741 publications from this institution
Circular economy-based investments remain modest when compared to sustainability investments. Private investors interested in the circular economy currently have limited choices. To advance the transition to a circular economy, understanding private funding motivation, options, and outcomes are research directions that need to be pursued. Interdisciplinary researchers from environmental sustainability, ecological economics, and finance communities are urged to explore private financing options for the circular economy.
Lean manufacturing practices (LMPs) and corporate environmental sustainability are becoming inextricably linked. Throughout the lean and green debate, many organisations have recognised that LMPs have implications for their sustainable development and competitive positioning. Not only LMPs are complex on their own, but when perceived from an environmental sustainability perspective, the decision to implement an LMP can become even more intricate. Although general tools exist, the lack of effective decision-making tools to help in the implementation of LMPs with an environmental sustainability dimension is palpable. Thus, this study tackles the aforementioned decision problem by incorporating environmental and operational performance outcome expectations as these expectations are viewed in light of the ease of implementation of various LMPs. A novel multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model for evaluation of LMPs is developed in this respect. The model integrates a three-parameter interval grey number with rough set theory and the TODIM method. The model is run using empirical data from six manufacturing organisations. The findings facilitate the identification of a 'locus of investments' for a better selection of LMPs. The robustness of the decision support model developed is assessed through sensitivity analysis.
The integration of enterprise systems and the supply chain to an organization is becoming more critical in an ever-changing, globally competitive environment. Quick response will require close relationships, especially communications and information sharing among integrated internal functional groups as well as the suppliers and customers of an organization. Texas Instruments (TI), headquartered in Dallas, Texas, has come to realize this requirement for building and maintaining its competitive edge. Thus, it sought to implement an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system with a focus on linking it with a global electronic commerce (e-commerce) setting, an innovative and current issue (Weston, 2003). There were a number of major players, including project management direction from Andersen Consulting Services, software vendors such as SAP and i2 Technologies, hardware vendors such as Sun Microsystems, and various suppliers and customers of TI. The purpose of this case is to provide some aspects of implementation of strategic systems that provide valuable lessons for success. We begin and rely on the foundation of a strategic systems implementation model, which is initially described. A description of the case follows, with the various stages as related to strategic systems implementation described. We complete our discussion with implications and conclusions.
Presents the introductory editorial for this issue of the publication.
As more manufacturers adopt the virtual enterprise metaphor, inter-organizational interactions (customer–supplier relations) are being transformed. Automated electronic third party mediation (or brokering) mechanisms play an important role in this environment. We discuss how brokering's role and practice needs to evolve with evolving organizational forms. Supporting tools, technologies, and mechanisms needed to implement electronic commerce based on brokering are discussed. Future research and practitioner issues affecting both managers and researchers are also described.
Reverse supply chains are receiving increased attention in both academia and practice to address business and environmental sustainability opportunities. As few organizations are adept at both forward and reverse supply chains, subcontracting various activities is imperative. Forging temporary partnerships as a virtual enterprise to take advantage of a short-term market opportunity is one available avenue. Vendor selection that can best achieve combined expertise to complete the entire or strategic portions of a reverse supply chain, while simultaneously forming the virtual enterprise quickly to seize market opportunities, is an emerging and important issue. This paper presents a mixed-integer program that seeks to select vendors that minimize the maximum formation time of a reverse supply chain virtual enterprise, subject to a set of practical decision-making constraints. This model is then integrated into a novel algorithmic technique that generates a portfolio of high-quality and yet diverse solutions of optimal vendor choices, allowing managers to integrate intangible and subjective factors into their final decisions. Numerical examples and computational experiments on simulated data demonstrate the model’s efficiency for generating sets of high-quality solutions and the flexibility for accommodating a range of decision factors. Moreover, this paper sets the stage to further investigate the research nexus of reverse supply chains and virtual enterprises. Keyword: Virtual Enterprise, Reverse Supply Chain, Sustainability, Integer Programming, Solution Portfolios, Diversity
No abstract is provided for this article.
Economic globalization, increasing resource scarcity and environmental degradation have caused green supply chain management (GSCM) to become an important competitive approach for organizations involved in international trade. Using survey data collected from over 200 China‐based organizations, we compare the implementation levels of five GSCM practices among small‐, medium‐ and large‐sized organizations in China. We find that medium‐ and large‐sized organizations are more advanced than their smaller‐sized counterparts on most aspects, but not necessarily all, of these GSCM practices. Future research includes possible studies on GSCM practices and promotion, especially targeting small manufacturing organizations. In addition, the influence of globalization and foreign direct investment, especially after China's entry into the WTO, could be more carefully examined. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Long-term organisational viability and competitiveness should not be evaluated solely in terms of financial measures. Investors, policy makers and other stakeholders increasingly seek to evaluate performance with respect to sustainability – the environmental, social and economic performance of an organisation. But measuring and improving the sustainability performance of supply chains is challenging. Using one of the world's most critical supply chains, the food supply chain, we introduce and apply a multi-stage procedure to help analytically evaluate supply chains’ sustainability performance. The method involves development of sustainability indicators, data collection, data transformation using rescaling and determining of importance ratings using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The proposed methodology demonstrates how quantitative statistical data can be combined with expert opinion to construct an overall index of sustainability. Stakeholders can use the index to evaluate and guide sustainability performance of supply chains. Strengths and opportunities, as well as limitations of the methodology are discussed, and sensitivity analysis is performed.
No abstract is provided for this article.
