Procurement Channels Research Articles

The Quality Status Analysis and Development Proposal of Combustible Gas Alarm

Combustible gas alarm is mainly used to detect the concentration of combustible gas in the environment and issue the corresponding level of alarm which is an effective early warning tool to prevent gas leakage. However, due to the uneven quality of combustible gas alarms sold on the market, there are certain difficulties for the government in market access, testing agencies in quality control, and users in later maintenance. In order to promote the industry of combustible gas alarm to further and improve product quality, this study selected 60 batches of combustible gas alarms from a first-tier city in China and tested them in accordance with the national compulsory standard GB 15322-2019 Combustible Gas Detectors, conducting price and quality analysis of combustible gas alarms from different procurement channels and different product types according to the test results and putting forward solutions and development suggestions for nonconforming projects.

Digital transformation of the Japanese economy and prospects for the implementation of experience in the development of digital trade in Ukraine

Introduction. The disclosure of the development of digital trade in Ukraine using the example of the digital transformation of the Japanese economy is a relevant and promising topic for the digitalization of the country’s economy. The research problem is revealed as an initial analysis of Japan’s digital development by revealing the structure of the general standard of digitalization of the economy.A brief review of the literature. In recent years, a lot of work has been devoted to the development of the digital economy in the world, including the digitization of Ukraine. However, there are unresolved issues regarding the introduction of international experience into the economy of Ukraine to ensure the conditions for the globalization of digital trade.The purpose of the study is to reveal Japan’s digital transformation strategy, which ensures the development of the digital economy and to find ways to implement experience in Ukraine in order to improve the development of digital trade in global markets.The methodological basis of the research is general philosophical and general scientific methods.The main results of the study consist in the developed models of implementation of Japan’s experience in the development of digital trade of Ukraine. The paper presents the key aspects of the digital transformation of the Japanese economy by revealing the structure of the general standard of digitization of the Japanese economy. The study analyzed the dynamics and built a forecast of demand and the number of personnel in the field of IT. The projected dynamics of the size of the «direct consumption» (D2C) market in Japan were constructed and the distribution of consumer goods in procurement channels by product categories was revealed, which made it possible to identify the main orientations of Japan’s digital trade. With the help of a detailed analysis of the digital transformation of Japan, the author concluded, however, that for Ukraine there are some regulatory violations that allow accelerating the development of digitalization. On the basis of the conducted research on the evaluation of Ukraine’s author’s obstacles to the development of digital trade, a model of the implementation of Japan’s digitalization experience in the development of digital trade of Ukraine was developed. The practical significance of the research results arises from their use by Ukrainian enterprises for placental digitalization and entry into the global market of digital trade. The developed model, according to the author, can be the basis for a methodical approach to determining the level of development of digital trade in Ukraine.Conclusions and prospects for further investigations. Currently, it has been found that, contrary to its image as a high-tech nation, Japan lags behind not only in economic development, but also in innovative technologies. The digitization of products and services, as well as the integration of revolutionary technologies such as digital payment services, are part of a cycle related to increased consumption of digital media and people’s ability to adapt to technology. Ukraine is following an identical path of digitization of the economy, but it lacks the experience of Japan’s innovative technologies. Further research into the development of a methodical approach to assessing the level of development of digital trade in global markets is still relevant.

Assessing public organic food procurement: the case of Zurich (CH)

Organic food is increasingly promoted among authorities and governments to tackle global sustainability challenges and support an agri-ecological transition. An important policy instrument in this endeavour is the purchase of food or food services by public institutions, the so-called public food procurement (PFP). While PFP policies often promote organic food, few studies quantify the actual share of organic products in PFP systems. This study applies an adapted city food flow analysis to evaluate the organic share of 12 product groups in public catering, using Zurich as a case study. Based on a typology of procurement channels, we show that Zurich’s PFP system is highly centralised with internal coordinated procurement (INT–coord) and external coordinated procurement (EX–coord) providing 70% and 25% of total annual meals respectively. As Zurich procures 11% (INT–coord) and 9% (EX–coord) of organic produce, the city has considerable potential to increase organic PFP. Leverage points to this aim include internal product-specific thresholds, supply development and developments in digital procurement. This study provides a methodology to conceptualise municipal PFP systems and measure city-wide levels of organic PFP. The insights from Zurich offer a blueprint for PFP systems in other municipalities and reveal potential challenges when defining and monitoring organic PFP policies based on total purchases.

