Regional Supply Chains Research Articles

Shifting manufacturing: Electric vehicle supply strategy using the model for international EV trade

The global surge in electric vehicle (EV) demand presents challenges and opportunities for vehicle manufacturers, especially in scaling production to meet demand amid evolving trade policies and international EV adoption targets. This study utilizes the Model for International EV Trade (MONET), a tool designed to support automotive trade policy and industrial planning by linking global light-duty vehicle (LDV) demand with production. By using MONET to analyze North American LDV trade flows, with a focus on Mexico's role as a key supplier, this study reveals critical insights into how its automotive industry might respond to rising EV demand and regional nearshoring policies. Findings indicate that while Mexico currently supplies 15% of the US LDV market, its EV output accounts for only 6%. To maintain its market share, Mexico will need to shift up to 50% of its production towards EVs by 2035. While further integration with North America could boost demand for Mexican-produced EVs, expansion into Latin America could drive additional vehicle sales growth while reducing relative battery size per vehicle. These insights highlight the broader impacts of the EV transition for economies with a strong dependance on their automotive industry and demonstrate the value of MONET in developing strategies that strengthen regional supply chains, support efficient EV deployment, and reduce material intensity. Although focused on North America, this study provides insights relevant to policymakers and industry leaders worldwide.

Robust optimization of regional biomass supply chain system design and operation with data-driven uncertainties

To address climate change and ensure energy security, biomass energy has become a popular renewable energy alternative to traditional fossil fuels. This study focuses on the strategic planning and tactical management problem of a regional biomass supply chain system with multiple feedstock and final products. A novel SVC-based data-driven robust optimization model is developed to provide the tradeoff solutions under uncertainties. Compared with the traditional robust optimization model, it can better depict the uncertain sets, reduce data redundancy, and provide less conservative strategies for decision makers according to their risk preferences. The proposed model is validated through a case study, Meizhou city in China. The results suggested the optimal investment scale and site for biorefineries and biomass power plants at the strategic planning level, as well as the feedstock supply network, inventory management, and production arrangement at the tactic management level. The optimal robust solutions can be derived by varying the envelope level of the uncertain sets. Moreover, sensitivity analysis is performed to investigate the influences of the variations of key parameters. It is found that the produced bioethanol and electricity lack cost advantages in the current situation, even with a 30 % reduction in main cost parameters. Insufficient biomass yield may require extra capital investment to satisfy bioenergy demand but with a higher supply cost. Thus, a high and long-term subsidy is necessary to facilitate the sustainable development of biomass and the low-carbon transition of the energy sector.

Transforming Agricultural Productivity with AI-Driven Forecasting: Innovations in Food Security and Supply Chain Optimization

Global food security is under significant threat from climate change, population growth, and resource scarcity. This review examines how advanced AI-driven forecasting models, including machine learning (ML), deep learning (DL), and time-series forecasting models like SARIMA/ARIMA, are transforming regional agricultural practices and food supply chains. Through the integration of Internet of Things (IoT), remote sensing, and blockchain technologies, these models facilitate the real-time monitoring of crop growth, resource allocation, and market dynamics, enhancing decision making and sustainability. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach, including systematic literature analysis and regional case studies. Highlights include AI-driven yield forecasting in European hydroponic systems and resource optimization in southeast Asian aquaponics, showcasing localized efficiency gains. Furthermore, AI applications in food processing, such as plasma, ozone and Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) treatments, are shown to improve food preservation and reduce spoilage. Key challenges—such as data quality, model scalability, and prediction accuracy—are discussed, particularly in the context of data-poor environments, limiting broader model applicability. The paper concludes by outlining future directions, emphasizing context-specific AI implementations, the need for public–private collaboration, and policy interventions to enhance scalability and adoption in food security contexts.

