This document summarizes a research paper that investigated strategies companies undertake for supply chain sustainability. It developed a framework to identify sustainability initiatives across the supply chain phases of inbound supply, production, outbound supply, warehousing, and product design. The framework was applied to 10 multinational companies to assess their adoption of initiatives. Interviews with managers from 3 companies provided further insights. The document outlines the methodology and discusses initiatives for each supply chain phase identified from the literature.
SUPPLY CHAIN STRATEGY BASED SUPPLIER EVALUATION-AN INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK ijmvsc
This document summarizes research on supply chain strategy-based supplier evaluation frameworks. It provides an overview of different manufacturing strategies (lean, agile, leagile) and discusses how supplier strategy should align with the organization's manufacturing strategy. The document then proposes a hybrid methodology using fuzzy positive/negative ideal ratings and membership degree transformation to evaluate supplier performance based on six key criteria under different supply chain strategies. An application example is provided to illustrate the proposed evaluation methodology.
This document proposes a conceptual framework for measuring the performance of supply chain collaboration at different stages of partnership. It discusses key performance metrics identified in the literature, including operational efficiency, risk/return ratio, order of dominance, cost, profit, inventory levels, forecast accuracy, flexibility, and responsiveness. The document also describes two case studies of companies at different stages of collaboration practice to validate the proposed model and understand how different metrics are used at initial and advanced collaboration stages.
This document discusses research on evaluating the durability of supply chains. It proposes creating an index system to evaluate supply chain resilience based on analyzing the current state of resilience. The paper compares four evaluation methods - constraint method, addition, multiplication, and black box method - and concludes the black box method is relatively simple and objective. The goal of supply chain evaluation is to balance resilience, cost, and efficiency in order to quickly recover from disruptions with minimal losses.
This document provides an overview of green quality and its relationship to green supply chain management. It discusses how quality and environmental sustainability have become increasingly important to organizations. The significance of considering both quality and the environment throughout the supply chain is explained. Key aspects of green quality are then explored in relation to different supply chain actors like suppliers, manufacturers, and logistics. Examples of companies that have improved their green quality through various initiatives are also provided.
Most original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are strategically involved in supplier base rationalization and increased consciousness of sustainable development. This reinforces need for accurately considering sustainability in supplier selection to improve organizational
performance. In real industrial case, problems are unavoidable and pose huge challenge to
accurately incorporate sustainability factors into supplier selection. Such problems include
imprecise data, ambiguity of human judgment, uncertainty among sustainability factors and the
need to capture all subjective and objective criteria
- The document discusses a research project analyzing the use and effectiveness of Total Quality Management (TQM) approaches in the German food industry.
- A survey of 442 food industry companies in Germany was conducted to assess the current status of TQM implementation based on the EFQM Excellence Model, which defines nine key areas.
- The results showed that companies have successfully implemented some TQM requirements like reducing environmental impacts and ensuring organizational structures. However, other areas like collecting employee feedback and communicating societal impacts need improvement.
- Statistical analysis found a positive correlation between TQM implementation and long-term business success, though companies ranked the impact of different TQM areas differently than the statistical results.
This document summarizes a research study on green supply chain management (GSCM) practices in the pharmaceutical industry in India. The study examines how external pressures and internal factors influence GSCM adoption. It also analyzes the relationships between GSCM practices, environmental performance, operational performance, and financial performance. Survey data was collected from 27 pharmaceutical companies in India that have ISO 14001 certification. Statistical analysis using exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling was conducted to test hypotheses about drivers of GSCM practices and their impact on organizational performance. The results indicate that pharmaceutical companies have adopted GSCM practices in response to environmental regulations and market pressures, and that these practices improve environmental, operational and financial performance.
Critique on papers related to supply chain management Trushart Wagh
The document summarizes and critiques several papers related to supply chain management. It discusses key topics like:
- Factors that affect the implementation rates of energy and productivity recommendations in small to medium companies.
- How Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) can help small to medium industries improve quality.
- The need for sustainability to be incorporated into supply chain management to create long-term profitability.
- A multidimensional framework that was developed to comprehensively evaluate the performance and sustainability of supply chains. This framework accounts for economic, environmental, social and temporal dimensions.
SUPPLY CHAIN STRATEGY BASED SUPPLIER EVALUATION-AN INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK ijmvsc
This document summarizes research on supply chain strategy-based supplier evaluation frameworks. It provides an overview of different manufacturing strategies (lean, agile, leagile) and discusses how supplier strategy should align with the organization's manufacturing strategy. The document then proposes a hybrid methodology using fuzzy positive/negative ideal ratings and membership degree transformation to evaluate supplier performance based on six key criteria under different supply chain strategies. An application example is provided to illustrate the proposed evaluation methodology.
This document proposes a conceptual framework for measuring the performance of supply chain collaboration at different stages of partnership. It discusses key performance metrics identified in the literature, including operational efficiency, risk/return ratio, order of dominance, cost, profit, inventory levels, forecast accuracy, flexibility, and responsiveness. The document also describes two case studies of companies at different stages of collaboration practice to validate the proposed model and understand how different metrics are used at initial and advanced collaboration stages.
This document discusses research on evaluating the durability of supply chains. It proposes creating an index system to evaluate supply chain resilience based on analyzing the current state of resilience. The paper compares four evaluation methods - constraint method, addition, multiplication, and black box method - and concludes the black box method is relatively simple and objective. The goal of supply chain evaluation is to balance resilience, cost, and efficiency in order to quickly recover from disruptions with minimal losses.
This document provides an overview of green quality and its relationship to green supply chain management. It discusses how quality and environmental sustainability have become increasingly important to organizations. The significance of considering both quality and the environment throughout the supply chain is explained. Key aspects of green quality are then explored in relation to different supply chain actors like suppliers, manufacturers, and logistics. Examples of companies that have improved their green quality through various initiatives are also provided.
Most original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are strategically involved in supplier base rationalization and increased consciousness of sustainable development. This reinforces need for accurately considering sustainability in supplier selection to improve organizational
performance. In real industrial case, problems are unavoidable and pose huge challenge to
accurately incorporate sustainability factors into supplier selection. Such problems include
imprecise data, ambiguity of human judgment, uncertainty among sustainability factors and the
need to capture all subjective and objective criteria
- The document discusses a research project analyzing the use and effectiveness of Total Quality Management (TQM) approaches in the German food industry.
- A survey of 442 food industry companies in Germany was conducted to assess the current status of TQM implementation based on the EFQM Excellence Model, which defines nine key areas.
- The results showed that companies have successfully implemented some TQM requirements like reducing environmental impacts and ensuring organizational structures. However, other areas like collecting employee feedback and communicating societal impacts need improvement.
- Statistical analysis found a positive correlation between TQM implementation and long-term business success, though companies ranked the impact of different TQM areas differently than the statistical results.
This document summarizes a research study on green supply chain management (GSCM) practices in the pharmaceutical industry in India. The study examines how external pressures and internal factors influence GSCM adoption. It also analyzes the relationships between GSCM practices, environmental performance, operational performance, and financial performance. Survey data was collected from 27 pharmaceutical companies in India that have ISO 14001 certification. Statistical analysis using exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling was conducted to test hypotheses about drivers of GSCM practices and their impact on organizational performance. The results indicate that pharmaceutical companies have adopted GSCM practices in response to environmental regulations and market pressures, and that these practices improve environmental, operational and financial performance.
Critique on papers related to supply chain management Trushart Wagh
The document summarizes and critiques several papers related to supply chain management. It discusses key topics like:
- Factors that affect the implementation rates of energy and productivity recommendations in small to medium companies.
- How Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) can help small to medium industries improve quality.
- The need for sustainability to be incorporated into supply chain management to create long-term profitability.
- A multidimensional framework that was developed to comprehensively evaluate the performance and sustainability of supply chains. This framework accounts for economic, environmental, social and temporal dimensions.
This document is an article from The Bottom Line discussing managing people in libraries. It focuses on giving advice for beginning a career in libraries, such as exhibiting appropriate behavior, understanding the difficult job market, utilizing part-time opportunities, highlighting skills on a resume, and researching potential employers. The article provides tips for new graduates entering the profession, including managing frustration with lack of jobs, gaining experience however possible, and doing research before interviews.
This document summarizes a research paper that analyzes international benchmarks for dam safety policy and applies them to case studies in Australia. It establishes three levels of dam safety policy - minimum, average, and best practice. Minimum practice involves owner education and emergency preparedness. Average practice adds some regulatory elements. Best practice incorporates owner education, emergency preparedness, and strict regulation. The document also discusses indicators for determining the appropriate level of policy for a given jurisdiction.
The document discusses 10 scenarios for the future of academic libraries concerning publishing, patrons, and technology. It focuses on 9 high impact, high likelihood scenarios including the replacement of print textbooks with open educational resources created by faculty, open peer review becoming the norm, traditional publishing models collapsing, non-traditional students being the norm due to rising costs, a digital divide among students, cross-institutional course offerings, integration of touch screen technology, expanded mobile access, and increased cyber security threats. Academic libraries will need to adapt services and roles to these potential changes.
This document summarizes a research paper that analyzed the technical efficiency of 31 state road transport undertakings (SRTUs) in India using data envelopment analysis (DEA). The key findings were:
1) Only 5 SRTUs defined the efficient frontier, while the remaining 26 were inefficient and could reduce inputs. Average overall technical inefficiency was 22.8%, indicating wasted resources.
2) Managerial inefficiency was a relatively more dominant source of inefficiency than scale inefficiency.
3) Most SRTUs operated under increasing returns to scale.
4) A regression analysis found occupancy ratio was the most significant determinant of overall technical, pure technical, and scale efficiencies. Staff productivity also
This document discusses the importance and benefits of transparency in leadership, especially during tough financial times like budget cuts. It argues that transparency builds trust with employees and stakeholders, which helps motivate them and leads to better long-term effectiveness. Specifically, it recommends that leaders clearly communicate their strategy and goals, listen to concerns, address individual needs, share facts openly, and acknowledge challenges directly. Research on leadership during downsizing found that transparency and positivity increased trust in leaders and perceptions of their effectiveness. Overall, developing transparent leadership skills can help library administrators navigate difficulties by maintaining confidence and optimism.
This document summarizes the findings of two surveys administered in 2009 and 2010 to examine how libraries managed budgets during the recession. Key findings include:
- Budget cuts were worse in 2009 than 2010, suggesting cuts in 2009 were effective.
- Stress levels for librarians were high in 2009 and increased further in 2010.
- Libraries received little cost-sharing help from departments they served.
- Communication, purchasing, and personnel were areas libraries offered best practices for coping with budgets.
This document discusses making the case for in-house training programs in libraries. It argues that conducting training programs in-house allows the training to be tailored to the library's unique culture and strategies. In-house training is also viewed as an investment in developing the skills of existing staff, rather than just a cost. The document provides suggestions for developing an effective in-house training program, including conducting a needs assessment, analyzing jobs and core competencies, and evaluating the long-term impact of the training on both individual skills and organizational performance.
This document provides a revised curriculum handbook for the Food and Beverage Operations Core of the Associate Degree in Applied Science program. The curriculum was developed as part of the Caribbean Tourism Learning System (CTLS) to standardize tourism education across the Caribbean region. The handbook outlines 11 courses that make up the Food and Beverage Operations Core, including topics like Food Preparation, Sanitation and Safety, Food Science, Bar Operations, and Food and Beverage Management. It also provides information on program objectives, credit hours, internship requirements, and sample semester schedules.
This document outlines a training module on food and beverage operations. It includes a description of the module's aims to provide an understanding of operational and supervisory aspects of running food and beverage establishments. The learning outcomes cover key areas of food and beverage operations. The syllabus details the topics that will be covered in each of the 8 chapters, including food production, purchasing, menu planning, and banqueting. Learners will be assessed through a 2.5 hour exam covering short and long answer questions.
International Journal of Production ResearchVol. 49, No. 1, .docxmariuse18nolet
International Journal of Production Research
Vol. 49, No. 1, 1 January 2011, 269–293
Quality performance in a global supply chain: finding out the weak link
Ebrahim Soltani
a*, Arash Azadegan
b
, Ying-Ying Liao
a
and Paul Phillips
a
a
Kent Business School, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK;
b
Department of
Management, New Mexico State University, USA
(Final version received 25 May 2010)
Much has been written on the intensive interconnection between supply chain
management (SCM) and quality management (QM) with a particular focus on
the systems-based view as the common thread between these two operation
management topics. Absent in this debate has been any examination of the
dynamics of SCM and QM practices and the resultant implications for the end
customer in terms of product/service quality at a global level. In consequence, the
nature and extent of their interconnection or interlinking and the resultant
implications for the product/service quality has remained tangential. Using a
qualitative study of two very large branded athletic and casual sports apparel and
footwear manufacturers based in Asia with world-wide suppliers and distribution
centres, this study aims to broaden the debate by arguing that partnering with
suppliers of high QM capabilities in chains of relationships does not necessarily
result in downstream benefits to both the manufacturer and end customers. We
argue that both SCM and QM practices must advance from traditional firm-
driven, fire fighting and product-focused mindsets to a more collaborative mode
of inter-firm relations in that a much greater level of co-operation among both
upstream and downstream chains is regarded as a key to competitive advantage.
Keywords: supply chain management; quality management; supply chain quality
management; case study; Asia
1. Introduction
As organisations link quality management (QM) or total quality management (TQM) to
supply chain management (SCM) and extend their vision beyond their own firms into the
supply chain to manage quality, most current research has referred to such integration and
co-ordination of the two concepts as supply chain quality management (SCQM) to
highlight the paramount importance of quality to a supply chain’s long-term success (e.g.
Ross 1997, Evan and Dean 2000, Robinson and Malhorta 2005, Foster 2008, Foster and
Ogden 2008). This is particularly the case for those firms which operate globally, not least
because, first, their competitive advantage position in one country is significantly affected
by their position in other countries or vice versa, and more specifically and second, to
compete on quality in the global market firms must ensure that their suppliers are on
the leading edge in quality and regarded as high performers (see Chen et al. 2004,
Yeung 2008).
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
ISSN 0020–7543 print/ISSN 1366–588X online
� 2011 Taylor & Francis
DOI: 10.1080/00207543.2010.508955
http://www.informaworld.
