Abstract

Accurate and reliable information is needed to support decision-making processes. Due to the large number of participants typically involved in supply chain operations, organizations often find that it is difficult to effectively share information within a supply chain, hence, this research examined ways to improve information sharing within supply chain operations for one marine transportation services organization. An action research, case study approach used the Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) methodology to design an information technology solution that effectively communicates information between the layers within the supply chain regarding the movement of materials via inland tank barges. The comparative analysis of verification and baseline measurements conducted suggests this project was successful because the new process fulfilled the needs of the work environment for which it was designed. For the organization that participated in this research, the successful adoption of the new approach for information sharing improved communication and decision making within their supply chain.

Abstract

Inefficient urban freight transport has a negative impact on both livability in cities and profit margins in the supply chain. Urban logistics schemes, consisting of governmental policies and company initiatives, attempt to address these problems. However, successful schemes are difficult to realize due to the divergent objectives of the agents involved in urban logistics. Traditional optimization techniques fall short when evaluating schemes, as they do not capture the required change in behavior of autonomous agents. To properly evaluate schemes, we develop an agent-based simulation framework that assesses the interaction between five types of autonomous agents. Compared to existing studies in this field, we contribute by (i) explicitly including company-driven initiatives, and (ii) adopting a supply chain-wide perspective. We illustrate the working of our framework by testing a number of schemes on a virtual network. Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Abstract

Transportation has become an increasingly important part of the Canadian furniture industry supply chain. Even when different furniture companies ship to the same regions, the same cities and/or the same furniture retailers, coordination between two or more companies is rare. Recently, interest in collaborative transportation planning to support coordination has intensified as important potential benefits (e.g. cost and delivery time reductions) have been identified. Even though substantial benefits can be realized, the methods for sharing benefits among companies as well as the leadership of the collaboration implementation are key issues in deciding on a logistics scenario for the collaboration. In this paper, the impacts of these two key issues are illustrated using an industrial case study of four Canadian furniture companies shipping to the United-States. Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Abstract

International audience; This paper is about a twofold proposal submitted to the scrutiny of the OSS scientific community. It is first argued that OSS should be considered a means to establish an industry regulation. The motivation of this first proposal is the need for harmonization of the supply chain in certain industrial sectors. The Air Traffic Management industry (ATM) is the only case considered in this paper. However, it is assumed that the regulatory advantage of OSS is not specific to that industry. The second proposal is about how to establish such a regulation through OSS. It is argued that the legal ownership of the OSS product should be assigned to a public organization, preferably to an organization that would be dedicated to monitor and promote the evolution of that product. The motivation for these proposals is based on the analysis of possible scenarios of OSS ownership in the case of ATM. Perspectives concerning the preliminary implementation of the proposals are introduced. Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Abstract

In this article, a conceptual model, called MRP IV, is proposed in order to serve as a reference to develop a new production technology that integrates material planning decisions, production resource capacities and supply chain transport for the purpose of avoiding the suboptimization of these plans which, today, are usually generated sequentially and independently. This article aim is twofold: (1) it identifies the advances and deficiencies in the MRP calculations, mainly based on the dynamic multi-level capacitated lot-sizing problem (MLCLSP); and (2) it proposes a conceptual model, defining the inputs, outputs, modeling and solution approaches, to overcome the deficiencies identified in current MRP systems and act as a baseline to propose resolution models and algorithms required to develop MRP IV as a decision-making system. © 2012 IFIP International Federation for Information Processing. Mula, J.; Díaz-Madroñero Boluda, FM.; Peidro Payá, D. (2012). A conceptual model for integrating transport planning: MRP IV. En IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. Springer. (384):54-65. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-33980-6_7 Senia 54 65 384 Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Abstract

Health care access is a challenge in rural areas in Africa. On the demand side, rural people are often poor, and transport connectivity is typically bad in rural and remote areas. Because of limited transport connectivity, the quality of health care services provided is also often compromised. In Madagascar, the poor condition of the road network has long hampered the sustainability of the medical supply chain in rural areas. The paper shows that people's demand for health care services is affected not only by local transport connectivity, but also availability of medical supplies at the health facility level, which is also determined by primary and secondary road network connectivity. This in turn further suppresses people's demand in rural areas. The results also indicate that it is important to ensure financial affordability among the poor, which is found to be one of the most crucial constraints. Document type: Book

