estimations via an instrumental variables identification approach to quantify the relationships between ELS broadcasters’ SCTAs and consumer purchases. Our results uncover a significant positive purchase effect of affective SCTAs but an insignificant effect of cognitive SCTAs on product-level purchase orders in ELS. Specifically, a one-unit increase in affective SCTA-related words per minute is related to increased purchase orders of a product by 0.43%, i.e., averaging a 1.10% growth in demand per minute. Additionally, we find that the effects of cognitive and affective SCTAs are contingent on product and broadcaster types. Our session-level mediation effect analysis verifies the underlying mechanisms that drive the purchase effects of broadcasters’ SCTAs. Specifically, we find that cognitive SCTAs impede social engagements and thereby purchases, whereas affective SCTAs can boost social engagements, leading to increased session traffic and ultimately product sales in ELS. Our study provides novel empirical findings and important practical implications for ELS platforms and broadcasters.

The Impact of Romanian Internal Auditors in ESG Reporting and Sustainable Development Goals

The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of an internal auditor’s activities in Romania, through their specific activities, on ESG reporting and sustainable development goals (SDGs). Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) are three criteria by which an organization’s operations are characterized as sustainable, responsible, or ethical. Even though, for business, the SDGs have been called “a 2030 purchase order for business and government action today”, the alignment between environmental, social, and governance performance and sustainable development goals helps practitioners in observing corporate contributions to sustainable growth. This research aims to identify whether internal auditors in Romania are able to contribute to ESG reporting and the achievement of the sustainable development goals through specific objective assurance and advisory activities. Using the questionnaire, the data were collected from professional accountants who carry out internal audit missions. The main findings confirm a strong and directly significant connection between the internal audit’s perception of the management’s view of the SDGs and how the entity can contribute to achieving the SDG objectives. The results also showed a direct and medium-intensity impact of the variables, capturing the important role of internal audits in ESG reporting. Our study showed that internal audits can help with reporting ESG and sustainable development objectives through their activity. However, according to our statistical results, the internal auditors do not offer at all (or rarely offer) objective assurance and counseling related to these subjects. Moreover, it is observed that, in these situations, the management does not have a clear vision and has not taken measures to achieve the sustainable development goals and ESG factors.

ANALISIS PENGENDALIAN FOOD COST PADA HOTEL THE ST. REGIS BALI RESORT

This research examines food cost control at The St. Regis Bali Resort uses the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) framework which includes five main components of internal control. The study revealed that although the resort implemented a comprehensive control system, there were some gaps between implementation and ideal food cost control practices. The main findings show the existence of food cost variances caused by ineffective and inefficient controls. Several important factors that contribute to this problem include: delays in sending market lists and purchase requisitions from the kitchen to the purchasing department, receiving invoices that do not match the purchase order, and receiving scribbled notes from suppliers. This research also identified non-compliance with standard procedures in the process of purchasing and receiving food ingredients. For example, the purchasing department sometimes makes purchases outside the specified suppliers, while the goods receiving department faces price inconsistencies from suppliers. These gaps hinder the achievement of optimal food cost control targets and have the potential to affect the company's financial stability. This study emphasizes the importance of implementing a tighter and more consistent internal control system to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of food cost control at The St. Regis Bali Resort

Collaborative and integrated data-driven delay prediction and supplier selection optimization: A case study in a furniture industry

Optimizing supplier selections is an open ended problem, relevant to the operational performance of both individual companies and entire supply chains. Considering the prediction of future occurrences of delays in the optimization of supplier selections is still an under covered problem. Unlike existing literature, this article suggests a more collaborative and integrated workflow to improve the visibility and involvement of multiple stakeholders in the supplier selection decision-making processes. This is achieved through enhanced collaboration between multiple stakeholders (suppliers, customers, decision-makers from different departments, in addition to data sources from information systems), and better integration between data analysis and decision-making, through data-driven-machine-learning and optimization. The specificities of a French company in the furniture industry are considered. A workflow model is designed to support information sharing and to streamline knowledge and interactions between multiple stakeholders from different expertise domains. A Collaborative Predictive Optimization System (CPOS) is designed to classify expected occurrences of delays, to optimize order allocations, and to enable stakeholder collaboration. Delay prediction involves Decision Trees, Random Forests, and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost). Supplier selection is solved using mathematical programming, while considering the classification of expected occurrences of delays. Stakeholder collaboration relies on information systems and uses prediction and optimization to support finding satisfactory agreements. The approach is validated using a real 3.5-year dataset, including 139 suppliers, 7,934 products and 89,080 purchase orders. A detailed experimentation, including sensitivity analysis, best–worst case analysis, and a larger scale analysis on company datasets, shows that the suggested approach enhances collaboration and achieves delay reduction and total procurement cost savings. Valuable managerial insights are collected, including the necessity to adopt digital technologies, to adapt company workflows, and to improve upstream negotiations and supplier commitments to yearly plannings.

