Social programs are crucial to reduce poverty and inequity in developing countries. The operation of social programs, however, cannot be improved with traditional engineering tools since these tools are designed to maximize profits: in social programs maximizing profits is not the objective, social sustainability is. Field research was conducted and it was found that the operation of social programs is considered more socially sustainable if it meets two criteria: Efficiency and Equity; in other words, if the program can help more people who need it the most. This paper proposes a methodology centered in the development of mathematical formulas for the concepts of Efficiency and Equity, so that, by being able to measure them, government programs operation can be enhanced with engineering tools. The methodology is illustrated with a case study, a subsidized milk distribution program in Mexico, called Liconsa. Once the formulas were developed and used in a simulation model for Liconsa, different policies were tested and their results regarding Efficiency and Equity were compared. Results showed the best policies for Liconsa are the balanced ones: where help is increased for beneficiaries, while cost reduction commitments are obtained. In the discussion it is argued how the developed Equity and Efficiency indicators help to understand the tradeoffs between the objectives in opposition: instead of analyzing dozens of indicators, some of them improving and others worsening, the two formulas allow to capture all effects into two objectives and evaluate decisions based on their integral impact. Conclusions show that the mathematical definition of Equity and Efficiency supports better and more informed decision making towards improving the social sustainability of the programs operation. The mathematical definition of Equity and Efficiency and its use in engineering models helps balance the opposing objectives of social programs operation and promotes better and faster changes towards more socially sustainable programs.

THE CONTEXT AND EVOLUTION OF THE INTEGRATED SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AT UNIVERSIDAD IBEROAMERICANA MEXICO CITY

Ediciones Comunicación Científica se especializa en la publicación de libros dictaminados, digitales e impresos, mediante el sistema de pares ciegos académicos, acceso abierto al texto completo, métricas, DOI, Epub, indización internacional, ética editorial, comités editoriales, campaña de comunicación en las áreas de humanidades, sociales y ciencias.

Entre los principales impactos ambientales derivados de la operación de edificios habitacionales está la generación de gases de efecto invernadero resultante del consumo eléctrico de sistemas de climatización. El uso de sistemas de vegetación representa una alternativa para disminuir dicho consumo energético. Las barreras verdes son sistemas de vegetación empleados como protección contra el viento, aunque recientemente se ha explorado su uso como sistemas de amortiguación acústica. En este trabajo se analiza su posible aplicación como sistemas de aislamiento térmico para edificios. En específico, se reporta el comportamiento de una barrera verde de Arundo donax como elemento de bioclimatización. Los resultados se analizan a partir de las temperaturas medidas en el interior y exterior de edificios prototipo, en función de la presencia de una barrera verde. Adicionalmente se determinó la traspiración del Arundo donax en condiciones ambientales extremas.

Despite the advancements witnessed in the realm of quality improvement, Statistical Process Control (SPC) perseveres as a universally embraced and extensively employed tool within manufacturing companies across the globe. This enduring popularity can be attributed to its adherence to the time-tested principles established by Shewhart, which have withstood the test of time since its inception in 1924. Over the years, SPC has consistently proven its efficacy in optimizing manufacturing processes, enhancing product quality, and fostering continuous improvement initiatives. Particularly in the automotive industry quality is an utmost necessity. In Mexico this industry ranks as the 3rd most significant, and globally, is the 5th in terms of volume and transactional activity. This research focuses on a successful real case study that demonstrates the enhancement of capability in a critical machining operation within a Mexican automotive plant, specifically dedicated to truck engine remanufacturing. This improvement was achieved through the analysis of x and R control charts, followed by the implementation of the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle. The results obtained were derived from a comparative analysis of data from two distinct periods in the machining process of bushing diameters. This analysis revealed a significant increase in process capacity, with a 13.08 % improvement in the Process Capability Index (Cpk) and a 17.2 % enhancement in the Process Performance Index (Ppk). The decrease in expected out-of-specification parts showed a remarkable improvement of 72.7 %. Additionally, there was an enhancement in process variability, with a notable 8.33 % reduction in the mean range. The significance of this research lies in the empirical identification of gaps and opportunities within the realms of quality assurance and quality control, utilizing methodologies for quality improvement. By uncovering these gaps and opportunities, this study provides valuable insights that can guide future efforts to enhance quality practices and drive continuous improvement in the field.