International Market Demand Research Articles

A mathematical model for potash supply chain management with a strategic logistics perspective

Abstract Accepted by: M. Zied Babai This paper introduces a novel Integer Linear Programming model designed to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of the potash supply chain, a crucial element supporting global agriculture. The developed mathematical optimization model focuses on fleet selection (private/outsource) and incorporates the concept of ‘inter-warehouse collaboration’, which addresses key logistics considerations. Integrating mining, processing, storage and transportation, the model encompasses decision variables like extracted carnallite amount, production, storage levels and shipped potash amount. Illustrated through a case study on the Arab Potash Company in Jordan, the results showcase the model’s proficiency in meeting local and international market demands. The model ensures resilient and sustainable supply chain performance by emphasizing logistics optimization, particularly in fleet selection. The study attains the highest ‘warehouse-to-warehouse’ support for Standard and Granular potash types in the international demand scenario, contributing to efficient production planning and fleet management. In conclusion, the presented mathematical model is a valuable tool for potash industry stakeholders, offering insights for strategic decision-makers involved in production planning and fleet management.

Global Competitiveness of China's New Energy Vehicle Industry: The Dual Role of Production Factors and Market Demand

In recent years, China's new energy automobile industry has risen rapidly and become an important player in the global market. Against the background of the global response to climate change and the promotion of green development, the development of the new energy automobile industry is not only related to China's economic transformation, but also occupies a pivotal position in the global industrial chain. This paper explores the dual impact of production factors and market demand on the global competitiveness of China's new energy automobile industry. By analyzing production factors such as technological innovation, R&D capability, human capital, supply chain efficiency and policy support, this paper describes the competitive advantages of China's new energy automobile industry in terms of technology and production. At the same time, this paper examines the driving role of domestic and international market demand and explores the impact of market demand on the globalization of the industry. Finally, this paper summarizes the achievements of China's new energy automobile industry in global competition, and looks forward to the path and strategy to enhance global competitiveness in the future.

Exploitation of Ethiopian Coffee Land-race Potentials: Market Demand Oriented Specialty Variety Development

Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) is the major cash crop of Ethiopia. The country is ecologically very diverse which allows the coffee plant to grow under wide range of environments between altitudes of 550 to 2600 m. a.s.l. Ethiopia, being the place of origin for Arabica coffee, is endowed with genetic pool wealth of the crop and with enabling environmental conditions to sustainably produce and supply fine specialty coffee that can address emerging international market demand. The prevailing wide range of ecological condition in the country has have allowed the production of coffees of different types that are with uniquely distinctive quality profile, resistance to major diseases, plant growth and yield potential among many other desirable traits. Of the coffees produced in Ethiopia, the most popular internationally branded types (named depending on area of production) are; Sidama, Yirga-cheffe, Limmu, Gimbi and Harerghe coffees. These specific coffee localities, despite their valuable potential and the recognition they deserved on the world market, were lacking their own improved local varieties where they had been using coffee varieties released for other areas (south-western region) until the 2010. However, most of southwest varieties showed multitude of constraints such as poor adaptation and inherent quality adulteration under the locations. Cognizant of this problem, local land race variety development program was designed and implemented to promote sustainable production of the distinct coffee types by origin maintaining inherent qualities of the specific localities for enhanced export market expansion. Through this breeding approach so far, outstanding achievements were recorded in germplasm collection, evaluation for desirable agronomical traits, and generation of basic information on the genetics aspects, and development and release of 12 speciality varieties suiting for the specific coffee landraces in Ethiopia, i.e., 4 Harerghe, 4 Wollega/Gimbi, 3 Sidama/Yirgachefe and 1 Limu coffees. As the main focus areas of future Arabica coffee landrace improvement program, it would be vital to give due attention to further identification of new and distinctive landraces, extensive collection of coffee genetic resource from unaddressed localities, application of molecular breeding techniques such as marker assisted selection and breeding for major /emerging/ diseases and stress tolerance, among others.