The impact of order fulfillment on consumer experience: text mining consumer reviews from Amazon US

PurposeThis research analyzes online consumer reviews and ratings to assess e-retail order fulfillment performance. The study aims to (1) identify consumer journey touchpoints in the order fulfillment process and (2) determine their relative importance for the consumer experience.Design/methodology/approachText mining and analytics were employed to examine over 100 m online purchase orders, along with associated consumer reviews and ratings from Amazon US. Using natural language processing techniques, the corpus of reviews was structured to pinpoint touchpoints related to order fulfillment. Reviews were then classified according to their stance (either positive or negative) toward these touchpoints. Finally, the classes were correlated with consumer rating, measured by the number of stars, to determine the relative importance of each touchpoint.FindingsThe study reveals 12 touchpoints within the order fulfillment process, which are split into three groups: delivery, packaging and returns. These touchpoints significantly influence star ratings: positive experiences elevate them, while negative ones reduce them. The findings provide a quantifiable measure of these effects, articulated in terms of star ratings, which directly reflect the influence of experiences on consumer evaluations.Research limitations/implicationsThe dataset utilized in this study is from the US market, which limits the generalizability of the findings to other markets. Moreover, the novel methodology used to map and quantify customer journey touchpoints requires further refinement.Practical implicationsIn e-retail and logistics, comprehending touchpoints in the order fulfillment process is pivotal. This understanding helps improve consumer interactions and enhance satisfaction. Such insights not only drive higher conversion rates but also guide informed managerial decisions, particularly in service development.Originality/valueDrawing upon consumer-generated data, this research identifies a cohesive set of touchpoints within the order fulfillment process and quantitatively evaluates their influence on consumer experience using star ratings as a metric.

Effects of transparent online open procurement on prices, volumes, and costs of medicines: an interrupted time series study in Ningxia, China.

To assess the effects of the transparent online open procurement arrangement on the prices, volumes, and costs of medicines in Ningxia, China. Data were extracted from the Ningxia pharmaceutical procurement platform, covering 16months of purchase orders (December 2019 to March 2021) prior to the implementation of the transparent online open procurement policy and 20months of purchase orders after the implementation of the policy (April 2021 to November 2022). Interrupted time series (ITS) analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of the transparent online open procurement policy on the prices, volumes, and total costs of the purchase orders. After implementation of the transparent online open procurement policy, the average price of purchased medicines showed a declining trend by 0.012 Yuan per month, while the total volume of purchase orders declined at a rate by 1.741 million per month measured by the smallest formulation units and the total costs of the purchase orders decreased at a rate by 5.525 million Yuan per month. The transparent online open procurement policy resulted in reduced prices, lowered volumes, and lowered total costs of purchased orders of medicines.

Quasi-critical dynamics in large-scale social systems regulated by sudden events.

How do heterogeneous individual behaviors arise in response to sudden events and how do they shape large-scale social dynamics? Based on a five-year naturalistic observation of individual purchasing behaviors, we extract the long-term consumption dynamics of diverse commodities from approximately 2.2 million purchase orders. We subdivide the consumption dynamics into trend, seasonal, and random components and analyze them using a renormalization group. We discover that the coronavirus pandemic, a sudden event acting on the social system, regulates the scaling and criticality of consumption dynamics. On a large time scale, the long-term dynamics of the system, regardless of arising from trend, seasonal, or random individual behaviors, is pushed toward a quasi-critical region between independent (i.e., the consumption behaviors of different commodities are irrelevant) and correlated (i.e., the consumption behaviors of different commodities are interrelated) phases as the pandemic erupts. On a small time scale, short-term consumption dynamics exhibits more diverse responses to the pandemic. While the trend and random behaviors of individuals are driven to quasi-criticality and exhibit scale-invariance as the pandemic breaks out, seasonal behaviors are more robust against regulations. Overall, these discoveries provide insights into how quasi-critical macroscopic dynamics emerges in heterogeneous social systems to enhance system reactivity to sudden events while there may exist specific system components maintaining robustness as a reflection of system stability.

