Abstract

Agglomeration economies are among the most important factors to increase firm productivity. However, there is little evidence supportive of this in Africa. By applying the conditional and nested logit models, this paper examines the relationship between firm locations and infrastructure accessibility in Rwanda. It is found that agglomeration economies matter to even one of the smallest countries in Africa. It is also found that infrastructure availability has an important role in affecting the firm location decision. Electricity access and transport connectivity to the domestic and international markets are found to be important to attract new investment. In addition, the quality of local labor supplied, measured by educational attainment, is found as an important determinant of firm location, while the effect of labor costs remains inconclusive. Document type: Book

Abstract

Sustainability in logistics and efforts to increase economic gains while managing the impact on the environment and on society have been discussed in all spheres of companies' decision-making processes. Especially in the consumer goods industry, customers' pressures are becoming more intense, not only related to product stewardship but also to supply chain responsibility. This paper intends to discuss how companies have been preparing themselves or reacting to these new demands. Using the content analysis method, practices published in public reports and implemented by top ranked sustainable companies were collected and analyzed. The practices were structured according to a newly developed framework for sustainable supply chains and are focused on distribution activities. These activities account for a large percentage of companies' carbon footprint and therefore offer ample opportunity for improvements in sustainability. The results show that the bulk of companies' investments related to sustainability is in Equipment and Vehicles technologies, especially battery electric vehicles. To understand more about this new trend, a survey was conducted with 33 companies from different industries in order to detect business users' profiles as well as their technical characteristics. The paper's results include insights about the challenges and opportunities in the consumer goods industry towards a sustainable supply chain network.

Abstract

In this article, we propose to improve the efficiency of transport companies by managing information and advertising activities to promote material flow. In this research, within the framework of planning the supply of consumer goods in cities, we offer the following alternative supply schemes: the direct goods delivery and delivery through distribution centres. In order to choose a rational supply scheme as a criterion of efficiency it was proposed to use the total delivery cost including the information and advertising component. The research also provides the methodology for determining the maximum effect of advertising activities by road transport companies. In addition, an example of developed advertising packages with the minimum and maximum advertising costs is given. The measures proposed in the research will allow developing a program to stimulate demand for transport services and increase the competitiveness of road transport companies in the transport market. Document type: Article