Modeling the response of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) to different soil fertility levels under rain-fed conditions in the semi-arid areas of western Tigray, Ethiopia

Sesame, a crucial oilseed crop in Ethiopia, ranks second only to coffee in its importance as an exported agricultural commodity. However, inadequate soil fertility management has hampered its productivity despite its substantial international market demand. Hence, this study was conducted to model the response of sesame to different nitrogen fertilizer levels using the AquaCrop model, and to assess the capability of the model as a decision-support tool for optimizing soil fertility management strategies in the study area. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design, consisting of four nitrogen fertilizer rates (0, 23, 46, and 69 kg/ha nitrogen) and three distinct sesame varieties (Setit-1, Setit-2, and Humera-1). Over the course of the three cropping seasons, data on soil physical and chemical properties, crop growth, yield and yield components were collected for each treatment. Evaluation of model performance relied upon established metrics of coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), normalized root mean square error (N-RMSE), model efficiency (E), and degree of agreement (D). Analysis of results revealed the AquaCrop model appropriately calibrated for simulation of soil water content, showing R2 values ranging from 0.92 to 0.98, RMSE values varying from 6.5 to 13.9 mm, E values from 0.78 to 0.94, and D values from 0.95 to 0.99. Similarly, simulation outputs for aboveground biomass (AB) demonstrated good accuracy of the model, with R2 values varying from 0.92 to 0.98, RMSE values ranging from 0.33 to 0.54 tons/ha, and D values from 0.9 to 0.98. Notable accuracy was also observed in the simulation of canopy cover (CC), revealing R2 values between 0.95 and 0.99, and RMSE values ranging from 5.3 to 8.6 %. In conclusion, this study substantiates the successful calibration and validation of the AquaCrop model for predicting sesame response to diverse nitrogen fertilizer levels. The performance of the model in predicting soil water content, CC, AB, and yield highlights its potential as a valuable tool for optimizing soil fertility management and enhancing sesame cultivation practices in Ethiopia.

Market position of rapeseed products from the prime producing countries in the global market

Abstract Rapeseed is one of the most widely traded products in the world, with a total trade amounting to USD 14.1 billion. Rapeseed trade represents 0.067% of global trade. The largest Rapeseed exporters in 2021 were Canada (USD 5.17 billion), Australia (USD 2.20 billion), Ukraine (USD 1.37 billion), France (USD 1.01 billion), the Netherlands (USD 841 million), and Romania (USD 618 million). Rapeseed is commonly used in food products, health, cosmetics, and other industries. As international market demands and local needs drive rapeseed production, this research aims to identify opportunities for developing the Rapeseed industry and its derivatives based on local needs and global market trends in the world’s largest rapeseed-producing country. This study evaluated the market positioning of Rapeseed products in the international market and employed a “relative market share-market growth” matrix developed by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) for analysis. This study used secondary data from export data for rapeseed-exporting countries worldwide from 2020 to 2021 and was also enriched with some primary data collected from the site visits in 2023. The BCG matrix indicates the five largest rapeseed exporters globally, and additional countries visited in the study include Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, and Romania. The analysis using the BCG matrix assesses the performance of rapeseed products in various major exporting countries worldwide. This study indicates that Canada has significant potential for developing the Rapeseed industry and its derivatives based on global market trends

Integration of curriculum for English-language educational program (ELEP) at maritime educational and training institutions (METIs)

The current Opinion article represents set of recommendations and piece of advice related to development and integration of curriculum of English-language educational program (ELEP) at maritime education and training institutions (METIs). The title of the article implies integration of curriculum of the educational program that would entirely be taught in the English language. In my opinion, such educational program and its alumni would help METI to meet demands of modern international maritime labour market. The paper could be interesting and useful for higher education institutions that are oriented on complete transition of educational process to English-language educational program that would be delivered only in the English language. Nowadays there are a lot of educational institutions in the world where educational process is mainly conducted in native language, and the recommendations given in the present Opinion article could be applied by these institutions for development of the curriculum of ELEP. Consideration of curriculum design is the main topic of the present paper that comprises the most significant issues and details of the topic.

