Link In Supply Chain Research Articles

The role of Ports and Free Zones in the Development of Africa: The “Djibouti Model”

This article is essentially a positive story of ports & free zones-led progress. Why are ports so critical? A well-organized port can make the difference between locally or, in the case of Djibouti, regionally produced products being viable for export, or priced out of the market 1 . A well-run facility builds self-reliance in the local executive management and economy, thus drawing new industry and investment, and promoting tourism. Furthermore, enhancements to port infrastructure frequently raise forces to shore up the weaker links in regional supply chains, such as below-standard roads and railways 2 .

Effect of Logistic Information Integration Capability on Performance of Manufacturing Firms: The Moderating Role of Supply Chain Linkages

Effect of Logistic Information Integration Capability on Performance of Manufacturing Firms: The Moderating Role of Supply Chain Linkages

Power Flow Analysis of the Enhanced Proposed 330kV Transmission Network of the Nigeria Grid

The Nigeria’s power sector transmission infrastructure continues to be challenged as it still remains the weak link in the electricity supply chain. The Nigerian Federal Government on its Roadmap for power sector reform highlighted that to accommodate the planned increase in generation capacity, there was need for a 30% increase in the “true deliverable” transmission capacity of the country’s 330kV network. But the technical feasibility of this plan is an issue to be considered. In this work, the existing 330kV Nigeria transmission network was expanded by the introduction of new lines and power stations, simulation was carried out and the effect was analyzed using Newton-Raphson algorithm in ETAP 12.6. The base case operating condition as obtained from the power flow on which the various transfer cases were implemented, gives a fair generation and loading pattern of the Nigerian grid. The total installed generating capacity of the base case considered was 11,948MW out of which 4,347.21MW was available for load level of 3,633.6MW. Result shows that the maximum load ability of the enhanced network was increased to 238.4% compared with the existing network when the Newton – Raphson iteration method was applied.

Gender and Forced Labour: Understanding the Links in Global Cocoa Supply Chains

This paper investigates the gendered patterns and dynamics of labour exploitation and forced labour in the cocoa supply chain. The empirical basis of our analysis is an original primary dataset produced through the Global Business of Forced Labour project, which includes data gathered in Ghana in 2016–2017, comprising 60 in-depth interviews and a survey of 497 cocoa workers across 74 cocoa communities from Ghana’s two largest cocoa-producing regions, the Western and Ashanti Regions. Drawing on this dataset, we show that prevailing business models within the Ghanaian cocoa industry rely on and reinforce labour exploitation and unequal gender power relations. Given that the links between forced labour and gender remain poorly understood, we analyse the factors that render women workers disproportionately vulnerable to severe labour exploitation, underscoring the role of unequal family relations, responsibility for reproductive labour, and social property relations in creating vulnerability to exploitation.

Supply Chain Management in a Production Company

Abstract The purpose of the supply chain management is to ensure a competitive advantage as well as specific added value for the benefit of all supply chain links. Appropriate management practices generate many benefits, allow for savings in particular segments of the supply chain by means of cost reduction, which in turn directly leads to the competitiveness of enterprises belonging to a specific chain. The above-mentioned issues have become the subject of this thesis. Therefore, the British American Tobacco distribution network is strategically analyzed. A location and number of distribution centers will be i.a. taken into account. Reduction in the number of distribution centers will be suggested in order to reduce logistics costs in the supply chain, i.e. transport and storage. The studies were carried out based on the analysis of flows and route planning of the logistics operator for the transport of the company's products.

Role of Tour Operators and Travel Agencies in Promoting Sustainable Tourism

Due to its relative contribution and growing impact in the economy, tourism can play an important role in advancing the universal 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the application of bioeconomy principles, when governed with social responsibility, following sector specific standards as the ones provided by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. In consideration of their privileged position within the tourism supply chain the study focusses on tour operators attempting to capture their current efforts toward social responsibility and the degree to which their activities comply with the applicable criteria for sustainable tourism. For three of the most important Romanian tour operators, the study provides an inventory of concrete ongoing activities and organizational governing principles in force which demonstrates a fairly high commitment toward social responsibility. However, companies recognise that such commitment it seeks to strengthen the corporate image rather than more fundamental sustainability goals. Among respondents, awareness of social responsibility principles and themes is higher than the awareness about specific sustainable tourism criteria. Moreover, the accent falls on the organization in question and only incidentally other supply chain links are involved. Further efforts have to be deployed in order to systematically implement the relevant sustainable tourism code, but companies manifest concern about the financial outcomes of such an investment.

