Mature Industry Research Articles

Enhancing wineries’ sustainability through territorial certifications: a case study in Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Purpose As sustainability concerns become increasingly influential in shaping wineries’ strategies at the production and processing stages, this study aims to investigate the anticipated benefits, incentives and constraints associated with a territorial sustainability certification in the wine industry. Design/methodology/approach Focusing on wine producers from the Romagna Consortium (Italy), the research explores the influence of firm characteristics on sustainability attitudes and explores the Consortium potential role in facilitating the ecological transition. Data are collected through an online survey and analyzed by means of factor and cluster analysis. Findings Findings reveal the Consortium capacity to expand its scope, incorporating elements of sustainability, resilience and territorial development. In addition, it emerges that the perception of sustainability among local producers extends beyond environmental concerns, encompassing the economic and social domains. Practical implications Acting as a cluster constituent, the Consortium can stimulate collaborative behavior and promote knowledge dissemination contributing to a mature collaborative environment. A territorial sustainability certification is thus viewed as multifunctional tool, enhancing economic performance and collective reputation, while addressing the numerous environmental challenges faced by the sector. Originality/value The study’s originality lies in its direct engagement with a considerable number of producers in a geographic area boasting a mature wine industry but with limited research focusing on coordinated efforts for improved sustainability performance.

Institutional unlocking or technological unlocking? The logic of carbon unlocking in the new energy vehicle industry in China

As a result of unbalanced energy structure, high carbon emissions, and global climate change, carbon lock-in has gained considerable attention. To achieve carbon unlocking, technological advancements and institutional innovation are essential. This paper uses the new energy vehicle (NEV) industry as its case study, identifying the differences and evolutionary trends between institutional unlocking and technological unlocking logics, and demonstrating how these logics affect industry and enterprise development and eventually advance the process of carbon unlocking. The findings are: (1) Institutional incentives play a critical role in the development of an industry at the beginning. As the industry matures, technological innovation plays a central role in driving industry development, while institutional logic gradually loses influence and technological logic gains influence. (2) Dual logics have undergone a complex transformation of compatibility, mutual exclusivity, partial confrontation, and cooperation during the process of carbon unlocking. It is possible for the complexity of the relationship to range from low to high, with both becoming less complex as the industry matures. (3) Through ongoing gaming and adjustment, the dual logics encourage the NEV industry to realize carbon unlocking and low-carbon transformation at the same time.

Re-Viewing Sumitro’s Policy and Industrial Maturity: Powering Downstream and Manufacturing Industries for Economic Growth and Sustainable Society

During the 1950s, Sumitro Djojohadikusumo contributed in a significant manner to the construction of the economy of Indonesia, along with other figures, namely Mohammad Hatta, Sjafruddin Prawiranegara, and Djuanda Kartawidjaja. During this period, Sumitro promoted policies to drive industrialization in Indonesia and self-reliance to transform Indonesia from a colonial economy into a developing nation. Soemitro Djojohadikusumo’s economic policies were pivotal in shaping Indonesia’s post-colonial economy; focusing on production and industrial sovereignty, he emphasized reducing dependency on imports by fostering domestic industries, especially strategic sectors like heavy industry and natural resource processing, which he saw as crucial to national sovereignty. Soemitro also promoted stimulating economic activities through both public investment and private sector engagement, aiming to diversify the economy and drive sustained growth. Many of the challenges Soemitro addressed, such as infrastructural gaps and weak technological readiness, which remain relevant today. This research analyzes to what extent the economic policy shaped by Sumitro impacts Indonesia’s development. This analysis has significance in understanding Indonesia’s contemporary economic planning and trends, particularly in terms of economic policy shaped by the newly elected President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto. Analysis of Sumitro’s policy is conducted through the lenses of the industrial maturity concept, which is relevant to growth theory, resource-based view, and development economics. Indonesia’s pursuit of industrial maturity is crucial for transforming its raw resource-based economy into one that competes globally by adding value to domestic production. The need to revitalize manufacturing and strengthen downstream industries is critical for boosting competitiveness and integrating circular economic principles that emphasize sustainability. Soemitro’s vision of empowering society aligns with modern approaches to creating a more inclusive economy. However, infrastructure bottlenecks, a lagging education system, and regulatory complexities continue to slow the progress. Addressing supply chain challenges through regional industrial clustering and focusing on efficiency will be vital for overcoming these barriers. Further empirical research is needed to explore how infrastructure, education reform, and regulatory simplification can enhance Indonesia’s industrial maturity and sustainable economic development.