International Journal of Production ResearchVol. 49, No. 1, .docxnormanibarber20063
International Journal of Production Research
Vol. 49, No. 1, 1 January 2011, 269–293
Quality performance in a global supply chain: finding out the weak link
Ebrahim Soltani
a*, Arash Azadegan
b
, Ying-Ying Liao
a
and Paul Phillips
a
a
Kent Business School, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK;
b
Department of
Management, New Mexico State University, USA
(Final version received 25 May 2010)
Much has been written on the intensive interconnection between supply chain
management (SCM) and quality management (QM) with a particular focus on
the systems-based view as the common thread between these two operation
management topics. Absent in this debate has been any examination of the
dynamics of SCM and QM practices and the resultant implications for the end
customer in terms of product/service quality at a global level. In consequence, the
nature and extent of their interconnection or interlinking and the resultant
implications for the product/service quality has remained tangential. Using a
qualitative study of two very large branded athletic and casual sports apparel and
footwear manufacturers based in Asia with world-wide suppliers and distribution
centres, this study aims to broaden the debate by arguing that partnering with
suppliers of high QM capabilities in chains of relationships does not necessarily
result in downstream benefits to both the manufacturer and end customers. We
argue that both SCM and QM practices must advance from traditional firm-
driven, fire fighting and product-focused mindsets to a more collaborative mode
of inter-firm relations in that a much greater level of co-operation among both
upstream and downstream chains is regarded as a key to competitive advantage.
Keywords: supply chain management; quality management; supply chain quality
management; case study; Asia
1. Introduction
As organisations link quality management (QM) or total quality management (TQM) to
supply chain management (SCM) and extend their vision beyond their own firms into the
supply chain to manage quality, most current research has referred to such integration and
co-ordination of the two concepts as supply chain quality management (SCQM) to
highlight the paramount importance of quality to a supply chain’s long-term success (e.g.
Ross 1997, Evan and Dean 2000, Robinson and Malhorta 2005, Foster 2008, Foster and
Ogden 2008). This is particularly the case for those firms which operate globally, not least
because, first, their competitive advantage position in one country is significantly affected
by their position in other countries or vice versa, and more specifically and second, to
compete on quality in the global market firms must ensure that their suppliers are on
the leading edge in quality and regarded as high performers (see Chen et al. 2004,
Yeung 2008).
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
ISSN 0020–7543 print/ISSN 1366–588X online
� 2011 Taylor & Francis
DOI: 10.1080/00207543.2010.508955
http://www.informaworld.
The MIT Global SCALE Network is an international alliance of research centers dedicated to developing and sharing innovations in supply chain and logistics. The network allows faculty, researchers, students, and companies from its six centers worldwide to collaborate on projects to create supply chain solutions with global applications. This report communicates the results of innovative supply chain research conducted by the Global SCALE Network to contribute to public knowledge. It analyzes the supply chain resilience of a fashion retailer through qualitative interviews and quantitative modeling of potential disruptions. It identifies areas for improvement in the retailer's cost-benefit analysis of disruptions, recovery planning, and redesign of recovery processes. Recommendations include developing resilience metrics and contingency plans to allow distribution centers to support each other
Esteban Koberg- Global sustainable supply chains, the role of configuration a...Esteban Koberg
This document summarizes a master's thesis that reviewed literature on sustainability in global supply chains. It addressed two research questions: 1) What supply chain configurations do firms use to accomplish sustainability? And 2) What governance mechanisms are employed with each configuration? It identified four configurations: open, closed, third-party, and transitional. It also discussed two governance mechanisms: hands-on and hands-off. The thesis found configurations vary with geographic and cultural distance in supply chains. It concluded by proposing opportunities for future research at the intersection of configurations and governance mechanisms, as extant literature has mainly focused on hands-on governance.
This article discusses the challenges of developing a common performance measurement system for a collaborative supply chain. Through a case study of a supply chain in the fast moving consumer goods industry, the authors examine two potential collaborative performance measures - inventory levels and product availability. They find that inventory levels cannot reliably be measured collaboratively due to data limitations. Measuring product availability would require a complex information sharing system across the supply chain. The key challenges revealed include underlying data inconsistencies, the need to synchronize business processes, and determining an appropriate collaborative evaluation method.
A new fuzzy dematel todim hybrid method for evaluation criteria of knowledge ...ijmvsc
Knowledge management (KM) adoption in the supply chain network needs a good investment as well as
few changes in the culture of the entire SC. Knowledge management is the process of creating,
distributing and transferring information. The goal of this study is to Rank KM criteria in supply chain
network in Iran which is important for firms these days. Criterion used in this paper were extracted from
the literature review and were confirmed by supply chain experts. The proposed approach for ranking and
finding out about these criterion is hybrid fuzzy DEMATEL-TODIM, with using fuzzy number as data for
our studies we could avoid uncertainty. The data was gathered from PhD. And Ms. Students in industrial
engineering of Kharrazmi university of Tehran and PhD. And Ms. Students of the management department
of Semnan university. A new hybrid approach was used for achieving the results of this study. This new
hybrid approach ranks data criteria respect to each other, then by using TODIM for ranking respect to
the best situation (gains), the rates of criterion were determined which is a very important advantage.
In this paper we present a taxonomy of supply chain and logistics innovations, which is based on an extensive literature survey. Our primary goal is to provide guidelines for choosing the most appropriate innovations for a company, such that the
company can outrun its competitors. We investigate the factors, both internal and external to the company, that determine the applicability and effectiveness of the listed innovations. We support our suggestions with real world cases reported in literature.
http://research.sabanciuniv.edu.
This document discusses frameworks and indices for assessing sustainability. It begins by introducing common types of sustainability assessment tools, focusing on indicators and indices. It then outlines several widely-used sustainability frameworks, including the Triple Bottom Line framework and pressure-state-response model. Next, it describes the process for constructing sustainability indices, including selecting indicators, standardizing data, assigning weights, and aggregating the results. It notes that indicator selection and weighting are often inconsistent due to a lack of standardized requirements. Finally, it argues that sustainability frameworks can effectively guide indicator selection for both standalone indicators and composite indices.
Creating competitive advantages through supply chain finalKurnia Rosyada
This document provides a case study on Samsung Electronics and how their supply chain management practices have helped create competitive advantages and resilience. It discusses trends in supply chain management like resilience, value chain networks, and demand-driven excellence. It also analyzes Samsung's practices like extended supplier partnerships, customer collaboration, and how these have contributed to strategic positioning, product innovation, and differentiation. The document concludes Samsung has implemented best practices that view supply chain management holistically and have created competitiveness and market resilience.
This document reviews 192 articles on food supply chain management (FSCM) systems and implementations to identify observations and lessons that can benefit future research. It categorizes the literature and finds that research on data-driven FSCM systems has increased dramatically in recent years. Current challenges include supply chain network structure, data collection, decision-making models, and implementations. Future research opportunities exist in these areas to create more sustainable and efficient food supply chains.
Global supply chain riskmanagement strategiesIla Manuj.docxwhittemorelucilla
Global supply chain risk
management strategies
Ila Manuj
Department of Marketing and Logistics, University of North Texas, Denton,
Texas, USA, and
John T. Mentzer
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
Abstract
Purpose – Global supply chains are more risky than domestic supply chains due to numerous links
interconnecting a wide network of firms. These links are prone to disruptions, bankruptcies,
breakdowns, macroeconomic and political changes, and disasters leading to higher risks and making
risk management difficult. The purpose of this paper is to explore the phenomenon of risk
management and risk management strategies in global supply chains.
Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on an extensive literature review and a
qualitative study comprising 14 in-depth interviews and a focus group meeting with senior supply
chain executives.
Findings – The study provides insights into the applicability of six risk management strategies with
respect to environmental conditions and the role of three moderators.
Research limitations/implications – The model is developed in a global manufacturing supply
chain context. It should be tested in other contexts and with other methods to provide generalizability.
The study takes a much needed step toward building a theory of risk management in global supply
chains, which opens important future research directions.
Practical implications – This research provides direction to managers for choosing risk
management strategies based on the global supply chain environment. Moderators have practical
implications for global supply chain managers.
Originality/value – The paper addresses an identified gap in the literature for selecting risk
management strategies in global supply chains. It employs grounded theory, a methodology
appropriate for theory-building, to explore a phenomenon with an inadequate theoretical base.
Keywords Risk management, Supply chain management, International business
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Global supply chains are a source of competitive advantage. Global configurations of
firms provide access to cheap labor and raw materials, better financing opportunities,
larger product markets, arbitrage opportunities, and additional inducements offered by
host governments to attract foreign capital (AlHashim, 1980; Kogut and Kulatilaka,
1994). However, coupled with these benefits that entice firms to go global are the
uncertainties and consequent risks that managers face in global supply chains. As
Barry (2004) argues, “An enterprise may have lowest over-all costs in a stable world
environment, but may also have the highest level of risk – if any one of the multiple
gating factors kink up an elongated global supply chain!”
There is wide acknowledgement in the literature of the risks and uncertainties in
global supply chains. Although risk management in multinational enterprises has been
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is a ...
This document discusses developing a green logistics performance index (GLPI) to compare green logistics performance among industries and countries. As an example, it uses survey data from home electronic appliance manufacturers in China and Japan to demonstrate how the GLPI can be calculated. The GLPI is a composite index derived from weighted averages of performance scores in various green logistics activities like purchasing, packaging, and transportation. The findings show the GLPI can effectively compare green logistics performance between firms and nations.
Operation Management Strategies 1
LITERATURE REVIEW 7
Literature Reviewin Operation Management Strategies
Qualitative cases in operation management
The study inspects the condition of subjective research endeavors in operation administration. Five fundamental operation administration diaries are incorporated for their effect on the field. The subjective detailed analyzes picked were distributed somewhere around 1993 and 2008. With an expanding pattern to utilizing more subjective research endeavors, there have been significant and huge commitments to the operation administration department, particularly in the territory of hypothesis building.
In a significant number of the subjective detailed analyzes they explored, sufficient points of interest in research outline, information accumulation, and information investigation were absent. For example, there are studies that don't offer examining rationale or a portrayal of the investigation through which research draws results. Further, researches conventions for doing inductive detailed analyze are much better created contrasted with the research conventions for doing deductive careful investigations. Thusly, there is an absence of reliability in how the case technique has been connected. As subjective researchers, they offer recommendations on how we can enhance what have been done and raise the level of thoroughness and consistency (Mei, 2011).
Buyer perceptions of supply disruption risk
Scott argues that as supply chains get to be more minds boggling, firms face expanding dangers of supply interruptions. The process through which purchasers settle on decisions notwithstanding these dangers, nonetheless, has not been investigated. In spite of research highlighting the criticalness of behavioral methodologies to risk, there is restricted research that applies these perspectives of danger in the supply chain writing. This paper addresses this crevice by drawing on behavioral danger hypothesis to examine the causal connections among circumstance, representations of danger, and choice making inside the buying area.
They investigate the relationship between greatness of supply disturbance, likelihood of supply interruption, and general supply disturbance risk. Furthermore, they attract on trade hypotheses to distinguish item and business sector figures that effect purchasers' impression of the likelihood and extent of supply interruption. At last, they take a gander at how representations of danger influence the choice to look for options wellsprings of supply. The model was tested utilizing information gathered from 223 obtaining administrators and purchasers of immediate materials. The results demonstrate that both the likelihood and the size of supply disturbance are paramount to purchasers' general view of supply interruption risk (Ellis, 2010).
Examining supply chain relationships
Gilbert finds out that firm.
This document is an article from The Bottom Line discussing managing people in libraries. It focuses on giving advice for beginning a career in libraries, such as exhibiting appropriate behavior, understanding the difficult job market, utilizing part-time opportunities, highlighting skills on a resume, and researching potential employers. The article provides tips for new graduates entering the profession, including managing frustration with lack of jobs, gaining experience however possible, and doing research before interviews.
This document summarizes a research paper that analyzes international benchmarks for dam safety policy and applies them to case studies in Australia. It establishes three levels of dam safety policy - minimum, average, and best practice. Minimum practice involves owner education and emergency preparedness. Average practice adds some regulatory elements. Best practice incorporates owner education, emergency preparedness, and strict regulation. The document also discusses indicators for determining the appropriate level of policy for a given jurisdiction.
The document discusses 10 scenarios for the future of academic libraries concerning publishing, patrons, and technology. It focuses on 9 high impact, high likelihood scenarios including the replacement of print textbooks with open educational resources created by faculty, open peer review becoming the norm, traditional publishing models collapsing, non-traditional students being the norm due to rising costs, a digital divide among students, cross-institutional course offerings, integration of touch screen technology, expanded mobile access, and increased cyber security threats. Academic libraries will need to adapt services and roles to these potential changes.
This document summarizes a research paper that analyzed the technical efficiency of 31 state road transport undertakings (SRTUs) in India using data envelopment analysis (DEA). The key findings were:
1) Only 5 SRTUs defined the efficient frontier, while the remaining 26 were inefficient and could reduce inputs. Average overall technical inefficiency was 22.8%, indicating wasted resources.
2) Managerial inefficiency was a relatively more dominant source of inefficiency than scale inefficiency.
3) Most SRTUs operated under increasing returns to scale.
4) A regression analysis found occupancy ratio was the most significant determinant of overall technical, pure technical, and scale efficiencies. Staff productivity also
This document discusses the importance and benefits of transparency in leadership, especially during tough financial times like budget cuts. It argues that transparency builds trust with employees and stakeholders, which helps motivate them and leads to better long-term effectiveness. Specifically, it recommends that leaders clearly communicate their strategy and goals, listen to concerns, address individual needs, share facts openly, and acknowledge challenges directly. Research on leadership during downsizing found that transparency and positivity increased trust in leaders and perceptions of their effectiveness. Overall, developing transparent leadership skills can help library administrators navigate difficulties by maintaining confidence and optimism.
This document summarizes the findings of two surveys administered in 2009 and 2010 to examine how libraries managed budgets during the recession. Key findings include:
- Budget cuts were worse in 2009 than 2010, suggesting cuts in 2009 were effective.
- Stress levels for librarians were high in 2009 and increased further in 2010.
- Libraries received little cost-sharing help from departments they served.
- Communication, purchasing, and personnel were areas libraries offered best practices for coping with budgets.
This document discusses making the case for in-house training programs in libraries. It argues that conducting training programs in-house allows the training to be tailored to the library's unique culture and strategies. In-house training is also viewed as an investment in developing the skills of existing staff, rather than just a cost. The document provides suggestions for developing an effective in-house training program, including conducting a needs assessment, analyzing jobs and core competencies, and evaluating the long-term impact of the training on both individual skills and organizational performance.
