Using Lean Six Sigma to improve mobile order fulfilment process in a telecom service sector

This study proposes and follows a specific and systematic framework for implementing Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodology in a telecom company in order to improve customer satisfaction by minimizing the company’s response time to customer requirements. The goal of this study was achieved by utilizing several LSS tools under five phases of the DMAIC methodology. Unlike previous studies in the telecom sector that used only qualitative method, in this study, both qualitative and quantitative methods were utilized to draw meaningful conclusions. As a result of the implementation of the LSS methodology, the average order fulfilment lead time for sales orders (SO) and value-added service (VAS) orders was reduced from 10.3 to 5.9 days and from 1.5 to 0.5 days, respectively. The reduction in lead time resulted in an increase in the sigma level for SO and VAS orders from 0.44 to 1.26 and from 0.73 to 2.66, respectively. These improvements were expected to lead to a financial benefit in savings of over $600,000 per year in operational costs, enhancements to customer experience and an increase in revenue generating opportunities. Moreover, this article enriches the existing literature on the application of LSS concept in the service industry, and helps the company to speed up the response to customer requirements.     

数据驱动下收货方质量偏好与电商配送服务质量优化

针对"互联网+大数据"优化电商配送服务质量问题，明确不同收货方的质量需求稳定性，引导电商根据收货方不同质量敏感性提供相对精准服务，提升配送服务质量。模拟投票结果的形成过程聚类得到收货方对服务质量偏好的记忆性特征：（1）"无记忆"型收货方；（2）"记忆"型收货方；（3）"不确定"型收货方；（4）收货方总体。进一步推导不同规划类型求解空间，设计得到"无记忆"型收货方动态规划精确求解方法，及其他三种类型近似求解粒子群算法。研究过程中，配送资源质量感知度被嵌入到模型约束；"无记忆"型收货方的质量需求规划问题转化为零库存策略最优解问题，进而证明存在精确解；"记忆"型收货方呈现出对质量感知的累积；"不确定"型收货方模型通过赋值即可得总体收货方表达式。结果表明：数据驱动研究框架借助大数据资源，使得电商更易通过收货方的质量偏好设计更加匹配的配送方案；不确定服务需求得到有效满足，投入成本的利用率更高；通过特征分类的方式，尽可能地抽取能够精确最优化的部分，缩小NP范围，提高整体求解的精确度。     

网络外部性对双渠道供应链信息分享的影响

研究了网络外部性对双渠道供应链信息分享的影响。分别建立了存在网络外部性和不存在网络外部性下的双渠道供应链模型，通过比较零售商信息分享和不分享下其与制造商的期望利润。研究发现：当未考虑产品的网络外部性时，零售商不与制造商分享其市场需求信息，与已有研究一致。当考虑了产品网络外部性且网络外部性较小时，零售商仍不与制造商分享市场需求信息；然而，当网络外部性较大时，零售商与制造商分享其市场需求信息。此外，零售商与制造商共享其市场需求信息有助于增加制造商和供应链利润。     

Employers' perspectives on benefit conditionality in the UK and Denmark

This article examines the under-explored demand-side of active labour market policies (ALMPs). Based on interview data from a comparative study of the UK and Denmark, the paper analyses employers' perspectives and experiences of ALMPs. In both countries, employers were favourably disposed towards employing unemployed jobseekers but held negative views on conditionality. First, benefit conditionality led to employers receiving large numbers of unsuitable and unfiltered job applications, with associated negative resource impacts. Second, employers perceived this as a product of ‘box ticking' and compliance targets. Finally, employers criticised policy and media rhetoric for focusing solely on the supply-side and for problematizing unemployed candidates. The paper argues that these crucial, but neglected, employer perspectives demonstrate that the current benefit conditionality regime in the UK risks irrevocably ‘tarnishing' candidates, which undermines, rather than enhances, their chances of securing employment through ALMPs. This unique dataset provides further evidence that the current direction of policy requires urgent and radical re-thinking.     

