Green supplier selection (GSS) as a critical strategic element is placed in the limelight in contemporary supply chain management (SCM), owing to the growing emphasis on environmental responsibility and sustainability. This study presents a fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (FMCDM) framework, employing Fuzzy Logarithmic Percentage Change-Driven Objective Weighting (FLOPCOW) method to determine the relative importance of sustainability criteria under uncertainty. A panel of five academic and industry experts was selected to identify 21 criteria, which were categorized into three main dimensions including environmental performance (C1), resource efficiency (C2), and corporate sustainability policies (C3). Triangular fuzzy numbers (TFNs) were adopted to model linguistic ambiguities in expert judgments whereas fuzzy normalization was applied to ascertain the weights of criteria. Key findings indicated that corporate sustainability policies (C3) were prioritized as the most influential dimension, followed by environmental performance (C1) and resource efficiency (C2). This suggested the centrality of institutional governance in advancing long-term sustainability objectives. Sub-criteria analysis further revealed ecological training programs, air emissions control, and sustainability reporting as the most critical indicators in the interplay of operational practices and transparent governance. FLOPCOW has effectively processed expert opinions with the use of fuzzy normalization, hence advocating a clear and repeatable approach for the evaluation of green suppliers. Furthermore, it highlighted the importance of policy-based criteria in supplier assessment and organizations could then align their purchasing decisions with sustainability goals by considering more on governance-related factors like compliance and stakeholder engagement.
It is crucial to ensure system reliability in changing situations where systems are required to operate in uncertainty or against disturbances. Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) simulations have in recent times emerged as an important key in ensuring the robustness and resilience of the system via evaluation and testing. The method introduces human decision-making and adaptability as well as providing insight into zones of possible weak points of the system and failure modes which are not even captured by computer-based systems. By incorporating HITL simulations into the system, designers and engineers could simulate operational challenges in real life, identify unforeseen defects, and implement mitigative strategies to enhance both robustness-ensuring consistent performance in the nominal operation and resilience-maintaining functionality in and after disruptions. This article looks at the effectiveness of HITL simulations in various domains, and particularly at the role that these contribute to system robustness and resilience. Among the most significant issues will be the nature of building the simulation environments, the test for the range of scenarios, and the roles for humans to be simulated within the loop. We investigate the behavior of humans during stress and uncertainty, then provide valuable feedback to the system to help it learn. By revealing the vulnerabilities of the system design and acknowledging human effects on recovery and decision-making operations, HITL simulations finalize the development of more adaptable, stable systems that could recover rapidly from interruptions. To conclude, HITL simulations are a critical tool for improving the reliability of systems, hence providing a comprehensive framework to address either expected or unexpected challenges in complex operating environments.
An artificial intelligence (AI)-powered agricultural advisory system, termed NDEMRI (Nurturing Digital Extension via Mobile and Responsive Intelligence), has been developed to provide evidence-based farming guidance to rural communities across sub-Saharan Africa through short message service (SMS). Designed for compatibility with basic GSM-enabled mobile phones and independent of internet access for end-users, the system integrates large language models (LLMs) via the ChatGPT API to generate contextually relevant, linguistically localized responses to a wide array of agricultural queries. A quasi-experimental evaluation was conducted in the northern regions of Cameroon over a four-month period, employing a matched control group methodology involving 831 treatment farmers and 400 controls. Statistically significant improvements were observed among participants using NDEMRI, with mean crop yields increasing by 16.6% and agricultural incomes rising by 23%, relative to the control group. Adoption of improved agronomic practices was notably higher among users of the system. A total of 2,487 unique messages were exchanged, covering themes such as pest management, planting schedules, soil health, and post-harvest storage, with 78% of users reporting that system responses were context-sensitive and adapted to local climatic and cultural conditions. The technical architecture is characterized by modular natural language understanding pipelines, embedded guardrails to minimize model hallucinations, and a reproducible framework for contextualization based on regional agricultural datasets. A detailed economic analysis demonstrated the financial sustainability of the intervention, with favorable cost-benefit ratios and scalability potential. These findings offer robust empirical evidence that the integration of accessible communication technologies with state-of-the-art AI can overcome infrastructural limitations, enhance decision-making in low-resource farming environments, and serve as a viable model for transforming agricultural extension services across the African continent.