Supply chain digitalization and firms' green innovation: Evidence from a pilot program

Green innovation is essential for realizing environmental sustainability and achieving long-term ecological balance. This paper investigates the influence of supply chain digitalization on firms' green innovation in the manufacturing industry. China's 2018 Supply Chain Innovation and Application Pilot program as a quasi-natural experiment, we employ a difference-in-differences (DID) estimation approach to reach the following findings: (1) supply chain digitalization significantly enhances the quantity and quality of enterprise green innovation, with a more substantial impact on quality. (2) supply chain financing capacity and firm environmental awareness play a partial mediating role in the relationship supply chain digitalization and the quality and quantity of corporate green innovation. (3) the heterogeneity analysis reveals that the impact of supply chain digitalization on green innovation is notably heightened in firms with managers who have overseas experience, weak internal controls, and poor regional supply chain environments. This study enriches the theoretical understanding of enterprise green innovation from the perspective of supply chain digitalization, providing a theoretical basis and practical insights for green innovation practices in enterprises.

Offshore Wind Power Growth and Industrial Development in Emerging Markets

Offshore wind has developed significantly over the past decade, and promising new markets are emerging, such as Brazil, South Africa, India, Poland, and Turkey. As logistic transport activities increase complexities, developing regional supply chains can help to reduce costs and enhance the sector’s competitiveness. This article proposes a framework for the industrial development of the offshore wind supply chain in new markets. This study is grounded in a systematic literature review and is validated through a multi-case study, identifying key variables and factors influencing industrial growth. Adopting a process-based approach, factors and variables were modeled into a framework, encompassing the following four phases: (1) demand assessment of a new sector, (2) sectorial and industrial planning, (3) industrial development and maturity, and (4) sectorial and industrial renewal or decline. Each phase brings together a group of policies. Our findings show the policies’ interrelations. These results complement the few studies that have examined the industrial development process, providing a clear guide as to the process for the development of the offshore wind industry in specific regions. Thus, the framework provides elements that contribute as a valuable tool to the debate, structuring, and development of public policies for the industrial development of a new sector.

‘Road runners’ and Fanta: Intersectional cultural food in/security among Zimbabwean migrants living in UK cities

The incidence of food insecurity among migrant and diasporic communities living in rich global North cities is growing. A key dimension of this is the absence of culturally appropriate food which is integral to both feeding and nourishing mobile bodies. In this paper, we deploy an intersectional approach to cultural food in/security to explore the foodscapes of Zimbabwean communities living in British cities. We unpack how and why food cultures are critical in shaping migrant experiences of food in/security and the diversification of food cultures over time and place and mediated by intersectional subjectivities. We map local, regional and transnational food supply chains as migrants seek to redress issues of access and availability to source foods familiar to them to maintain the cultural significance of food and food practices within families and diaspora communities.

ASEAN and European Union addressing the challenges of the 21st century

Abstract Subject and purpose of work The European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are trade partners and believe in rules-based multilateralism. They have developed strong ties despite starting from different starting points and having different standards. The EU is a mature regional cooperation scheme(union) with a highly institutionalized and legalized architecture. At the same time, ASEAN is an intergovernmental association with low institutionalization and legalization in which decisions are made by consensus. After almost fifty years of establishing a diplomatic dialogue between the EU and ASEAN, their cooperation has been of essential importance in maintaining peace and balancing great power rivalries. Materials and methods Bibliography in books and articles. Results The EU and ASEAN are among the world’s largest economies in terms of gross domestic product. The EU is already the world’s second-largest economy, and ASEAN could become the world’s fourth-largest economy by 2030. The EU looks forward to strengthening its economic cooperation with ASEAN to maintain its competitive position in the dynamically developing region of the Indo-Pacific. ASEAN is a crucial hub for transporting European goods and is essential in regional supply chains. Closer trade and investment relations could also help the EU achieve its goal of a strategic partnership between the two regional blocks encompassing political and economic cooperation. It would be desirable if the EU and ASEAN continue to connect Europe and Asia by acting as balancers and reducing tensions between the major international players. Conclusions In the 21st century, the rise of China, India, and other regional powers is consolidating a multipolar system and new geopolitical balances. In this new era, the EU and ASEAN can continue to connect Europe and Asia by acting as balancers and reducing tensions between the major international players.

Middle East conflict and energy companies: The effect of air and drone strikes on global energy stocks

The recent April 2024 Israel-Iran conflict had a notable impact on global energy markets. Returns on the top ten global energy stocks indicate investor apprehension up to 10 days before the event started on April 13, 2024. Energy stocks had significant negative returns on the event day itself, with positive CAARs pre-event and negative CAARs post-event. The dynamic market response highlights the heightened uncertainty for energy firms due to regional instability and potential supply chain interruptions, emphasizing the critical role of geopolitical events in shaping investor sentiment and the financial performance of energy firms.