“一带一路”沿线国家设施联通对贸易利益的影响

以全球价值链（GVC）参与为视角，基于2005—2015年40个“一带一路”沿线国家与我国的增加值贸易数据，采用静态面板固定效应模型实证分析交通基础设施和通信基础设施对“一带一路”沿线国家贸易利益的影响。结果发现，加强交通和通信基础设施建设有利于提高一国出口中所包含的国内增加值，增进该国的贸易利益。作用机制研究表明，交通基础设施和通信基础设施都能够通过降低贸易成本促进贸易利益的提升，其中通信基础设施还能够通过提高贸易的时间效率对贸易利益产生积极影响。因此，“一带一路”沿线国家应以设施联通为依托，加强本国的交通和通信基础设施建设，把握参与国际生产分工的主动权，以实现共同发展繁荣。     

On hysteretic vector autoregressive model with applications

This paper proposes a new hysteretic vector autoregressive (HVAR) model in which the regime switching may be delayed when the hysteresis variable lies in a hysteresis zone. We integrate an adapted multivariate Student-t distribution from amending the scale mixtures of normal distributions. This HVAR model allows for a higher degree of flexibility in the degrees of freedom for each time series. We use the proposed model to test for a causal relationship between any two target time series. Using posterior odds ratios, we overcome the limitations of the classical approach to multiple testing. Both simulated and real examples herein help illustrate the suggested methods. We apply the proposed HVAR model to investigate the causal relationship between the quarterly growth rates of gross domestic product of United Kingdom and United States. Moreover, we check the pairwise lagged dependence of daily PM2.5 levels in three districts of Taipei.     

Response strategy to environment context factors using a lean and agile approach: Implications for firm performance

Based on the environment-strategy performance perspective and dynamic capabilities framework, we develop a theoretical model and hypotheses specifying how supply chain collaboration as a response to environment context factors – competitive intensity, supply uncertainty, technological turbulence and market turbulence, using a lean and agile strategy may influence firm performance. We test the model using partial least square structural equation modelling on data collected from a field survey with responses from 152 manufacturing firms representing a variety of industries. Empirical findings generally support the relationship between collaboration and firm performance using a lean and agile strategy. Also, for firms in industries that face environments characterised by high supply uncertainty and competitive intensity with, technological turbulence, the study finds evidence of a direct relationship between these environmental factors and supply chain collaboration. The findings provide an initial strategic response framework for appropriately aligning a lean and agile supply chain strategy through collaboration with environment context factors to achieve firm performance improvements.     

不同冷链服务模式下生鲜农产品供应链决策

基于单物流服务商、单供应商和单零售商构成的生鲜农产品供应链，构建3种冷链服务模式：承诺模式、提前要求模式与延后要求模式，探讨不同冷链服务模式对定价与冷链服务水平、企业绩效的影响。研究发现：某种冷链服务模式是否有利于消减数量与质量损耗依赖于产品易腐性、冷链服务成本及其分担比例。供应链成员无法在承诺模式与提前要求模式下形成统一的模式偏好。当物流服务商承担的冷链服务成本比例较低时，相比于提前要求模式，供应商偏好承诺模式，否则，偏好提前要求模式。承诺模式比提前要求模式更有利于物流服务商，然而对于零售商，结果正好相反。数值实验表明，虽然供应链成员无法对冷链服务模式形成整体的一致性偏好，但仍可实现局部的一致性偏好。     

Analyzing multiple vector autoregressions through matrix-variate normal distribution with two covariance matrices

Abstract

This article proposes a new approach to analyze multiple vector autoregressive (VAR) models that render us a newly constructed matrix autoregressive (MtAR) model based on a matrix-variate normal distribution with two covariance matrices. The MtAR is a generalization of VAR models where the two covariance matrices allow the extension of MtAR to a structural MtAR analysis. The proposed MtAR can also incorporate different lag orders across VAR systems that provide more flexibility to the model. The estimation results from a simulation study and an empirical study on macroeconomic application show favorable performance of our proposed models and method.     

互联网医疗服务法律监管研究

随着互联网技术的进步以及医疗改革的深入,互联网医疗服务成为新生业态.然而,我国互联网医疗服务法律监管体系还不够完善,缺乏统一规范的监管体系,多头监管、个人隐私隐患大、纠纷处理解决机制不健全等现实困境尚未解决,不利于互联网医疗服务行业的发展和人民群众身心健康.为解决上述问题,通过梳理发达国家的成功经验,如美国的移动医疗应用程序监管和个人隐私保护、欧盟的互联医疗数据管理、英国的行业协会监管等,结合我国现有国情,建议从完善立法体系、建设隐私保护机制、构建行业监管、明晰医疗服务主体责任等方面健全互联网医疗法律监管制度,以期推动互联网医疗服务行业发展,保障医患双方的合法权益.