In response to escalating urban traffic congestion, environmental degradation, and mobility inefficiencies, intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and sustainable mobility strategies have been increasingly recognised as vital components of smart city development. In this study, the city of Trabzon, Türkiye, was examined as a representative urban environment facing such challenges. Six major intersections exhibiting persistent traffic congestion were selected for conversion from conventional fixed-time signal control to adaptive, traffic-actuated signalisation systems. Detailed performance evaluations were conducted, incorporating microsimulation modelling and real-time traffic flow analysis. The implementation of adaptive signalisation was found to significantly reduce vehicular delay, queue lengths, and intersection-level emissions, while enhancing operational efficiency and traffic safety. A complementary analysis assessed the economic and environmental impacts of this intervention, revealing considerable annual savings in fuel consumption and marked reductions in carbon dioxide (CO$_2$) emissions, thereby underscoring the long-term sustainability and cost-effectiveness of the proposed system. In parallel, the integration of electric vehicles (EVs) and micromobility solutions—including electric buses, minibuses, passenger cars, bicycles, and scooters—was proposed to further promote sustainable urban mobility. Strategic placement of EV charging infrastructure was suggested, with spatial planning informed by expected demand distribution and intermodal connectivity. Economic modelling demonstrated a reduction in operational fuel expenditure, while environmental projections indicated a substantial decrease in transport-related greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, micromobility modes were proposed as critical for addressing first- and last-mile connectivity gaps, mitigating short-distance vehicular traffic, and alleviating urban parking demand. Policy recommendations emphasised the necessity of strong municipal leadership in facilitating infrastructure deployment, public adoption, and behavioural shifts towards low-emission transport alternatives. The findings position Trabzon as a viable model for medium-sized urban centres seeking to implement scalable and replicable smart mobility frameworks. By integrating adaptive traffic control with zero-emission mobility, this study provides actionable insights into the design of efficient, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable urban transportation ecosystems.
To enhance cost-efficiency and streamline logistics operations in industrial manufacturing, centralised warehouse systems have increasingly been adopted as a strategic alternative to decentralised storage structures. In this study, the storage framework of a lubricating oil production facility has been examined to assess the operational implications of decentralised warehousing currently in use. It has been identified that the existing system incurs excessive operational costs, prolongs handling times, and demands a disproportionately high labour force, thereby constraining the overall efficiency of the supply chain. In response to projected increases in production output, the feasibility of constructing a centralised, gravity-fed warehouse equipped with automated and robotic technologies for the handling of palletised goods has been investigated. This proposed facility would be strategically integrated with the product packaging unit to form a unified logistical hub within the manufacturing site. A comprehensive analysis was conducted to determine the optimal location for the central warehouse, with key criteria including material flow, space availability, connectivity to production lines, and scalability. The results indicate that the implementation of a centralised automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) would significantly improve warehouse throughput, reduce operational expenditures, and align closely with long-term production expansion plans. Additionally, the integration of advanced storage technologies is expected to enhance inventory visibility, minimise human error, and support real-time production coordination. It is concluded that the establishment of a central warehouse facility, functioning as a core node in the internal logistics network, is essential for achieving sustainable operational efficiency and future-proofing the lubricating oil manufacturing process.