Life cycle assessment in additive manufacturing of copper alloys—comparison between laser and electron beam

AbstractAdditive manufacturing is becoming increasingly important for industrial production. In this context, directed energy deposition processes are in demand to achieve high deposition rates. In addition to the well-known laser-based processes, the electron beam has also reached industrial market maturity. The wire electron beam additive manufacturing offers advantages in the processing of copper materials, for example. In the literature, the higher energy efficiency and the resulting improvement in the carbon footprint of the electron beam are highlighted. However, there is a lack of practical studies with measurement data to quantify the potential of the technology. In this work, a comparative life cycle assessment between wire electron beam additive manufacturing (DED-EB) and laser powder additive manufacturing (DED-LB) is carried out. This involves determining the resources for manufacturing, producing a test component using both processes, and measuring the entire energy consumption. The environmental impact is then estimated using the factors global warming potential (GWP100), photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP), acidification potential (AP), and eutrophication potential (EP). It can be seen that wire electron beam additive manufacturing is characterized by a significantly lower energy requirement. In addition, the use of wire ensures greater resource efficiency, which leads to overall better life cycle assessment results.

Towards the development of offshore wind farms in the Mediterranean Sea: A techno‐economic analysis including green hydrogen production during curtailments

AbstractBringing floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) to a real industrial maturity and reducing the levelized cost of floating wind energy are key to significantly increasing the penetration of renewables in the energy mix of Mediterranean countries, especially if in combination with suitable energy storage systems, such as those involving green hydrogen production. The present study analyses techno‐economic aspects of some of the technologies related to FOWTs and hydrogen production by means of offshore‐generated energy, aiming to evaluate the potential of a floating wind farm integrated with a power‐to‐gas energy storage system in a specific installation site near the Sardinian shores. In comparison to the pioneering studies to date, a more detailed computational model is used, able to account for several critical factors like a better description of metocean conditions, constraints on grid capacity, and a state‐of‐the‐art model to define the farm layout. Concerning hydrogen production, a comparison between the statistical approach, which is commonly used in the field, and a fully time‐dependent method is performed. Proposed results obtained with the statistic and the time‐dependent approach show values ranging between 3.79 and 5.47€/kg, respectively. These outcomes are thought to provide an interesting comparison between different fidelity approaches and realistic reference values for the levelized cost of hydrogen by floating wind in the Mediterranean Sea.

Comparing green hydrogen and green ammonia as energy carriers in utility-scale transport and subsurface storage

Many of the challenges associated with utility-scale hydrogen transport and storage relate to its low density, high diffusivity, and the risk of hydrogen embrittlement, motivating consideration to integrating ammonia as an energy carrier. Compared to hydrogen, ammonia is more compatible with pipeline materials and delivers energy at higher density. Ammonia is also a mature industry with a greater extent of established pipeline networks and regulations that may accelerate hydrogen transitions and penetration in energy grids. However, converting hydrogen produced by renewable-driven electrolysis into ammonia (and back to hydrogen, depending on end use) complicates logistics, and associated energy and resource demands may offset the green hydrogen's carbon neutrality. This work outlines core considerations for the use of hydrogen vs. ammonia during transport and storage operations, with an emphasis on green hydrogen or green ammonia pathways coupled to pipeline transport and underground storage. We compare tradeoffs in pipeline infrastructure and operations; subsurface storage options; and project economics. We also evaluate round-trip efficiencies (RTE) for both pathways, which indicate that hydrogen is more attractive from an energy efficiency perspective for hydrogen end-use applications due to the efficiency penalties of initial ammonia synthesis and subsequent cracking, but RTE's for ammonia transport and storage are comparable to hydrogen for direct use or ammonia-to-power systems. The tradeoffs presented in this work would need to be considered on a case-by-case basis, but indicate that selective use of ammonia as an energy-dense hydrogen carrier could support decarbonization goals in industry and hydrogen economies.