An integrated AHP-TOPSIS approach for bamboo product evaluation and selection in rural communities

This study introduces a decision support model integrating the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to select an economic tree product champion (bamboo) to benefit rural communities. An extensive literature review and expert discussions identified sixteen sub-criteria distributed across five main criteria. The study proposes four categories of bamboo products as alternatives, emphasizing community-level production capacity. The AHP determines priority weights, while TOPSIS prioritizes alternatives conducive to becoming the product champion within a community case study. The findings affirm the efficacy of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) in identifying a champion, with “Value addition potential,” “Domestic market demand,” and “International market (export) demand” identified as pivotal criteria. Bamboo culm-based products for energy-related applications emerged as the chosen product champion in a community case study in Thailand. This study offers practical implications for rural communities and potential investors in economic tree ventures, allowing the customization of decision criteria and alternatives for specific contexts. Socially, the focus on bamboo highlights diverse benefits along the entire supply chain, from upstream to downstream. The research pioneers a decision support model, providing insights into market opportunity analysis and supply chain network design based on the selected product champion.

A need analysis of English proficiency in engineering graduates: perspectives of the world’s leading companies in Thailand

ABSTRACT This study examines the crucial role of English proficiency in engineering careers, specifically within multinational corporations, addressing disparities between industry expectations and graduates’ language skills in non-native English-speaking countries. It aims to bridge this gap by aligning engineering English courses with international job market demands. Focusing on leading Thai companies with global headquarters, the investigation employs various techniques, including interviews, the index of item-objective congruence, the analytic hierarchy process, the analysis of variance, the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test, and a matrix plot. The comprehensive gap analysis highlights verbal communication skills as highly valued by engineering firms, emphasising adjustments in English curricula towards listening and speaking skills, with reading and writing skills constituting a smaller portion. Cross-regional consistency in skill importance is confirmed, facilitating generalisable conclusions. The research underlines the necessity for universities to improve students’ abilities in technical conversations, presentations, and negotiations through tailored lesson plans aligned with industry requirements.

Maximizing Machine Efficiency in Indonesia's Noodle Industry

This study utilizes the Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) method, focusing on the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) to evaluate machine efficiency within a notable Indonesian noodle manufacturer. In the rapidly growing food manufacturing industry, particularly dry and instant noodles, machine performance is critical for meeting increasing domestic and international market demands. Results reveal that the OEE values are below industry standards, primarily due to speed reductions, idle and minor stoppages, process defects, and breakdown losses. These findings emphasize the urgent need for preventive maintenance strategies to mitigate downtime and enhance productivity, providing valuable insights for global industries facing similar challenges. Highlights: Rapid growth in the food manufacturing industry demands increased productivity. Machine performance is crucial for maintaining optimal production processes. Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) methods help measure and improve machine efficiency. Keywords: Total Productive Maintenance, Overall Equipment Effectiveness, Six Big Losses.

Siquian City’s Exporting of Goods: Competitiveness and Survival Analysis Amidst Challenges

In 2020, in the face of the sudden impact of the new coronavirus pneumonia epidemic, Suqian's economy has withstood the test of the epidemic, showing a good situation of "rapid stabilization and gradual recovery", and the "13th Five-Year Plan" has come to a successful end. In the year of 2020, when the Sino-US trade war has not ended and the new coronavirus epidemic is raging, Suqian's foreign trade can achieve such good results, which is worthy of affirmation. However, while affirming that Suqian can still achieve such excellent results in the export of goods in such a severe situation at home and abroad, we should also see that there are still many shortcomings in the development of Suqian's foreign trade. Based on this, this paper firstly analyzes the current situation of Suqian's goods export from four aspects, such as the scale of goods export, export goods, export trade mode and the export situation of goods in each sector. Secondly, the paper analyzes the existing problems of Suqian's export of goods. The main problems are: the gap between Suqian and southern Jiangsu, the unbalanced development of various sectors, the unreasonable structure of export of goods, etc. Thirdly, from the internal and external environment, this paper analyzes the reasons for these problems in Suqian's goods export. The internal reasons include: inter-regional industrial transfer, insufficient level of industrial development, and insufficient location advantage; The external reasons are as follows: the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, Sino-US trade friction, sluggish international market demand, the impact of international industrial transfer and trade barriers have weakened the competitiveness of Suqian's export goods; Finally, from the two levels of government and enterprises to improve the problems of Suqian goods export countermeasures and conclusions.