The reliability and precision of stock market forecasting are of paramount importance to investors, regulatory authorities, and financial institutions. Traditional centralized systems for data processing and model deployment have been found to suffer from critical vulnerabilities, including susceptibility to tampering, single points of failure, and a lack of verifiability. To address these limitations, a novel hybrid framework has been developed that integrates advanced deep learning models with decentralized blockchain infrastructure to ensure both predictive accuracy and data integrity in financial time series forecasting. Temporal dependencies in market dynamics are captured through the use of recurrent neural networks (RNNs) and long short-term memory (LSTM) architectures, which have been extensively trained to model non-linear and non-stationary behaviors in high-frequency financial data. In parallel, a private Ethereum-based blockchain has been deployed to record cryptographic hashes of input datasets, model parameters, and forecasting outputs, thereby ensuring transparency, auditability, and immutability across the data lifecycle. To enable computational scalability, deep learning operations have been executed off-chain, while on-chain mechanisms are utilized for secure checkpointing and traceability. Empirical validation has been conducted using real-time data from the Borsa İstanbul (BIST), demonstrating significant improvements in forecasting accuracy when compared with baseline statistical and machine learning (ML) models. Moreover, the integration of blockchain technology has enabled a verifiable audit trail for all predictive operations, enhancing trust in the data pipeline without compromising computational efficiency. The proposed framework represents a significant advancement towards secure, transparent, and trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI) in financial forecasting, with potential implications for the broader decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem and regulatory-compliant AI deployments in capital markets.
To address the evolving preferences of residents in smart community development and the uncertainty inherent in expert-driven technology adoption decisions, an integrated Quality Function Deployment (QFD) framework has been proposed. This framework combines Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Sets (IT2 FSs), a modified Kano Model, Regret Theory, and the Grey-Entropy Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (GETOPSIS). IT2 FSs were employed to accommodate the semantic ambiguity of user demands, enabling more precise interpretation of linguistic input. A refined Kano classification was used to categorise 15 demand indicators, from which 5 Customer Requirements (CRs) and 10 Design Requirements (DRs) were derived. Regret Theory was incorporated to model behavioural biases commonly observed in expert evaluations, particularly the tendency to avoid perceived short-term losses. Additionally, a dynamic weight adjustment mechanism was introduced based on corporate life cycle theory, revealing strategic divergences between early-stage enterprises, which prioritise basic security infrastructure, and mature firms, which emphasise sustainable, energy-efficient technologies. The GETOPSIS method was further enhanced to improve the robustness of technology prioritisation under uncertainty. The principal contributions of this study are threefold: (1) the provision of a QFD framework capable of modelling high-order uncertainty through linguistic variables, (2) the integration of behavioural decision theory to better reflect real-world expert judgement, and (3) the development of an improved GETOPSIS approach for more reliable multi-criteria decision-making. The proposed framework provides theoretical and methodological foundations for advancing adaptive technology adoption strategies in smart communities and may serve as a decision-support tool for policymakers and developers in rapidly evolving urban environments.
Effective business system management necessitates strategic planning, efficient resource monitoring, and consistent team coordination. In practice, decision-making (DM) processes are frequently challenged by uncertainty, imprecision, and the need to aggregate diverse information sources. To address these complexities, a confidence-based algebraic aggregation framework incorporating the $p, q, r$-Fraction Fuzzy model has been proposed to enhance decision accuracy under uncertain environments. Within this framework, four novel aggregation operators are introduced: the Confidence $p, q, r$-Fraction Fuzzy Weighted Averaging Aggregation ($Cpqr$-FFWAA) operator, the Confidence $p, q, r$-Fraction Fuzzy Ordered Weighted Averaging Aggregation ($Cpqr$-FFOWAA) operator, the Confidence $p, q, r$-Fraction Fuzzy Weighted Geometric Aggregation ($Cpqr$-FFWGA) operator, and the Confidence $p, q, r$-Fraction Fuzzy Ordered Weighted Geometric Aggregation ($Cpqr$-FFOWGA) operator. These operators are designed to capture the inherent vagueness and subjectivity in business-related decision inputs, thereby facilitating robust assessments. The theoretical properties of the proposed operators—such as idempotency, boundedness, and monotonicity—are rigorously analyzed to ensure mathematical soundness and operational reliability. To illustrate the practical applicability of the model, a detailed case study is provided, demonstrating its effectiveness in maintaining resource sufficiency, preventing financial disruptions, and ensuring organizational coherence. The use of these aggregation mechanisms allows for systematic integration of expert confidence levels with varying degrees of fuzzy information, resulting in optimized decisions that are both data-informed and uncertainty-resilient. The methodological contributions are positioned to support real-world business contexts where dynamic inputs, incomplete data, and human judgment intersect. Consequently, the proposed approach offers a substantial advancement in intelligent decision-support systems, providing a scalable and interpretable tool for business performance enhancement.