Towards Supply Chain Transparency: Linking Supply Chain Structure to Collective ESG Disclosure

Under increased pressure for supply chain transparency, suppliers across supply chains show different behaviors in terms of disclosing (or retaining) information about their individual environmenta...

The Educational Logistic Potential and Supply Chain Link to Agro-Tourism Through Learning the Lifestyle AmphoeLansaka, Nakorn Sri Thammarat

The purposes of this study were to examine the readiness and accordance of potential, the demand of logistics potential and agro-tourism supply chain in Lan Saka district, Nakhon Si Thammarat province. Questionnaires were distributed to 400 tourists and an interview was conducted with five interviewees from the government/private agencies and entrepreneurs. Analysis of the results revealed that the highest satisfaction was found in three aspects including the community way of life(  =4.29, S.D. = 0.55),the personnel (  =4 .50, S.D. =0.34), and the tourist attractions (  =4 .45, S.D. =0.54), respectively. Respondents highly agreed on two aspects: the physical flow(  =3 .82, S.D. = 0.62 ( and the information flow (  =3 .94, S.D. = 0.56), respectively. In tourists’ points of view, there should be an improvement on the physical flow and the information flow by emphasizing the location access, providing adequate parking space and travel facilities such as public transport, buses for servicing tourists, signs or symbols, road signs, and viewpoint signs/danger point signs should be provided for convenience in tourist destination access. In view of government/private agencies and entrepreneurs, there should be an emphasis on the physical flow and the tourist destination service, especially transportation services in tourist areas such as enough parking space and network construction linking to nearby location for increasing the opportunities in income distribution and for building sustainable community careers.

Depicting Flows of Embodied Water Pollutant Discharge within Production System: Case of an Undeveloped Region

Water pollution is still an obstacle on the way towards sustainable development, especially for some undeveloped regions in China. To formulate policies for water pollution control from multiple perspectives, it is significant to holistically investigate how final demand purchases trigger water pollutant discharge in the production process. With Jilin Province as an empirical study area, the final production and consumption attributions of chemical oxygen demand (COD) discharge within the input–output framework are measured. By employing structural pass analysis and mapping approaches, the supply chain linkages between the two attributions of COD discharge are illustrated. The embodied flows of COD discharge across sectors through the supply chains are exhaustively revealed. The results show that the exports drive 70.23% of the total COD discharge. Animal production (S2) is the dominant contributor to COD discharge from both production and consumption perspectives. Final demand on the products of Foods & tobacco products (S8), Sawmills & furniture, and Construction largely induces COD discharge at higher production layers. In contrast, final demand on S2’s products mainly drives direct COD discharge (96.04%). S2 and S8 are the two key sectors in the supply chains, which provide other sectors with pollution-intensive products as intermediate inputs. The findings indicate that the export of S2’s products should be largely cut down, along with adjustment of the export structure. Innovations of production technologies and improvement of end-of-pipe abatement abilities for S2 and S8 should be facilitated. Besides, cutting capacity or reducing investment on these two sectors should be propelled.

Risks Identification and Allocation in the Supply Chain of Modular Integrated Construction (MiC)