An Innovative Approach to Optimize Inbound Delivery Scheduling at Distribution Centers

Distribution centers (DCs) run more efficiently if their inbound deliveries are spread out evenly over the days of the week so that volume is aligned with receiving capacity. However, delivery dates are often scheduled at the time of placing purchase orders without an efficient process for spreading deliveries evenly, and there has been little research on how to optimally do this. This paper terms this process Master Purchase Receipt Scheduling (MPRS) and introduces a novel MPRS algorithm developed by New Horizon Soft, LLC using data from a major U.S. restaurant chain, where the algorithm is now in use. The approach optimizes order delivery dates, accounting for vendor shipping calendars, shipment sizes, and transportation uncertainty. Results from a Monte Carlo simulation validate the effectiveness and robustness of the algorithm. By addressing the complexities of DC operations, this innovation promises to reduce receiving bottlenecks, increase efficiency and capacity utilization, and foster additional research in this vital area.

Assessing Supply Chain Quality Management Indicators: A Roadmap to Operational Excellence at Al-Zawraa General Company's Altahady Site

This research endeavors to assess and enhance supply chain quality management at the Al-Tahady Site of Al-Zawraa General Company. The primary objective is to evaluate a comprehensive set of supply chain quality management indicators and provide a strategic roadmap for achieving operational excellence. The research problem addressed in this study revolves around the need to improve supply chain quality management practices. Despite the inherent challenges in real-world supply chain research, particularly in data acquisition and information gathering, this study is resolute in its mission. Beyond analysis, the researcher seeks to propose practical application mechanisms to drive tangible benefits for the company in attaining its operational goals. The examination of key supply chain quality management indicators reveals significant insights. Notably, the compliance rate consistently falls within the range of (1.04%) to (1.24%), affirming unwavering commitment to meeting purchase orders and contract standards. Transmission accuracy exhibits a parallel consistency, ranging between (1.04%) and (1.24%), signifying a remarkable precision in deliveries. The punctuality commitment is evidenced by on-time delivery rates, fluctuating from (91%) to (93%). Additionally, this study unveils fluctuations in supplier lead times, varying from (0.16%) to (0.55%). These variations serve as valuable signals, highlighting areas ripe for supplier management improvement. Furthermore, the prudent cost management practices implemented by the company are substantiated by total procurement costs ranging from (239,400,000) to (277,200,000). this research constitutes a concerted effort to elevate supply chain quality management at Al-Zawraa General Company's Al-Tahady Site. Its findings provide actionable insights aimed at enhancing supply chain performance, boosting customer satisfaction, and fortifying competitiveness.

O-174 Marginal gains: can small actions in the ART lab improve the environmental impact of medically assisted reproduction?