Effect of financial contagion between real and financial sectors on asset bubbles: A two‐layer network game approach

AbstractUnderstanding the mechanism of asset bubble formation is important for maintaining financial stability and healthy functioning of the economic system. With gradual emphasis on the complex characteristics of financial markets, a new perspective for analyzing the emergence of asset bubbles is emerging: how to integrate the real economy with financial markets composed of heterogeneous individuals. In this study, we propose a two‐layer network game to investigate the impact of financial contagion between the real and financial sectors on asset bubbles. Among their interactions, shadow banking activities in both sectors increase the contagion risk across financial markets and construct a broader financial system. Both credit interactions and peer learning effects are captured in the network framework. Simulating relevant regulation policies, our experiments indicate that regulators should closely monitor returns on assets by setting an upper threshold. Financialization in the real sector significantly exacerbates the formation of asset bubbles, with medium‐level borrowing constraints minimizing bubble dynamics most effectively. The financialization practices of mature industries should be strictly regulated, while innovative industries should be allowed moderately flexible financing practices. The degree of friction within the financial market should be flexibly calibrated for financial institutions and genuine enterprises, aiming to mitigate systemic risks in the financial market while fostering robust growth in the real economy.

Entangling gates on degenerate spin qubits dressed by a global field

Semiconductor spin qubits represent a promising platform for future large-scale quantum computers owing to their excellent qubit performance, as well as the ability to leverage the mature semiconductor manufacturing industry for scaling up. Individual qubit control, however, commonly relies on spectral selectivity, where individual microwave signals of distinct frequencies are used to address each qubit. As quantum processors scale up, this approach will suffer from frequency crowding, control signal interference and unfeasible bandwidth requirements. Here, we propose a strategy based on arrays of degenerate spins coherently dressed by a global control field and individually addressed by local electrodes. We demonstrate simultaneous on-resonance driving of two degenerate qubits using a global field while retaining addressability for qubits with equal Larmor frequencies. Furthermore, we implement SWAP oscillations during on-resonance driving, constituting the demonstration of driven two-qubit gates. Significantly, our findings highlight how dressing can overcome the fragility of entangling gates between superposition states and increase their noise robustness. These results constitute a paradigm shift in qubit control in order to overcome frequency crowding in large-scale quantum computing.

The potential of smart factories in reducing environmental emissions: the evidence from Chinese listed manufacturing firms

The nature of smart factories to help manufacturing firms reducing environmental emissions has attracted the widespread attention of governments and industries. However, some research also worried that if smart factories were not effectively constructed, they may increase firms’ environmental emissions. To address this concern, we use PSM-progressive DID model to analyze the relationships between the construction of smart factories and environmental emissions, based on 144 Chinese listed manufacturing firms. The main findings are as follow. First, the construction of smart factories can lead to the short-term increase of 7.55% GHG emissions (1.001 tCO2e) and 4.12% air pollutants cost (1.011 $) per $M operation cost for firms. Second, the negative impact of smart factory construction on GHG emissions can be partially explained by physical technologies. Third, mimetic institution (industrial maturity of environment management system) can reduce the negative impact of smart factory construction, but coercive institution (government regulation) and normative institution (social media attention) have no significant moderating effect. With these findings, this study provides a clear understanding of how the construction of smart factories influences firms’ environmental sustainability and accordingly offers insights for business considering environmental objectives in smart factory development.

Zillow Group, Inc.: Changing the Way Americans Buy Homes

This case explores the rise of Zillow from its inception to its disruption of the mature real estate industry. Starting from a platform deriving income from advertising fees, it has grown into three business segments: Home Sales, Internet, Media, and Technology (IMT), and Zestimate. While the brand, Zillow, is synonymous with real estate, its disruption has opened the door for other innovators to enter the market. The case allows students to understand the role of a disruptor, examine market forces, and recommend what a successful cutting-edge technology company should do in the future.

Evaluating the Role of Data Enrichment Approaches towards Rare Event Analysis in Manufacturing.