Modular integrated construction (MiC) is an offsite construction technique which can improve construction quality, the certainty of the project cost, provide value for money and reduce construction time, waste generation, and carbon emissions. However, MiC is associated with a unique business model, engineering, supply chain, and stakeholder composition, resulting in bespoke uncertainties and risks. Prominent among them is the uncertainties and risk events in its linked supply chain segments. However, risks identification and allocation in the MiC supply chain segments is not well-established. This research identified and assessed 28 risk events (REs) across the manufacturing, logistics and on-site assembly segments of the MiC supply chain. A principal component analysis generated 10, 6 and 12 REs within the modular manufacturing, logistics, and on-site assembly segments, respectively. A fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE) modeling revealed that the on-site assembly REs are the most critical set of risk events with a criticality index of 5.58, followed by the modular manufacturing risk events (5.28) and logistics risk events (5.08). These rankings and criticality assessment have profound implications for the practice and praxis MiC risks management. It is a source of relevant information to stakeholders and practitioners in understanding the MiC supply chain risk events and may prioritize the riskiest events to improve the performance of MiC projects. Again, the assessed REs contributes to the checklists of MiC risk events and may form the basis for future studies on the risk of MiC. Future studies may examine the assessed risk events in different countries using larger samples.

The Value Proposition of RFID Technology in Tall Prefabricated Timber Buildings

The full benefit of prefabricated timber systems in the construction of multi-story buildings depends on integration and efficiency in the upstream logistics and supply chain. The purpose of this research is therefore to determine the potential value that the use of Radio-Frequency Identification technology (RFID) can contribute to the prefabricated construction of timber, and to undertake the basic development of a RFID tracking model for this purpose. The methods used in this study not only build on the knowledge gained from previous literature, but also include interviews with industry experts, field trial design and field trials. The research showed that the RFID tracking system's value proposition tends to be strongest where there are large scale and vertically integrated supply chains, logistics complexity between a limited number of discrete but partnered supply chain links and/or internal logistical complexity problems. Therefore, five distinct added value stages of RFID applications have been found in incoming delivery logistics, factory panel production, outgoing delivery logistics, on-site installation and third parties who can inspect the finished construction work. Application of RFID technology in prefabrication factory environments, where fixed readers can be used in predefined processes, was found promising. However, due to the temporary nature of the sites and the associated investment, the capacity for high automation levels is thought to be more limited on site.

Does Supply Chain Analytics Enhance Supply Chain Innovation and Robustness Capability?

Abstract Background and purpose: Little are known about the nature of the interaction between supply chain analytics, supply chain innovation and robustness capability. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of supply chain analytics in enhancing firms supply chain innovation and robustness capability in the Arabian context. Design/Methods: Using knowledge-based view and survey data from line managers in supply and logistics departments, the present study uses variance-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to diagnose the association between supply chain analytics, supply chain innovation and robustness capability. Findings: Results suggest that supply chain analytics exerted significant impact on supply chain innovation and not on robustness capability. It appears that supply chain innovation exerted a significant impact on robustness capability, in doing so, supply chain innovation mediates the link supply chain analytics and robustness capability. Conclusion: The outcome of this study points to the importance of supply chain analytics as a functional tool for supply chain and/or logistic routes stability and success. The paper concludes supply chain analytics can help managers have access timely and useful data for greater innovation; and that supply chain innovation is reliant not only on data, but also on firms’ analytic capabilities.

A Balancing Method of Mixed-model Disassembly Line in Random Working Environment

Disassembly is a necessary link in reverse supply chain and plays a significant role in green manufacturing and sustainable development. However, the mixed-model disassembly of multiple types of retired mechanical products is hard to be implemented by random influence factors such as service time of retired products, degree of wear and tear, proficiency level of workers and structural differences between products in the actual production process. Therefore, this paper presented a balancing method of mixed-model disassembly line in a random working environment. The random influence of structure similarity of multiple products on the disassembly line balance was considered and the workstation number, load balancing index, prior disassembly of high demand parts and cost minimization of invalid operations were taken as targets for the balancing model establishment of the mixed-model disassembly line. An improved algorithm, adaptive simulated annealing genetic algorithm (ASAGA), was adopted to solve the balancing model and the local and global optimization ability were enhanced obviously. Finally, we took the mixed-model disassembly of multi-engine products as an example and verified the practicability and effectiveness of the proposed model and algorithm through comparison with genetic algorithm (GA) and simulated annealing algorithm (SA).

