CTLSnippets E5: Boosting productivity of Indian artisanal supply chains

Описание: Welcome to CTL Snippets! In this episode we interact with Dr. Somya Singhvi from USC Marshall School of Business. Prof. Singhvi discussed his work related to artisanal supply chain in India based on field work with a rug manufacturer from Rajasthan. Displaying the setting of a disaggregated resource constrained supply chain, Indian artisanal (weaving) supply chain predominantly employs women who work from their home due to social constraints. The raw materials are provided by the rug trader and frequent supervisory visits by a designated supervisor help ensure the work is done according to the standard quality parameters. Geographical isolation, infrequent supervision and labour intensive nature involving intricacies of design lead to productivity inefficiency. Their study showed 3-14% decrease in weaving time and 15-17% improvement in weaver's income due to additional supervisory visits. Further, frequency of supervisor visits helps in picking out mistakes in design early and reduces duplication of efforts.

Dr. Somya Singhvi is an Assistant Professor in Data Sciences and Operations. He received his Ph.D. in Operations Research from MIT, focusing on improving the design of digital agri-platforms and markets. He earned his BS in Operations Research & Information Engineering from Cornell University, graduating Magna Cum Laude with honors. Before joining USC, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Global Development.