Rare events are occurrences that take place with a significantly lower frequency than more common, regular events. These events can be categorized into distinct categories, from frequently rare to extremely rare, based on factors like the distribution of data and significant differences in rarity levels. In manufacturing domains, predicting such events is particularly important, as they lead to unplanned downtime, a shortening of equipment lifespans, and high energy consumption. Usually, the rarity of events is inversely correlated with the maturity of a manufacturing industry. Typically, the rarity of events affects the multivariate data generated within a manufacturing process to be highly imbalanced, which leads to bias in predictive models. This paper evaluates the role of data enrichment techniques combined with supervised machine learning techniques for rare event detection and prediction. We use time series data augmentation and sampling to address the data scarcity, maintaining its patterns, and imputation techniques to handle null values. Evaluating 15 learning models, we find that data enrichment improves the F1 measure by up to 48% in rare event detection and prediction. Our empirical and ablation experiments provide novel insights, and we also investigate model interpretability.

A Study on the Impact of Capital Structure on the Performance of Listed Companies

The paper investigates the influence of capital structure on listed companies' performance, with a focus on the property sector, spanning 2010 to 2021. It delves into Modigliani-Miller theorem, factors shaping capital structure decisions, and industry-specific characteristics across various sectors like real estate, technology, and healthcare, and compares capital structure trends in developed and developing countries. The findings reveal a nuanced relationship between capital structure and performance, varying by industry and market maturity. In capital-intensive sectors, like real estate, excessive leverage correlates with diminished performance, while moderate debt levels in technology and healthcare can support innovation but excess leverage may hinder it. Developed countries tend towards balanced capital structures, whereas developing nations lean more towards debt financing. Notably, Chinese firms demonstrate superior property investment efficiency and capital structure management compared to Vietnam. Contributions include a comprehensive framework for capital structure determinants, industry-specific insights aiding firms in optimizing capital structure, empirical evidence on capital structure management in different developing nations, and highlighting capital structure's multidimensional impact on firm performance, encompassing financial risk, R&D investment, and market competitiveness. This study offers valuable guidance for firms, particularly in emerging markets like China, in devising optimal capital structure strategies tailored to industry dynamics and market conditions.

Agave Wilt Susceptibility by Reduction of Free Hexoses in Root Tissue of Agave tequilana Weber var. azul Commercial Plants in the Fructan Accumulation Process.

Agave tequilana stems store fructan polymers, the main carbon source for tequila production. This crop takes six or more years for industrial maturity. In conducive conditions, agave wilt disease increases the incidence of dead plants after the fourth year. Plant susceptibility induced for limited photosynthates for defense is recognized in many crops and is known as "sink-induced loss of resistance". To establish whether A. tequilana is more prone to agave wilt as it ages, because the reduction of water-soluble carbohydrates in roots, as a consequence of greater assembly of highly polymerized fructans, were quantified roots sucrose, fructose, and glucose, as well as fructans in stems of agave plants of different ages. The damage induced by inoculation with Fusarium solani or F. oxysporum in the roots or xylem bundles, respectively, was recorded. As the agave plant accumulated fructans in the stem as the main sink, the amount of these hexoses diminished in the roots of older plants, and root rot severity increased when plants were inoculated with F. solani, as evidence of more susceptibility. This knowledge could help to structure disease management that reduces the dispersion of agave wilt, dead plants, and economic losses at the end of agave's long crop cycle.

The Development Strategy of Nationalistic Derivatives in the Chinese Animated Film Industry

Purpose – This study explores the utilization of Chinese traditional culture in animation, with a focus on film derivatives. The study analyzes recent growth and challenges in the Chinese animation industry and aims to effectively utilize Chinese culture in developing animation derivatives. Drawing insights from US and Japanese models, the initiative aims to develop a unique Chinese animation industry, with the goal of improving global competitiveness, cultural impact, and market expansion. Design/Methodology/Approach – This study adopts a research methodology primarily focused on deeply mining the rich resources of Chinese traditional culture, coupled with referencing the mature animation industry chains of the United States and Japan, to develop a more ethnically distinctive animation film industry chain in China. The main research methods involve literature review and case analysis, aiming to explore key issues and solutions in the development of ethnic-oriented animation film derivatives in the Chinese animation film industry. Findings – China’s animation industry is progressing, yet it faces challenges in derivative development, which hinders sustained growth. Leveraging its abundant traditional culture can provide a unique competitive advantage. Integrating insights from established US and Japanese animation industries with Chinese culture is crucial for fostering a more ethnically distinctive animation industry in China, which holds significant promise for future development. Research Implications – The proposal innovatively leverages China’s traditional culture for animation growth, providing insights for sustainable development. It highlights the significance of animation derivatives, guiding commercial exploration. By promoting Chinese culture, it enhances the global competitiveness of animation, facilitating international cultural exchange.