This document provides a revised curriculum handbook for the Food and Beverage Operations Core of the Associate Degree in Applied Science program. The curriculum was developed as part of the Caribbean Tourism Learning System (CTLS) to standardize tourism education across the Caribbean region. The handbook outlines 11 courses that make up the Food and Beverage Operations Core, including topics like Food Preparation, Sanitation and Safety, Food Science, Bar Operations, and Food and Beverage Management. It also provides information on program objectives, credit hours, internship requirements, and sample semester schedules.
This document outlines a training module on food and beverage operations. It includes a description of the module's aims to provide an understanding of operational and supervisory aspects of running food and beverage establishments. The learning outcomes cover key areas of food and beverage operations. The syllabus details the topics that will be covered in each of the 8 chapters, including food production, purchasing, menu planning, and banqueting. Learners will be assessed through a 2.5 hour exam covering short and long answer questions.
International Journal of Production ResearchVol. 49, No. 1, .docxmariuse18nolet
International Journal of Production Research
Vol. 49, No. 1, 1 January 2011, 269–293
Quality performance in a global supply chain: finding out the weak link
Ebrahim Soltani
a*, Arash Azadegan
b
, Ying-Ying Liao
a
and Paul Phillips
a
a
Kent Business School, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK;
b
Department of
Management, New Mexico State University, USA
(Final version received 25 May 2010)
Much has been written on the intensive interconnection between supply chain
management (SCM) and quality management (QM) with a particular focus on
the systems-based view as the common thread between these two operation
management topics. Absent in this debate has been any examination of the
dynamics of SCM and QM practices and the resultant implications for the end
customer in terms of product/service quality at a global level. In consequence, the
nature and extent of their interconnection or interlinking and the resultant
implications for the product/service quality has remained tangential. Using a
qualitative study of two very large branded athletic and casual sports apparel and
footwear manufacturers based in Asia with world-wide suppliers and distribution
centres, this study aims to broaden the debate by arguing that partnering with
suppliers of high QM capabilities in chains of relationships does not necessarily
result in downstream benefits to both the manufacturer and end customers. We
argue that both SCM and QM practices must advance from traditional firm-
driven, fire fighting and product-focused mindsets to a more collaborative mode
of inter-firm relations in that a much greater level of co-operation among both
upstream and downstream chains is regarded as a key to competitive advantage.
Keywords: supply chain management; quality management; supply chain quality
management; case study; Asia
1. Introduction
As organisations link quality management (QM) or total quality management (TQM) to
supply chain management (SCM) and extend their vision beyond their own firms into the
supply chain to manage quality, most current research has referred to such integration and
co-ordination of the two concepts as supply chain quality management (SCQM) to
highlight the paramount importance of quality to a supply chain’s long-term success (e.g.
Ross 1997, Evan and Dean 2000, Robinson and Malhorta 2005, Foster 2008, Foster and
Ogden 2008). This is particularly the case for those firms which operate globally, not least
because, first, their competitive advantage position in one country is significantly affected
by their position in other countries or vice versa, and more specifically and second, to
compete on quality in the global market firms must ensure that their suppliers are on
the leading edge in quality and regarded as high performers (see Chen et al. 2004,
Yeung 2008).
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
ISSN 0020–7543 print/ISSN 1366–588X online
� 2011 Taylor & Francis
DOI: 10.1080/00207543.2010.508955
http://www.informaworld.
International Journal of Production ResearchVol. 49, No. 1, .docxnormanibarber20063
International Journal of Production Research
Vol. 49, No. 1, 1 January 2011, 269–293
Quality performance in a global supply chain: finding out the weak link
Ebrahim Soltani
a*, Arash Azadegan
b
, Ying-Ying Liao
a
and Paul Phillips
a
a
Kent Business School, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK;
b
Department of
Management, New Mexico State University, USA
(Final version received 25 May 2010)
Much has been written on the intensive interconnection between supply chain
management (SCM) and quality management (QM) with a particular focus on
the systems-based view as the common thread between these two operation
management topics. Absent in this debate has been any examination of the
dynamics of SCM and QM practices and the resultant implications for the end
customer in terms of product/service quality at a global level. In consequence, the
nature and extent of their interconnection or interlinking and the resultant
implications for the product/service quality has remained tangential. Using a
qualitative study of two very large branded athletic and casual sports apparel and
footwear manufacturers based in Asia with world-wide suppliers and distribution
centres, this study aims to broaden the debate by arguing that partnering with
suppliers of high QM capabilities in chains of relationships does not necessarily
result in downstream benefits to both the manufacturer and end customers. We
argue that both SCM and QM practices must advance from traditional firm-
driven, fire fighting and product-focused mindsets to a more collaborative mode
of inter-firm relations in that a much greater level of co-operation among both
upstream and downstream chains is regarded as a key to competitive advantage.
Keywords: supply chain management; quality management; supply chain quality
management; case study; Asia
1. Introduction
As organisations link quality management (QM) or total quality management (TQM) to
supply chain management (SCM) and extend their vision beyond their own firms into the
supply chain to manage quality, most current research has referred to such integration and
co-ordination of the two concepts as supply chain quality management (SCQM) to
highlight the paramount importance of quality to a supply chain’s long-term success (e.g.
Ross 1997, Evan and Dean 2000, Robinson and Malhorta 2005, Foster 2008, Foster and
Ogden 2008). This is particularly the case for those firms which operate globally, not least
because, first, their competitive advantage position in one country is significantly affected
by their position in other countries or vice versa, and more specifically and second, to
compete on quality in the global market firms must ensure that their suppliers are on
the leading edge in quality and regarded as high performers (see Chen et al. 2004,
Yeung 2008).
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
ISSN 0020–7543 print/ISSN 1366–588X online
� 2011 Taylor & Francis
DOI: 10.1080/00207543.2010.508955
http://www.informaworld.
The MIT Global SCALE Network is an international alliance of research centers dedicated to developing and sharing innovations in supply chain and logistics. The network allows faculty, researchers, students, and companies from its six centers worldwide to collaborate on projects to create supply chain solutions with global applications. This report communicates the results of innovative supply chain research conducted by the Global SCALE Network to contribute to public knowledge. It analyzes the supply chain resilience of a fashion retailer through qualitative interviews and quantitative modeling of potential disruptions. It identifies areas for improvement in the retailer's cost-benefit analysis of disruptions, recovery planning, and redesign of recovery processes. Recommendations include developing resilience metrics and contingency plans to allow distribution centers to support each other
Esteban Koberg- Global sustainable supply chains, the role of configuration a...Esteban Koberg
This document summarizes a master's thesis that reviewed literature on sustainability in global supply chains. It addressed two research questions: 1) What supply chain configurations do firms use to accomplish sustainability? And 2) What governance mechanisms are employed with each configuration? It identified four configurations: open, closed, third-party, and transitional. It also discussed two governance mechanisms: hands-on and hands-off. The thesis found configurations vary with geographic and cultural distance in supply chains. It concluded by proposing opportunities for future research at the intersection of configurations and governance mechanisms, as extant literature has mainly focused on hands-on governance.
This article discusses the challenges of developing a common performance measurement system for a collaborative supply chain. Through a case study of a supply chain in the fast moving consumer goods industry, the authors examine two potential collaborative performance measures - inventory levels and product availability. They find that inventory levels cannot reliably be measured collaboratively due to data limitations. Measuring product availability would require a complex information sharing system across the supply chain. The key challenges revealed include underlying data inconsistencies, the need to synchronize business processes, and determining an appropriate collaborative evaluation method.
A new fuzzy dematel todim hybrid method for evaluation criteria of knowledge ...ijmvsc
Knowledge management (KM) adoption in the supply chain network needs a good investment as well as
few changes in the culture of the entire SC. Knowledge management is the process of creating,
distributing and transferring information. The goal of this study is to Rank KM criteria in supply chain
network in Iran which is important for firms these days. Criterion used in this paper were extracted from
the literature review and were confirmed by supply chain experts. The proposed approach for ranking and
finding out about these criterion is hybrid fuzzy DEMATEL-TODIM, with using fuzzy number as data for
our studies we could avoid uncertainty. The data was gathered from PhD. And Ms. Students in industrial
engineering of Kharrazmi university of Tehran and PhD. And Ms. Students of the management department
of Semnan university. A new hybrid approach was used for achieving the results of this study. This new
hybrid approach ranks data criteria respect to each other, then by using TODIM for ranking respect to
the best situation (gains), the rates of criterion were determined which is a very important advantage.
In this paper we present a taxonomy of supply chain and logistics innovations, which is based on an extensive literature survey. Our primary goal is to provide guidelines for choosing the most appropriate innovations for a company, such that the
company can outrun its competitors. We investigate the factors, both internal and external to the company, that determine the applicability and effectiveness of the listed innovations. We support our suggestions with real world cases reported in literature.
http://research.sabanciuniv.edu.
This document discusses frameworks and indices for assessing sustainability. It begins by introducing common types of sustainability assessment tools, focusing on indicators and indices. It then outlines several widely-used sustainability frameworks, including the Triple Bottom Line framework and pressure-state-response model. Next, it describes the process for constructing sustainability indices, including selecting indicators, standardizing data, assigning weights, and aggregating the results. It notes that indicator selection and weighting are often inconsistent due to a lack of standardized requirements. Finally, it argues that sustainability frameworks can effectively guide indicator selection for both standalone indicators and composite indices.
Creating competitive advantages through supply chain finalKurnia Rosyada
This document provides a case study on Samsung Electronics and how their supply chain management practices have helped create competitive advantages and resilience. It discusses trends in supply chain management like resilience, value chain networks, and demand-driven excellence. It also analyzes Samsung's practices like extended supplier partnerships, customer collaboration, and how these have contributed to strategic positioning, product innovation, and differentiation. The document concludes Samsung has implemented best practices that view supply chain management holistically and have created competitiveness and market resilience.
This document reviews 192 articles on food supply chain management (FSCM) systems and implementations to identify observations and lessons that can benefit future research. It categorizes the literature and finds that research on data-driven FSCM systems has increased dramatically in recent years. Current challenges include supply chain network structure, data collection, decision-making models, and implementations. Future research opportunities exist in these areas to create more sustainable and efficient food supply chains.
Global supply chain riskmanagement strategiesIla Manuj.docxwhittemorelucilla
Global supply chain risk
management strategies
Ila Manuj
Department of Marketing and Logistics, University of North Texas, Denton,
Texas, USA, and
John T. Mentzer
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
Abstract
Purpose – Global supply chains are more risky than domestic supply chains due to numerous links
interconnecting a wide network of firms. These links are prone to disruptions, bankruptcies,
breakdowns, macroeconomic and political changes, and disasters leading to higher risks and making
risk management difficult. The purpose of this paper is to explore the phenomenon of risk
management and risk management strategies in global supply chains.
Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on an extensive literature review and a
qualitative study comprising 14 in-depth interviews and a focus group meeting with senior supply
chain executives.
Findings – The study provides insights into the applicability of six risk management strategies with
respect to environmental conditions and the role of three moderators.
Research limitations/implications – The model is developed in a global manufacturing supply
chain context. It should be tested in other contexts and with other methods to provide generalizability.
The study takes a much needed step toward building a theory of risk management in global supply
chains, which opens important future research directions.
Practical implications – This research provides direction to managers for choosing risk
management strategies based on the global supply chain environment. Moderators have practical
implications for global supply chain managers.
Originality/value – The paper addresses an identified gap in the literature for selecting risk
management strategies in global supply chains. It employs grounded theory, a methodology
appropriate for theory-building, to explore a phenomenon with an inadequate theoretical base.
Keywords Risk management, Supply chain management, International business
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Global supply chains are a source of competitive advantage. Global configurations of
firms provide access to cheap labor and raw materials, better financing opportunities,
larger product markets, arbitrage opportunities, and additional inducements offered by
host governments to attract foreign capital (AlHashim, 1980; Kogut and Kulatilaka,
1994). However, coupled with these benefits that entice firms to go global are the
uncertainties and consequent risks that managers face in global supply chains. As
Barry (2004) argues, “An enterprise may have lowest over-all costs in a stable world
environment, but may also have the highest level of risk – if any one of the multiple
gating factors kink up an elongated global supply chain!”
There is wide acknowledgement in the literature of the risks and uncertainties in
global supply chains. Although risk management in multinational enterprises has been
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is a ...
This document discusses developing a green logistics performance index (GLPI) to compare green logistics performance among industries and countries. As an example, it uses survey data from home electronic appliance manufacturers in China and Japan to demonstrate how the GLPI can be calculated. The GLPI is a composite index derived from weighted averages of performance scores in various green logistics activities like purchasing, packaging, and transportation. The findings show the GLPI can effectively compare green logistics performance between firms and nations.
Operation Management Strategies 1
LITERATURE REVIEW 7
Literature Reviewin Operation Management Strategies
Qualitative cases in operation management
The study inspects the condition of subjective research endeavors in operation administration. Five fundamental operation administration diaries are incorporated for their effect on the field. The subjective detailed analyzes picked were distributed somewhere around 1993 and 2008. With an expanding pattern to utilizing more subjective research endeavors, there have been significant and huge commitments to the operation administration department, particularly in the territory of hypothesis building.
In a significant number of the subjective detailed analyzes they explored, sufficient points of interest in research outline, information accumulation, and information investigation were absent. For example, there are studies that don't offer examining rationale or a portrayal of the investigation through which research draws results. Further, researches conventions for doing inductive detailed analyze are much better created contrasted with the research conventions for doing deductive careful investigations. Thusly, there is an absence of reliability in how the case technique has been connected. As subjective researchers, they offer recommendations on how we can enhance what have been done and raise the level of thoroughness and consistency (Mei, 2011).
Buyer perceptions of supply disruption risk
Scott argues that as supply chains get to be more minds boggling, firms face expanding dangers of supply interruptions. The process through which purchasers settle on decisions notwithstanding these dangers, nonetheless, has not been investigated. In spite of research highlighting the criticalness of behavioral methodologies to risk, there is restricted research that applies these perspectives of danger in the supply chain writing. This paper addresses this crevice by drawing on behavioral danger hypothesis to examine the causal connections among circumstance, representations of danger, and choice making inside the buying area.