Supply chain divergence challenges a ‘Brussels effect’ from Europe's human rights and environmental due diligence laws

AbstractHuman rights violations and pressing environmental issues have tainted agricultural trade. The role of international market demand for commodities such as soy in causing those problems is clear, yet they remain mostly unaddressed. Therefore, European countries have led a new global trend on mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence (HREDD), advancing the EU's growing global regulatory ambitions. Here, we analyse the prospects for successful externalisation of Europe's sustainability standards – a ‘Brussels Effect’ – using Brazilian soy as a case. Our analysis exposes how the practice of supply chain divergence (i.e., the segmentation of exports tailored to different consumer requirements) can easily evade policy impacts and negate their additionality where Europe commands a minor market share. To avoid becoming just a niche market in these cases, the EU would need to expand on its actions, (i) engaging with other major consumer countries to export its standards, (ii) doubling down on HREDD's coverage to include financial actors and companies trading with other markets, or (iii) moving beyond ‘do no harm’ policies to adopt more strategically targeted ‘do good’ instruments to counter drivers of deforestation on the landscape level.

Toward sustainable development of tuna longline fishery in Taiwan: Value chain analysis

This study delves into the value chain of Taiwan’s distant-water tuna longline fishing industry and evaluates its impact on the country’s GDP. Using empirical models, the research covers the period from 2016 to 2019, highlighting variations in the industry and related sectors’ contribution to the GDP, which ranged from 0.804% to 0.640%. In response to regulatory challenges, the government has sought to optimize fleet size through vessel reduction. During the same period, the primary fisheries sector was the main contributor to the industry’s GDP, with a contribution rate fluctuating between 0.383% and 0.518%. This was followed by contributions from the fisheries input sector (contribution rate: 0.144% to 0.161%) and the marketing and service sectors (contributing 0.090% to 0.100% to the fisheries GDP). The findings suggest that the revenue of distant-water tuna fishing companies primarily derives from the direct sales of fish products. However, operational costs are continually increasing with rising international oil prices and ethical concerns surrounding seafood sourcing. Therefore, the Taiwanese government should promote expanded participation of companies in the processing and service marketing sectors. SoonYi, an exemplary company, has successfully integrated primary production, processing, and marketing operations, demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach. By aligning with evolving international market demands, adhering to rigorous standards like the Marine Stewardship Council, and prioritizing the rights of fishing workers, tuna fishing companies can elevate the value of seafood products and strengthen Taiwan's position as a leader in the distant-water tuna fishing sector.

Requirements of the modern international labor market for specialists in electrical engineering specialties

The article reveals the essence, leading functions and models of the modern international labor market, which in the context of its demand made it possible to reveal the special significance of professional training of highly qualified specialists for the electrical industry. According to the reasoned statement that electrical engineers work in an area of high responsibility, the author motivates the need for the polytechnic education system to shift the emphasis from obtaining the appropriate qualification to the formation of professionalism, as this is critical to ensuring the quality and reliability of labor tasks in the electrical field. Based on the occupational program of an electrical engineer as a comprehensive tool for a comprehensive description of the requirements for professional and personal qualities of a specialist, the nomenclature of his/her interdisciplinary knowledge, skills and abilities is determined, which is the basis for the successful performance of tasks within a specific functional labor complex with its managerial, organizational and technical components. With an emphasis on the broad semantics of the category "technician", the author emphasizes the special significance of the technical dexterity of a modern electrical engineer, which in the context of socio-technological development and digitalization acquires a transfer context. It has been proved that it is precisely because of this circumstance that the demand of the modern international labor market is mainly focused on the transferable skills of an electrical technician, that is, his ability to perform a wide range of specialized activities that go beyond basic professional functions. In view of this, the paradigm of continuing education of electrical engineering specialists must necessarily operate with the latest requirements for mastering the set of necessary and sufficient multidisciplinary knowledge, forming flexible thinking and the ability to successfully solve complex problems based on creativity and readiness to cooperate with other people and artificial intelligence systems.

