Search Results (326)

Background: This paper is the first-ever discussion of sport logistics as an intersection of the academic disciplines of logistics and sport management. Methods: It reviews past literature and states that logistics in sport is widely overlooked in academic literature. It illustrates the importance and pervasive nature of logistics in the sport industry and questions how sport logistics can be positioned at the interface of logistics and sport management science. Both disciplines are contrasted under the common lens of Porter’s value chain. Results: Operations, organization and marketing are identified along with economics and strategy as areas of sport management (highly) involved with logistics. Sport logistics is defined as a research area dealing with storage and transportation issues in sport organizations. Conclusions: Based on a case example from practice, athlete equipment logistics, the authors elaborate on the unique characteristics of managing logistics in sport, e.g., low competition, personal relationships and high demand predictability. They call for a broader discourse on sport logistics in academia. Full article

Background: With the increasing societal focus on sustainability and the critical need for innovative energy solutions, this research emphasizes the undervalued biomass originating from waste products of agroforestry activities. The traditional practice of disposing of these waste products through open-air burning has led to environmental challenges and a tragic loss of their inherent energy potential. Methods: This study adopts a multifaceted approach, integrating literature reviews, expert interviews from both the academic and professional sectors, and surveys. The central focus is on understanding supply chain inefficiencies and communication gaps that contribute to waste and addressing them through the Lean philosophy, renowned for its waste reduction benefits. Results: Our research culminated in the development of a unique information management model based on a web application. Additionally, the study provides a theoretical groundwork for an application that backs the proposed model. Conclusions: The presented strategy and web-based model offer promising avenues for managing waste products from agroforestry activities more sustainably and efficiently. This approach not only addresses the environmental issues arising from waste disposal but also taps into the significant energy potential these waste products hold. Full article

Background: In the current political discourse, supply chain transparency is seen as a key to improving the working and environmental conditions within textile supply chains. Additionally, the use of technology is increasingly being regarded as a means of reducing complexity and increasing transparency within these supply chains. While much research has been conducted to understand the impact of the textile industry on sustainability and the impact of technology on the overall performance of the textile supply chains, little attention has been placed on the following question: How do technologies affect transparency within the textile supply chains? Methods: We conducted seven interviews with actors from the textile industry. Based on these collected data, the relevance of selected technologies for improving transparency is established and the challenges of their implementation and impact on the industry are assessed. Results: Digital technologies, such as blockchain, the Internet of Things and dialog platforms, are promising instruments for transparency, even though their current implementation is not ideal. Furthermore, great skepticism on platforms for reporting (audits and complaint systems) is still prevalent. Conclusions: Since the influence of transparency on sustainability is conditioned by the goal orientation with which the technologies are implemented and used, we propose a framework for the implementation of the selected technologies that account for the interaction between said technologies in the textile supply chains. Full article

Background: Saudi Arabia is a leading country endorsing a sustainable future, from policymaking and investment to infrastructure development. One of the rising concerns in Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 is solid waste management, especially in Makkah. The Solid Waste Collection Problem (SWCP) refers to the route optimisation of waste collection trucks visiting containers across various locations. Manually generated routes might contain some mistakes, and constructing and revising designed solutions can take a long time. Thus, there is a need to find optimal and fast solutions to this problem. Solving this problem demands tackling numerous routing constraints while aiming to minimise the operational cost. Since solid waste has a significant impact on the environment, reducing fuel consumption must be an objective. Methods: Thus, a mixed-integer programming model is proposed in this paper while using the time-oriented nearest neighbour heuristic. The goal is to investigate their performance on nine existing instances of SWCP in the city of Makkah. The proposed model is implemented in the Gurobi solver. The time-oriented nearest neighbour heuristic constructs the initial solution and is then re-optimised using Google OR-tools. Results: Using the greedy method to construct a solution for this problem generated better solutions when compared to the results obtained without the greedy method. Computational times are also improved by 55.7% on the problem instances. Conclusions: The findings confirm the competitive performance of the proposed method in terms of computational times and solution quality. Full article

Background: This study aims to analyze the relationship between lean practices and organizational performance in a public institution, specifically, a military organization. Methods: The research has a quantitative approach with a descriptive character, having as a sample the members of a military unit located in Rio Grande do Sul. A valid sample of 116 answered questionnaires was obtained. Data analysis was carried out through multivariate statistical treatment, known as Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), using the Smart-PLS software. Results: At the end of the study, it was possible to confirm the central hypothesis of the study and conclude that lean practices (waste elimination, continuous improvement, support and leadership, member involvement, education and training, long-term thinking, quality, and systemic vision) positively impact organizational performance. Together, these elements combine to engender organizational effectiveness and success, promoting more productivity, quality, profitability, and customer satisfaction, thus improving the organization’s performance. Conclusions: It is evident that the members of the military unit are committed to optimizing organizational performance, showing constant improvement in productivity, rarely committing errors, cost reduction in activities and works, high effectiveness in meeting goals, prioritizing cost reduction in the execution of activities, as well as achieving goals and objectives related to the services provided. Full article