Industry 4.0 maturity model in the context of state of Espírito Santo

The aim of this paper is to develop a manufacturing maturity model for implementing Industry 4.0 technologies. The study was based on the methodology of De Bruin et al. (2005). The study contributes by providing insights into how the maturity model can help companies to see their strengths and weaknesses in order to improve the level of maturity of Industry 4.0 in these organizations. The model is specifically developed based on the specified objectives, factors and barriers, addressing the complexity of Industry 4.0 with a focus on manufacturing. To this end, a questionnaire was administered to 25 employees of companies in Espírito Santo, Brazil, with the aim of validating the model found and identifying the level of maturity of the organizations studied. The maturity model found consists of five maturity levels, three dimensions and 27 elements. The questionnaire applied resulted in a maturity level of 59.7%, obtaining an intermediate classification, meaning a partial use of Industry 4.0 technologies in the companies studied. A comparison was made between the Mining, Electrical, IT, Steel and Metallurgy sectors. The results showed that the Steel and Mining sectors have the highest maturity values and the IT and Metallurgy sectors have the lowest Industry 4.0 maturity values. A limitation of the study is the subjectivity inherent in the use of questionnaires. As a future suggestion, it is possible to identify the relationships between the elements presented in the maturity model.

The Platformisation of Cycling—The Development of Bicycle-Sharing Systems in China: Innovation, Urban and Social Regeneration and Sustainability

In recent years, the widespread introduction of bike-sharing systems in China has had a profound impact on the daily lives of Chinese citizens and the development of the urban transport system. This article attempts to analyse the impact of this phenomenon on sustainability. The gradual improvement of related monitoring measures has facilitated the maturation of the bike-sharing industry from the initial stage of uncontrolled growth to the current stage of standardised management. By tracing the global development of bike-sharing systems with a special focus on China, this study sheds light on the platformisation of bicycles and their multiple impacts on technical, environmental, cultural, economic and social sustainability. Furthermore, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of the transformation of bicycles in China and highlights the diverse impacts of platform-based bike sharing on various facets of Chinese society. The development of different bike-sharing systems in China is a unique and crucial case to interpret the current situation of bike sharing and imagine future scenarios. In contrast to the prevailing and uniform approach derived from the experiences of Northern European countries, the massive and widespread experimentation with different bike-sharing schemes in China reveals not only potentials and aspects of sustainability, innovation, and urban and social regeneration, but also some hidden shadows similar to those in small-scale contexts such as Northern Europe. Furthermore, this study emphasises the crucial role of sustainable development principles in addressing the urban challenges specific to China.

Evaluating the impact of trade remedy measures on mature Japanese industries

Japan has recently initiated the implementation of trade remedy measures, although on a limited scale, with a primary focus on mature industries such as basic chemicals. This study analyzes the impact of these measures on beneficiary Japanese firms using an event study approach on stock prices. It aims to contribute to existing literature by providing a case analysis of Japanese trade remedy cases that have not been explored. It was found that beneficiary firms saw a statistically significant increase in market value following affirmative final determinations, particularly in expiry investigations. Further analysis revealed that the value increases were seen by firms that steadily conducted R&D activities and those that managed to maintain production without exiting or restructuring their operations. This suggests that trade remedy measures are not merely lifelines for mature and declining industries.

