An intelligent incentive model based on environmental ergonomics for food SMEs

Abstract

In this study, an intelligent incentive model based on environmental ergonomics in food small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) was developed. Environmental ergonomics was defined as the impact of temperature and relative humidity within a certain range on a worker’s heart rate during work. Optimum environmental ergonomics are highly required as a basic standard for food SMEs to provide fair incentives. Recommendable parameters from a genetic algorithm and fuzzy inference modeling were used to model customized incentives based on optimum heart rate, workplace temperature and relative humidity before and after working. The research hypothesis stated that industries should optimize their workload and workstation environment prior to customizing incentives. The research objectives were: 1) to recommend optimum environmental ergonomics parameters for customized incentives; 2) to determine the incentives at workstations of SMEs based on optimum environmental ergonomics parameters and fuzzy inference modeling. The optimum values for heart rate, workstation temperature and relative humidity used were based on recommendable values from the genetic algorithm. An inference model was developed to generate decisions whether a worker should receive an incentive based on a calculated index. The results indicated that 84.4% of workers should receive an incentive. The results of this research could be used to promote the concept of ergonomics-based customized incentives.