The Impact of Geopolitical Risks on Global Supply Chains - The Example of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

Geopolitical risk is an international risk that transcends the borders of a single country, and in response to the diversity and suddenness of the types of geopolitical risk-causing indices, there are all kinds of uncertainties in the process of global supply chain management affected by geopolitical risk, which makes the main body of the supply chain affected by the risk. With the development of globalisation, more and more enterprises extend their production and supply chains to all parts of the world, which makes geopolitical risk one of the important challenges that they must pay attention to and deal with. Factors such as regional political instability caused by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, disruptions in the transport of goods, the impact on regional supply chains, and volatility in financial markets all pose challenges to the stability and reliability of global supply chains.

Where is my footprint located? Estimating the geographical variance of hybrid LCA footprints

AbstractCurrent implementations of hybrid life cycle assessment (LCA) mostly do not fully exploit valuable information from multi‐regional input–output databases by aggregating regional supply chains to the lower geographical resolution of process LCA databases. We propose a method for sampling the various individual regions within the aggregated regional scope of LCA processes. This sampling maximizes the information content of hybrid LCA footprint results by preserving the regional variance, and it allows for regional price distributions from BACI/UN‐COMTRADE international trade statistics to be used to simultaneously improve the accuracy of the hybrid model. This work makes the previously hidden regional and price variance explicit and analyzes uncertainty of the hybrid carbon (global warming potential 100, GWP100) and land use footprints arising from these variances, both separately and in combination. We find that the median process footprint intensity increases by for the GWP100 due to hybridization, and for the land use footprint. Results show that the magnitude of the footprint uncertainty strongly depends on the product sector of the LCA process and environmental impact considered. In a case study of Swiss household consumption, we find truncation error estimates of for the GWP100 and for the land use footprint. Our results highlight the importance of regionalization of process LCA databases, as it has the potential to significantly improve both the precision and accuracy of derived hybrid LCA models. This article met the requirements for a gold/gold JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges.

A multi-stage exponential production model for the assessment of China’s regional electric power supply chain efficiency: Does digital innovation matter?

A multi-stage exponential production model for the assessment of China’s regional electric power supply chain efficiency: Does digital innovation matter?

Prospects of regional supply chain relocation for iron & steel industry decarbonization: A case study of Japan and Australia

Hydrogen-based steelmaking is a promising technology for industrial decarbonization. Relocating partial industrial processes to areas with abundant renewable energy and raw materials could be a viable solution for cost reduction. However, the underlying uncertainty is not clear and obscures both policy makers' and steel suppliers’ decisions. In this study, we developed a simple, open-access, techno-economic model and applied it to the case of Japan and Australia to evaluate policy proposals. Then, we further investigated the uncertainty in the levelized cost of steel (LCOS) due to various factors by Monte Carlo analysis. Results show that, under many possible combinations, the relocation strategies showed a higher probability of being more cost competitive. However, full relocation did not significantly outperform partial relocation. Clean electricity costs and electrolyzer efficiency are dominant factors affecting the uncertainty of LCOS. The results provide insights for policy makers and stakeholders to consider when developing future preferable decarbonization roadmap.

Simulation Study on Sea-Rail Intermodal Diversion Operation of Container Terminal in the Beilun Port Area of Ningbo Zhoushan Port

With the continuous development of global trade, the Beilun port area of Ningbo Zhoushan Port, as an important node of international shipping, its efficient and orderly container dredging operation is crucial to ensure the overall operational efficiency of the port and the stability of the regional supply chain. However, the actual operation is faced with multiple constraints such as fluctuating berth utilization rate, complex truck scheduling, tight yard space, and so on, which need to be optimized by scientific means. To achieve more efficient container transport, it is necessary to further optimize and improve sea-rail intermodal transport to improve the efficiency of port container operations. Therefore, this paper is based on the background of the rapid development of sea-rail intermodal transport of port containers, focusing on the problem of dredging operation of container terminals in the Beilun port area of Ningbo Zhoushan Port, through the analysis of the characteristics and influencing factors of container dredging operation, research on the optimization of container dredging scheme and put forward optimization scheme for the problem of dredging in Beilun Port Area of Ningbo Zhoushan Port, which is aimed at improving the efficiency and economy of container dredging operation and the efficiency of container dredging operation in Beilun port area through the advanced modeling and simulation technology. Through advanced modeling and simulation technology, it aims to effectively improve the efficiency and economy of container dredging operations in the Beilun port area, to cope with the increasing throughput pressure and the challenges of a complex logistics environment, and to provide theoretical support and practical guidance for the development of China’s sea-railway intermodal transport.

