Assessment of compliance with health protocols in Date packaging centers and proposal of corrective measures using an integrated multi-criteria decision-making approach
Journal of Behdasht dar Arseh (i.e., Health in the Field),
Vol. 13 No. 1 (1404),
1 Mehr 2025
,
Page 58-70
https://doi.org/10.22037/jhf.v13i1.48875
Abstract
Background and Aims: Date palm is one of Iran’s strategic agricultural products; therefore, evaluating and monitoring the quality of its cultivation, harvesting, packaging, and processing is of great importance. The aim of this study was to assess the compliance with hygiene guidelines in date packing and collection centers in Kerman province and to propose corrective strategies to improve these conditions.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted with the participation of 10 experts. Data were collected using two questionnaires: the first questionnaire was designed for strategic analysis of internal and external factors affecting total quality management, and the second questionnaire was used for pairwise comparison of improvement strategies based on the Best–Worst Multi-Criteria Decision-Making method. Data analysis was performed using Excel, Expert Choice, and MATLAB software. The study was carried out with full adherence to ethical principles and considerations at all stages.
Results: According to the results, date packaging centers scored 0.015 and 0.006 in the internal and external factors matrices, respectively, placing them in the aggressive quadrant. Among the SWOT factors, “absence of unauthorized personnel at the workplace,” “lack of customer control over product hygienic quality,” “continuous environmental health monitoring,” and “lack of coordination with competitors” received the highest scores for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, respectively. Additionally, in the ranking of improvement strategies, training held the greatest importance with a weight of 0.331.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that date packaging centers, leveraging their internal strengths and environmental opportunities, have a suitable capacity for quality improvement, with training identified as the most effective strategy to prioritize in enhancement efforts.
- Date packing centers
- Hygiene guidelines
- SWOT analysis
- Best–worst method (BWM)
- Total quality management (TQM)
How to Cite
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