STRUCTURE SOCIAL PROBLEM COVID-19 THE PRACTICE OF - ONLINE LEARNING IN INDONESIAN HIGHER EDUCATION

The COVID-19 crisis has effected a radical shift in the learning process, with conventional approaches giving way to online learning. Such an approach necessitates appropriate infrastructure and sufficient human resources. This study seeks to show the failure of suddenly implementing online learning in an emergency. This study employs a qualitative descriptive approach by collecting data through online interviews with students and lecturers at the Kediri Institute of Islamic Studies. It finds that online education has reduced students and lecturers' independence owing to three factors. First, institutions' bureaucratic procurement channels and limited funding allocation have resulted in unmet infrastructural needs. Second, lecturers have not been prepared to adapt to online learning, which requires different attitudes and competencies than conventional learning. Third, students and their families have been unable to handle the expense of internet access in their rural homes, where such infrastructure is limited. This study recommends a more comprehensive study that contrasts the effects of COVID-19 on different types of schools and social class as this would provide a strong basis for evaluating the government's ability to continue providing education in emergencies.

The design of blockchain network of palm oil FFB supply from certified farms and traceability system of CPO from independent smallholders

Mills produce Crude Palm Oil (CPO) from procurement channels of their plantation, plasma farm, and independent smallholders’ farm. The mill manufactures Fruit Fresh Bunch FFB from all channels and sells CPO with low Free Fatty Acid (FFA) CPO for foods and CPO for industrial. CPO with low FFA for export consists of premium-grade CPO with FFA level < 2% and super-grade CPO with FFA level <3.5%. This Low FFA CPO is exported for food to developed countries. The food industry as a CPO customer needs a lot of information about the origin of the CPO commodity and information about sustainable oil palm agriculture governance. The challenges of building low FFA CPO traceability system raw material of CPO come from three-channel of FFB procurement and produce the various quality of CPO. This study aims to map the FFB supply at PT. RSI from Roundtable on Sustainability Palm Oil (RSPO) certificate farm in independent smallholders groups channel in the Hyperledger Fabric blockchain network and smart contract. The interaction of entities with smart contracts is described in the ERD diagram, and the form of collaboration between entities is illustrated in the sequence diagram. The design of blockchain network of FFB supply and traceability of FFB from independent smallholders group procurement channel was based on CPO sales data from the exporter. The contribution of independent smallholders group channels to produce low FFA CPO was calculated. By presenting the CPO supply system on a map, independent smallholders’ farms’ source of low FFA CPO can be identified. Finally, various sustainable information in the farms can be shared.

EU on the way toward Health Union

The article deals with numerous initiatives of the EU Commission, both legislative and political, aimed at strengthening the MS coordination in the field of health. Based on the Commission’s recommendations on restrictions of freedom of movement, the author analyzes the «colour coding» of the EU regions to discover travelers arriving from «risk zones», and identifies conflicting approaches of Member States and other critics to this practice. The author shows interest in Commission’s activities for joint procurement of coronavirus vaccines and other medicines and medical instruments, which it carries out using the power received from the Member States. However, the author notes that only a few MS take advantage of these contracts, preferring their national procurement channels. The author considers Commission’s desire to take the next steps in the direction of the Health Union a significant event in the EU health policy. In conclusion, the author foresees upcoming discussions about who will make decisions in the field of health policy in the EU.

Access to Breast Cancer Diagnostic Devices in the East African Community: Moving the Needle

PURPOSE Globally, two million women develop breast cancer each year. Low-income countries bear a disproportionate burden as a result of systems strapped by limited resources. Inadequate access to diagnostic services is widely recognized as a driver of unfavorable outcomes, yet baseline data on supply, use, and pricing for breast cancer diagnostic devices are scant. The purpose of this study was to assess access to cancer biopsy devices in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, and to ascertain related pricing, procurement, and payment models. METHODS We conducted an observational online survey to capture institution-based data that address demographics, facility capacity, human capital, pathology systems, device sourcing and pricing, supply chains, and workarounds. Additional manufacturer information was obtained through public sources and communication with industry. RESULTS We received 58 survey responses from the 6 East African Community countries, most representing urban public hospitals (68%). Pathology laboratory capacity varied drastically: Although basic histopathology was consistently performed (92% of respondents), hormone receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, and genetic studies were not (63%, 53%, and 11%, respectively). Training varied among practitioners performing biopsies—for example, surgeons or nurses—and most practitioners did not have ultrasound guidance (80%). Both disposable and reusable core needle devices were in use, and stockouts were reported by most respondents (69%). Workarounds included reuse of disposable devices, alternative procedures (eg, surgical excision or fine-needle aspiration), patient rescheduling, and referral. Most patients received results at follow up, but one fifth of all respondents reported that some patients never received results. Of importance, there was no observable pattern to procurement channels or pricing. CONCLUSION Reliable, accurate, and timely diagnosis is vital to improving outcomes for patients with breast cancer in low-income countries. Significant variation related to operations, human capital management, product mix, procurement methods, and pricing was observed between and within the East African Community countries. Additional investigation is needed to identify opportunities for applying best practices and leveraging regional synergies for impact.