They investigate the relationship between greatness of supply disturbance, likelihood of supply interruption, and general supply disturbance risk. Furthermore, they attract on trade hypotheses to distinguish item and business sector figures that effect purchasers' impression of the likelihood and extent of supply interruption. At last, they take a gander at how representations of danger influence the choice to look for options wellsprings of supply. The model was tested utilizing information gathered from 223 obtaining administrators and purchasers of immediate materials. The results demonstrate that both the likelihood and the size of supply disturbance are paramount to purchasers' general view of supply interruption risk (Ellis, 2010).
Examining supply chain relationships
Gilbert finds out that firm.
A Study on Barriers and Practices of Supply Chain Social Sustainability in In...Dr. Amarjeet Singh
The paper paves a way to understand supply chain social sustainability practices and their associated barriers to implementation in the Indian and North American energy and manufacturing sectors. A systematic literature review and 4-point Likert scale survey provide clarity on the barriers and their perception from an industrial perspective. Findings from this study highlight that while the criticality of barriers differs with industry and geographies, some barriers are common to all. The study also highlights an approach needed for these sectors by identifying the most common barriers by providing a clear path on what practices can bring about the most impact in resolution.
20 barriers are identified, of which 3 show a stark difference in perception on its criticality against current published research work. The paper also identifies the top barriers along with the practices that make it most easy to implement. 11 common barriers that exist in the target industries of the two countries are identified and 6 easiest-to-resolve barriers are revealed, analyzing the maximum number of mitigation practices available. The paper concludes by identifying eight most impactful social sustainability practices that can help resolve the maximum number of implementation barriers and highlights avenues for further research in the field.
Sustainable supply chain and companyperformanceA global .docxdeanmtaylor1545
Sustainable supply chain and company
performance
A global examination
Eduardo Ortas and José M. Moneva
Department of Accounting and Finance, University of Zaragoza, Huesca, Spain, and
Igor Álvarez
Department of Accounting and Finance, Basque Country University, San Sebastian, Spain
Abstract
Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the link between a sustainable supply chain and companies’ financial performance (FP) and provide
empirical evidence about the relationship between these two constructs. This link is an important, but still unclear, subject.
Design/methodology/approach – Multivariate measures of sustainable supply chain performance and companies’ FP are used for Granger
causality tests on a large, diverse sample of 3,900 companies in a time frame of eight years (2004-2011).
Findings – Results indicate general bidirectional causality between sustainable supply chain performance and companies’ margins and revenue.
However, the link between firms’ profitability and sustainable supply chain performance is unidirectional. In addition, the recent financial crisis
altered this link between the studied constructs. Finally, a wide diversity in relationship patterns between sustainable supply chain performance and
companies’ FP emerges when the full sample is divided into different geographical regions and economic sectors as specified by the Global Industry
Classification Standard system.
Practical implications – This research makes recommendations for improving several processes, such as stakeholder evaluation of the sustainable
supply chain performance of companies worldwide and manager testing of environmental policy outcomes.
Originality/value – Building on the mostly qualitative literature on sustainable supply chain performance and companies’ FP, this research provides
quantitative evidence of the gaps between these constructs. This research contributes to the discussions of supply chain management, environmental
practices and the drivers of companies’ environmental and financial success.
Keywords Corporate responsibility, Sustainability, Corporate social responsibility, Business administration, Environmental management,
Environmental performance, Company performance, Sustainable supply chain management, Green supply chains, Sustainable supply chain
performance, Granger causation
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Supply chain management (SCM) is an important
environmental and social subject relating to corporate
sustainability (Ashby et al., 2012). Companies’ interest in
SCM has increased in recent decades because of growing
global competition, outsourcing of companies’ non-core
activities and the shortening of product life cycles
(Skjøtt-Larsen et al., 2007). More importantly, companies’
close, long-term relationships with suppliers and other
strategic partners have become a key factor in competitiveness
(Christopher, 2005; Andersen and SkjOEtt-Larsen, 2009). At
the same time, companies have become more deeply
committed.
This document proposes a conceptual framework for organizing green practices in green supply chain management (GSCM). It begins with an introduction to GSCM and a literature review identifying existing GSCM models. It then describes a methodology for developing a new conceptual framework based on a systematic review of 43 academic articles. The review identifies 6 existing GSCM models and common dimensions and categories within these models. Based on the literature review, the document proposes a new conceptual framework with 3 environmental dimensions, 21 categories, and 64 specific green practices. The framework is intended to facilitate analysis and management of green practices across supply chains.
Sustainable Metal Recycling Supply Chains: Prioritizing Success Factors Apply...ijmvsc
Triple Bottom Line (3 BL) Sustainability has been e
xpressed as a tool in the hands of policy makers to
achieve competitive advantage. Closed-Loop Supply C
hain (CLSC) conceptualizes the design, control,
and operation of the supply chain systems to recove
r the value from the product even after their usefu
l life
through the processes of reuse and recycle. Efficie
nt management of CLSC operations in metal recycling
industry will enhance 3BL sustainability. The prese
nt study investigates and shortlists critical
sustainability factors in metal recycling CLSC oper
ations. The study applies Analytic Hierarchy Proces
s
(AHP) to identify the most important factors and Pr
incipal Component Analysis (PCA) techniques to
check the reliability and validity of these factors
through statistical analysis. The study identifies
five most
important factors to achieve sustainability in meta
l recycling CLSC. Although the article is focused o
n the
Indian metal recycling industry but factors can be
relevant for researchers in other developing countr
ies,
where similar economic, social and environment
al conditions exist.
Sustainable supply chain
management: evolution and
future directions
Craig R. Carter
Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA, and
P. Liane Easton
Center for Logistics Management, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to conduct a systematic review of the sustainable supply
chain management (SSCM) literature in the principal logistics and supply chain management journals,
across a 20-year time frame.
Design/methodology/approach – The authors use a systematic literature review methodology.
This methodology allows for the minimization of researcher bias and the maximization of reliability
and replicability. The study’s empirical validity is further enhanced by demonstrating high levels of
inter-coder reliability across families of codes.
Findings – The field of SSCM has evolved from a perspective and investigation of standalone
research in social and environmental areas; through a corporate social responsibility perspective; to
the beginnings of the convergence of perspectives of sustainability as the triple bottom line and the
emergence of SSCM as a theoretical framework. While the SSCM research has become more
theoretically rich and methodologically rigorous, there are numerous opportunities for further
advancing theory, methodology, and the managerial relevance of future inquiries.
Research limitations/implications – The trends and gaps identified through our analysis allow
us to develop a cogent agenda to guide future SSCM research.
Practical implications – The current perspectives of SSCM hold important implications for
managers, by directing limited resources toward projects which intersect environmental and/or social
performance, and economic performance.
Originality/value – The paper provides a systematic, rigorous, and methodologically valid review
of the evolution of empirical SSCM research across a 20-year time period.
Keywords Supply chain management, Economic sustainability, Social responsibility,
Environmental management, Economic performance
Paper type Literature review
Introduction
Sustainability has become a huge buzzword, both in today’s business world and
within the broader facets of society. It is difficult, for example, to walk by a newsstand
without seeing at least one magazine cover featuring alternative sources of energy,
climate change issues, or the iconic polar bear floating on a thin sheet of ice. There are a
number of drivers for this rising prominence of sustainability, including supply and
demand characteristics surrounding energy consumption, an increased understanding
of the science relating to climate change, and greater transparency concerning both the
environmental and the social actions of organizations.
These issues are relevant to managers, because their stakeholders – customers,
regulatory bodies, non-governmental organizations, and even their own employees – are
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
w.
Study of green supply chain management and operation strategicIAEME Publication
This document summarizes a research study on green supply chain management (GSCM) in manufacturing industries. The study explores key concepts of GSCM, including adopting environmentally-conscious practices across strategic, tactical, and operational supply chain processes. It also reviews literature on sustainability and environmental initiatives within supply chain management. The study concludes that organizational capabilities are important for adopting GSCM practices and that collaborating with supply chain partners can improve social responsibility and create a "green multiplier effect" across the supply chain.
Study of green supply chain management and operation strategicIAEME Publication
This document summarizes an article from the International Journal of Management that studied green supply chain management and operational strategies in manufacturing industries. The summary is:
The article provides an overview of green supply chain management concepts and strategies based on a literature review and survey of companies. It finds that companies with greater environmental resources, stronger business practices, and better performance monitoring were more likely to adopt green supply chain practices. The study highlights approaches used in green purchasing, manufacturing, transportation, and reverse logistics. It concludes that establishing links between green supply chain initiatives and economic performance could encourage more companies to implement environmental strategies across their supply chains.
Principles of food beverage and labor cost controlslibfsb
The Rush Hour Inn, owned by Kim Rusher, was experiencing declining profits over the past two years despite increasing sales volumes. Her accountant's statement showed a restaurant profit of only $36,117 for the most recent year. In contrast, the Graduate Restaurant nearby, owned by Bill Young, who studied hospitality management in college, had been profitable each year since he opened it four years prior. The key difference appeared to be that Bill paid close attention to controlling costs and maximizing sales through careful management, while Kim had not focused on these important aspects of running a successful foodservice business.
Principles of food beverage and labor cost controlslibfsb
The Rush Hour Inn, owned by Kim Rusher, was experiencing declining profits over the past two years despite increasing sales volumes. Her accountant's statement showed a restaurant profit of only $36,117 for the most recent year. In contrast, the Graduate Restaurant nearby, owned by Bill Young, who studied hospitality management in college, had been profitable each year since he opened it four years prior. The key difference appeared to be that Bill paid close attention to controlling his costs and ensuring they remained in line with his sales.
Food safety basics a reference guide for foodservice operatorslibfsb
This document provides guidelines for food safety in foodservice operations. It discusses purchasing safe raw materials, proper receiving, storage, and production practices to prevent foodborne illness. Key points include maintaining proper temperatures, preventing cross-contamination, thoroughly cooking foods, and quickly cooling leftovers. Following these guidelines can help foodservice operations avoid legal and financial costs from foodborne illness outbreaks.
This document appears to be the preface for "The Bar and Beverage Book, Fourth Edition" by Costas Katsigris and Chris Thomas. It provides a high-level overview of the book's contents and goals. The preface notes that owning a bar seems appealing but requires hard work and planning. It discusses challenges the industry has faced with changing demographics and drinking habits. It also covers the increased legal responsibilities for alcohol service. The preface previews that later chapters will cover topics like market research, bar design, equipment, spirits, wine, beer, mixology, regulations, and managing a profitable business. The goal is to prepare readers for both the rewards and responsibilities of bar ownership or employment.
This document appears to be the preface to "The Bar and Beverage Book, Fourth Edition" by Costas Katsigris and Chris Thomas. It provides a high-level overview of the contents of the book, noting that it covers the responsibilities of alcohol service, planning and designing a bar business, an in-depth look at spirits and mixology trends, and regulations for the industry. The preface states that the book aims to prepare readers for the challenges of owning a bar business and realizing the rewards of friends, fun, and profit through hard work and planning. It notes the book addresses how changing demographics and laws have impacted the industry since the first edition was published.
This document provides an introduction to management in the hospitality industry. It discusses the varied roles and opportunities available in hospitality management. The hospitality industry is large and diverse, encompassing food service, lodging, and other sectors. It is also a dynamic industry that is shaped by various economic and social forces. The future of hospitality looks promising, with continued growth expected globally.
The recruiter would be asked questions about career opportunities and paths in both limited-service and full-service hotels, the typical roles and responsibilities of entry-level positions, expectations for advancement, desirable skills and qualifications employers seek, and tips for gaining relevant experience.
The document discusses how the potential future development of artificial general intelligence, known as the singularity, could impact libraries. It considers ideas from science fiction works that envision a future where machine intelligence surpasses human intelligence. The singularity may lead to technologies that vastly enhance human thinking abilities. This could mean that libraries transition to being repositories of older technologies, havens for people who do not use intelligence amplifiers, or even become obsolete if money and jobs are no longer needed. The impact on library budgets is unclear in a post-singularity world.
This document summarizes an article about managing library finances through effective teamwork. It discusses how ancient stories emphasized the importance of teamwork to achieve goals. For libraries, goals may include implementing new systems or gaining funding. Effective team management requires understanding individual team members to foster creativity and avoid costly mistakes. Teams today can be physical or virtual, each with their own challenges to overcome. Managing conflict is also important for team success.
The document discusses issues that libraries face when maintaining services and resources with limited budgets and personnel. It describes how libraries try to please all patrons by offering many services, but this spreads resources too thin. The document advocates that libraries should be willing to discontinue some services in order to focus resources on the most valuable offerings. It provides examples of libraries spending money on duplicative formats of materials and retaining outdated collections and practices. The document encourages libraries to let go of the need to serve all needs and to instead focus on core services.
This document discusses strategies for making library printing and copying more environmentally friendly. It recommends moving to electronic circulation notices, reserves, and other documents to eliminate paper use. It also suggests setting printers and copiers to default to double-sided printing and draft quality to reduce paper and ink usage. Using recycled paper and soy-based inks can further reduce environmental impact.
This document discusses issues related to salaries and managing turnover among librarians. It notes that librarians tend to share salary information with one another, which can negatively impact recruitment and retention when salaries are too low compared to the market. The document suggests that while factors like workplace culture and job satisfaction are important, salary is often the primary reason why librarians leave positions. It warns that when pay is inadequate, it can spread discontent among current employees and damage an institution's reputation as an employer. Managing pay competitiveness and addressing pay issues proactively are presented as important strategies for retaining talent.
This document is an article from The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances discussing the benefits of annual dramatic visual changes in libraries. The author argues that resets boost circulation, improve staff engagement with patrons, and provide projects to discuss with elected officials when seeking funding. Resets help libraries speak the "project language" of competing city departments and maintain visibility with officials. The article concludes by encouraging libraries to include at least one dramatic visual change in their annual plans.
This document summarizes strategies for dealing with difficult colleagues as a new employee. It identifies 10 types of issues that may arise, such as rudeness, annoying habits, inappropriate conversations, and not pulling their own weight. The summary provides suggestions on how to address these issues, including trying to understand the reason for the behavior, deciding if it rises to a level that cannot be tolerated, talking to the colleague, involving supervisors, and as a last resort, finding a new job. The goal is to help new employees successfully navigate challenges with colleagues.
This document discusses the management of e-book collections in libraries and the implications for the economic management of libraries. It notes that the addition of digital formats like e-books has led to dramatic changes in how libraries are planned and managed. Specifically, it discusses how e-book collections impact three main areas of library processes: 1) purchasing processes, 2) collection organization processes, and 3) collection circulation processes. Within purchasing, it describes different business models libraries must consider, such as pricing and access models. It also discusses implications for organizing and circulating e-book collections.
