Supply Chain Approach Research Articles

A distribution-free-based approach for stochastic food closed-loop supply chain

ABSTRACT Resource scarcity has driven growing interest in circular economy (CE). Closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) with returnable transport items (RTIs) in the food industry is an important component of CE. However, existing works on food CLSC with RTIs have not simultaneously considered the perishability, facility location, and uncertain demand under limited information. Therefore, this work addresses a new food CLSC optimisation problem. We first propose a non-linear chance-constrained programming model. It is then transformed into a mixed-integer linear programming model via using the distribution-free (DF) method and sample average approximation (SAA) method, respectively. An illustrative example reveals that the DF method needs only 10.50% of the computation time of the SAA method. To address large-scale problems, an improved Lagrangian relaxation (LR) method is developed. To address the computational challenge in large-scale problems, an improved Lagrangian relaxation (LR) algorithm is developed. Results show that CPLEX achieves a gap of 75.57%, while the LR surpasses it by finding near-optimal solutions with a gap of 1.22%, using only 31.82% of the computation time required by CPLEX. For this work, the main insights are summarised: (1) extending product shelf life can reduce the total cost; and (2) to alleviate uncertain demand and production risks, production capacity and product inventory capacity can be appropriately expanded, but excessive investment may not improve returns.

Fuzzy-stochastic distributional robust approach for microalgae-based bio-plastic supply chain with new sustainability aspects

The current study offers a sustainable supply chain model that can be used to identify opportunities and constraints for the future of the microalgae-based bio-diesel and bio-plastic industry. The network’s carbon emissions are restricted by an uncertain constraint that allows for flexibility in controlling emissions as needed. The social constraints of the model provides a transparent depiction of labour needs in dynamic business landscape and foster women’s empowerment through a preference coefficient. The proposed model introduces a new upside risk measures under fuzzy-stochastic setting to quantify the upward financial risk. To characterize and manage the model uncertainty, a fuzzy-stochastic distributional robust model is presented. Credibility distribution is utilized to handle fuzzy uncertainty, while box and polyhedral uncertainty sets are included to handle stochastic uncertainty. After that, tractable deterministic formulations of the uncertain model for two ambiguity sets are presented to solve the model. Finally, a number of insights are obtained by means of five test problems that are implemented in Python and resolved by one exact and five meta-heuristic algorithms. Experiments indicate that, when faced with uncertainty, two robust models have produced more stable solutions (16.23% and 19.67% higher stability, respectively) than nominal stochastic model. Further, a 4.68% decline in total cost and 3.27% increment in bio-diesel production can be achieved by increasing bio-diesel conversion rate to 10%. In addition, a 9.09% downturn in total cost and 10.44% rise in bio-plastic production can be obtained by 10% increment in bio-plastic conversion rate. Moreover, 45.38% more woman labours can be recruited by increasing the preference coefficient from −0.2 to +0.2.

Wasting and wanting: An extractive supply chain approach to outer space geographies

This article conceptualizes outer space geographies through the Earthly geographies of extractive supply chains, focusing on mines and discarded electronics (e-waste), in order to examine the material relations through which contemporary human engagements with outer space are being produced. It considers the emergence of billionaires-turned-astronauts within the waste-making practices of supply chain capitalism, critiquing this as a particularly stark example of the politics of sacrifice that need to be centered in debates concerning the present and future of human engagements with outer space. Drawing together literatures on waste, discard, supply chains, and frontiers, and informed by fieldwork in several mining and launch sites on four continents, the article argues that waste-making on Earth is constitutive of a set of contemporary space activities and shapes the manner in which the immensity of the cosmos is understood and engaged by diverse publics. It concludes by reflexively examining the potential epistemic violence of waste-making as a spatial analytic to link Earthly and outer space geographies.

