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Increasing environmental awareness and stringent environmental norms of developed countries have demanded eco-friendly industrial practices from the leather industry. On the path to achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs), the concept of circular bio-economy (CBE) practices has gained significant attention from the leather industry with regards to waste management. CBE practices encourage the potential of recovering value from leather waste. However, the CBE concept has not been well received by the leather industries of developing countries for various reasons. Hence, this study aims to identify and evaluate various barriers to CBE practices from the context of the Indian leather industry. Twenty-five barriers to CBE practices in the leather industry are identified through literature review and interaction with managers. Then, a rough decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (R-DEMATEL) was utilized to reveal the interrelationships among the barriers to CBE practices. Restrictiveness to change, difficulty in forming a reliable supplier network, difficulty in developing customers, lack of vision, and unclear and partial understanding of the CBE concept have been identified as the five most critical barriers to CBE practices in the leather industry. Furthermore, in the current study, nine barriers fall into the cause group and sixteen barriers fall into the effect group. The outcome of the study reveals the causal interrelationships among the barriers to CBE practices to the industrial management and policymakers. This study is the first of its kind to analyze the barriers to CBE practices in the Indian leather industry context.

Owing to a heightened necessity, the consumption rate of electronic items has increased exponentially in recent decades, resulting in huge quantities of electronic waste (e-waste). Though increasing e-waste has many adverse impacts, it also provides an ample opportunity of recover value from the waste through circular economy (CE) practices. However, the adoption to CE practices is jeopardised by myriad barriers. This paper wishes to identify and evaluate the barriers that hamper CE practices in e-waste management. First, 30 barriers to the adoption of CE practices in India e-waste management are identified by reviewing the existing literature and conformed using experts’ inputs. Furthermore, based on the experts’ opinion, the thirty barriers are categorised into social, economic, and environmental categories. An integrated multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework of fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratories (FDEMATEL) and fuzzy analytic network processes (FANP) is employed to understand the causal interrelationship and also to rank the barriers. Uncertainty about the profitability of the circular economy (E9), insufficient market demand (E6), lack of successful circular business model (E5), shortage of high-quality recycling materials (E4), and lack of adequate technology (EN6) have been identified as the top five barriers to the incorporation of CE practice in e-waste management. Out of these 30 barriers, 12 come under the cause group and 18 come under the effect group. Understanding the causal interrelationship and prioritization of barriers provide better insight into the barriers. This study offers some managerial implications that could assist industrial practitioners and policymakers.

Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is a relatively new and still emerging concept. Due to its novelty, companies find it extremely difficult to adopt I4.0 and reap the full benefit of the digital transformation of the fourth industrial revolution. Even though challenges to I4.0 adoption are well explored, the extant literature has hardly investigated the numerous human-based behavioural factors that are fundamental for I4.0 adoption. Human experience, engagement, and dedication to I4.0 adoption are crucial due to the complex nature of human behaviour and can significantly affect the success of I4.0 adoption. To address the gap, this paper aims to unveil the indispensable behavioural factors for I4.0 adoption and portray a hierarchical relationship among these factors. An extensive literature review is conducted to identify behaviour critical for I4.0 adoption to operationalise this research. Then, a decision support framework based on the Delphi technique and a revised rough DEMATEL method is used to map the relationships among the behavioural factors. The results reveal that the most critical behavioural factor to I4.0 adoption is “communication,” which is followed by “I4.0 training” and “resistance to I4.0 initiatives”. This study substantiates the research on I4.0 adoption and assists in I4.0 adoption. I4.0 adoption is also essential for a country’s competitiveness; therefore, the paper will support relevant policy formulation.

