Management Research in Iran

Abstract Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), as a non-parametric and data-driven methodology, is an effective tool for assessing the relative efficiency of a set of decision-making units (DMUs) with multiple inputs and outputs. However, classical DEA models disregard the internal structure of DMUs and treat them as “black boxes.” To overcome this limitation, network DEA has been developed to explicitly model the internal interactions among the components of each DMU. Moreover, in many real-world applications, certain input, output, or intermediate variables are inherently discrete and take integer values, and negative data may also be present. Such characteristics are typically ignored in conventional DEA models and can lead to inaccurate or impractical efficiency estimates. This paper proposes a novel network DEA model based on the directional distance function for two-division series systems, capable of simultaneously handling negative data and integer-valued variables. By defining an appropriate direction vector, the proposed model enables the measurement of system efficiency under both constant returns to scale and variable returns to scale. To demonstrate the capabilities of the proposed model, a real case study involving 29 Iranian supply chains in the medical consumables industry is conducted. The results show that the proposed model not only accurately distinguishes between efficient and inefficient DMUs but also provides projection points that specify the exact pathway for performance improvement in each division. The findings indicate that the proposed approach can serve as a robust and reliable tool for evaluating and enhancing supply chain efficiency, particularly in sensitive industries such as medical consumables.

Abstract Introduction: The goal of this paper to explain and analyze the supply chain risks of Iran's pharmaceutical industry. In this research, the combined approach of meta-synthesis and thematic analysis has been used.
Methodology: The approach of this research is qualitative. In the first stage, with a systematic review of related studies in the last 23 years with a meta- synthesis approach, supply chain risks in the pharmaceutical industry were identified. For this purpose, first 100 articles were selected and after several stages of filtering, 26 final articles remained and became the basis of the research. In the next step, the supply chain risks of Iran's pharmaceutical industry were obtained by thematic analysis method. For this purpose, a semi-structured interview of Iranian pharmaceutical industry informants was conducted using the method of purposeful sampling and theoretical analysis, with thematic analysis approach. In the last stage, by combining the results of meta-synthesis and thematic analysis, its validity analysis with the method of Content validity ratio, ten risks were obtained as the final risks of Iran's pharmaceutical industry.
Results and Discussion: Based on the results, the supply chain risks of Iran's pharmaceutical industry in order of priority are: environmental risks; problems of foreign currency supply and financial payments; lack of timely supply of raw materials; the complexity and incompatibility of information systems; low quality of raw materials and products; unavailability of medicine and its timely delivery; transportation and insurances; distribution sector technologies; Fluctuations in demand; Increase in the price of raw materials and medicine.
Conclusion: Out of the ten risks obtained, environmental risks, problems of foreign exchange and financial payments, increase in the price of raw materials and medicine, and transportation and insurance, (due to having the highest frequency in both methods of meta-synthesis and thematic analysis) have a greater impact on the supply chain. Therefore, the stakeholders of Iran's pharmaceutical supply chain should focus on these risk factors and plan for their management in order to improve the performance of the supply chain.

Abstract There is a kind of supply chain services that the products are not considered as a commodity, and a combination of products and service or only service is exchanged in these chains. Despite the importance of these supply chains, the research literature is not very rich and the need for further strengthening in this area is quite evident. Hospital service supply chains are also the type of service supply chains that should be taken into consideration. The aim of the current research was to optimize the supply chain of hospital services. For this purpose, library studies were first conducted and the research gap was extracted. Then, a multi-objective mathematical planning model was designed based on research innovation and its assumptions, the first objective was to minimize the cost, the second objective was to minimize the unrealized demand, and the third objective was to maximize the commitment of suppliers. After the solution, the model was validated based on fast-moving and non-moving goods, and the results showed that the parameters of the model all lead to a worsening of the solution, causing an increase in cost and unfulfilled demand and a decrease in employee commitment. But the goal of employee commitment has changed more than other goals due to the increase in parameters, and sometimes this commitment is reduced by 70%. The parameter of demand for fast-moving consumer goods has the greatest effect on cost and unrealized demand.