Abstract Marginal gains can small actions in the ART laboratory improve the environmental impact of medically assisted reproduction? (Invitation) Study question Is it possible to reduce the environmental impact of assisted reproductive technology (ART) laboratories while maintaining quality and safety? Summary answer While individual interventions may yield modest results, their cumulative effect on a wider scale can lead to substantial reductions in resource consumption and emissions over time without compromising treatment outcomes or patient/staff safety. What is known already According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the change in global climate is one of the gravest threats facing humanity, with pregnant women, new-born and child health considered highly vulnerable. In recent years growing evidence has linked climate change, air pollution, pollutant exposure and microplastics to compromised male and female reproductive health and even spontaneous and in vitro fertilisation (IVF) outcomes. Ironically, the healthcare industry is a major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions, and the rapidly increasing utilisation of ART has raised concerns regarding its environmental footprint. A field primarily driven by highly specialised, energy-intensive laboratory processes, continuous monitoring of hormone testing, single-use consumables and large amounts of waste; the quest for bringing awareness to sustainable practices within ART laboratories is critical, not just for the planet, but for our patients and future generations. Study design, size, duration Alongside a comprehensive review of existing literature, a panel of international professionals and enthusiasts within reproductive medicine, law and environmental science convened in a green conferencing format to discuss key environmental challenges associated with ART and explored potential avenues for enhancing sustainability in the laboratory. A survey and interviews with stakeholders also took place to understand current attitudes and provide real-time social, economic and environmental examples of sustainability in ART laboratories. Main Results I will present a roadmap for sustainability in the IVF laboratory so far. A selection of actions which result in marginal gains within the ART laboratory include but are not limited to: Participate in a ‘green certification’ programme specifically tailored to the IVF laboratory and consider forming a ‘green team’ Aim for energy efficiency, renewable energy, preventive maintenance and consider plug load of non-essential equipment for cost savings. Consider widening operating ranges for temperature and humidity, air circulation changes and HVAC design where possible for energy savings of 15–30% Correct waste management can result in > 30% reduction in clinical waste alongside €11,600 annual savings, with focus on prevention of unnecessary consumables (dishes, media), reducing use of plastics and other single-use items to the extent that is possible and safe, and reusing where appropriate (e.g., training vitrification straws). Adopt electronic platforms for consents/laboratory paperwork; avoiding the use of > 40 pages per cycle in the UK. Reuse packaging materials (cold gel packs, bubble wrap) or form partnerships with local businesses who can reuse. Manage inventory carefully, asking for products with longer expiry dates, and consolidate purchase order to minimise frequency. Minimise liquid nitrogen loss during routine activities and consider batching samples for cryo-transport to minimise frequency of shipments. Limitations Every country, region and laboratory is different and will have their own myriad of regulatory constraints and industry standards to adhere to. This may present barriers to the adoption of certain sustainability measures in ART laboratories and is therefore imperative to seek local guidance first. Wider implications of the findings The carbon footprint of ART extends beyond the laboratory and into the supply chain, encompassing transportation, pharmaceutical production, and waste disposal processes. In this way a holistic approach is necessary, with the need for partnerships between fertility clinics, manufacturers, and regulatory bodies continuously working together to drive the development and adoption of sustainable practices and technologies across the entire ART field.

An Inventory Model for Deteriorating Items with Stock-Dependent Demand under Fuzzy Lead Time and Partial Backlogging

For inventory management purposes, lead time refers to the amount of time it takes for a purchase order to be completed. Its effect is an important phenomenon in inventory management system. It also plays a significant role when lead time unknown to the decision makers. This paper deals with an inventory model for deteriorating items under fuzzy lead time. The stock dependent demand with partially backlogged shortages are considered in the proposed model. The total inventory costs for both crisp model and fuzzy model are derived. The fuzzy lead time is assumed to be triangular and trapezoidal numbers. The signed distance methods (SD) is used for defuzzification purpose. The developed model is validated with the help of numerical illustration under both crisp and fuzzy scenario. A pictorial presentation is furnished to explain the behaviour of the total inventory costs towards lead-crisp, lead-triangular and lead-trapezoidal values. Lastly a sensitivity analysis is performed to judge the sensitive behaviour of the total cost towards changes of the cost parameters.

SISTEM INFORMASI PERMINTAAN PEMBELIAN BAHAN BAKU DAN ATK PADA PT MADA WIKRI TUNGGAL MENGGUNAKAN LARAVEL 9

PT Mada Wikri Tunggal is an automotive industrial company in the field of metal and plastic components that produces goods in the form of spare parts for two-wheeled (2) and four-wheeled (4) vehicles. The purchasing department at PT Mada Wikri Tunggal is responsible for the availability of goods needed by other departments according to the time required. Before carrying out the process of purchasing raw materials and stationery, the purchasing department must have a purchase request form for raw materials or stationery originating from the department concerned. In the process of purchasing raw materials and stationery, several problems were found, such as purchasing the same goods in one purchase request, and also the loss of the purchase request form which could hamper the process of purchasing raw materials or stationery. Therefore, it is necessary to design an information system application for purchasing requests for raw materials and stationery by depicting it using UML diagrams, ERD, and interface design as well as web-based integrated development using the Laravel framework and applying the waterfall method. The existence of an information system for purchasing requests for raw materials and stationery can minimize errors in purchasing raw materials and stationery in the purchasing department at PT Mada Wikri Tunggal so that there will be no duplication of the same purchase in one purchase request and it will not take a long time to send purchase orders. to suppliers.