๋Journal of Current Science and Technology, 13, 1, 59-73

Purpose Industry 4.0 (I4.0) not only turns traditional industrial activities upside down but also demonstrates its potential to enhance industrial competitiveness and productivity. In this context, technological advancement and I4.0 is a strategy to be pursued. This study aims to consider different I4.0 technologies by analysing Indian small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach Key factors and promising I4.0 technologies were selected using literature analysis and experts’ panel. The appropriate I4.0 technology for Indian SMEs is recommended using the fuzzy complex proportional assessment (COPRAS) method. Findings Results reveal that ability to expand IT infrastructure, change in the organization’s structure and the capacity to analyse key performance indicators as three crucial key factors in I4.0 implementation. In particular, the smart factory is identified as a better I4.0 for Indian SMEs. Originality/value This work has analysed Indian SMEs, but it is appropriate for other developing economies with limited technical resources, financial resources and inadequate skill sets. This work identifies a gap in the current literature, and the findings proposed by this work are oriented to assist decision makers, industrial managers and practitioners in selecting I4.0 technology and enhancing the industrial infrastructure. At the same time, cooperation between the government and industrial community is required to develop programmes for imparting the knowledge of I4.0 among SMEs. The framework used in this study will arm the industrial management in adopting I4.0.

As modern healthcare technologies are becoming more and more common, even in rural areas, the usage of various medical equipment is also increasing. The manufacturers of this equipment play a large...

Emergy Accounting (EMA) has gained attention in recent times as an environmental accounting tool. So far, it has been used for analysis at national and regional levels; however, the EMA has not bee...

PurposeThe transportation sector is frequently criticized for its adverse environmental impacts. Industrial managers and decision-makers in the transportation sector have difficulty embracing sustainable transportation. Taking this difficulty into consideration, this study intends to locate and evaluate the enablers of sustainable transportation.Design/methodology/approachUsing the Pareto analysis, the study finalized 20 enablers from the list of 25 enablers. The finalized enablers are prioritized, and their causal inter-relationships are revealed using the grey-decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (grey-DEMATEL) method. A sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the influence of experts' weight in the final results.FindingsFindings reveal enhancement of cross-departmental cooperation, decision synchronization, technology cooperation, policy cooperation and route optimization as the five most critical enablers of sustainable transportation. Based on the results, the study proposes some policy implications for the decision-makers to proactively incorporate sustainability concepts.Originality/valueThis paper is the first of its kind to evaluate the enablers of sustainable transportation in the Indian leather industry. This paper proposes a comprehensive list of enablers of sustainable transportation and reveals their causal interrelationships using grey-DEMATEL. The weight of the provided enablers will help the industrial managers to more proactively take sequential actions to incorporate sustainable transportation.

Post-consumer wastes from the textile industry are generally landfilled or incinerated. The dumping of large amounts of textile waste has resulted in severe environmental problems. Advancements in technologies have called for textile recycling; however, the level of embracement made by the textile industry towards textile recycling is hampered by myriad factors. The scope of this study lies in identifying and analyzing multiple barriers to implementing textile recycling in India, encompassing all subsets of sustainability, i.e., social, economic, and environmental. The barriers are then evaluated using a Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) approach to identify the significant barriers. A trapezoidal fuzzy-DEMATEL methodology was executed to not only find the most influential barriers but also to find the cause-effect nature between every barrier. The outcome of the study indicates a lack of successful recycling business models, poor demand for recycled textiles goods, recycled products may not replace new products, lack of support for waste management in the industry, and absence of tax relief and rewarding policies as the top five barriers to textile waste recycling. This insight could help influence the decision of future policymakers in the field. Another aspect of the issue of pollution in the textile industry is the recent trend of fast fashion and the enormous amount of waste produced by overconsumption. The Sustainability Development Goal (SDG) 12 which is to ensure responsible production and consumption plays a key role in this sector.

Purpose This study aims to find and evaluate the impact of COVID-19 in India’s mining activities. From the literature survey and input from experts, 14 important factors and ten green recovery strategies are identified. These 14 factors and 10 strategies are examined in a real industrial environment. Design/methodology/approach In this research study, fuzzy-complex proportional assessment is used to compare the identified strategies with the selected factors. Based on the outcome, this study identifies the optimum strategy that could assist the mining industry in handling both COVID-19 and sustainability issues. Findings The study’s outcome reveals that a large group of workers, collapse of demand and disruption, and suffered contractual workers are the top three factors that need to be considered regarding COVID-19 and sustainability issues. Effective strategies for eco-innovation practices, an emphasis on health and safety, and environmental awareness, education and training are the three primary strategies to be implemented for the greatest impact. Originality/value This research study is the first of its kind to coordinate both issues of COVID-19 and sustainability. In this regard, this study sheds a timely light on the precautions that need to be taken in tackling COVID-19 and sustainability issues. This study’s outcome will enhance the managerial capability in developing robust and effective strategies for handling difficult situations.