Pricing and green quality decisions in two-stage green supply chain for substitutable green products: A game-theoretic approach

Growing businesses are concerned with doing well both environmentally and economically. Pointing out this view, this paper explores the game theoretical approach (Stackelberg and Bertrand) for a two-echelon green supply chain where the duopolistic manufacturers produce two substitutable green products and sell their products through a common retailer. The demands for both green products are functions of the selling prices and green levels (GLs). The effects of power structures on optimal price and green level decisions and associated equilibrium decisions are examined in three scenarios. Firstly, trilateral competition manufacturer-led Stackelberg (MS); secondly, retailer-led Stackelberg (RS); and thirdly, vertical collaboration, and compares the optimal decisions analytically. Our investigations show that, in addition to increasing the product’s greening level, vertical collaboration creates a win–win situation for collaboration members, whereas the manufacturer outside the collaboration experiences a decline in profits. Additionally, we find that the overall profit from vertical collaboration is greater than the sum of the individual profits corresponding to two participants in the trilateral competition models (MS and RS). Further, a selection criterion is developed for retailer to select the most suitable manufacturer for vertical collaboration. Finally, a numerical example and a sensitivity analysis are performed to determine the impact of parameters.

Implementing Ireland’s Food Vision 2030 within the Fresh Produce Sector: An Investigation of the Barriers and Enablers Using Systems Thinking Principles

The Irish Food Vision 2030 (IFV 2030) seeks to restructure Ireland’s agricultural food system to deliver long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability in keeping with its commitment to the European Green Deal and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. This study investigates the effectiveness of the IFV 2030 in delivering on this commitment across the fresh produce supply chain in Ireland using a combination of data collected from stakeholders through a survey and systems thinking principles. A review of the literature and Foucault’s genealogical methods guided the development of the survey. Systems thinking principles were used to review the IFV 2030 and assess its capacity to deliver large-scale change for a sustainable Irish food system. Barriers to change were identified, including historical patterns of behaviour between EU and Irish policymakers that have repeatedly hindered progress towards large-scale change events. The results demonstrate that successful, long-term change will depend on the involvement and incentives of stakeholders within the supply chain. Continuous stakeholder engagement is required through a bottom-up organisational and supply chain approach to deliver long-term sustainability within the fresh produce sector. Using a systems thinking lens brings benefits through transdisciplinary collaboration and fosters the multiple stakeholder perspectives needed to deliver new ideas and solutions.

A Consumer-Centric Approach for a Sustainable Honey Supply Chain: The Case of Strawberry Tree Honey

The consumption of honey has gained significant attention in recent years due to its numerous health benefits. It is important to understand the role of consumers in the honey supply chain, as their preferences have a substantial impact on industry practices. Consumer demand for high-quality, safe, and sustainable honey encourages producers to improve transparency and sustainability in their operations. This consumer-centric approach is essential for creating strong connections between supply chain stakeholders and end-users, promoting a more sustainable food system. This study centres on strawberry tree honey, which is rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and antimicrobial activities. It explores the key factors driving consumer choices in strawberry tree honey and evaluates their impact across the entire supply chain. A survey examined consumer preferences for conventional honey and organic strawberry tree honey, revealing a clear trend toward sustainable options. The findings highlighted the significant impact of consumer behaviour on driving sustainable practices within the honey supply chain. This study also shed light on consumers’ perceptions of organic strawberry tree honey and their connection to the entire supply chain. These findings support previous studies on organic products, demonstrating the crucial link between consumer choices for organic honey and the sustainability of the supply chain.

Strategies for Managing Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs) in Semiconductor Manufacturing: A Supply Chain and Public Management Approach

The semiconductor industry stands as a pillar of modern technological progression, yet it grapples with significant environmental challenges, predominantly due to the emissions of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs). PFCs, critical in semiconductor manufacturing processes like dry etching and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber cleaning, present a dire environmental concern given their high Global Warming Potential (GWP) and persistent nature. This treatise delves into a comprehensive analysis of how supply chain management and astute public policy can mitigate the deleterious impact of PFCs. It methodically scrutinizes the current challenges in curbing these emissions, assesses the efficacy of prevailing strategies, and champions the inception of trailblazing abatement technologies alongside forward-thinking regulatory frameworks. The research presents a critical evaluation of the interplay between stringent environmental requirements and the semiconductor industry's economic and innovation imperatives. It underscores the intricacies of aligning the sector's operations with sustainable practices while maintaining its economic vitality and capacity for innovation. Through a meticulous exploration of advanced material alternatives, state-of-the-art emissions control technologies, and progressive policy initiatives, this paper endeavors to steer the semiconductor industry towards a future where environmental sustainability becomes a cornerstone of its developmental ethos without stifling its technological evolution or economic robustness.