Purchase Order Transactions in Islamic Economic Law: A Case Study of PT Segara Artha Investama (PT. SAI)

Purpose – This study aims to explore the implementation of Sharia contracts in purchase orders, contributing to the existing literature in the field of the Islamic economy.Method – Employing qualitative research methods with a descriptive research design, the researcher conducted in-depth interviews to gain a comprehensive understanding of purchase order activities. Data analysis was carried out both in the field and through policy analysis. The data analysis technique used was qualitative.Result – The findings of this study indicate that the implementation of purchase orders is in line with Sharia contracts, specifically “Salam” and “ Istishna' ”.Implication –The implications of this research are to offer literature research as a reference for community transactions following Islamic law and to enhance understanding of the concept of transaction contracts in Islamic law.

Optimizing Container Fill Rates for the Textile and Garment Industry Using a 3D Bin Packing Approach

The scarcity of empty containers presents a significant logistical challenge globally. To address this issue, this study proposes the application of the optimal box arrangement in a container with a 3D bin packing problem to enhance fill rates and accommodate the complex packing criteria of the textile and garment industry. The study’s objective is to optimize box stacking into containers by considering various factors such as multiple product types, diverse box sizes, varying container sizes, and prioritizing stacking according to purchase orders (PO). In tackling the NP-hard problem with the added constraint of PO-based stacking, this study advocates employing a genetic algorithm combined with a wall-building algorithm to address practical challenges. The genetic algorithm demonstrates optimal efficacy in solving large-scale optimization problems within specified timeframes, yielding high-quality results. In addition, normalization methods are applied to convert box sizes to pallet sizes, expediting problem-solving and facilitating the selection of appropriate container sizes, namely 20- or 40-feet. The research findings indicate that the proposed method achieved a container fill rate of up to 91.67% and minimized the number of containers used. Doi: 10.28991/HIJ-2024-05-02-017 Full Text: PDF

Inventory Management System

For organizations that handle transactions involving consumer goods, an inventory management system is critical for quality control. A huge retail store could run out of supply of a critical item if inventory is not properly managed. When it’s time to reorder, an effective inventory management system will notify the retailer. This inventory management system is also useful for tracking huge shipments automatically. Counting each pair of stocks by hand will almost certainly result in a mistake. The risk of human error can be reduced by using an automated inventory management system. An Inventory Management System also aids in the tracking of retail product theft, providing useful information regarding store revenues and the need for theft-prevention devices. Scanning a barcode on the item or a barcode scanner is how Automated Inventory Management Systems function. The central computer system then keeps track of this data. The purchase order can also include a list of items that need to be pulled for packaging and shipping. In this situation, the Inventory Management System can perform a range of tasks. It can assist a warehouse worker in locating things on an order list, encoding shipment information such as tracking numbers and delivery addresses and removing purchased items from the inventory tally to maintain a correct count of in-stock items. All of this information works together to give firms real-time inventory tracking data. The simple search in a database makes it easy to find and look at inventory information in real-time.The inventory management system project abstract tells the overall function of the software. It consists of the reason why the project was proposed and the solutions made to answer the needs of the targeted users. To enlighten you with this, here’s the Inventory Management System Project Abstract

Perbedaan Proses Pengadaan Barang Dan Jasa Metode Konvensional Dengan Menggunakan Jurnal Mekari Di PT. Sarana Remaja Mandiri

Procurement of Goods and Services at PT. Sarana Remaja Mandiri still use conventional systems. By using the Mekari Journal, as a procurement process in the company, it will have a significant impact on developing more efficient procurement. Organizations across all industries rely on Procurement Management expertise to source and manage relationships with external suppliers, ensuring these needed goods are obtained at the best cost. This aims to determine differences in procurement of goods and services at PT. Sarana Remaja Mandiri. The method used is the Mekari Journal, which makes it easier to document the documentation process for procurement of goods and services at PT. Sarana Remaja Mandiri. The Mekari journal will record the entire PO process that has been issued, delivery status, and payment status. Mekari Journal makes it easier for related parties in the company to access the progress of the goods and services procurement process. After analyzing and discussing the problem, the author comes to the conclusion that in the PO (purchase order) process, Jurnal Mekari helps in the efficiency process because by using this software, the procurement party only needs to enter related data such as supplier name, PO number, item name, number of items. , etc. By filling in the data in the Mekari Journal in the Purchase Order section, a PO will automatically be issued along with a template. So, companies don't need to create templates for PO documents.