The document discusses using freely available electronic books from databases like Google Books and the Hathi Trust to weed a physical library collection. It notes that the open source GIST Gift and Deselection Manager allows libraries to compare books in their collection to titles available freely online, in order to identify books that could be removed to free up shelf space. The author is interested in using such a tool to streamline the weeding process at their library and better utilize limited resources.
This document discusses measuring return on investment (ROI) for social media use in libraries. It begins by explaining how ROI is difficult to measure for non-profit organizations like libraries, as increased revenue is not the goal. It then provides examples of how libraries can analyze ROI through metrics like comparing user behavior and consumption before and after engaging with the library's social media. The document concludes by advocating for flexible social media strategies in libraries that have clear objectives and choose appropriate tools to meet those objectives while requiring minimal resources.
The document discusses the challenges librarians face in maintaining electronic resources with limited budgets. It notes that electronic resources now comprise a large portion of library budgets, so cuts in this area are unavoidable when budgets shrink. However, librarians are reluctant to cancel resources because they are passionate about supporting collections. The document argues that in times of major budget cuts, librarians must make decisions based on facts like usage, not emotions or hypothetical future needs, in order to justify maintaining expensive resources that are rarely used.
This document summarizes a library manager's experience addressing performance issues in their department without increasing salaries. The manager held individual meetings with staff, learning their responsibilities and concerns. A key issue was processing course reserves, which divided staff into those with and without the necessary skills. The manager applied theories of motivation, trust, and leadership to improve staff satisfaction and reduce attrition and costs by fostering communication, consideration, and trust between managers and staff. Non-financial factors can positively impact productivity when budget constraints limit financial rewards.
The document discusses the current and future impact of e-books on public library usage and circulation. It finds that:
1) E-books currently account for only around 1% of total circulation at most libraries, despite significant hype and efforts to expand e-book collections.
2) The main barrier limiting e-book usage is the complexity of digital rights management systems which make accessing library e-books difficult.
3) Two developments could increase e-book circulation - agency pricing making individual e-book purchases more expensive, and Amazon allowing Kindle users to borrow e-books from libraries.
However, the author concludes that e-books have had little actual impact so far and physical materials continue to dominate
1. The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/1463-5771.htm
Benchmarking
Benchmarking supply chain supply chain
sustainability: insights from sustainability
a field study
705
Claudia Colicchia
Logistics Research Centre, Carlo Cattaneo University – LIUC,
Castellanza, Italy, and
Marco Melacini and Sara Perotti
Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering,
Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
Abstract
Purpose – Given the relevance of supply chain sustainability, the aim of the present paper is
threefold: first, to investigate the strategies currently undertaken by companies in the supply chain
sustainability arena, and, second, to find out which phase of the supply chain is at the forefront in the
implementation of initiatives towards more sustainable supply chains. Finally, the criteria commonly
used for priority-setting amongst different initiatives within the same supply chain phase are
identified.
Design/methodology/approach – A three-pronged methodology was adopted. First, a framework
was developed to identify the initiatives towards supply chain sustainability. Second, the framework
was applied to a set of multinational companies by examining their environmental reporting, thus to
assess the adoption of each initiative. Third, a further in-depth investigation of three companies was
finally performed in order to provide additional insights on the obtained results.
Findings – The research offers a benchmark of primary multinational companies with respect to the
supply chain sustainability initiatives and their level of adoption.
Research limitations/implications – The examined set of companies, although representative
(i.e. the analysed companies operate in industries in which the environmental concern is particularly
critical), is limited. However, the present paper contributes to the knowledge on supply chain
sustainability and captures variations in theory, paving the way for new research.
Practical implications – The paper provides an instrument to evaluate and compare companies in
terms of supply chain sustainability and highlights the main challenges that companies have to
confront.
Originality/value – The originality of the paper lies in the adoption of a supply chain perspective to
investigate sustainable initiatives.
Keywords Sustainability, Environment, Benchmarking, Supply chain management, Green logistics
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Supply chain sustainability has been more and more in focus during the last years, both
among the organizations (Hendrickson et al., 2006; Mahler, 2007) and as a research topic
¨
(Seuring and Muller, 2008). Originally, many companies have viewed sustainability Benchmarking: An International
initiatives as mandatory and driven by regulation (Melacini et al., 2010) but more recent Journal
Vol. 18 No. 5, 2011
literature would suggest that voluntary environmental programmes are also introduced pp. 705-732
by organizations as possible alternatives for gaining or maintaining a competitive q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
1463-5771
advantage (Sarkis, 2003). DOI 10.1108/14635771111166839
2. BIJ According to the existing literature, the need for analysing environmental
18,5 alternatives and quantifying the sustainable performances of a company is more and
more vital (Sarkis, 2003; Veleva et al., 2001). Dealing with the sustainability
quantification, a key issue regards the system boundaries to be considered (Finkbeiner,
2009), i.e. analysing the single company or the supply chain as a whole (Schmidt and
Schwegler, 2008), focusing only on direct impact of internal processes or also on
706 indirect impact created at the supplier level (Koplin et al., 2007).
Traditionally, a major line of research about supply chain sustainability regards
¨
reverse logistics (Seuring and Muller, 2008), defined from an environmental
perspective as the return of recyclable or reusable products and materials into the
forward supply chain (Sarkis, 2003). In this field, the main focus is on logistics network
design with the aim to optimize the closed-loop manufacturing for product recovery,
reuse and recycling of materials (Quariguasi et al., 2009).
Still, there is little existing literature that addresses sustainability of the “direct”
flows of goods by using a supply chain view (Linton et al., 2007). In this sense,
contributions on life cycle assessment (LCA) for single products or product families can
be considered as the only examples that adopt the broader perspective (Lai et al., 2008).
However, LCA studies are very time consuming and very costly (McKinnon, 2010).
According to Schmidt and Schwegler (2008), such analyses can only be carried out for
products particularly relevant from a strategic or environmental point of view,
avoiding situations in which the LCAs of all products are noted and updated.
Many authors are exploring environmental initiatives within each major phase of
the supply chain. In fact, much of the research is focused predominantly on one
functional area only (Sarkis, 1999), addressing specific aspects such as product design
for environment (Turner and Houston, 2009) or energy efficiency and greenhouse gas
emissions (Hendrickson et al., 2006). To the best of our knowledge, the study by Rao
and Holt (2005) is the only contribution that identifies the initiatives for greening the
different phases of the supply chain.
The present paper aims to fill this void, investigating the current adoption by
companies of environmentally sustainable initiatives from a supply chain perspective,
i.e. considering all the phases of supply chain management.
The remainder of the paper is organized as follows. The purpose and research
questions are outlined in Section 2, while the methodology of the present research is
described in Section 3. After the description of the proposed framework for
environmentally sustainable initiatives (Section 4), the analysis of the environmental
reporting of ten multinational companies follows (Section 5). The case studies are
presented in Section 6 and the paper then discusses the results, provides insights on the
key elements driving the adoption of sustainable programmes by companies, and
concludes with implications for research and management (Section 7).
2. Purpose and research questions
The literature review has revealed the increasing interest that the research community
has progressively shown towards the subject of supply chain sustainability.
Such rising attention may be observed also from the practitioners’ viewpoint, since
companies have started to experience pressure from a variety of stakeholders to
implement new initiatives towards sustainable supply chains.
3. Based on this scenario, the aim of the present paper is threefold: first, to find out Benchmarking
which phase within the supply chain is at the forefront in the development of more supply chain
sustainable supply chains (Research Question 1), and, second, to investigate the
initiatives currently undertaken by companies in the supply chain sustainability arena sustainability
(Research Question 2). Finally, the criteria commonly used for priority-setting amongst
different initiatives within the same supply chain phase are identified (Research
Question 3). 707
3. Methodology
In order to achieve the research objectives, an in-depth review of previous literature on
this topic was initially performed. The three dimensions of sustainability, i.e. social,
economic and environmental (Carter and Rogers, 2008) were explored. Of them, only
the environmental dimension was specifically taken into account for the purposes of
the present study. In order to address the emerged literature void, a supply chain
perspective, that encompasses all the phases of supply chain management, was
adopted within the analysis.
Based on these premises, the following three-pronged methodology was used.
First, a framework was developed to identify the initiatives towards supply chain
sustainability. Second, the framework was applied to a set of companies by examining
their company environmental reporting (CER), thus to assess the adoption level of each
initiative. Third, a further in-depth investigation of three companies was finally
performed.
The framework was built on the earlier study by Rao and Holt (2005) and further
expanded based on a comprehensive review of the existing literature. Two main steps
were detailed:
S1. Identification of a set of environmental initiatives for each phase of the supply
chain.
S2. Identification and computation of an environmental performance index (EPI)
for each phase of the supply chain to benchmark the company environmental
performances.
In order to address the first aforementioned step of the framework (S1), building upon
previous literature (Linton et al., 2007; Rao and Holt, 2005) five different phases of the
supply chain were taken into account, namely:
(1) inbound supply chain (green procurement);
(2) production (“internal” supply chain);
(3) outbound supply chain;
(4) warehousing; and
(5) product design and use.
For each of the above-mentioned phases, a detailed list of initiatives that may be
undertaken to enhance environmental sustainability was prepared based on the
literature review. Reverse logistics was excluded from the analysis, since it is a very
narrow aspect of sustainability, already studied in detail in the extant literature.
The possible solutions and requirements of the reverse logistics channel may
4. BIJ considerably vary depending on the organization, industry and product type (Sarkis,
18,5 2003). For this reason, we considered it beyond the scope of the present research.
As for S2, an EPI for each phase was computed in order to measure the overall effort
currently undertaken by companies to foster the sustainability of their supply chain.
This allows a comparative analysis for benchmarking the sustainability initiatives in
place for each company within each phase of the supply chain.
708 The framework was then applied to a set of ten large multinational companies
(Coca-Cola HBC, Electrolux, Henkel, Ikea, Fiat Group, Kimberly Clark, Levi Strauss
`
& Co, Nestle, Pirelli and Tenaris). The companies, whose features are illustrated in
Table I, were selected based on the following criteria:
.
large companies, which are more inclined to adopt green initiatives (Vachon and
Klassen, 2007);
.
multinational companies with the headquarter, or at least a branch, in Italy;
.
companies operating in industries in which the environmental concern is
particularly critical; and
.
listed companies that communicate to their stakeholders their environmental
strategy and the related obtained performances.
For each of them, the CER available on the internet site of the company was examined to
understand the current environmental initiatives they are adopting within each phase of
the supply chain. The analysis of public sustainability reports is already present in the
extant literature on this topic (Schneider et al., 2010). The main aim is to provide some
insights into the level of understanding and awareness of sustainability issues within
the companies reviewed, without claiming to link the obtained performances with the
related investment (Veleva et al., 2003; Roth and Kaberger, 2002).
Starting from the results obtained from applying the framework, a sub-set of three
companies was finally selected for further in-depth interviews. Those companies
were chosen for a more detailed analysis as they were presenting a significant
Number of Publication Publication year
production year of the first of the examined
Turnover (Italy Industry plants in environmental environmental
Company 2009) (million) sector Italy report report
Coca-Cola HBC 1,228 FMCG – 8 2002 2008
beverage
Electrolux 1,026 Electronics 5 1995 2008
Henkel 900 FMCG 2 2001 2009
Ikea 1,382 Retail 0 2005 2008
Fiat Group 12,726 Automotive 64 2004 2009
Kimberly Clark 282 FMCG 2 2004 2009
Levi Strauss & Co. 89 Fashion 0 n.a. 2007
Nestle´ 1,548 FMCG 12 2006 2009
Pirelli 500 Automotive 4 2005 2008
Table I. – tyres
Features of the Tenaris n.a. Steel 5 n.a. 2009
examined companies industry
5. environmental sensibility, also due to the considerable interest that consumers had in their Benchmarking
sustainable initiatives. Specifically, two companies operate in the beverage industry supply chain
´
(i.e. Coca-Cola HBC and Nestle), and one operates in the electronics industry
´
(i.e. Electrolux). In particular, as for Nestle, the Waters division was specifically examined. sustainability
Companies were asked to discuss the obtained results and share ideas on the
inhibitors that prevent them from pursuing major change programmes.
The interviewees were supply chain managers and/or environment managers, 709
working in Italy. Interviews normally lasted between 3 and 4 hours (plus a further
check for data validation), and were completed in the September-December 2009 time
frame. The interviews were audio-taped and supported by a questionnaire composed of
two macro-sections, respectively, dealing with:
(1) company general information, including logistics and transportation network; and
(2) initiatives in place towards supply chain environmental sustainability,
including performance measurement indicators being adopted and overall
perceived impact on CO2 emissions.
4. Framework for assessing supply chain sustainability
In this section, we present the framework to identify and assess the initiatives towards
supply chain sustainability. A brief description of the initiatives that can be used to
enhance environmental sustainability within each of the above-mentioned supply chain
phases (i.e. inbound supply chain, production, outbound supply chain, warehousing and
product design and use) is initially provided (from Sections 4.1 to 4.5). The identified
initiatives were synthesized in Tables II and III. Then in Section 4.6, we present the EPI
to benchmark company sustainability in the supply chain context.
4.1 Inbound supply chain
The traditional view of purchasing as a tactical function has changed profoundly in the
last years. Globalisation has allowed a deep variety of goods and services to become
available anywhere in the world and it also facilitated offshore outsourcing to low-cost
countries. Therefore, the purchasing function is becoming increasingly critical for
the competitiveness of the firm and its impact on the environmental performance of the
company, through the purchase of materials or selection of suppliers, could
be significantly relevant (Sarkis, 2003).
From the inbound perspective, greening the supply chain comprises initiatives
towards a better management of inbound logistics as well as green purchasing
strategies. However, it should be noticed that the initiatives related to the transportation
phase may also be applied in the outbound supply chain, with the only difference that the
outbound logistics is more critical for stricter service-level requirements to be respected
(Wu and Dunn, 1995). Thus, its management towards an enhanced environmental
sustainability is more difficult. Furthermore, green purchasing strategies represent a
large part of the inbound function in response to environmental concern (Rao and Holt,
2005). For these reasons, we decided to analyse within the inbound supply chain only the
initiatives related to green purchasing, while referring to the outbound phase for a
thorough analysis of environmental initiatives in logistics.