Formation of Regional Supermarket Chains in Hokkaido and Their Procurement Channels of Fruit and Vegetables

Formation of Regional Supermarket Chains in Hokkaido and Their Procurement Channels of Fruit and Vegetables

Integrating Cost-Effectiveness into Nutrition Programming Decisions of Specialized Nutritious Foods: An Evidence-Informed Interactive Tool

Abstract Objectives An interactive Food Assistance Cost-Effectiveness Tool (FACET) was created to support funders and implementing partners of selected nutrition programs involving specialized nutritious foods (SNF) to factor cost-effectiveness into programming decisions in development and humanitarian contexts. Methods Built with the Shiny package in R, the FACET interface guides users through the process of integrating user-provided data and scientific evidence into program decision-making under a cost-effectiveness framework. Users create a scenario by inputting choices or values for program, cost, and impact parameters, while the back-end algorithms calculate a list of quantity, cost, and cost-effectiveness indicators. Users can then create multiple scenarios to compare across alternative program designs, product choices, or procurement channels. Tool inputs and outputs of the scenarios can be saved and downloaded into a spreadsheet. Whenever possible, FACET provides data visualizations of, or direct links to, data sources and references such as USAID historical product procurement costs, scientific literature on program impacts, and other relevant guidance. Users have the flexibility to use their data sources to develop model parameters if deemed more appropriate. Throughout the FACET interface and user manual development, extensive feedback was gathered from USAID, international agencies, implementation organizations, research institutions, etc. Results User engagement has helped identify applications of the FACET tool: 1.Throughout the programming cycle, e.g., during proposal development (by implementing partners), during proposal reviews (by funders), for end-line reporting (by implementing partners), and for program reviews (by implementing partners and funders);2.New SNF product vetting, e.g., assessing the extent to which promising new products can ‘compete’ with existing products in terms of cost-effectiveness. Conclusions FACET brings together diverse expertise and available data and strengthens nutrition program funders and implementing partners’ decision-making capacity around cost-effectiveness. The development of FACET serves as an example of how the research community can facilitate bringing data/evidence into real-world decision-making. Funding Sources United States Agency for International Development.

The effects of the degree of produce perishability and the choice of procurement channel on supplier opportunism: empirical evidence from the food processing industry

Opportunism is an important topic in supply chain management and distribution channels. The emergence of this behaviour in buyer-supplier relationships tends to reduce performance while diminishing value creation in the effected relations. Different transactions call for different control levels depending on the gravity of opportunism in the transaction, with the need for control being higher as opportunism increases. In this regard, it is important to understand the factors that give rise to opportunism to apply appropriate control mechanisms. This study, therefore, explores the effect of the degree of the perishability of the transacted produce on supplier opportunism. Additionally, this study treated the choice of procurement channel as a control mechanism; therefore, we compared the effect of perishability on opportunism in direct and indirect procurement channels. In this study, cross-sectional survey data collected from 239 food processor-produce supplier relationships served as source of empirical evidence. The empirical findings support our hypotheses, and demonstrate that perishability is positively associated with supplier opportunism, with the effect being significantly lower in the direct procurement channels than in the indirect procurement channel.

The effects of the degree of produce perishability and the choice of procurement channel on supplier opportunism: empirical evidence from the food processing industry

Opportunism is an important topic in supply chain management and distribution channels. The emergence of this behaviour in buyer-supplier relationships tends to reduce performance while diminishing value creation in the effected relations. Different transactions call for different control levels depending on the gravity of opportunism in the transaction, with the need for control being higher as opportunism increases. In this regard, it is important to understand the factors that give rise to opportunism to apply appropriate control mechanisms. This study, therefore, explores the effect of the degree of the perishability of the transacted produce on supplier opportunism. Additionally, this study treated the choice of procurement channel as a control mechanism; therefore, we compared the effect of perishability on opportunism in direct and indirect procurement channels. In this study, cross-sectional survey data collected from 239 food processor-produce supplier relationships served as source of empirical evidence. The empirical findings support our hypotheses, and demonstrate that perishability is positively associated with supplier opportunism, with the effect being significantly lower in the direct procurement channels than in the indirect procurement channel.