Blockchain, emerging technology, has immense potential to transform supply chain activities. Though blockchain offers more benefits, industries face many challenges in blockchain adoption. This pap...

Circular economy practices are considered an important initiative in achieving sustainable development goals; however, studies synergizing circular economy and sustainable development goals are limited. The leather industry, widely criticized for its adverse environmental impacts, has the strong potential to implement circular economy practices. Further, the leather industry is considered a foundational source for economically marginalized sectors and it is a major economic contributor to emerging economies. Thus, the leather industry plays a significant role in attaining sustainable development goals. Hence, a study on circular economy practices considering the leather industry is of significant importance. This paper proposes a methodological framework for evaluating the inhibitors to circular economy practices in the leather industry. For identifying the critical inhibitors to circular economy practices, this study uses a systematic literature review and identifies twenty-five inhibitors. A hybrid multi-criteria decision-making method combining the grey-decision making trial and evaluation laboratory with fuzzy complex proportional assessment method is employed for evaluating the inhibitors to circular economy practices. The findings of the study reveal that the uncertainty of consumer demand, lack of social awareness, stakeholders with short-term agendas, a lack of technologies and technical skills, and challenges in the safe return of waste to the biosphere are the five most influential inhibitors in circular economy practices. These findings can assist the industrial community and governmental agencies in formulating the required strategies to implement circular economy practices in the leather industry.

This paper seeks to develop a framework to identify, analyse, and assess the mining industry's key challenges in terms of environmental, operational, and social issues. For each issue, 15 challenges have been identified from experts’ opinions and from the relevant literature; each is examined in a real-world industrial setting. South India's mining industry is utilized to categorize and to determine crucial challenges based on an identification of their causal relationships. A fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) is used to assess and rank the challenges of each issue. Results reveal that climate change, lack of availability of capital, and unfair wages are the top challenges in the environmental, operational, and social issues, respectively, in India's mining industry. The proposed method is found effective in attaining the causal relationships and ranking amongst the identified challenges. The outcomes help decision-makers and industrial managers to take remedial actions such as adopting new technologies and innovations to protect the environment, improve the operating conditions, and facilitate social benefits to resolve the mining industry's challenges.

Poor maintenance practices lead to significant economic, environmental, and social problems and affect the sustainable manufacturing paradigm. The predictive maintenance (PdM) technique helps to minimise problems by forecasting the conditions of the machines. Hence, it is essential for industrial managers to have sustainable predictive maintenance (SPM) practices in place to achieve economic, environmental, and social objectives in their manufacturing environments. However, industrial managers face numerous barriers that may prevent the adoption of SPM practices, and this study aims to identify and evaluate barriers to SPM practices. Initially, by literature review, thirty barriers were identified, and then, using the Pareto analysis, twenty barriers were finalized for evaluation. This study uses an integrated Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) and Grey-Decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) technique to understand the hierarchies and interrelationships among the barriers to SPM practices. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine the robustness of the result. The study reveals that no independent barriers are present in the course of study. Results indicate that poor commitment from top management, lack of a standard performance analysis system, no synchronization among technologies, a lack of awareness on sustainable maintenance practice among stakeholders, and the organization's reluctance to change are the primary causal barriers to SPM practices. This study implies that SPM practices can be productive for industrial communities when industries enhance their technological capability and show interest in maintenance activity. The findings of this study help industrial managers and policymakers to better understand the nature of the barriers towards implementing SPM practices in a manufacturing environment.