A hybrid multi-criteria decision-making and machine learning approach for explainable supplier selection

Supplier selection has become increasingly complex regarding selection criteria caused by expanded data collection processes and supplier numbers due to globalisation effects. This complexity has led to the consideration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques to facilitate and enhance supplier selection. However, the AI techniques most often applied are unfamiliar to stakeholders and have limited explainability, posing a significant barrier to adopting intelligent approaches in supply chains. To address this issue, we propose a hybrid supplier selection framework that combines interpretable data-driven AI techniques with multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approaches: the former aims to reduce the complexity of the supplier selection problem, while the latter ensures familiarity to supply chain stakeholders by retaining MCDM at the heart of the supplier selection process. The framework is validated through two real-world case studies supporting supplier selection decisions in oil, gas, and aerospace manufacturing companies. Preliminary results from our case studies suggest that the framework can achieve comparable performance to approaches utilising only machine learning while offering the added benefits of end-to-end explainability and increased familiarity.

Eco-efficiency of hydrogen supply chains: NDEA-based approach

While there is a broad agreement in academia and the business community that hydrogen (H2) could significantly contribute to energy policy goals, there is no single shared vision of a sustainable hydrogen supply chain (HSC). The large number of sources for hydrogen production (various fossil fuels, biomass, water) and the different methods for extracting, distributing, and storing it make creating an efficient supply chain a challenge. The commonly used optimization techniques based on linear programming require a new mathematical problem to be formulated and solved for each case. Instead, this study aims to develop an innovative optimization approach for the hydrogen supply chain that does not require complete knowledge of the end-user hydrogen demand and applies to any region. Based on the Network Data Envelopment Analysis (NDEA) method, hybrid Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and Value Sensitive Design (VSD) approach, the integral eco-efficiency indicator constructed by this approach is a weighted linear combination of economic parameters (CAPEX and OPEX) and environmental parameters (ecotoxicity, oxidation potential, eutrophication potential and climate change). The proposed approach has been tested on 22 different hydrogen supply chain options, confirming its efficiency and ability to inform national and international decision-making. For example, a pan-European decision support system could be based on continuously updated data from the EcoInvent database on environmental parameters of hydrogen production, storage, and transport technologies, and updated data on economic parameters from the European Hydrogen Observatory.

Exploring the Evolution of Sustainability Paradigms: From Linear to Circular Economy Models

Abstract As a response to the urgent environmental degradation and depletion of resources, this article analyzes the historical evolution from linear to circular economy models as a response for achieving sustainability. Tracing back to sustainable forest use proposed in 17th-century and evolving towards modern circular economy principles, there is a paradigm shift of decoupling economic growth from resource consumption. Moving through the landscape of sustainability, the paper criticizes the linear economy model that originated during industrialization period and was incapable of addressing sustainability. Key milestones, such as sustainable development, closed-loop-systems, and biomimicry, demonstrate the journey to current business models. An extensive literature review proves the interdisciplinary importance of circular economy research, exploring domains such as Sustainability Science, Management, and Bioengineering. The present research combines bibliometric analysis and systematic review on articles published between 2000 and 2023. These methods were chosen to assess the main directions of research for development of circular economy models, and recent trends. Research is centered around dynamics and trajectory of scholarly outputs on the topic, mainly those published in the past five years. A sharp rise in the number of publications regarding circular economy models is found, characterized by three notable inflections in 2017, 2018 and 2021. Two pivotal articles emerge as influential contributions. The interdisciplinary landscape of circular economy research is observed, covering diverse research areas such as Supply Chain and Logistics, Bioengineering, or Social Psychology. The cooccurrence analysis reveals 6 thematic clusters for which we propose a conceptual framework. The clusters are: environmental impact, sustainable development, interdisciplinary connections (niche sciences), circular supply chain, climate change, and IT-centric approaches that have emerged in research in the past five years. Insights from recent trends provide valuable guidance to researchers, professionals, and policymakers by using an interdisciplinary lens in the transition to a circular economy.