Interdependence and specialization in the global semiconductor industry

Interdependence between the United States (U.S.), European Union (EU) and Asia in the semiconductor industry, driven by specialization, can serve as a preventive measure against disruptions in the global semiconductor supply chain. Moreover, with rising geopolitical tensions, the cost-intensive nature of the semiconductor industry and a slowdown in demand, interdependence and partnership provide countries with opportunities and benefits. Specifically, by analyzing global trade patterns, developing the Interdependence Index within the semiconductor market, and applying the Grubel-Lloyd Index to the U.S., the EU, and Asian countries from 2011 to 2022, our findings reveal that interdependence enhances regional semiconductor supply chains, such as the establishment of semiconductor foundries in the U.S., Japan, and the EU; reduces dependence on a single supplier, such as the U.S. distancing from China; and increases market share in different semiconductor segments, as demonstrated by Taiwan in automobile chips. The evidence indicates that China heavily depends on foreign sources to meet its semiconductor demand, while Taiwan and South Korea specialize as foundry service providers with lower Interdependence Index values. The U.S. maintains a moderate level of dependence on semiconductor imports due to its strong presence in manufacturing and research, while the EU exhibits a relatively higher level of interdependence, emphasizing its reliance on semiconductor imports. The stage-specific analyses indicate that the U.S. and the EU rely on Asia for semiconductor devices, while China and Taiwan have a higher dependence on American intermediate inputs and European lithography machines.

Future Prospects and Scope of China Pakistan Economic Corridor in Modern Maritime Silk Road

The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) stands as a master project within the broader framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), envisioning connectivity and economic cooperation across the Eurasian landmass. With a focus on the maritime dimension, this study explores the future prospects and scope of CPEC within the context of the Modern Maritime Silk Road (MSR). By examining key infrastructure projects, policy frameworks, and geopolitical dynamics, it assesses the potential impacts and opportunities arising from enhanced maritime connectivity between China and Pakistan. The analysis begins by demarcation the strategic importance of maritime routes in economic development and facilitating trade, mainly in the framework of global maritime trade patterns. Additionally, the study explores the consequences of CPEC for regional dynamics, mainly in the Indian Ocean region, where geopolitical competition and maritime security concerns intersect. It examines the potential for transshipment opportunities, economic integration and the growth of regional supply chains helped by CPEC-linked maritime infrastructure.

“B2B” MODULE OF THE REGIONAL DIGITAL PLATFORM AS A TOOL FOR COOPERATION OF SUPPLY CHAIN STAKEHOLDERS AND DEVELOPMENT OF IMPORT SUBSTITUTION POLICY

The main stages in the development of the “B2B” module of a regional digital platform for collaboration of supply chain participants and other stakeholders have been identified in order to manage regional supply chains and develop import substitution policies. Algorithms have been developed for making management decisions on the feasibility of supporting import substitution projects within the “B2B” module of the regional digital platform, which will accelerate the transition of business entities to the production of competitive innovative products in the domestic market, which will help ensure economic security and increase the competitiveness of the territory. The study was carried out with financial support from the Belarusian Republican Foundation for Basic Research (BRFFR Nauka M G23M-029 grant).

Research on the Impact Mechanism of Interregional Trust on Supply Chain Financing

Supply chain financing has received widespread attention from academia, but there is almost no connection between regional trust and supply chain. There is information asymmetry in small and medium-sized enterprises, which leads to financing constraints. Trust between regions will exacerbate this constraint, restricting the financing of buyers and sellers, and thus affecting the entire supply chain financing. The transaction between different regions is fitted with the trust between regions and the supply chain financing situation between different regions in previous years. The relationship between the two is established, and the impact mechanism of trust between regions on the development of supply chain financing is studied. After empirical analysis of the impact of trust factors on the upstream and downstream of special supply chains, the impact of trust between regions on supply chain financing is further analyzed. This article explores the impact mechanism of inter-regional trust on supply chain financing from the perspective of inter-regional trust.