Abstract One of the main problems in small and medium sized (SME) industries is a few research in sustainable development scope. One of the most important reasons for lack attention to this issue is the lack of a comprehensive model for evaluating sustainable development performance. So, the current study tried to identify the factors affecting the performance of sustainable development in nine different SMEs in Yazd province. Then we tried to determine the appropriate indicators for each industry in order to introduce a comprehensive performance evaluation model. Finally, we prioritized and evaluated these factors in each industry. To do so, a mixed method of average data, Principal Component Analysis(PCA) and Random Forest (RF) is used. Also, the obtained data were analyzed using R software. The result demonstrated the important factors in evaluating the performance of sustainable development in each industry. The findings introduced the most effective factors of the performance evaluation in the chosen SMEs in Yazd province. Also, the results shown the importance of the factors in each SME.

Abstract Supplier selection and determination of the lot sizing is an important component of production and logistics management for many companies. Therefore, after the select of preferred suppliers at the first should obtaine the optimize order of each of the suppliers that is the purposes and constraints of determiners. One of the most effective techniques, which can provide optimal solutions with different targets, is multi-objective programming model.Purpose of this study is to design an efficient multi-objective model of optimal to determine the lot sizing to each supplier.This work is done with designation of multi- objective model, to achieve minimizing the cost of the chain, such as the cost of purchasing, storage, transportation, etc., and also maximize the quality of materials that purchased from suppliers. Finally the model is solved by using the meta-heuristic method, multi-objective Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NAGA-II), and also in order to validate the model using meta-heuristic particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO) has been solved and results compared with the first method.

Abstract In today’s dynamic and competitive markets, industries and services require the methods, which can overcome the environmental challenges, and provide non-wasting production and services to the customers. Such tools can be achieved through pure production method. Therefore, by studying the literature review of pure production models in the supply chain, 14 major identification factors were identified in the form of a questionnaire presented to the experts and managers of automobile industry supply chain in order to specify the relationship and sequence of these factors through ISM method, and then confirm using path analysis technique. In this regard, these factors were located at five levels. The first level includes wasting and contentment of client; the second level is related to source control and continuous improvement; the third one involves the structure of material flow, supplying development and selection; the fourth level consists of educating and empowering, contacting with client and supplier and information flow structure; and the fifth level includes management behavior, methods and staffskills. The order of factors has helped the managers that if they implement these factors for the improvement of production methods and approaching to a pure production, from which factor they would initiate.    

Abstract Supply chain (SC) management aims to increase the overall profit through improvement of various activities and components. Many contradictions between parts and different levels of a SC have been identified in order to achieve overall objectives. Such shortfalls may result in decreased strength and competitiveness of the SC. The basics of game theory make it a suitable and reliable tool for solving contradiction situations by considering all levels and players goal. For Solving the problem mentioned above, game theory approach besides coordination mechanism are performed in this research. First of all an unlimited three echelon supply chain including S suppliers, M manufacturers and K retailers are considered. For this matter, a mathematical cooperative model based on specific assumptions is proposed. The model was performed in a numerical example and it is solved by genetic algorithm. The sensitivity analysis of proposed model was analyzed by design of experiment and finally the verification of the cooperative model is assessed by simulation and Arena software.

Abstract Nowadays, many organizations face with increasing competition and uncertainty environment, supported by innovating technologies and the changing needs of customers. In this environment, past methods in supply chain loose their ability. One efficient method in this regard is agility. Thus, for modeling the agility of supply chain, a wide range of research was done in the literature. The results of this research and interview by experts found 11 critical success factors of agile supply chain. Then these factors were entered into a questionnaire and the experts of Zobahan Co Supply Chain were asked to fill in it. The obtained results were analyzed by interpretive structural modeling and the Correlations between those factors were determined. The attained correlations indicated that development of the employees’ skills, employment of IT and programming are the basics of agility in supply chain. This model would help the supply chain managers in strategic planning for improving the agility of supply chain.