Background: E-commerce’s convenience, speed, and ability to overcome geographical barriers have made it increasingly popular across industries. This study analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on customer experience and satisfaction in supermarket retail e-commerce in the Brazilian market. The objective was to understand how the pandemic influenced satisfaction in this sector. Methods: A survey research method was employed, utilizing the Critical Incident Technique to identify key quality dimensions important to customers. A total of 133 valid responses underwent exploratory factor analysis. Results: Data analysis identified three dimensions significantly affecting overall customer satisfaction. “Presentation of Products in the Application (app)” had the highest correlation, while “Delivery Logistics” had the lowest. However, when considering the COVID-19 factor, “Delivery Logistics” showed the highest correlation. This indicates that the dimension most affected by the pandemic has the least impact on overall satisfaction in supermarket e-commerce. Conclusions: The study emphasizes the significance of understanding customer satisfaction in supermarket e-commerce, not just during the COVID-19 pandemic but also its post-pandemic consequences. Retailers should prioritize improving product presentation in apps, as it greatly influences overall satisfaction. Addressing the pandemic’s impact on delivery logistics is also crucial to ensure competitiveness in the e-commerce market. Full article

Background: As industry and society move towards the second decade of the deluge of advanced technologies of the Industry 4.0 (I4.0) age, introduced circa 2012, it is evident that the global economy continues to grapple with a plethora of ever-intensifying disruptions and vulnerabilities that inflict unexpected and uncontrolled damages on multiple organizational processes. These circumstances demand significant paradigm shifts, placing supply chain resilience (SCR) in the foreground of boardrooms and agendas of executive meetings. Method: This paper presents a bibliometric analysis of selected articles that examine the intricate interplay of I4.0 and SCR under investment constraints. Employing a funnel approach, this study delves deeper into about a hundred papers that were initially selected from a pool of approximately four thousand publications on SCR. The study thoroughly analyzes the interconnection between SCR, I4.0, and investment (INV) while classifying these articles in a structured manner, based on industry type and focus. Results: The primary aim of the paper is to identify trends, gaps, and potential opportunities for future research on the SCR-I4.0-INV interplays. Conclusions: The findings reveal that industries are converging towards the implementation of digital technologies as a strategic move to tackle unexpected, unplanned, and undesired situations. This research illuminates the needs for organizations to prioritize supply chain resilience in the face of disruptions and vulnerabilities while highlighting the potential of digital technologies to enhance their resilience, therefore ensuring sustainable growth. Full article

Background: The soybean market is representative of the world. Brazil is the largest producer and exporter of this crop and has low production costs but high logistical costs, which are influenced mainly by transport costs. Added to these characteristics, the disputed grain supply, the possibility of crop failure, and the randomness of some parameters that influence the soybean supply chain make decisions even more challenging. Methods: To mathematically model this problem, we carried out an analysis of the scientific production related to grain supply chain and the models used to address the problem, as well as a document analysis and a case study. Results: This paper proposes a new two-stage stochastic linear programming model with fixed recourse for tactical planning in the soybean supply chain from the perspective of the shipper under take or pay contracts over a one-year time horizon. The first-stage variables are the grain purchasing decisions and the volumes of rail and road transportation hired in advance. The model addresses 243 scenarios derived from four uncertainty sources: the purchase and sale prices of raw agricultural products on the spot market, the probability of crop failure, and the external demand. Conclusions: The model is successfully applied to a soybean trade firm in Brazil with expected gain of US$4,299,720 when using the stochastic model instead of the deterministic model. The stochastic model protected the firm from take or pay fines and crop failures, contracting a smaller volume of rail transport than what the company does. Full article

Background: This study investigates the vital significance of logistical cost optimization within the residual woody biomass supply chain, aiming to boost both sustainability and the efficient utilization of this resource. There is an emphasis on how adept cost management can determine the economic feasibility of exploiting residual biomass. Methods: The research delves into crucial areas including collection, transportation, storage, and processing of biomass, highlighting their respective roles in the total cost. The influence of factors such as seasonality and biomass quality variations on the supply chain's cost and efficiency is explored. To provide an in-depth analysis of these factors, mathematical models are presented that allow for the examination of a variety of scenarios and optimization strategies. Techniques such as linear programming, genetic algorithms, and tabu search are contextualized within these models. Results: The study provides in-sights into individual cost contributions of different logistical operations. It also reveals how seasonality and biomass quality variations directly affect the cost and efficacy of the supply chain. Conclusions: Proficient logistical cost management is crucial for the successful exploitation of residual biomass. The findings have substantial implications for managing the residual biomass supply chain, paving the way for a transition to a low-carbon economy. Full article