The “green purchasing” can be defined as the process of formally introducing
and integrating environmental issues and concerns into the purchasing process,
seeking to acquire goods and services characterised by a low environmental impact,
6. BIJ
Supply
18,5 chain
phase Approach Initiative Main references
Inbound Green Suppliers’ requirement to have an Bowen et al. (2001), Chen (2005),
supply purchasing environmental certification Christensen et al. (2008),
710 chain Eco-labelled product purchase Darnall et al. (2008), Handfield
Adoption of environmental criteria et al. (2002), Hervani et al. (2005),
into the supplier assessment Matthews (2003), Rao and Holt
system (2005), Rex and Baumann (2006)
Environmental collaboration with and Vachon and Klassen (2008)
suppliers
Production Reduction of Energy: introduction of an energy Florida and Davison (2001),
input resources manager Hilliard (2006), King and Lenox
Energy: choice of green electric (2001) and Veleva and
power suppliers Ellenbecker (2001)
Energy: use of cogeneration plants
Energy: energy efficiency
improvement
Energy: adoption of cleaner
technology
Fuel: district heating system
Water: increase water system
efficiency
Water: waste water treatment
Water: process optimization
Material: reuse of materials
Material: process optimization
Reduction of CO2 capture and storage McKinnon et al. (2010),
wastes and Reduction of hydrofluorocarbons Rothenberg et al. (2005) and
hazardous (HFC) and perfluorocarbons (PFC) Turner and Houston (2009)
emissions Use of CO2 refrigeration systems
Treatment and control of post-
combustion emissions
Use of alternative fuels (e.g. cleaner
fuels)
Treatment and recycle of
hazardous wastes
Table II. Process optimization
Sustainable initiatives Implementation of waste-to-energy
within inbound process
supply chain and Waste reduction, reuse and
production phases recycling approaches
i.e. products environmentally friendly in nature and produced using environmentally
friendly processes (Handfield et al., 2002; Rao and Holt, 2005).
The initiatives to minimize environmental impact in inbound supply chain,
according to the “green purchasing” approach, can be summarised as follows:
.
Suppliers’ requirement to have an environmental certification, e.g. ISO 14001,
EMAS. For example, once certified, the ISO 14001 label indicates that the supplier
has implemented a management system that documents the organization’s
7. Supply chain
phase Approach Initiative Main references
Outbound supply Vehicle optimization Vehicle technological innovation (e.g. McKinnon (2010), Wu and Dunn (1995),
chain cleaner trucks) Langley and Capgemini (2008) and
Vehicle maintenance and disposal Finkbeiner (2009)
Use of alternative fuels (e.g. cleaner fuels)
Carrier selection
Driver skill improvement
Selection of green transportation modes Combined use of road and rail Vannieuwenhuyse et al. (2003) and Wu
transportation and Dunn (1995)
Combined use of road and sea
transportation
Combined use of road and inland
navigation
Logistics optimization Shipment consolidation Aronsson and Brodin (2006), Langley and
Balancing backhaul movements Capgemini (2008), McKinnon (2000),
Increase of the vehicle utilization degree Murphy (1994), Murphy and Poist (2000),
Logistics network redesign Van Hoek (1999) and Wu and Dunn (1995)
Travel distance optimization
Warehousing Green building practices Attention to construction materials Rizzo (2006)
Use of energy-efficient lighting systems
and day lighting
Efficient building thermal insulation
Use of variable-frequency drive HVAC
Use of green energy sources Introduction of solar and photovoltaic Rizzo (2006)
panels
Use of cogeneration plants
Use of wind turbines
Use of rainwater collection systems
(continued)
sustainability
Benchmarking
and product design
chain, warehousing,
Sustainable initiatives
supply chain
and use phases
within outbound supply
Table III.
711
8. BIJ
18,5
712
Table III.
Supply chain
phase Approach Initiative Main references
Operational strategies Travel distance optimization Wu and Dunn (1995)
Container recycle or reuse
Use of energy-efficient material handling
equipment
Product design and Reduction of product impact within the Decrease in the use of material/energy Calcott and Walls (2000), Schvaneveldt
use supply chain Easier product break up and recycle at the (2003), Sherwin (2004), Sroufe et al. (2000),
Reduction of product impact in the end of the life cycle Wever et al. (2007), Wu and Dunn (1995)
consumer use Low energy-consuming products and Zsidisin and Hendrick (1998)
Reduction of packaging impact Design to avoid or reduce the use of
hazardous products
Packaging reduction
Packaging reuse
Packaging recycling
9. environmental aspects and impacts, and identifies a process of continuous Benchmarking
improvement (Chen, 2005; Darnall et al., 2008; Matthews, 2003). supply chain
.
Eco-labelled product purchase. Eco-labels allow buying companies to choose sustainability
products with a low environmental impact. Beyond mandatory eco-labels,
a supplier can use voluntary eco-labelling systems (e.g. green lights, green label)
as tools to improve its market share by communicating the environmental
information of products (Rex and Baumann, 2007). 713
.
Adoption of environmental criteria into the supplier assessment system.
This initiative represents the extension of the supplier assessment process
aimed at incorporating environmental considerations into these activities
(Bowen et al., 2001; Handfield et al., 2002). The company establishes the required
environmental performances of suppliers and monitors them through techniques
such as vendor rating. The required green performances could vary depending
on the context under consideration (Hervani et al., 2005).
.
Environmental collaboration with suppliers. Beyond the assessment of the
environmental suppliers’ performances, this initiative introduces more proactive
measures, such as involving the suppliers in the product design process and/or in
plans to reduce the environmental impact associated with material flows in the
supply chain (Chen, 2005; Christensen et al., 2008; Vachon and Klassen, 2008).
The challenge is to create the conditions in which collaborative working becomes
possible. The underlying principle is information sharing and the willingness to
create partnerships. As pointed out by Rao and Holt (2005) often this initiative is
merely operationalised by holding awareness seminars for suppliers, bringing
together suppliers to share problems, informing suppliers about the benefits of
cleaner production and technologies, arranging for funds to help suppliers to
purchase equipment for sustainability improvement.
4.2 Production
The sustainable production, considering the sole environmental dimension of
sustainability, can be defined as “the creation of goods and services using processes
and systems that are non-polluting, conserving of energy and natural resources”
(Veleva et al., 2001).
There are a number of contributions addressing the environmental impact of the
manufacturing phase. The proposed approaches to greening the production process
can be summarised into the following categories:
.
Reduction of input resources, that is implementation of actions aimed at reducing
utilisation of input resources and, consequently, the wastes of materials and
energy during the production process. In this sense, lean production practices
(King and Lenox, 2001) and total quality management (Florida and Davison,
2001) can lead to improved environmental performances.
.
Reduction of wastes and hazardous emissions to human beings and/or
environment (e.g. solid and liquid wastes, air emissions, noise).
The first category includes initiatives towards reduction of energy consumption,
materials, fresh water and fuel utilisation (Veleva and Ellenbecker, 2001). In this sense,
sustainable production can be considered as the application of an environmental
10. BIJ strategy applied to production process to increase the eco-efficiency of the process itself,
18,5 by minimising the input resources needed to obtain the same output. These solutions
may lead to improvements both from an environmental and an economic point of view
and for this reason they are called eco-efficient (Tsoulfas and Pappis, 2006).
Practices toward the improvement of eco-efficiency can significantly vary for different
processes and industries. In Table I, the generic term “process optimization” refers to
714 this kind of possible environmental initiatives. Other examples of initiatives aimed at
minimising the input resources can be: introduction of an energy manager, choice of
green electric power suppliers, use of cogeneration plants, energy efficiency
improvement. Finally, the integration of environmental protection consideration into
production technologies is broadly known as “cleaner technology” (Hilliard, 2006).
Approaches towards the reduction of wastes and hazardous emissions should
consider different elements: hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons, nitrous oxides,
sulphur oxides, solvents, acids, arsenic, mercury, benzene, solid wastes generated from
the production process and carbon dioxide (CO2) (Rothenberg et al., 2005;
McKinnon et al., 2010).
Once again it is difficult to define specific initiatives towards the reduction of
emissions, since they depend strictly on the process under consideration.
The key issues present in the literature are waste management and the greenhouse
gas emissions. Waste management falls within the broad category of reverse logistics,
through the adoption of reduction, reuse and recycling approaches (Turner and Houston,
2009). Greenhouse gas emissions are usually reported in carbon dioxide equivalents.
Furthermore, the literature is mainly concentrated on CO2 emissions since it is well
acknowledged by researches that, in the past few decades, the CO2 emission from human
activities has significantly increased, and, consequently, the problem of global warming
has become an important issue. Many countries are setting out targets to limit the CO2
emission in different industries. A measure of the total amount of CO2 emitted either
directly or indirectly is provided by the carbon footprint (Wiedmann et al., 2006;
Wiedmann and Minx, 2008; Matthews et al., 2008). According to some authors, the
analysis of CO2 emissions can be misleading, since “the information contained in
a carbon footprint varies depending on how it was calculated and how much
responsibility the entity being ‘footprinted’ is willing to take on” (Matthews et al., 2008).
Although assessing the mere carbon footprint of activities and processes can
be reductive, since it can be in conflict with other environmental indicators (e.g. recycling
paper should be stopped, because compared to virgin paper with a carbon footprint close
to “zero”, it comes with a higher burden-unless renewable energy is used for the
processes necessary, many efforts are under way in this direction (Finkbeiner, 2009)).
As it will be explained in detail in the following sections, the analysis of carbon footprint
regards, besides the production process, the transportation phase as well. Furthermore,
the total carbon emissions are not just the direct emissions due to the manufacturing
processes of the company but should consider also the indirect emission, arising from
the consumption of energy. These indirect emissions can be controlled through the
improvement of energy efficiency and low-carbon energy supply (i.e. reduction of input
resources). Other initiatives can be used to achieve savings of direct emissions,
depending on the process under consideration and the fuel type used.
11. 4.3 Outbound supply chain Benchmarking
Outbound supply chain (also known as physical distribution) is one of the major sources supply chain
of environmental problems (European Commission, 2001). The most critical element is
related to CO2 emissions during the transportation. The key role of the carbon footprint sustainability
is even attested by Wal-Mart green supply chain plan. According to Wal-Mart, the global
supply chain footprint is much larger than its operational footprint and presents more
“impactful” opportunities to reduce emissions (Berman, 2010). 715
Possible approaches towards the reduction of the carbon footprint during the
physical distribution may be identified as follows:
(1) Vehicle optimization, by means of:
.
vehicle technological innovation, i.e. energy efficiency, reduction of air
emissions and fuel use, vehicle aerodynamics (McKinnon, 2010);
.
vehicle maintenance and disposal (Wu and Dunn, 1995);
.
use of alternative fuels (Langley and Capgemini, 2008) (e.g. first- and
second-generation bio-fuels, pressurized natural gas, and, as a long-term
strategy, more advanced solutions such as hydrogen fuel cells);
.
carrier selection (i.e. in case of logistics outsourcing, including vehicle
environmental impacts, such as air emissions, among the carrier selection
drivers); and
.
driver skill improvement (e.g. training courses).
(2) Selection of green transportation modes, such as the combined use of road and
either rail, sea transportation or inland navigation (Wu and Dunn, 1995;
Vannieuwenhuyse et al., 2003).
(3) Logistics optimization, aiming to reduce travel distances by means of:
.
shipment consolidation (Aronsson and Brodin, 2006; Langley and
Capgemini, 2008);
.
balancing backhaul movements (Wu and Dunn, 1995);
.
increase of the vehicle utilization degree (Wu and Dunn, 1995; McKinnon,
2000); and
.
logistics network redesign (Murphy, 1994; Van Hoek, 1999; Murphy and
Poist, 2000).
Travel distance optimization is promoted by the implementation of a good information
system (McIntyre et al., 1998). A further indirect transportation improvement may be
achieved through product design (Van Hoek, 1999), aiming to reduce packaging weight
and volume (Section 4.5).
The presence of tax restrictions or fees for the most pollutant vehicles (Greene and
Wegener, 1997; Himanen et al., 2005) have not been considered among the strategies
towards CO2 emission reduction, since the present study adopts a “private”
(i.e. company) viewpoint.
Other possible strategies related to company car fleets – although noteworthy –
have not been taken into account for the purposes of the analysis, since the focus of the
present paper is on goods.
12. BIJ 4.4 Warehousing
18,5 The environmental impact of warehouses is primarily connected to energy
consumption (Andriansyah et al., 2009) and – as an indirect effect – to the CO2
emitted for energy production. Indeed, a number of activities or procedures performed
within a warehouse, such as air conditioning or heating, material handling operations,
lightening, require electrical energy to operate.
716 In the literature, very few papers may be found that specifically address the issue
of energy consumption within warehouses (Rizzo, 2006).
Overall, possible approaches towards the achievement of sustainable warehousing
may be summarized as follows:
.
Green building practices, i.e. attention to construction materials (e.g. use of
recycled concrete, steel, asphalt and other materials), use of energy-efficient
lighting systems and day lighting, efficient building thermal insulation
(Rizzo, 2006), use of variable-frequency drive heating, ventilation and air
conditioning (HVAC) equipment that allow both a significant reduction of energy
consumption and the performance optimization of appliances such as pumps and
fans, based on the current building requirements.
.
Use of green energy sources (i.e. introduction of solar and photovoltaic panels,
use of cogeneration plants, wind turbines and rainwater collection systems).
.
Operational strategies, e.g. travel distance optimization, container recycle
or reuse (Wu and Dunn, 1995), use of energy-efficient material handling
equipment.
4.5 Product design and use
Although product design is normally a “clean” phase, it contributes significantly to the
overall product environmental impacts. Such criticality is proved by an increasing
number of contributions dealing with “design for sustainability” (Sherwin, 2004) or
“design for environment” (Calcott and Walls, 2000; Sroufe et al., 2000; Schvaneveldt,
2003; Wever et al., 2007). The key objective lies in the achievement of an
environmentally friendly product design.
A reduction in the product environmental impact may be achieved not only through
an appropriate product design, but also a proper use by consumers. In this sense,
consumers must become more aware of the environmental implications related to the
products they are using, so that sustainability may be perceived as a value-added
element for the society, as well as a distinguishing feature for companies.
Two main areas main be identified addressing the available strategies towards
sustainable product design and use, namely product design, and packaging design.
As for product design, possible strategies lie in:
.