Abstract

Part 4: Infrastructures; International audience; Digital infrastructures (DI) that support information exchange related to international trade processes (here referred to as Digital Trade Infrastructures (DTI)) have been seen as an instrument to help address the trade facilitation and security challenges. Data pipelines can be seen as an example of a DTI. Data pipelines are IT innovations that enable the timely provision of data captured at the source from different information systems available in the supply chain. Using the pipeline companies can share information with authorities and enjoy trade facilitation in return. The benefits of such data pipelines have been showcased in demonstrator settings. However, outside the controlled environment of demonstrator installations, the adoption and growth of these DTIs has been limited. The benefits based on purely implementing the data pipeline are limited. Combining data pipeline capability with Coordinated Border Management (CBM) has potential to articulate more clear benefits for stakeholders and push further investments and wider adoption. In this paper based on the FloraHolland trade lane related to exporting flowers from Kenya to the Netherlands we discuss a data pipeline/CBM innovation. Through the conceptual lens of DI (examining architectural, process and governance dimensions) we demonstrate the potential benefits of data pipeline/CBM innovation and the complex alignment processes between business and government actors needed for the further adoption. From a theoretical point of view we enhance the understanding regarding the governance dimension of such data pipeline/CBM innovations by identifying four type of alignments processes involving businesses and government actors nationally and internationally. As such the paper contributes to the body of research on DI and more specifically DTI. Form a point of view of practice, the insights from our analysis can be used to better understand other data pipeline/CBM innovation alignment processes in other domains as well. Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Abstract

For several years, the promotion of intermodal transport has been a priority for the Spanish and European authorities (Cuerda et al., 2003; Conseil National des Transports [CNT], 2005) but the importance and the recent growth of rail transport in Spain is extremely small compared to road transport. This is more so in the case of small and medium-size companies shipping general (non-bulk) cargo, which almost exclusively use the road (Ministerio de Fomento, 2004). The establishment of a network of intermodal freight transport centres connected to the main railway lines and close to the main cities is viewed as an opportunity for the modal shift, and also the establishment of relevant intermodal corridors dedicated to specific freight purposes (ore, agricultural products), to be defined at a European level, should improve the overall figures. But nevertheless, there is the feeling in Spain that more attention should be given to general traffic issues, facing the needs of the great amount of small companies moving small amounts of freight, but with an enormous aggregate effect. Thus the strategic objectives of our work lie within the rationalization of mobility and the improvement of intermodal accessibility. They concentrate on establishing the basis for a higher participation of small and medium-size companies in intermodal transport by analyzing the specific experiences of an individual transport company, based in the city of Seville, seeking an enhancement of the modal shift within its logistic operations. This work is organized as follows: In section 2 we describe the role of intermodal transport in the supply chain. In Section 3 we list the actors involved in all phases of intermodal transport to then show the decision-making model for each one of these actors. In Section 4 we apply this model to the case of a transport company based in the South of Spain, describing all the shipment and cost data. Finally, in section 6 we explain our conclusions drawn from the decision making model in general and in particular for the case-study company, and analyze the effect of additional factors (other than cost) in the decision-making process with respect to intermodal transport. Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Abstract

By a domain we mean a universe of discourse.\r \r Typical examples are (partially) man-made universes of discourse - such as Air Traffic, Airports, Financial Services (banks, insurance companies, securities trading [brokers, traders, stock exchanges]), Health Care (hospitals etc.), Secure IT Systems (according to Intl. ISO/IEC Standard 17799), The Market (consumers, retailers, wholesalers, producers, "the supply chain"), Transportation (road, air, sea and/or rail transport), etc.\r \r We shall outline how one might describe such (infrastructure component) domains, informally and formally - what the current descriptional limitations appear to be, and, hence, the prospects for future research as well as practice.\r \r The current paper is based on Part IV, Chaps. 8-16 of [3]. The volume is one of [1, 2, 3].\r \r The aim of this paper is to suggest a number of areas of domain theory and methodology research. Document type: Part of book or chapter of book

Abstract

The United States Integrated Textile Complex (USITC) consists of fiber, textile, apparel, and retail firms who manufacture and distribute natural and synthetic fiber products. In today`s competitive global economy, USITC companies who team together to form supply chains require relationships which promote responsiveness to consumer demand, encourage business partnerships, and make effective use of resources. These supply chains, or pipelines, are being analyzed to improve time and cost performance. Enterprise analysis is the application of analysis methods and simulation tools to predict integrated performance of these pipelines. Through the use of scenario analysis, various alternatives in pipeline coordination and configuration can be assessed. Simply put, the end result is to design the pipeline so that the product the customer demands is delivered, in the right place, at the right time. In September 1996, industrial participants of the Demand Activated Manufacturing Architecture (DAMA) project completed the Phase 1 pipeline analysis study. The analysis identified opportunities to improve productivity and efficiency among five supply chain members, and proposed a generic modeling architecture and methodology that, if implemented, would identify actions necessary to improve supply-chain coordination among its members. The architecture and methodology are being pursued during the Phase 2 analysis, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of FY 1997. The goal of the Phase 2 analysis is to propose actionable recommendations to supply-chain members leading to a reduction of pipeline lead-time by 50%. Document type: Report