COVID-19 has had a substantial impact on almost every field including the education sector. Due to the requirements for social distancing, the pandemic has provided an impetus for change in the education sector; technology-based sustainable education platforms not experienced previously have become essential. This research aims to propose flexible strategies to mitigate challenges of COVID-19 pandemic in the education sector of an emerging economy: Bangladesh. A total of 16 challenges and 19 flexible strategies were identified based on stakeholders’ inputs and literature review. To evaluate the flexible strategies, a methodology based on Pareto analysis and a revised rough-decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (rough-DEMATEL) method is proposed. Findings reveal that in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, ‘Maintain social distancing and health protocol,’ ‘Enhance the communication and collaboration among students and teachers,’ ‘Financial incentives from government,’ ‘Utilize modern technologies for digitizing the entire education system,’ and ‘Know how to engage students in an online environment’ are the vital strategies that must be implemented if education continues through E-learning. Because the current pandemic situation is a new experience for many individuals around the world, this study helps to recognize the challenges and to propose effective strategies to solve these challenges so that education does not become stagnant.

The occurrence of occupational accidents and injuries has always been a major concern for industrial management. Such undesirable incidences are higher in developing countries, especially in India, than in developed countries. This research aims to identify, analyze and evaluate the faulty behavior risks (FBRs) that trigger occupational accidents and injuries. Using a data triangulation strategy, this study identified 19 FBR factors under five categories. An integrated approach comprising the fuzzy analytic network process (ANP) and the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method is proposed for assessing these FBRs. The five most prominent critical risk factors are the absence of continuous monitoring, defective equipment and maintenance, cognitive bias, proper signage and adverse ambient working conditions. The study postulates some implications for industrial management to mitigate occupational accidents and injuries based on the outcomes.

Increasing daily energy demand is a cause of concern globally; buildings consume most of the energy generated, so energy conservation in buildings should be a prime concern to save energy worldwide. In the Indian context, among the previous studies to figure out the driving factors responsible for conservation of energy in buildings, they focused mainly on a sector of buildings or highly localized, lacking a holistic approach. The attempt to find building conservation factors is meager and is in scarcity. This research fills the gap by providing a holistic approach to driving factors responsible for energy conservation in buildings. The present study seeks to explore the interrelationships between the twenty factors identified in this research using interpretive structural modeling (ISM) methodology. It arrives at the dominant factors that are highly influential in driving conservation principles in built environments in India. Among the twenty factors identified, the results indicate that the six most highly impactful factors are industry orientation, comfort, change in lifestyle, saving the environment, promoting sustainability, and testing new theories in energy conservation. The managerial applications of the derived results of this research are also discussed.

Rapid industrialization and the increased use of consumer electronic goods have increased the demand for energy. To meet the increasing energy demand, global nations are looking for energy from renewable sources rather than non-renewable sources, to adhere with the sustainability principle. As energy from renewable sources is still in the experimental stage, there is a need to use available energy sources optimally. Considering this, the present study aims to identify, evaluate, and reveal the interrelationship among critical challenge factors in improving the heat rate performance of coal-fired thermal power plants. The study identifies twenty critical challenges through a comprehensive literature review. Then, to evaluate the identified critical challenges, the grey-DEMATEL (Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory) technique is used. For evaluating the challenges, this study conducts an empirical analysis in a thermal power plant in India. The findings reveal that air preheater leakage, coal flow balancing, and air heater air outlet temperature are the top three critical challenges hampering the thermal power plant’s performance. Additionally, fourteen challenges come under the cause group, while eight challenges come under the effect group. The findings of the study can assist industrial managers in overcoming problems in their thermal power plants. The results can also guide the development of a robust and reliable framework for mitigating these challenges.

Today, sustainability has gained significant importance in supply chain management due to its strategic business advantages. Concurrently, industries are facing supply chain sustainability risks emanated from diversified sources. So far, however, literature is scarce regarding sustainability risk assessment. To fill this research gap, this paper presents a real-life case study of the textile industry to identify and quantify supply chain sustainability risks. In this paper, the fuzzy synthetic evaluation method is applied to compute the likelihood of occurrence, amount of impact, risk criticality of each risk factor group, and the total risk. This study finds five risk groups along with twenty sustainability risk factors. The risk groups are listed as ‘supplier’, ‘financial’, ‘social’, ‘transportation’, and ‘environmental’, based on their respective risk criticality values. The top three sustainability risk factors are ‘poor product transportation system’, ‘air, water, and soil pollution’, and ‘factory fire’. The overall risk criticality value of sustainability risks of the case industry is found as approximately high. An objective of this study is to guide practitioners to take the required strategic steps to assess and manage sustainability risks in their supply chains.