An Investigation of Keratoplasty Procedures and Their Outcomes in Iraq

Introduction: The treatment of corneal disorders involves the use of various forms of keratoplasty. The objective of this study was to provide a detailed description of the various types of keratoplasty procedures performed in Iraq, as well as their corresponding outcomes.
 Methods: An observational study was conducted at Al-Zahraa Teaching Hospital to document cases of keratoplasty. The collected data included age, gender, types of keratoplasty, indications, previous surgical or medical history, and postoperative outcomes. The types of keratoplasty included penetrating keratoplasty (PKP), deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK), and Descemet's stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK). Additionally, we performed cataract surgery and intraocular lens (IOL) insertion for those with cataracts, using either IOLs with scleral fixation or IOLs with iris fixation. We complete the task on the first day following the purchase order, then the first week, the first month, and every six months thereafter. Prior to surgery, patients with corneal vascularization had laser photocoagulation of the blood vessels in the cornea.
 Results: Ages range from 4 to 90. People over 40 (60.8%) were the most common age group. The female prevalence was 52.9%. Right-eye illness was diagnosed 51.6% of the time. 60% of patients underwent PKP. 26.8% had DALK, 12.4% had DSEK. Post keratoplasty, the statistically-significant improvement-ratio was 68.5% as eyes best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improvement, while 12.2% of eyes showed a decline in BCVA and 19.3% discharged with no changes in BCVA. Postoperatively, BCVA was significantly lower in cases with a duration below 1 year (1.5), and better among the duration > 3 years (0.5). The greatest improvements were seen in cases with infective keratitis (-0.7), corneal dystrophies (-0.6), and advanced keratoconus (-0.7) whereas the lowest rates were documented in cases with a graft rejection (-0.3), and bullous keratopathy (-0.3)
 Conclusion: Keratoplasty is associated with a substantial enhancement of visual acuity in the younger population. Infective keratitis, keratoconus, and corneal dystrophy produce the most optimal and superior results. The PKP method is the most frequently performed.

Buyer-Backed Purchase Order and Advance Payment Discount Financing Under Carbon Trade Revenue-Sharing Contract

The promotion of low-carbon production is a crucial aspect of sustainable development, and carbon trading has proven to be an effective means of achieving this goal. However, the limited capital hinders small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from achieving low-carbon production. Thus, this paper examines a low-carbon supply chain comprising a financially constrained manufacturer and a well-funded retailer. We propose a game-theoretical model that addresses the financial constraints of the manufacturer through buyer-backed purchase order financing (BPOF) or advance payment discount (APD) with carbon trading revenue-sharing contracts. We investigate the determination of pricing and carbon emission reduction strategies by firms utilizing diverse financing models. We find that the total amount of carbon emission reduction increases with the manufacturer’s carbon trade revenue-sharing ratio. The financing rate of BPOF has a negative impact on the amount of carbon emission reduction, while the discount rate of APD will not affect either the carbon emission reduction or the revenue of the supply chain. Among the two financing strategies, APD is optimal for maximizing profit and promoting low-carbon development throughout the supply chain.

An Approach to Reduce Production Lead Time in the Valve Manufacturing Industry

Lean manufacturing aids improved productivity and product quality by identifying and eliminating waste. The present work aims to utilize Value Stream Mapping (VSM), a lean manufacturing technique to minimize the cycle time in the production of valves. A current state map is developed with available information gathered from the production unit, to identify the time-consuming factors like waiting time, improper inspection, and the lack of material and resources for manufacturing. Problem-solving techniques like 5s, JIT, KANBAN, and KAIZEN are used to reduce time-consuming activities. Value-Added and Non-value-added activities are identified through Current State Map. Activities such as placing a purchase order, drawing, assembling, testing, packaging, and shipping are Value-added activities. Non-Value-added activities are identified as rework, inspection, movement, waiting for the next process, and over-processing. The job waiting time between the next process is reduced by 70% using the future state map and the productivity is enhanced.