‘Mind the Gap’—reforestation needs vs. reforestation capacity in the western United States

Tree establishment following severe or stand-replacing disturbance is critical for achieving U.S. climate change mitigation goals and for maintaining the co-benefits of intact forest ecosystems. In many contexts, natural post-fire tree regeneration is sufficient to maintain forest cover and associated ecosystem services, but increasingly the pattern and scale of disturbance exceeds ecological thresholds and active reforestation may be warranted. Our capacity to plant trees, however, is not keeping pace with reforestation needs. This shortfall is uniquely apparent in the western U.S., where wildfire size and severity have increased in recent decades and long-term divestment in the reforestation supply chain has limited our ability to respond to existing needs. Here we present an analysis of key facets of both the supply and demand side of reforestation in the western U.S. and address six questions: (1) What is the current backlog of potential reforestation needs driven by high-severity wildfire?; (2) How will increasing wildfire activity through the end of the century affect potential reforestation needs?; (3) What is our capacity to meet current and future reforestation needs?; (4) How can we scale the reforestation supply chain to meet current and future demands?; (5) What approaches to reforestation can promote forest resilience to climate change and wildfire?; and (6) Where are opportunities emerging from recent policy initiatives, innovative public-private partnerships, and natural capital markets for scaling reforestation? Between 1984 and 2000, annual tree planting capacity met post-fire needs but cumulatively over the last two decades (2000 to 2021) it has fallen short of fire-driven needs by an estimated 1.5 million ha (ca. 3.8 million ac). We anticipate this gap will increase 2 to 3 fold by 2050. Scaling up reforestation efforts to close this gap will require increased investment across all facets of the reforestation supply chain, public-private partnerships, and novel approaches to reforestation that increase the resilience of western forests to drought and wildfire. We highlight emerging opportunities from recent policy initiatives and conservation finance for expanding reforestation efforts.

Driving success through digital transformation: influence of Industry 4.0 on lean, agile, resilient, green supply chain practices

PurposeGrowing emphasis on long-term viability prompts researchers and industry professionals to collaborate on innovative approaches for sustainability and survival. Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technology's importance drives active adoption by firms amidst evolving business dynamics. This research examines the influence of I4.0 technologies on lean, agile resilient and green practices and their impact on supply chain performance.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data from Pakistani manufacturing enterprises were analyzed using SMART PLS to explore the relationship between I4.0 technology, supply chain practices and supply chain performance.Findings I4.0 technologies significantly impact all practices, while agile and resilient supply chain approaches partially mediate the relationship with supply chain performance.Practical implicationsInsights from this research guide policymakers and business experts in implementing and managing lean, agile, resilient and green practices. Integrating these principles with digital technology solutions enhances supply chain performance.Originality/valueThis study advances understanding of the interplay between I4.0 technologies, practices and supply chain performance, providing a basis for further research and practical implications.

Review: Myopathies in broilers: supply chain approach to provide solutions to challenges related to raising fast growing birds

This review is a summary of a Poultry Science Association symposium addressing myopathies in broilers’ breast meat, focusing on the interactions between genetics, nutrition, husbandry, and meat processing. The Pectoralis major myopathies (WB = woody breast; WS = white striping; SM = spaghetti meat) and Pectoralis minor (“feathering”) are described, followed by discussing their prevalence, potential causes, current and future ways to mitigate, as well as detection methods (in live birds and meat) and ways to utilize affected meat. Overall, breast myopathies remain an important focus across the poultry industry and whilst a lot of data and knowledge has been gathered, it is clear that there is still a lot to understand. As there are multiple factors impacting the occurrence of breast myopathies, their reduction relies on a holistic approach. Ongoing balanced breeding strategies by poultry breeders is targeting the longer-term genetic component but comprehending the significant influence from non-genetic factors (short-term solutions such as nutrition) remains a key area of opportunity. Consequently, understanding the physiology and biological needs of the muscle through the life of the bird is critical to reduce the myopathies (e.g., minimizing oxidative stress) and gain more insight into their aetiology.