Energy efficiency factors in building codes and standards are crucial components that are prescribed to buildings to augment their energy efficiency. The objective of this study was to prioritize these vital energy efficiency factors. The present study derives its motivation from energy design and execution professionals, who face the challenge of selecting certain energy factors that may result in a trade-off over other factors. A fuzzy set theory with a decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) methodology was employed to obtain the results. A ranked list of prioritized energy efficiency factors is one of the key contributions of this research. We demonstrate that energy efficiency factors can be evaluated according to the degree of their importance. Based on the results, it was concluded that outdoor and indoor climatic conditions, air conditioning systems, orientation of buildings, and ventilation are the four most significant and highest-ranked factors that affect the energy efficiency of a building.

Sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) plays an important role in the success of the company’s sustainability progress. Industrial management faces difficulty designing a resilient, sustainable supply chain (SSC) with emerging new needs. Hence, the industrial management needs to integrate the customers’ requirements (CRs) in designing the SSC as customer satisfaction plays an important role in the success. Knowing the CRs, the industries may figure out the technical requirements (TRs) that may enhance the industries’ technical capability. This study proposes an integrated approach to help design a resilient SSC by considering both CRs and TRs. The integrated approach consists of the fuzzy Delphi method (FDM), fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP), fuzzy measuring attractiveness by a categorically based evaluation technique (FMACBETH), and quality function deployment (QFD). The results obtained with FAHP and FMACBETH are incorporated into QFD to identify needed TRs. A case study is conducted to verify the integrated approach. Reduced carbon footprint, affordable cost, and on-time delivery are the three important CRs: financial strategy, green supply chain management, and government assistance are the three critical TRs. Based on the outcomes, the study suggests some implications that assist industrial management in improving sustainable supply chain management practices.

The purpose of this study was to identify and exhibit the interrelationships among COVID-19’s impacts on supply chain activities. Based on a literature review and the manager’s input, twenty COVID-19 impacts were collected. An integrated approach of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and grey-decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (G-DEMATEL) was used to reveal the causal interrelationships among the COVID-19 impacts. Initially, a questionnaire survey was administered among 220 respondents for EFA. Based on the outcome of EFA, the twenty COVID-19 impacts were categorized into seven critical areas. Then, based on the experts’ inputs, G-DEMATEL was utilized to reveal the causal interrelationships among various COVID-19 impacts. The results indicate that disruption management, relationship management, and production management are the top three critical areas that need to be addressed in the COVID-19 crisis. Disruption in supply, ripple effect on supply chain operations, and obsolescence of machines were found to be the most influential impacts while disproportionateness between supply and demand, difficulty in demand forecasting, and reduced cash inflow were found to be the most influenced impacts. This study’s outcomes will help policymakers and supply chain managers develop strategies to restructure supply chain networks. This study is an original contribution to the analysis of COVID-19 impacts in the supply chain activities in India due to the use of EFA and G-DEMATEL. This study considers India only, and hence, the outcomes lack generalizability. A study considering multiple developing countries could generalize these findings.

This paper assesses the interrelationships between hazards/risks (considered as barriers) for the effective implementation of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) measures using Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM). We investigate within and among hazard/risk classes and formulate a structural model that identifies and prioritizes their levels. Mitigation strategies for the identified barriers make the research outcome more useful and applicable. Results reveal that insulation failure, barrier (B7), is the most influential hazard; hence, it must be addressed first for the effective implementation of OHS measures in coal-fired thermal power plants. The second barrier in the ISM hierarchy, (B6) fire (mill/pool/jet), and additional hazards and risks require further assessment.