Factors Affecting Households' Kimchi Procurement Channels

Factors Affecting Households' Kimchi Procurement Channels

Socio-spatial relations of care in community food project patronage

In light of greater attention to the ethical dimensions of consumption and consumer behaviour in recent years, researchers are increasingly excavating the ethical bases of consumer engagement in various food procurement channels. Only a fairly narrow range of usual suspects has been the subject of study, however, including conventional grocery stores and community supported agriculture. This article considers the same question about community food projects; specifically, it explores the nature of customers’ involvement in, and perceived benefits from, a Good Food Box (GFB) programme in south-eastern Ontario, Canada. Using qualitative evidence from mail-in surveys and interviews, the paper draws from Foucault’s later work to consider the construction and maintenance of particular socio-spatial relations of care for both self and proximate others through food provisioning. As a predominantly self-caring act, GFB participation is motivated by frugality and physical health. When participants care for others through their patronage, prominent themes include helping less economically fortunate others, local farmers and family. The paper concludes by emphasizing the pervasiveness of care in consumerist activity and with outstanding questions about caring at a distance and the politics of educating consumer-subjects for ethical consciousness-raising.

Farmers’ preferences for supermarket contracts in Kenya

With the modernization of global agri-food systems, the role of contract farming increases. This also involves smallholder farmers in developing countries. While previous studies have looked at economic impacts of contract schemes on smallholder farmers, little is known about farmers’ preferences for contracting in general, and for specific contract design attributes in particular. Better understanding farmers’ preferences and constraints is important to make smallholder contract schemes more viable and beneficial. This article builds on a choice experiment to analyze farmers’ preferences and preference heterogeneity for contracts in Kenya. In the study region, supermarkets use contracts to source fresh vegetables directly from preferred suppliers. However, farmer dropout rates are high. Mixed logit models are estimated to examine farmers’ attitudes towards critical contract design attributes. Having to deliver their harvest to urban supermarkets is costly; hence farmers require a significant output price premium. Farmers also dislike delayed payments that are commonplace in contract schemes. The most problematic contract attribute is related to unpredictable product rejection rates, substantially adding to farmers’ risk. Designing contracts with lower transaction costs, more transparent quality grading, and fairer risk-sharing arrangements could enhance smallholder participation in supermarket procurement channels.

Values-based food procurement in hospitals: the role of health care group purchasing organizations

In alignment with stated social, health, and environmental values, hundreds of hospitals in the United States are purchasing local, organic, and other alternative foods. Due to the logistical and economic constraints associated with feeding hundreds to thousands of people every day, new food procurement initiatives in hospitals grapple with integrating conventional supply chain norms of efficiency, standardization, and affordability while meeting the diverse values driving them such as mutual benefit between supply chain members, environmental stewardship, and social equity. This paper provides empirical data and analysis on emerging values-based supply chains in hospitals that attempt to meet both the scale-based requirements and values-based goals of alternative food procurement initiatives. In particular, it examines tensions among industrial, economic, and alternative agrifood values in relation to a particular set of hospital supply chain players called Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs). Hospital membership in GPOs in the United States is ubiquitous, and 80–90 % of a hospital’s foodservice procurement comes through GPO channels in keeping with contract terms. GPO-governed supply chains are deeply rooted in industrial and commercial norms, in other words, price competition, economic efficiency, and forces of standardization through adherence to technical and quality standards. The bulk of alternative food procurement initiatives in the health care sector currently occur outside of the GPO–hospital relationship, however, over 90 % of hospital foodservice directors interviewed for this research expressed a desire to increase sustainable food procurement through their GPO. This study finds that, if alternative agrifood efforts in the health care sector are to integrate with GPO-governed supply chains without losing the robustness of the original values and goals that brought them into being, concerns related to supply chain structure, transparency and traceability of alternative food attributes, and alignment of definitions of local and sustainable food between all supply chain members will need to be addressed. This study also details points of flexibility in health care food supply chains and the potential for hospitals to create purchasing and informational alliances around common food goals in order to create new, values-based supply chain relationships both within and beyond GPO procurement channels.

Research of Working Capital Management Regarding to Companies in China

This paper divides working capital into working capital of operating activities and working capital of financing activities. Working capital of operating activities can be further divided into working capital of procurement channels, working capital of productive channels and working capital of marketing channels by channel. Then we analyze the data in the balance sheet and income statement from Shenzhen biological, pharmaceutical listed companies in 2012 by the statistical description. Finally, we study the status of its working capital management.