Globalization and greening are two major trends manufacturing. Each trend has increased organizational and supply chain risk and uncertainty. Advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) are resources that can competitively aid modern industry in this volatile and complex environment. Thus, the evaluation, selection and implementation of more environmentally conscious AMT is important for meeting global requirements, especially with respect to environmental sustainability. Although a wide variety of methods to support AMT selection and evaluation processes exist, important aspects including green flexibility performance and psychological characteristics of decision makers under risk and uncertainty are missing. This paper presents a novel method for general investment appraisal of AMT, but especially introducing the context of green flexibility within manufacturing organizations. This paper aims to (1) develop effective green flexibility measures for manufacturing firms, incorporating various economic and environmental flexibility types, (2) introduce a hybrid possibility multiple criteria decision model for AMT evaluation and ranking integrating neighborhood rough set theory and cumulative prospect theory based on the three-parameter interval grey number, and (3) investigate the application of the proposed method in an illustrative case example to help manufacturing practitioner and researchers understand how to investigate various AMTs in this decision environment. Various advantages and disadvantages of the methodology are introduced. The results are evaluated with theoretical, methodological and managerial implications identified. This paper sets the foundation for significant future research in green manufacturing flexibility in an AMT environment.
Individual ownership of passenger cars has raised significant environmental concern due to carbon dioxide emissions from their usage. In this study, by establishing a bottom-up accounting framework with country-level resolution, a set of scenarios reflecting the possible trajectories of carbon dioxide emissions from global passenger cars through 2050 are presented. The analysis indicates that carbon dioxide emissions from global passenger cars were 2810 megatons in 2013, accounting for about 8.7% of global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. Under Business-As-Usual scenario, global car sales will more than double by 2050. It is expected that total carbon dioxide emissions will peak in 2020 at 2923 Mt and then decrease to 2297 Mt by 2050. Carbon dioxide emissions from more developed countries will decrease significantly over time. Meanwhile, less developed countries will show great growth. The gap of per capita carbon dioxide emissions between more developed countries and less developed countries will likely shrink rapidly. The Business-As-Usual scenario does not comply with the Representative Concentration Pathway 2.6 scenario, which is used as a benchmark of sustainability. Only when major mitigation measures are implemented to their full potentials can the sustainability goals be met. It is recommended that policy instruments should be further strengthened with a focus on less developed countries.
Outsourcing decisions by organizations have strategic and operational implications. Strategically, understanding the market and competition is necessary to make effective outsourcing decisions. In this paper we recognize this concern and model the situation where an organization with quality and cost pressures and operational strategies may arrive at different outsourcing solutions based on competitor quality strategy traits. We develop a three-stage game-theoretic oligopolistic model based on differentiated product strategy and integrating quality expectations of the market. The model is solved for equilibrium points on price, outsourcing activity, and investments in quality. The results show that these decision factors are sensitive to market expectations and quality performance of competitors. Performance measures based on profitability and market share results are also presented within this model. Observations and insights are also presented.
Blockchain is an emerging technology that has been widely hyped for addressing many business issues. Blockchain's disruptive technological capabilities have the potential to revolutionize global supply chain management processes, and impact green supply chain initiatives. Blockchain technology incorporates four major characteristics: transparency, reliability, smart execution, and tokenization. Blockchain characteristics have implications for green practices in the upstream supply chain, focal company, and downstream supply chain. This chapter provides insights, exemplary practices, and use cases on how blockchain features can enhance green supply chain activities. Research concerns and directions are proposed to advance the discussion and research on this emergent field.
This chapter presents a case study of an overview of the efforts of Texas Instrument's (TI's) internal and external ERP implementation, with a focus on linking its ERP system in a global e-commerce setting. This linkage is especially important since it had been stated in TI's strategic plan as an objective of this project to provide visibility of the ERP system to external constituents via Web linkages along with the objective of standardizing internal processes and important information technology systems to support market needs. Thus, its ERP system is central to managing its supply chain and B2B e-commerce linkages from both a customer and supplier perspective. Issues faced by TI are clearly outlined with future questions also posed in the final section.Request access from your librarian to read this chapter's full text.
This paper proposes an examination of public and private Research and Development (R&D) relationships performance and factors that determine possible success (good performance) levels, especially within a learning and knowledge management context. We apply Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to arrive at relative efficiency scores, which serve as performance measures. The data set includes intersectoral R&D relationships supported by Spanish companies and Public Research Centres (PRC). We empirically investigate how R&D project and organisational characteristics influence R&D project performance. Our findings reveal that PRCs show more synergy with smaller organisations. Small organisations take better advantage of PRC expertise and resources. Likewise, we also show that integrated R&D projects achieve better results when they are not joined with other R&D projects or organisational functions.
Product deletion is a strategic organizational decision. Using multiple literature streams, we identify antecedents and relationships of product deletion across four functional areas—marketing, supply chain, finance, and sustainability. Using a field data sample from eight organizations, we apply Bayesian analysis to identify various relationships between product deletion across various functional performance measures. We complete additional simulation analyses using two dependent variable distribution methods (balanced and unbalanced) and validate using parametric logistic regression methodology for robustness checks. The results show predictive relationships exist amongst the functional performance measures and product deletion. High performance across organizational functions results in decreased odds of product deletion; but not as large a margin as expected. If improved product performance is identified across all functions especially cost dimensions, the likelihood of product deletion decreases. Amongst these functions, surprisingly supply chain performance is a better indicator of a product's candidacy for deletion. The integrative findings are exploratory but provide insights for further research development and practical implementation.