Reduction of product environmental impact within the supply chain (intended as a
“closest loop”). For instance, product design may go towards a decrease in the use
of material/energy, or an easier product break up and recycle at the end of the life
cycle (i.e. product design for reuse, recycle, recovery of material, component
parts) (Zsidisin and Hendrick, 1998).
.
Reduction of product environmental impact in the consumer use. It is the case of
low energy-consuming products, or those products designed to avoid or reduce
the use of hazardous of products (Zsidisin and Hendrick, 1998).
13. As for the packaging design, it affects both the generated waste and the overall Benchmarking
environmental efficiency of the whole supply chain (e.g. benefits related to the degree supply chain
of vehicle utilization due to reduced packaging volumes). In this sense, strategies may
be three-pronged: sustainability
(1) packaging reduction (i.e. decrease in packaging volume and weight, thus to
reduce the generated waste and increase supply chain efficiency);
717
(2) packaging reuse (i.e. design packaging which may be easily reused); and
(3) packaging recycling (i.e. design packaging which may be easily recycled).
4.6 Environmental performance index
In order to assess the adoption of the proposed sustainable initiatives for each phase j of
the supply chain, an EPI for each company k can be defined as follows:
PN j
i¼1 S k;i; j · W i; j
EPI k; j ¼ · 100 ð1Þ
Nj
where:
.
Sk,i,j is a Boolean variable equal to 1 if the initiative i is adopted in the phase j by
company k, 0 otherwise.
.
Wi,j is the impact of the initiative i within the supply chain phase j on the overall
sustainable performance.
.
Nj is the total number of initiatives considered within the supply chain phase j.
The value of EPIk,j, as defined, assesses the implementation by companies of the
proposed sustainable initiatives, without considering the intensity in their use. Even if
this latter dimension could represent a valuable information, its evaluation is really
difficult (Schvaneveldt, 2003) and is beyond the scope of the present research.
After having calculated EPIk,j for each phase j of the supply chain, an overall EPI for
each company k (EPIk) can be simply computed as their average value. This index,
expressed as a percentage, is a measure of the effort made by the considered company
k towards supply chain sustainability.
The proposed initiatives could have a different impact on the performances actually
obtained towards sustainability (e.g. within the “product design and use” phase
the initiative “easier product break up” could be considered less effective than “designing
low energy-consuming products”). In order to consider this aspect, it is possible to assign
a different weight (Wi,j) to each initiative in the calculation of EPIk. However, assigning
the weights to the different initiatives is not always an easy task (e.g. considering the
outbound supply chain different viewpoints clearly exist about the debate on whether is
more important to improve vehicle utilization or redesign the logistics network).
Additionally, in the literature, there is no unanimity on the value to be attributed to the
different sustainable initiatives. Therefore, hereafter an equal weight for the proposed
initiatives is considered in the calculation of the EPI, while through the case study
analysis (Section 6) the criteria commonly used for priority-setting amongst different
initiatives within the same supply chain phase will be investigated.
For displaying the EPI results two approaches are proposed, namely: radar chart,
also as known spider chart, and box plots. The first one (i.e. radar chart) is useful to show
14. BIJ each company results separately, and is commonly used in benchmarking applications
18,5 having multiple dimensions of performance (Camp, 1995). For instance, it has been
adopted for evaluating Sony’s environmental performance (Schvaneveldt, 2003) as well
as Hitachi’s (Burritt and Saka, 2006). Each axis of the radar chart represents the score of
one of the examined phases. The value displayed on the jth axis indicates the
corresponding EPIk,j indicator. The centre point indicates a score of 0 (i.e. zero initiatives
718 in place), whereas values within the outer circle indicate a significant adoption level.
Such diagram allows to easily represent the directions towards which the company
is operating. The radar chart may help companies perform a benchmarking with their
competitors, by comparing their average adoption level for each axis (EPIk). Otherwise,
it can be also used for benchmarking the adoption level of a single company along
different time frames. In such latter case, the company performance along different
years may be represented.
However, if the aim is to compare a large number of companies, the radar chart
tends to offer a less clear representation; in such context the box plot tends to offer a better
readability. This representation, developed in statistics for quality control
(Montgomery, 2009), has been increasingly used in logistics and supply chain
management. The bottoms and tops of each “box” are the 25th and 75th percentiles of the
EPIk,j, respectively. The distances between the tops and bottoms are the interquartile
ranges. The line in the middle of each box is the sample median. If the median is not
centered in the box, it shows sample skewness. The features of this plot allow for an
investigation both within each phase of the supply chain and among them. In fact, it is
possible to find out which phase of the supply chain is at the forefront in the
implementation of initiatives towards more sustainable supply chains, and to analyse
the variability in the company behaviour within the same phase.
5. Application of the framework
Based on the proposed framework, the sustainability effort level has been examined for
a set of ten companies (Tables IV and V).
As above observed, results may be analysed for each company or at an aggregate
level. As for the analysis for each company, Figure 1 shows the case of Coca-Cola HBC
using a radar diagram. Company results in terms of EPIk,j have been plotted, as well as
the mean value for the examined set of ten companies (EPIj). Results attest that for three
out of five phases the adoption level of sustainable initiatives is equal or above 50%.
Comparing Coca-Cola HBC with the others, the adoption level is higher, or at least
aligned, to the mean value. Specifically, the company sensitiveness to sustainability
issues within the outbound supply chain phase is considerably higher than the
mean value.
The radar chart representation is generally not suitable for aggregate analysis.
Therefore, we used the box-plot representation to compare the overall results (Figure 2).
On the basis of the results shown in Figure 2, we can provide a first answer to RQ1:
RQ1. Which phase(s) within the supply chain is at the forefront in the development
of more sustainable supply chains.
.
The majority of companies have adopted sustainable initiatives to strengthen
brand image or differentiate their product, confirming the evidence of the extant
literature. As for the “product design and use” phase, the sample median is equal
15. Company
Supply chain phase Initiative A B C D E F G H I J
Inbound supply chain Suppliers’ requirement to have an environmental x x
certification
Eco-labelled product purchase x x
Adoption of environmental criteria into the supplier x x x x x x x
assessment system
Environmental collaboration with suppliers x x x x x x x x
Production Energy: introduction of an energy manager x x x
Energy: choice of green electric power suppliers x x x x
Energy: use of cogeneration plants x x x x
Energy: energy efficiency improvement x x x x x x x x
Energy: adoption of cleaner technology x x x x x
Fuel: district heating system x x
Water: increase water system efficiency x x x x x x x x
Water: waste water treatment x x x x x x
Water: process optimization x x x x x x
Material: reuse of materials x x x
Material: process optimization x x x x x x x
CO2 capture and storage
Reduction of hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) and x x x x x
perfluorocarbons (PFC)
Use of CO2 refrigeration systems
Treatment and control of post-combustion emissions
Use of alternative fuels (e.g. cleaner fuels) x x x x x
Treatment and recycle of hazardous wastes x x x x x
Process optimization x x x x x x x x
Implementation of waste-to-energy process x x x
Waste reduction, reuse and recycling approaches x x x x x x x
´
Notes: A ¼ Coca-Cola HBC; B ¼ Electrolux; C ¼ Fiat Group; D ¼ Henkel; E ¼ Ikea; F ¼ Kimberly Clark; G ¼ Levi Strauss & Co.; H ¼ Nestle;
I ¼ Pirelli; J ¼ Tenaris; x ¼ initiative adopted by company k
Source: Company environmental reporting
sustainability
Benchmarking
for inbound supply chain
environmental initiatives
of the identified
Adoption by companies
supply chain
and production phases
719
Table IV.
16. BIJ
18,5
720
Table V.
and use phases
of the identified
and product design
chain, warehousing,
for outbound supply
Adoption by companies
environmental initiatives
Company
Supply chain phase Initiative A B C D E F G H I J
Outbound supply chain Vehicle technological innovation (e.g. cleaner trucks) x x x x
Vehicle maintenance and disposal x
Use of alternative fuels (e.g. cleaner fuels) x x
Carrier selection x x x x x
Driver skill improvement x x x x
Combined use of road and rail transportation x x x x x x
Combined use of road and sea transportation x x
Combined use of road and inland navigation
Shipment consolidation x x x
Balancing backhaul movements x
Increase of the vehicle utilization degree x x x x x x
Logistics network redesign x x
Travel distance optimization x x x
Warehousing Attention to construction materials
Use of energy-efficient lighting systems and day lighting x x x
Efficient building thermal insulation x
Use of variable-frequency drive HVAC
Introduction of solar and photovoltaic panels x x
Use of cogeneration plants
Use of wind turbines
Use of rainwater collection systems
Travel distance optimization x
Container recycle or reuse
Use of energy-efficient material handling equipment
Product design and use Decrease in the use of material/energy x x x x x x x x x
Easier product break up and recycle at the end of the life cycle x x x x x x x
Low energy-consuming products x x x x x x x
Design to avoid or reduce the use of hazardous products x x x x x
Packaging reduction x x x x x x x x x
Packaging reuse x x x x
Packaging recycling x x x x
´
Notes: A ¼ Coca-Cola HBC; B ¼ Electrolux; C ¼ Fiat Group; D ¼ Henkel; E ¼ Ikea; F ¼ Kimberly Clark; G ¼ Levi Strauss & Co.; H ¼ Nestle;
I ¼ Pirelli; J ¼ Tenaris; x ¼ initiative adopted by company k
Source: Company environmental reporting
17. Inbound supply chain Benchmarking
75% supply chain
sustainability
Product design
Production 721
and use 57%
35%
50%
9%
Coca-Cola HBC
Benchmark
Figure 1.
58% Radar chart
of sustainability efforts
Outbound supply for Coca-Cola HBC
Warehousing
chain
1
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
Values
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
Figure 2.
0 Company sustainability
effort for each phase
Inbound supply Production Outbound supply Warehousing Product design of the supply chain
chain chain and use
to 71 per cent. This value, besides being higher than for the other phases, coincides
with the 75th percentile. Furthermore, the value of the 25th percentile is the
highest, thus demonstrating a significant adoption level of such sustainable
initiatives for all the examined companies.
.
Most of companies have concentrated their effort on the inbound supply chain (the
sample median is equal to 50 per cent), or on the production phase (median equal to
40 per cent). As far as the inbound supply chain is regarded, the reasons
underpinning this choice could be related to the ease in the implementation: green
purchasing initiatives in fact do not require any internal re-organization but only
18. BIJ the introduction of environmental criteria into suppliers’ selection and
18,5 assessment. Considering the production phase, it must be remarked that it is
the most internally focused for the company, allowing companies to gather
reliable information to support sustainable initiatives and directly observe the
benefits of them.
.
The initiatives applied in outbound supply chain and warehousing are
722 quite limited, up to values equal to zero for warehousing in nearly every case.
Specifically for this latter phase, the median is equal to 0 and corresponds to the
25th percentile. Only one case has been observed with a remarkable adoption level
(i.e. Ikea). Conversely, as for the outbound phase the median value (equal to
23 per cent) is higher than for warehousing, although lower than for the other
phases.
It is difficult to investigate the reasons underpinning a different level of adoption of the
sustainable initiatives by individual companies. In some cases, the results of the
analysis can be related to the industry in which the company operates. As an example,
being Ikea a retailer, no sustainable initiatives for the production phase have been
detected. As for Tenaris, the inbound supply chain phase is the most neglected since it
is probably difficult to find “green” suppliers of raw materials for the production of
tubes. In other cases, however, it is difficult to explain, with the available data and
information, the adoption of the sustainable initiatives by companies. For example, it is
a counter-intuitive finding that Tenaris does not adopt any initiative in warehousing
and outbound SC phases, according to the examined CER.
Going back to the aims of the present paper, to answer RQ2:
RQ2. What are the initiatives currently undertaken by companies in the supply
chain sustainability arena?
we consider the implementation of sustainable initiatives within each phase of the
supply chain. The following remarks may be pointed out:
.
As a general result, a significant variability in terms of adoption level, partially
due to the sample size.
.
Only two cases have been detected, i.e. with reference to inbound supply chain
(Kimberly Clark) and product design and use (Henkel), with a pervasive adoption
of all initiatives considered within the framework. This implies that companies
have been generally focusing their attention on a sub-set of initiatives rather than
encompassing all those available.
.
Outbound supply chain and inbound supply chain present the highest variability
in terms of adoption level. As for outbound supply chain, results range from
8 per cent (25th percentile) and 54 per cent (75th percentile), with a difference
equal to 46 per cent between the two. Regards inbound supply chain, the
25th percentile is equal to 25 per cent and the 75th percentile equals 75 per cent
(difference equal to 50 per cent).
.
The initiatives being used by most of companies (i.e. initiatives being
implemented by at least 80 per cent of them) are: environmental collaboration
with suppliers, initiatives improving energy efficiency, process optimization,
decrease in the use of material, packaging reduction.
19. Overall, the analysis has confirmed the validity of the proposed framework for Benchmarking
benchmarking the sustainability initiatives towards which companies have started to supply chain
show their attention. It has also revealed the companies choose a sub-set of the
sustainable initiatives to be implemented rather than adopt all of them. At present, sustainability
the method to be used for priority setting (i.e. initiatives with high environmental impact
versus low implementation costs) is not clear yet. Finally, although the great impact of
transportation process on supply chain sustainability (Roth and Kaberger, 2002), the 723
initiatives applied in this sense are not as widespread as it would be expected.
6. Case study analysis
Among the ten companies examined within the study, three have been selected
´
(i.e. Coca-Cola HBC, Electrolux and Nestle) for additional in-depth interviews. The main
aim was to investigate the hurdles to the implementation of sustainable initiatives, as
well as the criteria commonly used for priority-setting amongst different initiatives
within the same supply chain phase. The analysis was mainly focused on the supply
chain phases in which the adoption of initiatives towards sustainability is quite limited
(i.e. outbound supply chain and warehousing) and it refers to the Italian context only.
Within- and across-case analysis are, respectively, performed as follows. For each
case, the distribution network is presented, as well as the environmental initiatives in
place, the performance measurement system being used, and the foremost hurdles from
implementation.
6.1 Coca-Cola HBC
Coca-Cola HBC Italia started operations in Italy in 1995 and operates eight bottling
plants across the country, serving approximately 118,000 customers. Coca-Cola
produces, sells and distributes a wide range of beverages, including mineral water.
All beverages produced in Italian plants are mainly sold within the country.
