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Emerging technologies, such as delivery drones have enormous potential to revolutionize the rural healthcare supply chain (RHSC) and assist the countries in achieving sustainable development goal 3: good health and well-being. The advantages of delivery drones include faster delivery, high responsiveness, and a lack of dependence on road infrastructure. Given these advantages, prior literature on drone delivery has extensively explored their applicability in last-mile delivery from the e-commerce or retailer's perspective. However, their applicability in RHSC from an academic as well as practical perspective is still at a nascent stage. The present study fills this gap by examining the barriers inhibiting the adoption of delivery drones in RHSC using the Grey Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory technique. The results suggest that “lack of government regulations” is the most critical barrier. The study findings indicate that seven barriers are causal, and six are the effect barriers. “Limited load carrying capacity,” “low flight range,” and “difficulty in flying in adverse weather conditions” are the most prominent cause barriers. Moreover, “lack of skilled manpower,” “limited accuracy of navigation system,” and “lack of leadership commitment” are the most prominent effect barriers. We also perform sensitivity analysis to prove the robustness of the study output. The study results provide an in-depth understanding to the decision-makers and policymakers to help pave the way for the successful adoption of delivery drones in RHSC.

Supply chain responsiveness creates value for firms and their stakeholders and is a key towards generating above-normal profits for firms. Consequently, there has been a surge of research on it, which has expanded due to the pressures to be responsive during the pandemic of COVID19. Responsiveness is an attribute wherein the supply chains are equipped to respond resolutely and within a suitable timeframe to consumer requirements. The trouble to businesses posed by COVID-19 caught several firms off-guard. Further, there is limited research on the augmentation of supply chain responsiveness through new technologies. The present research, therefore, applies a hybrid approach by combining fuzzy Delphi and fuzzy AHP to understand the technology-driven enablers of supply chain responsiveness by employing a case company in food retail. The investigation reveals that supply chain integration technologies, sustainable manufacturing technologies, and smart warehousing are the most important enablers of supply chain responsiveness in the context of food supply chains. The results aid the key enablers that need attention and resources to be directed towards these enablers to eliminate a chance of missing on a successful transition into a more responsive supply chain.

The pace of Industry 4.0 adoption in manufacturing industries has been slow as it is accompanied by several barriers, specifically in the emerging economies. The current study intends to identify and understand the landscape of these challenges. Further, this paper prioritizes the challenges on the basis of their relative importance. To achieve this objective, the authors combine the fuzzy delphi approach along with the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis is done to enhance robustness of the findings. The global rankings of the challenges reveal that the most significant factors that hamper the full realization of smart manufacturing include cybersecurity, privacy risks, and enormously high number of technology choices available in the market. The analysis offers insights into the reasons for the slow diffusion of smart manufacturing systems and the results would assist managers, policymakers, and technology providers in the advent of manufacturing digitalization.

This study, empirically examines the green consumption behaviours of young consumers in India by employing Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) as core theoretical framework. In addition to examining the tenets of TPB, we also investigate the cognitive and external contingencies that may influence the green consumption behaviours of young consumers such as environmental campaigns, green stigma, pro-environment self-identity and environmental concern. Data, collected from 347 young consumers, was utilised to test the hypotheses using structural equation modelling technique. The results show that environmental campaigns strengthen the positive relationship between consumers' attitudes towards green brands and their purchase intentions. We also found that pro-environmental self-identity strengthens the relationship between consumers' green purchase intentions and purchase behaviour, while green stigma had a dampening impact on this relationship. The study contributes to the broader literature by highlighting the role of environmental campaigns, pro-environmental self-identity and green stigma can play in addressing discrepancies in the green purchase behaviour research. Further, we discuss managerial implications.

Managing knowledge has become a critical aspect of the contemporary business landscape. In addition, business no longer has profit as the sole purpose of their existence. Therefore, there has been growing impetus for socially and environmentally conscious business actions. The present article takes a dimensional view of the process of knowledge management. The authors disaggregate the process along three dimensions- knowledge acquisition, knowledge dissemination and responsiveness to knowledge and investigate their impact on sustainable business performance. In addition, this article assesses the moderating role of empowering leadership in the relationship between knowledge management components. Among various leadership behaviors, empowering leadership has assumed critical significance owing to growing chorus on providing autonomy and empowerment to employees. This article tests the hypotheses on data collected from manufacturing firms in India. The results demonstrate a positive relationship between dimensions of knowledge management, as well as positive moderation by empowering leadership. Further, the authors discuss implications.

Strontium copper hexaferrite powder with composition Sr2Cu2Fe12O22 was synthesized in presence of a non-ionic surfactant Tween-80 using chemical co-precipitation route. The prepared samples were calcinated at 950 oC for 4 hrs in a furnace and then slowly cooled to room temperature to obtain Sr2Cu2Fe12O22 hexaferrite powder. The effect of surfactant concentration on phase formation, microstructure, magnetic and dielectric properties of Sr2Cu2Fe12O22 were investigated using XRD, SEM, TEM, VSM, dielectric and low field AC susceptibility measurement techniques. The XRD analysis reveals the formation of mixed phases of Y and M type hexaferrites. The synthesized samples exhibited magnetic properties typical for soft magnetic materials, with saturation magnetization typical for Y-type hexaferrites. The dielectric properties were studied within the frequency range 100 HZ to 2 MHz. SEM images show formation of non-uniform, spongy and porous structure. The low field AC susceptibility measurements indicate that formed Sr-Cu hexaferrite powder possesses ferrimagnetic to paramagnetic transition at Curie temperature.

The W type barium magnesium hexaferrite powder with chemical composition BaMg2Fe16O27with CTAB surfactant was synthesized using solvent free synthesis method. The precursor was calcinated at 950 °C for 6 h in a muffle furnace and then slowly cooled to room temperature in order to obtain barium magnesium hexaferrite powder. The flexible epoxy thick film of Ba-Mg hexaferrite/epoxy composite was fabricated using suitable amount of hardener and curing agent. The field-dependent magnetic properties of the hexaferrite sample were investigated at room temperature using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) with a maximum applied field of 15 kOe. The dielectric measurements were taken at room temperature within the frequency range to 100 Hz to 2 MHz.

BaMg2Fe10O19 hexaferrite particles were synthesized by using a Stearic acid gel method. The prepared Ba-Mg hexaferrite particles were calcinated at Microwave frequency (2.45 GHz, power 900W, 5 min.) as well as at 650C, 750C, 850C and 950C. Decomposition behavior and the phase associated therein are investigated by means of thermal analysis (DTA, TGA, DSC) and XRD, respectively. The X-ray diffractograms of prepared samples calcinated at 650C, 750C, 850C and 950C show the presence of M and α- Fe2O3 Phases, whereas the sample heated in a microwave oven shows only single M-phase. Surface morphology of nonporous particles has been examined by using SEM. The samples prepared by conventional heat treatment produces agglomerated clusters of various size particles whereas, the sample heated in a microwave oven shows separate particles with size ranging from 80-240nm. There is significant change in crystallite size of the resultant Ba-Mg hexaferrite particles prepared at microwave frequency. It was observed that heat treatment condition plays a very crucial role in controlling morphology of prepared Ba-Mg hexaferrite particles. Room temperature magnetic measurements were carried out using VSM. Magnetic study reveals that prepared BaMg2Fe10O19 particles possess single magnetic domains.