Background: Sustainable procurement is about considering social and environmental factors alongside financial factors in making procurement decisions and purchasing goods and services that take into account the social, economic, and environmental impact that such purchasing has on people and communities. This study was carried out to address the effects of procurement sustainability on reverse logistics. It considered four objectives: to establish the relationship between environmental procurement sustainability and reverse logistics, to examine the relationship between economic procurement sustainability and reverse logistics, to examine the relationship between social sustainability procurement and reverse logistics, and to examine the moderating role of government policy. Methods: This study applied structural equation modeling to check the research hypotheses. A purposive sampling technique was used. A structured questionnaire was used to gather primary data. The data gathered were analyzed using descriptive and inferential analysis. The data were analyzed in SPSS version 21. The study found that environmental, economic, and social procurement sustainability has a significant and positive effect on reverse logistics. Government policy moderates the relationships between environmental, economic, and social procurement sustainability and reverse logistics. Conclusions: This study recommends that organizations team up with environmental protection agencies to produce environmentally friendly products. Social interventions that can help protect society from damage should be acknowledged. Good economic policies that ensure that organizations increase their wealth should also be acknowledged. Full article

Background: Agro-food supply chains possess specific characteristics due to the diverse nature of products involved and contribute to all three pillars of sustainability, making the optimal design of a sustainable agro-food supply chain a complex problem. Therefore, efficient models incorporating the unique characteristics of such chains are essential for making optimal supply chain decisions and achieving economically and environmentally sustainable agro-food supply chains that contribute to global food security. Methods: This article presents a multi-objective mixed-integer linear programing model that integrates agricultural-related strategic decisions into the tactical design of an agro-food supply chain. The model considers transportation, inventory, processing, demand fulfilment, and waste disposal decisions. It also accounts for seasonality and perishability, ensuring a comprehensive approach to sustainability. The model aims to maximize the total generated profits across the supply chain while simultaneously minimizing CO₂ emissions as a measure of environmental impact. Results: By implementing the model on a sugar beet supply chain in the Netherlands, strategic crop rotation farm schedules for the crop rotation cycle and the optimum supply network decisions are obtained. Furthermore, different objectives are analyzed and the Pareto-efficient frontier is investigated to analyze the underlying trade-offs. Additionally, the model serves as a decision support tool for managers facilitating informed investment decisions in technologies that prolong product shelf life while maintaining profitability. Conclusions: The proposed multi-objective model offers a valuable framework for designing economically and environmentally sustainable agro-food supply chains. By aligning with sustainability goals and providing decision support, this research contributes to enhancing global food security and promoting sustainable resource utilization. Full article

Background: With regard to the definition of an optimal transport plan for some material flow in the logistics system in literature and practice, the classical transport task model is developed. The minimization of total transport costs is usually considered for optimality. Some modifications to the classical transport task have also been developed. Methods: The article uses the methods of linear optimization. Based on these methods, two modified transport task models have been constructed, which consider the possibility of planning in advance the quantities available from the suppliers of the transported cargo. These models are applicable in SCM for pharmaceuticals with a national logistics hub. Furthermore, a solver in MS Excel is used to determine the optimal solution of optimization models. Results: Two new (modified, extended) models of the transport task have been constructed, in which a preliminary planning of the available quantities of the transported cargo at the suppliers is made. These quantities shall be planned in such a way as to ensure a minimum total transport cost. Conclusions: By applying the proposed new transport task models, lower total transport costs for carrying out imported pharmaceuticals can be ensured compared to an application of the classical transport task model. Full article

Background: To help ensure roadway safety, the federal government mandates trucking companies to conduct pre-employment urine drug tests before allowing drivers to operate a commercial motor vehicle. Unfortunately, urine testing has a short detection window and is easily thwarted, leading some carriers to employ hair testing. Methods: t-tests were utilized to compare hair and urine pre-employment drug test results provided by seven large U.S. trucking companies. Results: results indicate that hair’s positivity rate is statistically greater than urine for each examined drug and across all drugs combined. Conclusions: This paper is the only supply chain work of which we are aware that assesses the statistical differences between hair and urine testing positivity rates. Results support hair testing’s increased ability to prevent lifestyle drug users from operating commercial motor vehicles and should be considered by public policy makers considering whether hair testing results should be allowed into the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. Full article

Background: The Industry 5.0 emerges as a new paradigm for the industry by considering sustainability, human-centered approaches, organizational resilience, and interaction between humans and machines as its core values. This new trend for the future of the industry is referred to as neoindustrialization. Due to being a topic in development, there is still no precise consensus on its definition, which prompted the current study to comprehensively investigate and analyze the existing literature on Industry 5.0. Methods: The method employed was a scoping review, examining publications from various databases and academic journals, including those specific to the Brazilian context. Results: The results indicate a transition towards an industry that meets societal demands and respects planetary boundaries, aspects that were overlooked by Industry 4.0. Conclusions: In this new scenario, the industry reassumes its leadership by combining technology with new strategies and organizational models. Furthermore, it undergoes organizational changes to align its structure, operations, human resources, and new practices, aiming to meet the demands of society and all stakeholders involved. To achieve this, it is necessary to create an environment conducive to innovation and entrepreneurship, promoting the development of qualified human capital, investments in research and development, and strengthening partnerships between the public and private sectors. A successful neoindustrialization policy will generate high-quality jobs and foster economic growth. Industry 5.0 is the paradigm that will prevail in the 21st century. It is not a matter of speculation; it is an inseparable and inevitable reality. Otherwise, the industry will be relegated to a secondary role in the process of digital and social transformation. Full article