ICT access and usage among informal businesses in Africa

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the extent to which informal businesses employ information and communication technologies (ICTs) in their daily activities and the challenges they face in making use of ICTs. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses nationally representative data for informal businesses in residential and semi-residential areas, as defined by national census sample frames for nine African countries. Findings – The results show that mobile phones remain the most commonly used ICT among informal businesses, while the use of other ICTs, such as fixed-line telephones, computers and the internet remains negligible. Businesses were found to communicate more with their suppliers than with their customers via mobile phone. The lack of use of the different kinds of ICTs was attributed to issues around need, affordability, availability and access. Research limitations/implications – The data are not representative of formal businesses. Practical implications – There is little money to be wasted on gadgetry in the informal sector and only technologies that add value (i.e. bring in money in the short term) will be used. There is the need to be concerned about creating a business environment that allows informal businesses that have the skills and ambition to grow and become formal and sustainable. ICTs, in particular the mobile phone and mobile internet, have the potential to facilitate this. ICTs may allow for a deepening of the distribution and procurement channels of businesses. Doing business over distance could become more affordable through the mobile phone and mobile money. Social implications – Policy makers have many choices in addressing affordability and access to ICTs in the informal sector, ranging from introducing competition and removing import duties on prepaid airtime, to supporting mobile application development for informal businesses in general. Originality/value – This paper uses primary data that allow a better understanding of informal businesses and their use of and access to ICTs. It adds to the literature on the informal sector in which Africa's poor find their livelihood and from which base the formal economy operates.

Dairy intensification in developing countries: effects of market quality on farm-level feeding and breeding practices

Smallholder dairy production represents a promising income generating activity for poor farmers in the developing world. Because of the perishable nature of milk, marketing arrangements for collection, distribution and sale are important for enhanced livelihoods in the smallholder dairy sector. In this study we examined the relationship between market quality and basic feeding and breeding practices at farm level. We define market quality as the attractiveness and reliability of procurement channels and associated input supply arrangements. We took as our study countries, India with its well-developed smallholder dairy sector, and Ethiopia where the smallholder dairy industry has remained relatively undeveloped despite decades of development effort. We conducted village surveys among producer groups in 90 villages across three States in India and two Regions in Ethiopia. Producer groups were stratified according to three levels of market quality – high, medium and low. Data showed that diet composition was relatively similar in India and Ethiopia with crop residues forming the major share of the diet. Concentrate feeding tended to be more prominent in high market quality sites. Herd composition changed with market quality with more dairy (exotic) cross-bred animals in high market quality sites in both India and Ethiopia. Cross-bred animals were generally more prominent in India than Ethiopia. Herd performance within breed did not change a great deal along the market quality gradient. Parameters such as calving interval and milk yield were relatively insensitive to market quality. Insemination of cross-bred cows was predominantly by artificial insemination (AI) in India and accounted for around half of cross-bred cow inseminations in Ethiopia. Data on perceptions of change over the last decade indicated that per herd and per cow productivity are both increasing in high market quality sites with a more mixed picture in medium and low-quality sites. Similarly dairy-derived income is on the increase in high market quality sites. This is accompanied by a strong increase in stall feeding at the expense of grazing. The study indicates that the first constraint to intensification of dairy production in Ethiopia is the genetic quality of the herd. There is less scope for improved AI provision in India since the cross-bred herd is mainly serviced by AI already. However, as for Ethiopia, there is considerable scope for closing yield gaps in India through improved feed use and supply. Results strongly show that well-developed markets with good procurement arrangements are key for sustainable dairy intensification.

E-procurement for IT industry in Indian sub continent: a descriptive and conclusive analysis

Internet has far outpaced traditional procurement channels and increasing globalisation as well as competition for perfection heightens the importance of e-procurement for the IT Industry in developing nations of the Indian sub continent as well. This descriptive and conclusive research considers the perceived use of procurement activities such as information gathering, inter organisational information exchange, negotiation, bidding and payment as well as online ordering activities. Coefficient of correlation, mean and standard deviation are used to examine the perceived e-procurement for the IT industry in the Indian Sub Continent.

Internet use and benefits in procurement for IT industry in Indian sub continent: a descriptive and conclusive analysis

Increasing globalisation and competition for perfection heightens the importance of internet use and benefits in procurement. The traditional procurement channels in IT industry have been outpaced by the use of internet in developing nations too. This descriptive and conclusive research considers the perceived use of procurement activities such as information gathering, inter organisational information exchange, negotiation, bidding and payment as well as online ordering activities on one hand. Next, it focuses on perceived benefits such as ease of use, ease of price and product/service comparison, ease of information access and exchange as well as reduction in paper, time and money. Coefficient of correlation, mean and standard deviation are used to examine the perceived internet use and benefits in procurement for the IT industry in the Indian sub continent.