Service supply chain management: a behavioural operations perspective

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the evolution of service supply chain management from a behavioural operations perspective, pointing out future research directions for scholars.Design/methodology/approachThis study searched five databases for relevant literature published between 2009 and 2018, selecting 64 papers for this review. The selected literature was categorised according to two dimensions: a service supply chain link perspective and a behavioural factor perspective. Comparative analysis was used to identify gaps in the literature, and five future research agendas were proposed.FindingsIn terms of the perspective of service supply chain link, extant literature primarily focuses on service supply and service co-ordination management, and less on service demand and integration management. In terms of the behavioural factor’s perspective, most focus on classic behaviour factors, with less attention paid to emerging behaviour factors. This paper thus proposes five research agendas: demand-oriented management and integrated supply chain-oriented behavioural research; broadening the understanding of the scope of behavioural operations; integrating the latest backgrounds and trends of service industry into the research; greater attention to behavioural operations in service sub-industries; and multimethod combination is encouraged to be used to dig into the interesting research problems.Originality/valueThis study constitutes the first systematic review of service supply chain research from a behavioural perspective. By categorising the literature into two dimensions, the state of existing research is evaluated with an eye towards future research avenues.

An integrated terminal operating system for enhancing the port security

As a vital link in the global supply chain, which dictates the movement and storage of cargo containers at the entry point of a seaport, a seaport terminal can have a profound impact on port security. In particular, a lack of business intelligence about containerised cargo flows coupled with the failure to inspect containerised cargo can cause serious security problems, because unmonitored cargo containers can be used as a tool for bringing illicit contents into the port of entry. To prevent or mitigate any illegal activities associated with containerised cargo flows, we propose an integrated terminal operating system (ITOS) that can trace and monitor every single movement and storage of incoming cargo containers, while coordinating and synchronising the entire terminal operations. In addition, we embed the ITOS within the business analytics framework, while formulating viable strategic options for enhancing the securities of terminal operating companies and their multiple stakeholders.

The Role of Trust and Culture in the Lebanese Supply Chain Food Industry

This paper aims to investigate the role of trust and culture in buyer-supplier relationships by exploring the drivers behind the ethical practices in the Lebanese food industry. Based on the literature review, supply chain management, business ethics, trust, culture and link between them and ethics, were identified as key elements in building a deep literature to be compared with what is found in Lebanon. A theoretical structure is shown, representing the role of trust and culture as a moderator between the drivers that are identified and the ethical practices. The research sample included four managers from four different companies distributed across all Lebanon. The data analysis showed that ethics in Lebanon started to play a vital role in the success of the four companies leading as well to customers’ loyalty. The findings provided support and new results in implementing ethics in the Lebanese food industry.

Achieving triple bottom line sustainability in supply chains

PurposeCompanies are increasingly challenged by sustainability-related supply chain risks. Research has developed linking supply chain sustainability priorities, practices and triple bottom line performance; however, risk is rarely included in these models. The purpose of this paper is to understand the link between sustainable supply chain strategies, practices and performance, and to test the importance of risk management practices in this relationship focusing on the product category level.Design/methodology/approachThe paper includes a survey of supply managers in four countries with 305 responses, with a focus on upstream supply chain strategies at the product category level.FindingsThe environmental and social sustainability strategies lead to sustainable supply sustainable performance, through focused practices in either area, but the effect on operational and cost performance is not significant. Social supply chain strategies positively impact environmental and cost performance when mediated by risk assessment practices.Originality/valueThis paper shows a more nuanced view of the impact of supply chain practices on the strategy–performance link. It is one of the first papers to empirically test the role of risk practices in sustainable supply chain management and emphasize the importance of alignment across the main dimensions of sustainability to achieve positive sustainable performance outcomes, but not necessarily cost and operational performance. Unlike other studies, social sustainability priorities may positively impact environmental and social performance and is linked to cost advantage when implemented with risk assessment practices.