The optimization of railway train selection in Pakistan has become increasingly critical due to rapid population growth and rising travel demands. Despite efforts by the Railway Transport (RT) Department to enhance efficiency, productivity, and safety through policy reforms and infrastructure advancements, persistent challenges such as outdated technology, infrastructure bottlenecks, frequent delays, and inadequate maintenance continue to hinder progress. Addressing these issues is imperative to ensuring sustainable, efficient, and resilient railway operations. Given the multifaceted and uncertain nature of railway system modeling and management, decision-making (DM) processes necessitate robust methodologies capable of handling imprecise and ambiguous data. In this study, an innovative DM framework is introduced, leveraging intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IFSs) as an advanced extension of fuzzy sets (FSs) to manage uncertainty and hesitation in complex scenarios. By employing Einstein t-norm and t-conorm-based operators, novel operational laws for intuitionistic fuzzy credibility numbers (IFCNs) are proposed. Three key aggregation techniques—Confidence Intuitionistic Fuzzy Credibility Einstein Weighted Averaging (CIFCEWA), Confidence Intuitionistic Fuzzy Credibility Einstein Ordered Weighted Averaging (CIFCEOWA), and Confidence Intuitionistic Fuzzy Credibility Einstein Hybrid Weighted Averaging (CIFCEHWA) operators—are developed to provide a structured approach for processing and analyzing intuitionistic fuzzy data. To evaluate the practical applicability and reliability of the proposed methodology, a structured DM algorithm is formulated and validated using a real-world railway train selection case study. The incorporation of confidence levels within the IFCN framework enhances DM precision by quantifying the degree of certainty, thereby reducing risk and improving reliability. The findings demonstrate that the proposed approach effectively addresses the inherent uncertainties in railway selection processes, leading to more informed and strategic planning. Furthermore, the applicability of IFCNs extends beyond railway systems, offering valuable insights for domains such as artificial intelligence, financial DM, management science, and engineering, where uncertainty plays a pivotal role.
The retail sector is increasingly confronted with challenges arising from digital disruption and shifts in consumer behaviour. Amidst this transformation, the integration of augmented reality (AR) has been identified as a promising avenue to revitalise the in-store shopping experience, offering a means to engage customers more effectively and enhance competitiveness. This study investigates the extent to which AR applications can improve the shopping experience in physical retail settings, with particular emphasis on their capacity to foster customer flow states. A survey of 239 participants, comprising both general consumers and retail professionals, was conducted to explore the impact of AR on the shopping process. The findings suggest that AR significantly enhances the shopping experience, contributing to heightened customer engagement and immersion. However, while AR is found to influence flow states, the flow experience itself does not mediate the relationship between AR use and the shopping experience. These results offer important insights into the application of AR in brick-and-mortar retail environments, providing a management-oriented perspective on how its strategic implementation can generate sustainable competitive advantages. Moreover, the study contributes to existing AR literature by extending the understanding of its role in traditional retail, highlighting practical considerations for retailers aiming to adopt such technologies. The evidence also underscores the potential of AR in fostering behaviours and experiences that are essential for maintaining the competitiveness of physical stores in the digital age. Therefore, the adoption of AR technologies is not only recommended for enhancing the customer experience but also for driving innovation within the retail industry.
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