International Journal of Advanced Operations Management (4 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Efficient Production and Financial Management Model considering Customised Products with a Two-tier Trade Credit Policy  
  by Anshika Singh, Abhinav Goel 
  Abstract: This study investigates a two-tier partial trade credit policy, where the supplier offers a specific time to pay off. In contrast, the retailer provides a permissible delay in payment to customers. By considering factors like credit risk, interest rates, and customer relationships, the research aims to identify the optimal balance delaying payment to suppliers and maintaining a healthy cash flow. Employing the classical optimisation method, the paper determines the most advantageous trade-off, enabling businesses to optimise their financial strategies. The study uses a model that considers customized products and a two-tier trade credit policy to minimise the total cost while acknowledging permitted delay as a decision variable. The findings presented herein offer valuable insights for enterprises seeking to streamline production processes. A numerical investigation suggests that reducing permitted delays beyond cycle length improves cash flow management by enabling businesses to function less on credit, lowering interest and other expenses.
  Keywords: Customised products; two-tier trade credit policy; permissible delay; sustainability; production model; inventory management; supply chain; optimisation; interest rate.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJAOM.2025.10073422
   
  
• Modelling and Performance Evaluation of Cement Production System using Gumbel-Hougaard Family Copula  
  by Ibrahim Yusuf 
  Abstract: This study examines how reliability analysis was applied to system downtime data to assess machine component performance in the cement industries. Provision of a precise plan for reducing downtime and preventative maintenance utilising the Gumbel-Hougaard Family Copula method in the cement industries served as the impetus for the study. The system of first order differential equation were generated using Mnemonic rule. The expressions of reliability measures were used for measuring system strength, such as availability, reliability, mean time to failure (MTTF), profit function and sensitivity analysis. The Raw mill container, Grinding, Pre-heating, Kiln and Packing are the subsystems evaluated in the present research. Each subsystem's active unit(s) and redundant unit(s) were shown in Figure 1. From the conclusion section, it is clear that when the system is repaired, it performs much better than when it is replaced.
  Keywords: Reliability; Performance; Cement; Copula; Production.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJAOM.2025.10073425
   
  
• An Investigation into  
  by Ashish Shrivastava, Rajesh Prasad Mishra 
  Abstract: This study investigates the synergistic effects of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) and Industry 4.0 (I4.0) on enabling circular economy (CE) practices in the Indian manufacturing sector. By integrating operational excellence methodologies (LSS) with advanced digital technologies (I4.0), this research explores how organisations can optimise resource efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance sustainability. A structured questionnaire was administered to 250 respondents across the Indian automotive sector. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) were employed to validate constructs and test hypothesised relationships. The findings confirm that both LSS and I4.0 significantly influence CE outcomes, with Industry 4.0 demonstrating a stronger direct effect. The study contributes to the existing literature by developing and validating a framework that combines LSS and I4.0 to support CE transitions, offering both theoretical and managerial insights. Implications for proactive integration strategies and future research directions are discussed.
  Keywords: Lean Six Sigma; Industry 4.0; Circular Economy; Sustainability; Six Sigma; Lean Manufacturing.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJAOM.2025.10073783
   
  
• Profitable Policies for EOQ Models of Precious Metallic Products with Conditional Trade Credit under Uncertainty  
  by Santanu Saha, Manojit Das, Shariful Alam, Kajal De, Arindam Garai 
  Abstract: The present study determines optimal economic policies of an economic order quantity model for retailers of precious metallic products (PMPs) by incorporating time-varying partial back-ordering of shortages, whereas the time- and selling price-varying demand rate addresses sensitivity and uncertainty of the PMP market. Unlike several established articles, retailercentric conditional trade credit policy of this study promotes retailers to borrow funds only until sufficient capital is accumulated to repay debt for enhancing economic sustainability. Post defuzzification with well-established total in -integral method, this study employs classical optimisation method to optimize three different NP functions corresponding to three credit settlement offerings by suppliers. Current results advocate for extending trade credit periods with improved supplier-retailer relationships and implementing active demand monitoring, which shall boost profitability for retailers and enable larger order sizes. Managers should carefully consider payable interest rates, as lower borrowing cost significantly improves NP while increasing order sizes and cycle lengths.
  Keywords: Economic order quantity model; debt-free zone with conditional trade credit; bi-variate demand; time-varying partial back-ordering; precious metallic product; ??integral method of defuzzification.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJAOM.2025.10073836