LCA-SEM Energy Petrochemical Product Structure: A Research on Optimization Model of Low Carbon Economy Urban Agglomeration Supply Chain

Nowadays, the carbon dioxide and other gases generated by human activities have caused problems such as the greenhouse effect and global warming. The construction of a low-carbon economy city gathering supply chain is one of the main ways to reduce greenhouse gases. This paper uses the concept of carbon footprint, takes a certain urban agglomeration as the research object, and applies the greenhouse gas emission of energy petrochemical product structure into consideration according to the principles of economic, social and environmental sustainable development, together with constructing the LCA-SEM supply chain optimization model. Taking the minimum net carbon emission of energy and petrochemical product structure in low-carbon economy urban agglomeration area as the optimization goal, combined with the optimization index analysis of energy and petrochemical product structure index system, the research conclusions show that the low-carbon supply chain plays a key role in the environment in terms of five supply chain links: energy petrochemical raw material production, energy and petrochemical raw material transportation, energy and petrochemical production, energy and petrochemical product storage, as well as energy petrochemical transportation. The list of environmental burdens À(X) on the contribution of greenhouse gases to global warming optimization model shows that the urban agglomeration area and the “core area” energy consumption carbon sink area bears a significantly positive correlation with both of the regional carbon intensity and energy intensity of different energy land.

Supply chain integration capabilities, green design strategy and performance: a comparative study in the auto industry

PurposeThis paper aims to examine how supply chain integration capabilities inform green design strategy adoption and whether green design strategy can lead to higher levels of environmental and economic performance.Design/methodology/approachA survey-based approach was used to empirically test the study hypotheses. Based on 216 usable responses collected from automakers around the globe, the authors compared the results from two different data groups (i.e. Chinese firms vs Western firms) using the structural equation modeling approach.FindingsIn the Chinese context, both internal and external supply chain integration capabilities are significantly related to the successful adoption of a green design strategy. However, the relationships are not significant in Western context. Green design is found to positively impact environmental performance in both contexts; however, no significant relationship is revealed between green design and economic performance in either context. Finally, environmental performance was found to have a significant and positive impact on economic performance in both contexts.Research limitations/implicationsThe cross-sectional survey design that was focused only on the auto industry may affect the inferences of causality and generalizability of this study.Practical implicationsManagers should understand their specific organizational context first, and then strategically develop their external and internal supply chain integration capabilities to maximize their green design efforts for improved environmental performance. Companies can be certain that the more gains made in environmental management, the more economic returns can be expected.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the existing resource-based view literature by linking supply chain integration capabilities to green design strategy adoption in different organizational contexts. It also sheds a light on the association between green design and different performance dimensions and adds value to the current debate on the association between environmental performance and economic performance.

Energy Competition: From Commodity to Boutique & Back

Energy products such as power, gas, and oil have long been the world’s premier commodities. Consumers demand that power and fuel are available when they want it and they prefer to pay less for it. Few know or care where their fuel or power comes from. So for years energy companies believed that efforts to differentiate their products were mostly ineffective — they were re-signed to compete on price in fierce global commodity markets. But in recent years, a new focus on regulating how energy commodities are produced has begun to splinter previously integrated energy markets, creating markets for boutique fuels and power, and allowing energy firms to restrict output and raise prices without fear of competition. This Article documents the causes and effects of this trend toward boutique energy markets. It shows how consumer-driven supply-chain certifications that call for environmentally sound production methods have gradually evolved into government-mandated production standards. These standards take identical commodities — barrels of oil or kilowatt-hours of electricity — and differentiate them based on how they were produced. Most typically, products that were produced using particularly greenhouse gas intensive methods are banned or otherwise penalized. These supply-chain standards have been adopted by countries, but increasingly also by individual provinces, states, and localities. As a result, they are breaking the trade links in global energy supply chains. To sell in each of these markets, energy companies must be able to certify the production methods used by their entire supply chain. To do this, they must either control the entire vertical supply chain or only deal with the subset of companies that is prepared to meet the regulatory requirements of each jurisdiction that might import fuel or oil. Inevitably, this is increasing concentration of power and fuel markets. The Article suggests how to turn energy back into a commodity without sacrificing the goals of the supply-chain standards. It suggests that jurisdiction specific supply-chain standards be replaced with one or two agreed supply-chain standards that would allow more energy companies to compete across jurisdictions. And it offers recommendations for how competition and energy regulators can work together to ensure that energy standards do not undercut the aims of competition policies.