Specific Primer Design for Detection of gene Cyt b for Shark Species Prionace glauca and gene COI for Carcharhinus spp. Using Real-Time PCR Method

International market demand for sharks is increasing, thus increasing the number of catches of several shark species that are included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List and the Convention International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix II. Authentication using biomoleculars by utilizing DNA is necessary. This study was aimed to design specific primers based on cytochrome c oxidase I and cytochrome b marker genes for endangered sharks (Prionace glauca and Carcharhinus spp.) and to apply them in vitro to identify fishery products using real-time PCR techniques. This research begins with designing target species-specific primers. Designing a specific primer using BioEdit software. The Oligo Evaluator and NCBI’s Blast (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) web tool for performing primary specification validation. The next stage is the sample preparation, DNA isolation, DNA amplification, DNA quality and quantity testing, and realtime PCR analysis. Primer’s design of target species Prionace glauca using cyt b gene and degenerate primer for genus Carcharhinus spp. COI gene markers were successfully carried out in silico. Efficient real-time PCR conditions of Prionace glauca and Carcharhinus spp. complies with testing standards using the real-time PCR method.

In vitro mutagenesis on patchouli (Pogostemon cablin Benth.) with gamma-ray irradiation on leaf explants

Abstract. Normasari R, Arumingtyas EL, Retnowati R, Widoretno W. 2023. In vitro mutagenesis on patchouli (Pogostemon cablin Benth.) with gamma-ray irradiation on leaf explants. Biodiversitas 24: 6407-6414. Patchouli oil production in Indonesia has yet to meet international market demand, one of which is the quality of the patchouli superior seeds. Patchouli is propagated vegetatively through cuttings, causing limited variability and decreasing plant quality. In vitro mutagenesis with gamma-ray irradiation can increase plant genetic variability and produce superior patchouli plants. This study aimed to produce patchouli variants through in vitro mutagenesis by gamma-ray irradiation on patchouli leaf explants. To accomplish the research objectives mentioned above, the research stages included in vitro mutagenesis through gamma-ray irradiation, shoot regeneration, plantlet growth, and molecular analysis using SSR (Simple Sequence Repeat). Gamma-ray irradiation inhibited the growth of explants and shoot formation but could increase plantlet growth ability at low doses of 15-30 Gy. The dose of gamma-ray irradiation that caused the death of explants in fifty percent of the tested population (LD50) was 69 Gy. Molecular analysis of SSR on 50 plants regenerated from gamma-irradiated explants revealed monomorphic and polymorphic fragments compared to non-irradiated and donor plants. Primers Pca1 and Pca2 showed the highest percentage of polymorphic, with 77.3 and 50%, respectively. Gamma irradiation during in vitro culture is an alternate method for increasing genetic variety in patchouli breeding.

The Impact of Sino-US Trade Friction on China's Manufacturing Industry

Against the backdrop of rapid economic development and globalization, the trade environment for Chinas manufacturing industry to integrate into the global value chain has undergone changes. The trade frictions between China and the United States have escalated from time to time, and how to face the challenges has become a major issue. Based on the background of trade frictions between China and the United States, this article first introduces the current development status of Chinas manufacturing industry, and then conducts an in-depth analysis of the changes in international and domestic market demand for Chinas manufacturing industry. Secondly, it analyzes the part of the Entity List of the China-United States trade war that affects the Chinese market, and analyzes the impact of Sino-US trade friction on the integration of Chinas manufacturing industry and the global value chain. Finally, some suggestions are put forward for the Chinese manufacturing industry to cope with trade frictions between China and the United States, providing strategies for industry protection and the path to achieve the transition of the manufacturing industry in the global value chain.

