The selection of the best location for a facility is generally a complex process especially when considering multiple criteria in the selection process. The costs associated with purchasing the land and related constructions makes the location selection problem a long-term investment decision. Hence, the problem should be analysed carefully with a reliable approach to avoid the consequences that follows awkward decisions. Many multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods are developed recently which made the selection of a suitable MCDM method has become a confusing decision. In this study, measurement alternatives and ranking according to compromise solution (MARCOS) method is used to solve a location selection problem with conflicting criteria. The ranking produced by MARCOS method is analysed by a comparison with other common MCDM methods and a sensitivity analysis. The aim of the comparison to show that the method agreed the choice of the best alternative while the sensitivity analysis is employed to check the robustness and efficiency of this method. The sensitivity analysis includes the sensitivity of weight test and rank reversal (RR) test. The comparison of ranking with different methods showed that MARCOS method has strong ranking correlation with other methods. Moreover, the sensitivity analysis showed the reliability and robustness of MARCOS method as it produced high consistency of ranking through the tests. Thus, this study validates the applicability of MARCOS method to handle the presence of conflicting criteria in location selection problems.

The goal of this study was to construct a mathematical and computational model that accurately represents the complex, flexible movements and mechanics of an elephant’s trunk. Rather than serving as a biological study, the elephant trunk model was used as an application to demonstrate the effectiveness of a proposed rigid–flexible coupling framework. This model has broader applications beyond understanding the mechanics of an elephant trunk, including its potential use in designing flexible robotic systems and prosthetics, as well as contributions to the fields of biomechanics and animal locomotion. An elephant’s trunk, a highly flexible and muscular organ without bones, is best modeled using continuum mechanics to capture the dynamic behavior of its motion. Given the rigid body nature of an elephant’s head movement and the highly flexible nature of the trunk, a robust geometric framework for the rigid–flexible interface is crucial to accurately capture the complex interactions, force transmission, and dynamic behavior arising from their distinct motion characteristics and differing coordinate representations. Under the umbrella of flexible multibody dynamics, this study introduced a hybrid coordinate system, integrating the Natural Coordinates Formulation (NCF) and the Absolute Nodal Coordinates Formulation (ANCF), to establish the geometric constraints governing the interaction between the rigid body (the head) and the highly flexible body (the trunk). Moreover, the model illustrates how forces and moments are transmitted between these components in both direct and inverse scenarios. Various finite elements were evaluated to identify suitable elements for modeling the elephant’s trunk. The model’s accuracy was validated through simulations of bending, twisting, compression, and other characteristic trunk movements. The solution method is presented alongside the simulation analysis for various motion scenarios, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding and replicating the trunk’s complex dynamics.

The objective of this work is to investigate the applicability of the balanced scorecard approach in Libyan industrial companies, from the prospective of the people who work in supply chain management. The study’s approach included a literature analysis as well as a standardized questionnaire that was delivered to 111 individuals involved in supply chain operations. Furthermore, they gained the required expertise in a variety of tasks that may be roughly defined as the four qualitative views of the supply chain balanced scorecard. The study’s hypothesis was tested using correlation, multiple, and simple regression. The empirical results of the main hypothesis found significant supporting evidence for the applicability of the BSC model in industrial organizations, as well as significant evidence for the applicability of all four BSC perspectives in evaluating supply chain performance in the results of the four sub hypotheses.