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Abstract: Background/Purpose: The implementation process of the procurement strategy requires consensus among in - ternal stakeholders. An effective procurement strategy aligns with specific business requirements and accommo- dates the individual introversion of internal stakeholders. From the latter, we formulate our research question: How is the classification of internal procurement stakeholders designed in the validation of the procurement strategy? The research objective is to present the result in the form of a schematic description and a recommendation for a communication strategy, based on insights from existing theoretical knowledge and the formulation of professional references. Methods: Nominal Group Technique (NGT) with 13 participants has been applied to analyze viewpoints on pro - curement functions. To ensure reliability and validity, Cronbach’s alpha test, Spearman coefficient, and t-tests have been used. Results and Conclusion: Study categorizes internal procurement stakeholders into four groups based on their stance towards strategy implementation: positive, cautiously positive, negatively independent, and negative stake - holders. For each group, we recommend a tailored communication strategy that includes elements such as inform - ing, guiding, motivating, and providing credible data. The research results offer important insights into the dynamics among organizational stakeholders and how communication impacts the success of strategy implementation. We have found that under-standing and adapting to various types of stakeholders are crucial for success, from those highly involved and positively inclined to those with the potential to oppose or hinder implementation. Employing specific communication strategies for each group can significantly enhance the chances of successful implementa- tion and sustainable execution of strategies.
Keywords: procurement strategy, internal stakeholder management, communication strategy, nominal group technique, internal communication
Published in DKUM: 13.08.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 0
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Abstract: Stagnation remains a persistent challenge in optimization with metaheuristic algorithms (MAs), often leading to premature convergence and inefficient use of the remaining evaluation budget. This study introduces , a novel meta-level strategy that externally monitors MAs to detect stagnation and adaptively partitions computational resources. When stagnation occurs, divides the optimization run into partitions, restarting the MA for each partition with function evaluations guided by solution history, enhancing efficiency without modifying the MA’s internal logic, unlike algorithm-specific stagnation controls. The experimental results on the CEC’24 benchmark suite, which includes 29 diverse test functions, and on a real-world Load Flow Analysis (LFA) optimization problem demonstrate that MsMA consistently enhances the performance of all tested algorithms. In particular, Self-Adapting Differential Evolution (jDE), Manta Ray Foraging Optimization (MRFO), and the Coral Reefs Optimization Algorithm (CRO) showed significant improvements when paired with MsMA. Although MRFO originally performed poorly on the CEC’24 suite, it achieved the best performance on the LFA problem when used with MsMA. Additionally, the combination of MsMA with Long-Term Memory Assistance (LTMA), a lookup-based approach that eliminates redundant evaluations, resulted in further performance gains and highlighted the potential of layered meta-strategies. This meta-level strategy pairing provides a versatile foundation for the development of stagnation-aware optimization techniques.
Keywords: optimization, metaheuristics, stagnation, meta-level strategy, algorithmic performance, duplicate solutions
Published in DKUM: 30.05.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 4
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Abstract: Since the implementation of modern approaches in operation maintenance, drivers are expected to be integrated into the entire system of maintenance in order to take over the professional competencies of maintenance workers. For this purpose, an international study was conducted on a sample of 249 truck drivers, with the aim to determine how maintenance in transport companies affects the role of heavy truck drivers in fleet maintenance. Based on the developed SEM model, it was determined that building an efficient maintenance infrastructure in transport companies enables the active participation of truck drivers in the company’s maintenance system. Drivers are capable of repairing minor failures, but only if they are proactive, which will affect their preventive behaviour. This can greatly benefit transport companies, as the results show that the vehicles are utilised more efficiently and in a better technical condition. The results therefore represent an important guideline for improving maintenance in transport companies, developing new competencies of truck drivers and upgrading existing knowledge in the development of modern operation maintenance.
Keywords: maintenance, maintenance strategy, heavy trucks, truck drivers
Published in DKUM: 18.12.2024; Views: 0; Downloads: 10
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Abstract: Pursuing vaccinations against COVID-19 brings hope to limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and remains the most rational decision under pandemic conditions. However, it does not come without challenges, including temporary shortages in vaccine doses, significant vaccine inequity, and questions regarding the durability of vaccine-induced immunity that remain unanswered. Moreover, SARS-CoV-2 has undergone evolution with the emergence of its novel variants, characterized by enhanced transmissibility and ability to at least partially evade neutralizing antibodies. At the same time, serum antibody levels start to wane within a few months after vaccination, ultimately increasing the risk of breakthrough infections. This article discusses whether the administration of booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines is urgently needed to control the pandemic. We conclude that, at present, optimizing the immunity level of wealthy populations cannot come at the expense of low-income regions that suffer from vaccine unavailability. Although the efficiency of vaccination in protecting from infection may decrease over time, current data show that efficacy against severe disease, hospitalization, and death remains at a high level. If vaccine coverage continues at extremely low levels in various regions, including African countries, SARS-CoV-2 may sooner or later evolve into variants better adapted to evade natural and vaccine-induced immunity, ultimately bringing a global threat that, of course, includes wealthy populations. We offer key recommendations to increase vaccination rates in low-income countries. The pandemic is, by definition, a major epidemiological event and requires looking beyond one's immediate self-interest; otherwise, efforts to contain it will be futile.
Keywords: COVID-19, pandemic, disease dynamics, exponential growth, virality, vaccination strategy, immunology, massive vaccinations, vaccine inequity, SARS-CoV-2
Published in DKUM: 14.10.2024; Views: 0; Downloads: 11
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Abstract: The focus of the paper is the revitalization of a heritage city center and the significance of retail trade and cruise ship tourism within this context. Fundamental concepts have been presented in the literature review and explored the factors contributing to the decline of old city centers. The empirical section of the paper comprises a case study that highlights a specific municipality's efforts to revive its heritage city center. The main attraction in Koper is its well-preserved medieval city center with five centuries old Venetian architecture. An analysis of the municipality's initiatives has been made and a qualitative study that investigates the perceptions and experiences of stakeholders regarding the situation and the municipality's actions to preserve commercial activity in the city center. The results of the semi-structured interviews conducted with three distinct stakeholder groups were analyzed using the qualitative content analysis method. The findings reveal that the chosen municipality has achieved relative success in revitalizing its heritage city. Concurrently, stakeholders' perspectives were utilized to identify potential drawbacks and explore opportunities for mitigating them. The paper concludes by presenting theoretical and methodological contributions to the field of heritage city centers revitalization, not only in the selected municipality but also beyond. These insights inform the appropriate sustainable policy development and marketing strategy.
Keywords: revitalization, retail trade, marketing strategy, city center, stakeholders, heritage
Published in DKUM: 04.06.2024; Views: 137; Downloads: 46
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