Optimizing Nurse Scheduling: A Supply Chain Approach for Healthcare Institutions

When managing an organization, planners often encounter numerous challenging scenarios. In such instances, relying solely on intuition or managerial experience may not suffice, necessitating a quantitative approach. This demand is further accentuated in the era of big data, where the sheer scale and complexity of constraints pose significant challenges. Therefore, the aim of this study is to provide a foundational framework for addressing personnel scheduling, a critical issue in organizational management. Specifically, we focus on optimizing shift assignments for staff, a task fraught with complexities due to factors such as contractual obligations and mandated rest periods. Moreover, the current landscape is characterized by frequent employee shortages across various industries, with many organizations lacking efficient and dependable management tools to address them. Therefore, our attention is particularly drawn to the nurse rostering problem, a personnel scheduling challenge prevalent in healthcare settings. These issues are characterized by a multitude of variables, given that a single healthcare facility may employ hundreds of nurses, alongside stringent constraints such as the need for adequate staffing levels and rest period’s—post-night shifts. Furthermore, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated staffing challenges in healthcare institutions, underlining the importance of accurately assessing staffing needs and optimizing shift allocations for effective operation amidst crisis situations.

Supply Chain Management: Survey Consumer Preferences and Market Potential (Study Literature Review)

The supply chain management article: survey of consumer preferences and market potential is a scientific literature review article within the scope of operational management science. This article aims to create a hypothesis regarding the relationship between factors, which can subsequently be utilized for future research in the field of human resource management. Descriptive qualitative research methodology was employed in this study. The data utilized in this study was derived from prior research that remains pertinent to the current investigation. The data was gathered from reputable academic online platforms, including Publish or Perish, Google Scholar, digital reference books, and Sinta journals. The findings of this study are as follows: 1) Consumer preference surveys play a role in supply chain management: Surveys offer significant insights into consumer preferences, wants, and expectations pertaining to a specific product or service. These insights serve as the foundation for organizations in formulating marketing strategies, developing products, and managing inventory. By gaining a comprehensive grasp of consumer preferences, organizations have the potential to enhance customer happiness, streamline their supply chains, and attain a competitive edge in marketplaces that are becoming progressively intricate and dynamic; and 2) Market potential plays a role in supply chain management: market potential offers a comprehensive overview of the current market size, potential for growth, and consumer patterns in a specific region or demography. This data enables organizations to develop supply chain strategies that are characterized by enhanced efficiency and adaptability in response to dynamic market needs. Through a comprehensive comprehension of market potential, organizations are able to effectively identify prospective market segments, formulate suitable expansion strategies, and adapt their supply chain approaches in order to maximize profitability and foster corporate expansion.

The circular supply chain: a paradigm shift towards sustainable resource

In light of recent studies, we find that the circular economy has become a key component in corporate strategies to promote environmental sustainability. In this regard, corporations are increasingly adopting the circular economy perspective to review their supply chain management practices in a sustainable manner. This paradigm shift suggests the need for a circular approach to supply chain management, moving from simple efficiency and waste reduction to a philosophy that promotes product redesign, reuse and transformation. The circular supply chain approach involves a number of interlinked elements, including product design for circularity, reverse logistics, remanufacturing (re-manufacturing), recycling and waste management. These components are integrated at different stages of the supply chain with the aim of maximising resource recovery and minimising environmental impact. Particular emphasis is placed on supply chain collaboration, which is considered one of the key drivers of the circular economy and circular supply chains. The analysis of the circular supply chain management concept highlights five dimensions of circular supply chain management: closed-loop supply chain management, reverse supply chain management, remanufacturing supply chain management, recycling supply chain management and industrial symbiosis.

Leveraging intellectual capital for building a supply chain circular economy system: A knowledge-based view

Organizations are inevitably pursuing circular economy goals through a supply chain approach. This paper examines the impact of intellectual capital on supply chain circular economy (SCCE) systems made up of a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) and a reverse omnichannel. By employing the knowledge-based view, this paper constructed the relationship between intellectual capital and SCCE systems. We tested the proposed hypotheses by employing structural equation modeling on a dataset collected from 193 Chinese manufacturing firms. Finally, we used a bootstrap method and tested the indirect effect of intellectual capital components on SCCE systems. We found that intellectual capital both directly and indirectly contributed to SCCE systems. Human capital and structural capital, in particular, were positively associated with CLSC, whereas social capital was strongly related to reverse omnichannel. However, human capital and structural capital had no significant relationship with reverse omnichannel, and social capital had no significant impact on CLSC. We also found that structural capital mediated the human capital-CLSC association, and social capital played a mediating role between human capital and reverse omnichannel. Drawing on the knowledge-based view, our study offers insights into the intellectual capital literature, circular economy literature, and supply chain management literature. The findings add to our existing understanding of how existing knowledge of the organization can be leveraged for better operations by CLSC and improved services by reverse omnichannel.