Economic Consequences Based on Reversible and Irreversible Degradation of PV Park in the Harsh Climate Conditions of Iraq

Photovoltaic (PV) system reliability and durability investigations are essential for industrial maturity and economic success. Recently, PV systems received much interest in Iraq due to many reasons—for instance, power shortage, global warming and pollution. Despite this interest, the precise economic implications of PV system reliability in harsh climates like Iraq remain uncertain. This work assesses the economic implications of PV system component reliability and soiling in Iraq using field experience and historical data. This study identifies the most common failure modes of PV systems installed in Iraq and similar climatic regions, and also ranks their severity. Simulations explore scenarios of PV module degradation rates, inverter lifetimes, soiling rates, and cleaning intervals, revealing that soiling has the most detrimental effect, with cleaning frequency leading to Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) losses of over 30%, depending on the location. Inverter lifetime contributes to LCOE losses between 4 and 6%, depending on the PV system’s location. This study also evaluates the impact of tilt angle as a mitigation strategy for reducing soiling loss and its economic implications, finding that installing PV modules at higher tilt angles could reduce the economic impact of soiling by approximately 4.4%. Additionally, the optimal cleaning strategy identified is fully automated dry cleaning with robots, outperforming other strategies economically. Overall, the findings highlight that the LCOE in Iraq is relatively high compared to the global weighted average for utility-scale PV systems, primarily due to high soiling and degradation rates. The LCOE varies within the country, influenced by different degradation rates. This study aims to assist PV stakeholders in Iraq and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in accurately estimating solar bankability; moreover, increasing reliability by minimizing the technical and financial risks by considering key parameters specific to these regions.

Remanufactured waste tire by-product valorization: Quantitative–qualitative sustainability-based assessment

Automotive tires are a major waste stream and there are currently numerous options for reusing, recycling, and remanufacturing the waste tire rubber (WTR) and other components. Some competing technologies (retreading, product repurposing, energy recovery, pyrolysis oil, waste-tire crumbing, and devulcanized rubber) are discussed here to demonstrate the broad scope of possible applications and identify the advantages/disadvantages of the processes. Based on the industrial maturity of the processes, this study performed a qualitative–quantitative fuzzy analysis of twelve alternative by-products of WTR, including 1) devulcanized or desulfurized rubber; 2) tiles, mats, and rod barriers; 3) composite materials; 4) bitumen; 5) asphalt; 6) heat energy; 7) crude oil; 8) diesel; 9) char and carbon black; 10) gasification gas; 11) activated adsorption carbon; and 12) lightweight concrete. Quantitative sustainability considerations were applied to weight the technical, economic, environmental, and social sustainability factors according to their importance, while qualitative factors were applied to weight the sustainability criteria of productivity, reliability, efficiency, waste tire size range, remanufacturing time, remanufacturing cost, ergonomics, human development, and employment potential based on insights from the published literature. Comparative literature-based statistical analysis of potential tire resources and conventional waste-tire recycling was performed. The results identified remanufacturing of WTR into devulcanized rubber sheets as the best sustainable business option with the highest sustainability index of 0.628, while lightweight concrete was the worst by-product option with a low sustainability index of 0.012. Other very-high-potential options include producing value-added rubber products and composite materials from the devulcanized rubber. These findings provide valuable insights for stakeholders in the field of waste-tire management and small-to-medium businesses looking to add further value to their WTR products. Furthermore, these findings could guide international research to help focus on the most sustainable use of WTR.

ROLE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING IN OPTIMIZING INVENTORY MANAGEMENT ACROSS GLOBAL INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING & SUPPLY CHAIN: A MULTI-COUNTRY REVIEW

This study examines the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) on inventory management within global industrial manufacturing and supply chains, particularly in the context of Industry 4.0. Through a comparative analysis across several countries, the research analyzes quantitative and qualitative data to assess the adoption and integration of these technologies and their implications for supply chain optimization. The research methodology includes a comprehensive literature review using multiple databases and expert interviews conducted within a specific timeframe. The study identifies a significant favorable influence of AI and ML on enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and improving real-time data analytics and predictive maintenance. It highlights the evolution from theoretical potential to practical applications, with an increased focus on regulatory compliance and data integrity, reflecting the industry's maturation in digital integration. Furthermore, the study explores the strategic role of AI and ML in process design and the holistic adoption of Industry 4.0 principles across the supply chain. The findings contribute to the academic literature by detailing the benefits and challenges of AI and ML implementation, offering insights for future research and practical applications in the supply chain sector. The conclusion emphasizes the transformative potential of AI and ML, advocating for their strategic implementation to foster resilience and adaptability in supply chain networks.