Can SEE economies grow stronger together? Empirical evidence from the CEFTA region

ABSTRACT This article investigates the trade and growth benefits of the CEFTA agreement for its members using panel econometric techniques and analysis of backward and forward linkages with the CEFTA and the European economies. Although the countries have not reached their end goal of membership of the European Union, the research shows that CEFTA has supported their economic growth. However, there is trade heterogeneity in terms of the extent to which individual countries use CEFTA value added in their manufacturing exports. Less-developed economies seem to rely more on regional (CEFTA) supply chains, while manufacturing-based economies are increasingly coming to rely on EU supply chains. The countries have not built a strong export advantage abroad, as very little of their value added is used in EU exports.

From Geo-political to Geo-economics: The significance of IMEC for India

On the side-lines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit, Leaders of India, European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, UAE and US announced an MOU on 9th September 2023 committing to work together to develop a new India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). The IMEC will comprise of two separate corridors, the east corridor connecting India to the Gulf and northern corridor connecting Gulf to Europe. The corridor will provide reliable and cost-effective cross-border ship to rail transit network to supplement existing maritime routes. It intends to increase efficiency, reduce costs, secure regional supply chains, increase trade accessibility, enhance economic cooperation, generate jobs and lower greenhouse gas emission, resulting in a transformative integration of Asia, Europe and the Middle East (West Asia). This project reflects emerging geopolitical trends as it offers an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). BRI is often perceived as a tool for exerting influence and creating debt traps in developing nations. The Indian government’s efforts to strengthen political and strategic ties with the UAE and Saudi Arabia can now be further solidified by creating enduring connectivity between India and the Arabian Peninsula. This initiative dispels the notion that India and the United States may collaborate in the Indo-Pacific but not in the Middle East. The project showcases how India and the U.S., along with Israel and the UAE, can partner in developing joint economic projects through forums like the I2U2. The mega connectivity project has the potential to reduce political tensions in the Arabian Peninsula and serve as “Infrastructure for Peace” by promoting intra-regional connectivity, according to the U.S. The corridor signifies Europe’s active involvement in infrastructure development in the region. The European Union’s support for this initiative positions it as a major stakeholder in integrating India with both the Arabian Peninsula and Europe. The success of IMEC could lead to further strategic collaborations.

Dynamic capabilities of global and local humanitarian organizations with emergency response and long-term development missions

PurposeThis study aims to answer the question: What dynamic capabilities do diverse humanitarian organizations have?Design/methodology/approachWe examine this question through the lens of dynamic capabilities with sensing, seizing and reconfiguring capacities. The research team interviewed 15 individuals from 12 humanitarian organizations that had (a) different geographic scopes (global versus local) and (b) different missions (emergency response versus long-term development aid). We also gathered data from secondary sources, including standard operating procedures, company websites, and news databases (Factiva, Reuters and Bloomberg).FindingsThe findings identify the operational and dynamic capabilities of global and local humanitarian organizations while distinguishing between their mission to provide long-term development aid or emergency relief. (1) The global organizations, with their beneficiary responsiveness, reconfigured their sensing and seizing capacities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic by pivoting quickly to local procurement or regional supply chains. The long-term development organizations pivoted to multi-year supplier agreements with fixed pricing to counter price uncertainty and accessed social capital with government bodies. In contrast, emergency response organizations developed end-to-end supply chain visibility to sense changes in supply and demand. (2) Local humanitarian organizations developed the capacity to sense demand and supply changes to reconfigure based on their experiential learning working with the local community. The long-term-development local organizations used un-owned and scalable relief infrastructure to seize opportunities to rebuild affected areas. In contrast, emergency response organizations developed their capacity to seize opportunities to provide aid stemming from their decentralized decision-making, a lack of structured procedures, and the authority for increased expenditure.Originality/valueWe propose a theoretical framework to identify humanitarian organizations' operational and dynamic capabilities, distinguishing between global and local organizations and their emergency response and long-term aid missions.