The distribution is organized as follows: from the factory warehouses the products are
directly delivered to large customers or to one of the five distribution centres of the
country. From here, the goods can be delivered to customers, directly or through
a network of transit points. Since production plants are highly specialized, there is an
inter-plant flow of products in order to ensure the complete product range at the factory
warehouses. The distribution network, with the only exception of factory warehouses,
is outsourced to third parties.
As shown in Figure 1, many of the identified initiatives towards a sustainable
supply chain are implemented.
Considering the supply chain phase product design and packaging, the company
aims to reduce the amount of material used for packaging and to support packaging
lightweighting, using bottles, cans and secondary unit loads characterized by reduced
weight and volume. This led to a better vehicle utilization, a reduction in the
purchasing cost of materials and a reduction in generated wastes (over 100 tonnes of
PET and 1,800 tonnes of cardboard in 2009 over the previous year).
As far as warehousing is regarded, the implemented initiatives are focused on factory
warehouses, since they are directly managed by the company. The rationalization
of the industrial lighting, through the adoption of automated systems, is planned
to be implemented in the next years. This initiative is embedded in the more
20. BIJ general energy saving programme, that has already ensured significant economic and
18,5 environmental benefits.
Other initiatives regard the outbound supply chain phase, aimed to reduce the
environmental impact of distribution and transportation. Through the improvement of
drivers’ skills, the use of cleaner trucks (e4 and e5) and a better vehicle utilization the
company wants to conserve fuel and reduce emissions. Furthermore, supplies and
724 finished goods are transported by rail wherever possible.
The company measures and reports its sustainability performance. For example, the
carbon footprint (total and per litre of product sold) is continuously monitored.
Considering the emissions from fleet and transportation, the performance is reviewed
with data monthly gathered from 3PLs, since the distribution is outsourced. It is
noteworthy to mention that, consistently with the transport rate used, the carbon
footprint is not calculated for backhauls. Also, the planning department, that ensures that
the most efficient routes are taken, does not consider this part of the distribution network.
The company’s perception of the cost impact of the above-described environmental
sustainable initiatives is quite positive: the improvements achieved through product
and packaging design, the energy saving programme and the initiatives towards the
reduction of the carbon footprint are both economic and environmental. The only
exception is represented by the use of rail transportation that, although ensuring
a better environmental performance, is in Italy often disadvantageous from a cost
perspective.
6.2 Electrolux
Electrolux is a global leader in household appliances and appliances for professional
use. Its operations are organized in three core businesses: major appliances, floor care
appliances and professional products.
Since many years, Electrolux Group has been committed to research for its
products and processes better operational performance as well as environmental impact
minimization. The group has been carrying out a worldwide environmental programme,
called “Green spirit”, which aims to reduce energy, water and other resources
consumption as well as CO2 emissions. The programme involves all activities/units
along the supply chain of all business sectors. Managing logistics efficiently is for the
company of utmost importance (De Toni and Zamolo, 2005). The distribution network is
organized and managed by Electrolux Logistics Italy, a group entity acting as a
third-party logistics provider serving customers both within and outside of the
Electrolux Group.
The Italian logistics network consists of four plants, with factory warehouses from
which large customers are served by means of direct shipments. Smaller customers’
orders are fulfilled from central distribution centres through a network of transit
points. The products sold within the Italian country are partly produced abroad and
the foreign plant is responsible for their distribution to Italian warehouses. Since 2000,
Electrolux Logistics Italy is certified ISO 14001. To this extent, it is worth to mention
the recent introduction of audits to logistics partners, to monitor vehicle maintenance
and disposal, use of alternative fuels, and driver skill improvement.
With regard to product design and packaging, an initiative was implemented in
2007 with the aim to reduce the packaging volume, enabling a better vehicle utilization
(an improvement in saturation of 30 per cent in certain vehicle types was achieved).
21. As far as warehousing is regarded, the implemented initiatives are focused on factory Benchmarking
warehouses, since they are directly managed by Electrolux. Besides the rationalization supply chain
of the industrial lighting, low-energy consumption forklift trucks are used.
Great attention is paid to optimize the outbound supply chain performance, both by sustainability
increasing the vehicle fill rate and by the planning of backhauls, trying to reduce
empty running.
Furthermore, the company is building environmental criteria into carrier selection 725
and monitoring vehicle emissions. The carriers’ environmental management system is
checked through periodical audits while yearly target to increase the highest truck
Euro categories is set by the company. Notwithstanding the increasing awareness
regarding this issue, it is challenging for the suppliers to fulfil the requirement as it
results in significant investments in their fleet.
Also, this company measures and reports its sustainability performance.
For example, the carbon footprint (total and per km travelled) is automatically
calculated and continuously monitored for each transport mode, measuring both direct
and indirect emissions (according to a LCA approach). The Euro category of each truck
is registered in the IT system at its arrival at the warehouse. The calculation of the
carbon footprint is somewhat hampered by the inability of the company to have full
visibility on the transportation process. Therefore, while assessing the supply chain
carbon footprint, outsource operations can only be assessed by estimates.
The company’s perception of the cost impact of the environmental sustainable
initiatives is positive in case of initiatives under the direct responsibility of Electrolux.
Conversely, this perception becomes unknown when there is no full visibility on the
process and the resources needed for the implementation of sustainable initiatives and
the related benefits are shared with other companies.
`
6.3 Nestle Waters
` `
Nestle Waters is one of the Nestle divisions operating in Italy, and is focussed on the
production and distribution of water, soft drinks, aperitifs and digestives.
This business unit has its own physical distribution network, which is almost
`
entirely managed by an external provider, owned for 51 per cent by Nestle Waters.
The logistics network is composed of 12 plants, all of them with a factory warehouse
from which large customers are directly served. The complete product range is present
at the nine central warehouses, from which products can be delivered to the customers,
directly or through a network of 30 wholesalers. The goods produced in Italian plants are
sold within the country and abroad. However, this latter flow is out of the scope of the
`
present research. Nestle Waters Italia does not purchase finished goods from foreign
plants. The flows of products from production plants to central warehouses
or wholesalers’ warehouses are managed by the logistics service provider, which
organize more than 180,000 trips per year.
Reducing the weight of packaging and the use of secondary packaging constitutes a
priority area for the company. Furthermore, they are exploring new packaging
solutions that could reduce the environmental impacts even more in the future.
Initiatives related to the warehousing supply chain phase are not implemented.
Conversely, great attention has been paid to the transportation phase.
The company tries to use alternative transport modes wherever possible: rail
transportation is currently used for north-south shipments or, sometimes, for product
22. BIJ deliveries to central warehouses. For its high adoption of the rail transportation mode,
´ ´
Nestle is one of the best performers within the Italian context. Nestle is participating in
18,5 tests of new engines, new fuels, driver training sessions in order to reduce fuel
consumption. In this direction, the company is also requiring drivers to use fuel
additives for modern diesel engines (e.g. AdBlue). The fleet for full truck load (FTL)
transportation has been renewed in recent years and today most of the trucks used are
726 e5. Moreover, new ways of loading trucks to maximize loading capacity are under
examination: the company is currently involved in a pilot project on the introduction of
high volume-carrying capacity vehicles, as already done in other European countries.
Increasing the capacity of trucks can allow the company to consolidate loads, achieving
greater vehicle fill and cutting trucks-kms. Another strategic direction regards the
development of multi-spring brands to bring production sites closer to areas of
consumption, thereby reducing distances travelled and road traffic. This solution would
ensure a better performance from an environmental point of view that has to be balanced
with a possible negative impact on costs, mainly due to a lower level of efficiency
achievable in production plants.
The group monitors the performances trough a multi-criteria environmental
evaluation that includes water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and the use of
energy from non-renewable resources. Once again the lack of a full visibility on local
distribution prevents from an accurate calculation of the carbon footprint generated by
the transportation process.
The company’s perception of the cost impact of the environmental
sustainable initiatives is positive, with the only exception of rail transportation, still
disadvantageous in Italy from an economic point of view. This perception becomes
negative in case of initiatives that entail a logistics network redesign.
6.4 Cross case analysis
The examined cases, although limited in number, provide some interesting insights.
As for warehousing, a low responsiveness has been generally observed. The reason
is twofold. On the one hand, there is often a lack of awareness in terms of warehousing
cost visibility (e.g. energy consumption), as warehouses often belong to third parties
or are located within a production plant (with a consequent lack of disaggregated data).
On the other hand, in case of companies adopting a carbon footprint computation
system, warehousing seems to be the phase with the lowest environmental impact.
It should be noticed that the examined sample does not present environmentally
critical (i.e. high energy consuming) products, such as frozen goods.
The adoption of sustainable initiatives dealing with transportation activities
strongly depends on the level of visibility on the outbound supply chain. The three
considered companies use both FTL for deliveries to large customers or to other facilities
within the network and local distribution for small-sized deliveries. They benefit from a
complete visibility on the process and thus monitor the environmental impact of FTL
transportation (i.e. carbon footprint). On the opposite, local distribution seems to be
under-monitored, due to the fact that trucks normally belong to 3PLs, and therefore
simultaneously distribute goods of multiple companies. This complexity may be
extended to less-than-truck load (LTL) transportation, where forwarders are expected to
collect and concurrently handle products of multiple companies.
23. From this viewpoint, a first new research stream may be identified towards an Benchmarking
effective sustainability of transportation activities. Indeed, sustainable solutions are supply chain
often hampered by the inability of the companies to have full visibility on the process
and to assess their environmental and economic benefit, since the transportation service sustainability
is performed by an external provider who consolidates on a single truck the shipments of
different customers. Furthermore, the single company, not being the owner of the trucks
in most cases, is not willing to invest in renewing the fleet of its logistics service provider 727
in order to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore, while examining the supply
chain carbon footprint, the company do not include the effects of LTL transportation
activities, due to the complexity of isolating their related impact.
A second new research stream may be identified, lying in the need for developing a
reporting system assessing the environmental impact of 3PL activities. This may allow
their customers to achieve a higher awareness of the generated environmental impact.
To date, to the best of authors’ knowledge, this aspect seems to be still
under-represented.
Lastly and closely interconnected with the issue regarding the system boundaries to
be considered for quantifying supply chain sustainability, it should be noticed that the
majority of companies do not consider backhauls within the carbon footprint analysis.
As regard to RQ3:
RQ3. The criteria commonly used for priority-setting amongst different initiatives
within the same supply chain phase.
managers have declared that “green” initiatives have been initially adopted that were
simultaneously leading to cost reduction. All of the examined companies have
implemented initiatives dealing with packaging (i.e. weight and volume decrease), thus
to obtain a better vehicle utilisation and a reduction in the purchasing cost.
Great attention has been paid to transportation planning procedures, thus to gain
both improvements in vehicle utilisation and decrease in travel distances. On the
opposite, a lower pervasiveness has been detected in the adoption of 3PL selection
initiatives. Companies are currently monitoring vehicle pollution ranking, but no cases
have been identified looking for cleaner trucks only, possibly because of potential
transportation cost increase.
As for the more “radical” initiatives (e.g. supply chain network redesign), the
trade-off between economic and environmental impact appears to be more significant.
To this extent, developing tools to support managers in the selection of the proper
sustainable initiatives seems to be a key aspect, together with the adoption of
environmental measurement systems.
7. Conclusions
Supply chain sustainability has recently gained an increasing attention in the supply
chain context both from the practitioners’ perspective and as a research area. In the
present paper, a framework was developed, to address the increasing companies’ need
for analysing the available environmental alternatives and quantify the related
sustainable efforts. In particular, through a literature review, the initiatives towards
supply chain sustainability were identified and an EPI to measure the adoption
by companies of these initiatives was proposed.
24. BIJ The framework was applied to ten companies, by examining their CER. Three of
18,5 them were the subject of further in-depth interviews to provide additional insight into
the level of understanding and awareness of sustainability issues within the
companies.
The paper offers a two-pronged contribution: on the one hand, it provides an answer
to the three research questions; on the other hand, it offers a starting point for company
728 benchmarking in terms of supply chain sustainability initiatives and their adoption
level.
Regard RQ1 (i.e. which phase within the supply chain is at the forefront in the
development of more sustainable supply chains), a significant attention has been
detected on product/packaging design, whereas initiatives addressing warehousing
and outbound supply chain seem to be less represented.
As for RQ2 (i.e. which initiatives are currently undertaken by companies to build a
sustainable supply chain) results show a significant variability in terms of adoption
level. Specifically, companies are gradually implementing more sustainable supply
chains, thus selecting the initiatives to be progressively implemented among those
available.
Finally, regard RQ3 (i.e. criteria commonly used for priority-setting
amongst different initiatives within the same supply chain phase), companies have
declared that “green” initiatives have been initially adopted that were simultaneously
leading to cost reduction. However, results also highlight that initiatives have been
initially implemented whose application and benefits could be fully monitored by
the company itself. This has been chiefly experienced for the outbound supply chain
(i.e. transportation) phase, which is one of the most critical phases from the
environmental viewpoint.
The results presented provide both practical and academics implications. First, with
reference to supply chain managers, what has emerged is the importance of a supply
chain viewpoint to look at environmental sustainability issues. Therefore, the need has
been pointed out for measuring the impact in terms of the whole supply chain, rather
than focussing on product families. In this way, companies would benefit from the
adoption of the examined sustainable initiatives. Second, it should be noticed that
the adoption process of sustainable initiatives is usually a step-by-step procedure.
As such, starting from the adoption of initiatives impacting on both an economic and
an environmental level, it is possible to sensitize companies in terms of environmental
issues, thus progressively developing a cultural background. Indeed, after the initial
phase, it will be possible to extend the adoption also to those initiatives whose balance
between benefits and costs is less clear. Third, the present study has provided a
complete list of initiatives towards supply chain sustainability, so that managers may
be aware of the potential actions to take for each supply chain phase.
From the academic viewpoint, the paper confirms the importance of shifting the
viewpoint from the mere LCA analysis also to the entire supply chain, as suggested by
recent studies. Therefore, it seems important to further deepen the motivations to
adoption by extending the sample considered for the analysis.
Finally, the outcome of the present study opens two streams for future research: first,
to include also the effects of transports on consolidation of shipments of more than one
company within the carbon footprint analysis, and, second, to develop a reporting
system assessing the environmental impact of 3PL activities. Future research may
25. go towards the deepening of these aspects. Furthermore, delving deeper in the Benchmarking
computation of the proposed EPI in order to assess the adoption of the sustainable supply chain
initiatives and the intensity in their use as well, could contribute to the body of
knowledge and provide valuable information for companies. sustainability
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