The continually expanding cityscapes and the evolving metropolitan society continuously needs resources to develop. The input of resources in terms of energy and materials poses a threat to the environment. The problem of depleting resources and materials in environment due to these expanding cityscapes and metropolises can be reduced if sustainability in construction, operation and maintenance of these commercial and residential buildings are introduced. Because most of the cityscapes habitat consists of residential and commercial buildings, the area of sustainability application can be more impactful if the sustainable measures could be applied in these buildings. This research analyzes the factors that obligate the various sustainability measures in commercial and residential buildings in the Indian subcontinent. Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) based Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) methodology is used to study the factors’ interaction and rank them. Managerial application and implications of the results on the society will also be discussed.

Coal is the major source of energy in the world. But, the process of extraction and use of coal has adverse effects on the environment. In this chapter, the authors try to reduce these effects by considering the principles and technologies involved in Industry 4.0, also known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution. From a few expert reviews and research works, eight crucial factors were taken into account and were analyzed. The eight factors are consumer, water resources, smart transportation, smart factory, smart grid, smart mining, smart home, and renewable energy. The analysis has been made using the total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) method. The model distinctly demonstrates the influence of the principles of Industry 4.0 over coal industries. This chapter also aims to pave the way for future research and tries to contribute towards the sustainable extraction and usage of coal in energy industries. Consumer plays the most influential role in this regard.

The global pandemic of COVID-19 has affected most countries and has impacted every household’s operations. Mandatory stay-at-home lockdowns have forced building residents to use more energy for the...

Rapid environmental depletion and ever-increasing CO2 emission have necessitated an environment-friendly manufacturing practice for industries across the globe. In this perspective, green manufacturing (GM) practices were conceptualized and practiced by large scale enterprises of developed countries. However, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries are struggling to adopt GM practices. There are many reasons for this struggle in a developing country like India. To shed light on this issue, this research work intends to identify, analyze and rank the predominant barriers, which restrict implementing of GM practices in Indian manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Based on a comprehensive literature review and experts’ opinion by employing the Delphi method (DM), the study revealed 25 barriers, in three broad categories, of GM implementation in Indian SMEs. The identified barriers are ranked, and their interrelationships are explored using a novel integrated multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) framework, with a combination of Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory Model (DEMATEL), Analytical Network Process (ANP), and Technique for Order Performance by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) in a fuzzy context. A sensitivity analysis is performed to check the consistency of the results. The results reveal that core category, which include several barriers related to lack of internal abilities and strategies, is the most critical category of barriers for manufacturing SMEs in India. In particular, the three most critical barriers are lack of research and development (R&D), failure in eco-design and lack of accreditation respectively. The study findings, which provide valuable insight for SME practitioners of Indian manufacturing SMEs, can be used to formulate appropriate strategies to overcome the barriers.

As the business ecosystem is very becoming volatile with uncertainty accompanied with poor process centric practices leading to complexity and contributing to ambiguous decision making. Such a scenario constitutes a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous world known as VUCA world. To manage the business in VUCA world, companies have started adopting emerging technologies such as Circular Economy (CE) and Internet of Things (IoT). These technologies combined with a proactive decision-making process promote Ethical Business Practices (EBP) that can lead a sustainable business operation in the market. Therefore, the present study assesses the impact of CE; IoT and EBP (CE-IoTEBP) in the food processing industry. Here, the factors that are influencing the company’s preference towards the CE-IoTEBP were analysed. Further to evaluate CE-IoTEBP, an evaluation model was developed. Using, Churchill approach, exhaustive list of factors (79 factors) relevant to the model were identified. Then, Ant colony optimisation was used to reduce the number of factors (39 factors) to make the model robust and apt for the evaluation of CE-IoTEBP. This was followed by using the Fuzzy ANN system for classifying the factors based on the level of contributions to assess the level of adoption intention of CE-IoTEBP in the industry. Through, fuzzy decoding (FANN) the final value for the CE-IoTEBP adoption intention was obtained. Additionally, this research proposes a deployment model for evaluating the CE-IoTEBP in the food processing industry to improve the low contributing factors. The use of Ant Colony Optimisation (ACO) method makes the decision making significantly robust and the ANN system improves its efficiency. The deployment model can be a reference for both academicians and practitioners to emulate in different industries.