A Simulation-Based Bayesian Network Approach to the Joint Decision of the International Transportation Mode and Safety Inventory Policy

Uncertainty in international transportation can have a significant impact on inventory costs and customer service levels in a global supply chain network. A very limited number of studies in the literature have addressed the international transportation mode and safety inventory policy (ITM-SIP) issues simultaneously. This study formulates the problem and proposes a simulation-based Bayesian network (SBN) approach for the joint decisions on ITM-SIP, where Bayesian networks are used to dynamically estimate international replenishment lead times for railway and maritime transportation modes. We implement our approaches in an international automotive spare parts supply chain experiencing fluctuations in its shipping supply market and with dynamic demand. For this joint decision problem, we build an international supply chain network simulation model in which the time-delay uncertainties of key bottleneck nodes in maritime and railway transportation routes are considered. The simulation experiment results show the performance improvement of the SBN approach in substantially reducing total costs and achieving service levels. We also provide insights into the value of decision tactics for responding to different fluctuation modes in the shipping supply market in the global supply chain network.

A Fuzzy-AHP Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach for a Sustainable Supply Chain of Rice Farming Stakeholders in Edu-Patigi LGA, Kwara State, Nigeria

The adoption of sustainable practices in decision making in supply chain operations among rice farmers and other stakeholders in Nigeria could be an effective tool to drive food security. The triple bottom line identifies the environmental, economic, and social dimensions of sustainability. These could be harnessed to improve the supply chain of locally produced rice, ultimately improving food security in the region. This paper adopts a quantitative method that uses 21 criteria from the three sustainability dimensions to measure rice stakeholders’ decision-making activities against sustainable rice practices (SRPs) using a Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process multi-criteria decision-making approach. The findings reveal that decisions with regard to water usage, supplier diversity, and a safe working environment were ranked high, while government intervention, quality assurance, transparency, and power usage ranked low. This implies that improved performance of other stakeholders across the rice value chain such as the government and extension officers would enhance productivity and drive food security in the region.

Digital economy structuring for sustainable development: the role of blockchain and artificial intelligence in improving supply chain and reducing negative environmental impacts

In the current global context of environmental degradation and resource constraints, the pursuit of sustainable development has become an imperative. One avenue that holds promise for achieving this objective is the application of digital technologies, which have the potential to decouple economic growth from its carbon footprint. However, it is crucial to ensure that these technologies are designed and governed in a prudent manner, with a strong alignment to environmental priorities. This study focuses on exploring the potential roles of blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) in supply chain coordination and impact mitigation. Furthermore, they have the capacity to incentivize recycling and circular business models, as well as facilitate carbon accounting and offsetting. To fully realize these benefits, it is essential to deploy these technologies within inclusive collaborative frameworks that take into consideration social and ecological considerations. The study also offers policy recommendations that highlight key leverage points for digital innovation, enabling countries to embark on smart and green industrial transformation pathways. By harnessing the potential of blockchain and AI in supply chains, governments can promote transparency, traceability, and accountability, thereby fostering sustainable practices and reducing environmental impacts. Incorporating blockchain and AI technologies into supply chain approaches leads to a substantial improvement in efficiency, as demonstrated by a numerical analysis. In conclusion, the integration of innovative digital technologies offers significant opportunities to optimize production systems and economic activity while prioritizing sustainability objectives for the betterment of society and the environment. These technologies have the potential to mitigate environmental externalities by addressing information imbalances within global supply chains. However, it is essential to prioritize inclusive governance that emphasizes democratic participation to mitigate any unintended negative consequences, especially for vulnerable communities. By ensuring inclusive decision-making processes, we can maximize the positive impact of these technologies while minimizing potential harm.