Mean temperature of the catch index can be masked by changes in catch composition unrelated to ocean warming

AbstractOceans are increasingly warming through climate change. Fish and invertebrate ectotherms respond to ocean warming through poleward and depth‐related migrations, a consequence of which is disruption of fisheries catch compositions. Mean temperature of the catch (MTC) is an index of change in catch composition, from colder to warmer water species. MTC is widely applied as an easily parameterised variable using readily available data (catch and species preferred temperature), but few studies underscore situations that might mask the “true” MTC trend. Here, we use fisheries catch in the Arabian‐Persian Gulf (“Gulf”) to highlight, for the first time, how abrupt changes in market demand can strongly influence catch composition and thereby mask a trend in MTC, and discuss the implications of the unmasked MTC trend to fisheries in the region. We found that a recent sharp decline in MTC from 27 to 26°C, despite a gradual increase in sea surface temperature, coincided with an escalated demand for the largehead hairtail (Trichiurus lepturus), a relatively cold‐water species in the Gulf, that caused catch to dramatically increase for export to overseas markets. Our findings suggest that the change in MTC reflected a fishery response to satisfy increased international market demand, rather than reflecting warming‐driven changes in catch composition. When excluding the effect of T. lepturus catch, the Gulf MTC trend was stable over time and consistent with a trend in many tropical and subtropical waters. Our findings highlight that an MTC change can be masked by factors unrelated to warming‐driven changes in catch composition, and that catch‐only MTC trends should be examined cautiously.

The Global Harmonization of Derivatives Regulation: The Role of Fintech in Facilitating Cross-Border Compliance

The burgeoning international derivatives market demands a more unified approach to regulation. Current inconsistencies across jurisdictions create significant compliance burdens for firms, hindering market efficiency and financial stability. This paper explores the potential of fintech solutions to bridge this gap. By examining the challenges of cross-border derivatives compliance, we analyze how innovative technologies can streamline reporting, automate risk management, and enhance data standardization. The paper argues that fintech can be a powerful tool for facilitating global regulatory harmonization, promoting transparency and mitigating systemic risk in the derivatives market.

The Innovative Business Model Design of Mugwort Industry Based on Grounded Theory

Mugwort (Artemisia Argyi), is a herbaceous perennial plant. Mugwort and mugwort products have a very broad prospect of domestic and international market demand. However, the mugwort industry only has scale advantage but no competitive advantages, which has greatly affected the development of the mugwort industry. Based on the grounded theory, this paper conducted various research methods, such as visiting and reviewing a large amount of literature related to the mugwort industry for tertiary coding analysis in order to explore the key points in the design of innovative business models for the mugwort industry. The results of the study show that the innovative business model can be developed in four aspects: product proposition, sales proposition, value proposition, and brand building. From this basis, the corresponding optimisation path options are proposed. It is expected that the results of this study will help enterprises and sectors related to the mugwort industry to have a better understanding of the solutions to existing problems, as well as create high-value products and services effectively, so that the mugwort industry can embark on an intensive, efficient and healthy development path.

Studi Pola Aliran Distribusi Pemasaran pada Industri Konveksi Lokal di Desa Ledug, Kecamatan Kembaran, Kabupaten Banyumas

This study carries an analysis related to the pattern of marketing distribution flow of the convection industry in Ledug Village through various levels of marketing channels. Three convection industries, namely Enjoy Apparel, Kayla Jaya Convection, and N Convection, are the main focus in this study. The data collected during the period of 2020 to 2023 becomes material for analysis to understand marketing strategies and adaptations made by the three actors in facing changes in market dynamics. The results of the analysis revealed significant differences in marketing strategy and performance among the three industry players. In zero and single-tier marketing channels, Enjoy Apparel was able to cement impressive distribution growth, reflecting responsive adaptation to fluctuations in domestic and international market demand. On the other hand, Kayla Jaya Convection and N Convection experience more complex performance variations, with repeated periods of increases and decreases. A deeper analysis of level two distribution channels reveals a more detailed shift in marketing strategy. While Enjoy Apparel continues to show steady distribution improvements, Kayla Jaya Convection faces a sharper decline, while N Convection remains at a steady level of performance. In this context, strategic adaptation and the ability to respond to market changes are emerging as decisive factors for maintaining competitiveness in a dynamic industrial environment.