COVID-19 has had a major impact on health, economic, social, and industrial activities. It has disrupted supply chain management and affected the movement of essential supplies to a large extent. This study aims to identify and evaluate the challenges hampering sustainable humanitarian supply chain management (SHSCM). Twenty critical challenges to SHSCM are identified using a comprehensive literature review, and three strategies were developed. The challenges and strategies were verified using expert input. The challenges were evaluated using the neutrosophic analytic hierarchical process (AHP) method. The neutrosophic TODIM (an acronym in Portuguese for interactive multicriteria decision making) method was then used to select the best strategy. The findings reveal that facility location problems, short lead times for emergency supplies, spread of rumors, rapid emergence of new clusters, and doubt concerning the available remedy are five critical challenges in SHSCM during COVID-19. Public–private partnerships are identified as the best strategy in SHSCM. Finally, this paper discusses the implications to sustainable development goals in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era.

The combination of natural and synthetic polymeric materials grafted hydrogels offer great potential as oral therapeutic systems because of its intrinsic biocompatibility, biodegradability, protect labile drugs from metabolism and controlled release properties. Hence, in the present study, we aimed to prepare and optimize oral delivered pH-responsive Zein-co-acrylic acid hydrogels incorporated with 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) and rutin (Ru) for effective anticancer activity with less toxicity. In this study, graft polymerization technique is adopted to formulate hydrogels with various ratios of Zein, acrylic acid, N, N-methylene bisacrylamide, and ammonium persulphate as an initiator. The optimized formulation was identified based on the cross-linking, chemical interactions, intrinsic viscosity (η), dynamic swelling (Q) at pH 1.2, diffusion coefficient (D), sol–gel fraction (%), and porosity (%). The selected optimized formulation has shown significant improvement in drugs loading and encapsulation efficiency, releasing at pH 1.2 and pH 7.4. Drug release kinetics studies confirmed the controlled release properties of hydrogels. Hydrogels were porous and the drug loading of 5-Fu and Ru was found to be 12.13% and 10.86%, respectively, whereas encapsulation efficiency of 5-Fu and Ru was 89.35% and 81.47%, respectively. Furthermore, form the in vitro cytotoxic screening, it was found that 52.5 µg mL−1 5-Fu and Ru-loaded hydrogel impacted 50% of cell death at 24 h, there by significantly arresting the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. Altogether, the optimized pH-responsive hydrogels make them favorable carrier for anticancer drugs for oral delivery.

The combination of natural and synthetic polymeric materials grafted hydrogels offer great potential as oral therapeutic systems because of its intrinsic biocompatibility, biodegradability, protect labile drugs from metabolism and controlled release properties. Hence, in the present study, we aimed to prepare and optimize oral delivered pH-responsive Zein-co-acrylic acid hydrogels incorporated with 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) and rutin (Ru) for effective anticancer activity with less toxicity. In this study, graft polymerization technique is adopted to formulate hydrogels with various ratios of Zein, acrylic acid, N, N-methylene bisacrylamide, and ammonium persulphate as an initiator. The optimized formulation was identified based on the cross-linking, chemical interactions, intrinsic viscosity (η), dynamic swelling (Q) at pH 1.2, diffusion coefficient (D), sol–gel fraction (%), and porosity (%). The selected optimized formulation has shown significant improvement in drugs loading and encapsulation efficiency, releasing at pH 1.2 and pH 7.4. Drug release kinetics studies confirmed the controlled release properties of hydrogels. Hydrogels were porous and the drug loading of 5-Fu and Ru was found to be 12.13% and 10.86%, respectively, whereas encapsulation efficiency of 5-Fu and Ru was 89.35% and 81.47%, respectively. Furthermore, form the in vitro cytotoxic screening, it was found that 52.5 µg mL(−1) 5-Fu and Ru-loaded hydrogel impacted 50% of cell death at 24 h, there by significantly arresting the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. Altogether, the optimized pH-responsive hydrogels make them favorable carrier for anticancer drugs for oral delivery.