Mental health disorders resulting from work stressors are increasing in the Mexican manufacturing industry and worldwide. Managerial positions in these contexts are highly stressful, and although physical activity may reduce the negative effects of work stress, the relationships between these two aspects regarding their effects on the body mass index (BMI) of obese managers are scarcely studied. This article aims to study such relationships by using the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) dimensions with the Baecke’s physical activity questionnaire dimensions and analyzing their effects on the BMI. A sample of 255 managers from the Mexican industry, with a (BMI > 30) participated by answering the surveys and providing their weight, their height, and certain sociodemographic information. The research hypotheses were tested using WarpPLS® 6.0 for structural equation modeling. The results for three models featuring acceptable reliability to estimate the direct, indirect, and total effects are presented. The first model showed a medium explanatory power, the variable of job decision-making authority having the greatest direct effect on BMI. The second model showed a medium explanatory power, and the variable of physical activity during leisure-time observed the unique direct effect on BMI. Finally, although the integrating model showed a small explanatory power, both work stress and the physical activity exerted observed direct effects on BMI reduction.

Usually, agricultural tractor investments are assessed using traditional economic techniques that only involve financial attributes, resulting in reductionist evaluations. However, tractors have qualitative and quantitative attributes that must be simultaneously integrated into the evaluation process. This article reports a hybrid and multi-attribute approach to assessing a set of agricultural tractors based on AHP-TOPSIS. To identify the attributes in the model, a survey including eighteen attributes was given to agricultural machinery salesmen and farmers for determining their importance. The list of attributes was presented to a decision group for a case of study, and their importance was estimated using AHP and integrated into the TOPSIS technique. In this case, one tractor was selected from a set of six alternatives, integrating six attributes in the model: initial cost, annual maintenance cost, liters of diesel per hour, safety of the operator, maintainability and after-sale customer service offered by the supplier. Based on the results obtained, the model can be considered easy to apply and to have good acceptance among farmers and salesmen, as there are no special software requirements for the application.

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Abstract:Companies seek to stand out from their competitors and react to other competitive threats. Making a difference means doing things differently in order to create a product that other companies cannot provide. This can be achieved through an innovation process. This article analyses, by means of a structural equation model, the current situation of Mexican maquiladora companies, which face the constant challenge of product innovation. The model associates three success factors for new product development (product, organization, and production process characteristics as independent latent variables) with benefits gained by customers and companies (dependent latent variables). Results show that, in the Mexican maquiladora sector, organizational characteristics and production processes characteristics explain only 31% of the variability (R 2 = 0.31), and it seems necessary to integrate other aspects. The relationship between customer benefits and company benefits explains 58% of the variability, the largest proportion in the model (R 2 = 0.58).

Operators of machinery classified as Advanced Manufacturing Technology (AMT) are exposed to high levels of workload and fatigue. However, only few studies have been conducted on this topic in Hispanic-American countries workers. Several instruments be used to assess workload and fatigue; however, only few of them have been adapted to Spanish language. This paper reports on the development and validity testing of a survey instrument in Spanish, aiming to subjectively assess workload and fatigue among AMT operators in Mexico. Method: After an exhaustive literature review in search of already available measurement instruments, they were adapted for content and later translated into Spanish; a pilot test was conducted to evaluate validity and reliability; afterwards appropriate modifications were made to the testing instruments. Final version of the instrument was applied to a group of 121 operators of CNC lathes. Reliability was analyzed using KMO and Cronbach alpha indices. Results: For the assessment of workload, both NASA-TLX and ISTAS 21 methods were incorporated to the survey instrument. As for fatigue assessment tools, these were SOFI-S, FAS and OFER questionnaires. Results show KMO value and Cronbach alpha above 0.6.Conclusions. The survey instrument as designed, allows the collection of reliable and valid data regarding workload and fatigue among AMT operators in Mexico.