Food quality awareness : cases from shrimp producers in Thailand and vegetable producers in Vietnam

The high number of import rejections of food commodities suggests that producers in exporting countries are not complying with established standards. To understand why this is the case, we explore the behavior of producers and consumers in developing countries. First, we examine the successful transformation of production practices adopted by shrimp producers in Thailand. In support of the dramatic change in practices, we observe an important role played by the public sector in providing a means to visualize chemical residues and to control processes upstream of the supply chain via a registration system and a traceability system called Movement Document. Furthermore, very active information sharing by the private sector contributes to the dissemination of useful technical and market information among producers. We also examine the knowledge and perceptions of consumers with respect to food safety in Vietnam. We find that consumers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City behave differently toward the third-party certification VietGAP, probably owing to differences in the history of market mechanisms between the two cities.

Coordination mechanisms and software in industrial networks - a literature review

This paper groups recent supply chain management research focused on organizational design and its software support. The classification encompasses criteria related to research methodology and content. Empirical studies from management science focus on network types and organizational fit. Novel planning algorithms and innovative coordination schemes are developed mostly in the field of operations research in order to propose new software features. Operations and production management realize cost-benefit analysis of IT software implementations. The success of software solutions for network coordination depends strongly on the fit of three dimensions: network configuration, coordination scheme and software functionality. This paper concludes with proposals for future research on unaddressed issues within and among the identified research streams.

MILP for the inventory and routing problem for replenishment the car assembly line.

The inbound logistic for feeding the workstation inside the factory represents a critical issue in the car manufacturing industry. Nowadays, this issue is even more critical than in the past since more types of car are being produced in the assembly lines. Consequently, as workstations have to install many types of components, they also need to have an inventory of different types of the component in a compact space. The replenishment is a critical issue since a lack of inventory could cause line stoppage or reworking. On the other hand, an excess of inventory could increase the holding cost or even block the replenishment paths. The decision of the replenishment routes cannot be made without taking into consideration the inventory needed by each station during the production time which will depend on the production sequence. This problem deals with medium-sized instances and it is solved using online solvers. The contribution of this paper is a MILP for the replenishment and inventory of the components in a car assembly line.

Evaluation of configurations of supply networks supported by it systems

Los sistemas transaccionales tales como los programas informáticos para la planificación de recursos empresariales (ERP software) se han implementado ampliamente mientras que los sistemas analíticos para la gestión de la cadena de suministro (SCM software) no han tenido el éxito deseado por la industria de tecnología de información (TI). Aunque se documentan beneficios importantes derivados de las implantaciones de SCM software, las empresas industriales son reacias a invertir en este tipo de sistemas. Por una parte esto es debido a la falta de métodos que son capaces de detectar los beneficios por emplear esos sistemas, y por otra parte porque el coste asociado no está identificado, detallado y cuantificado suficientemente. Los esquemas de coordinación basados únicamente en sistemas ERP son alternativas válidas en la práctica industrial siempre que la relación coste-beneficio esta favorable. Por lo tanto, la evaluación de formas organizativas teniendo en cuenta explícitamente el coste debido a procesos administrativos, en particular por ciclos iterativos, es de gran interés para la toma de decisiones en el ámbito de inversiones en TI. Con el fin de cerrar la brecha, el propósito de esta investigación es proporcionar métodos de evaluación que permitan la comparación de diferentes formas de organización y niveles de soporte por sistemas informáticos. La tesis proporciona una amplia introducción, analizando los retos a los que se enfrenta la industria. Concluye con las necesidades de la industria de SCM software: unas herramientas que facilitan la evaluación integral de diferentes propuestas de organización. A continuación, la terminología clave se detalla centrándose en la teoría de la organización, las peculiaridades de inversión en TI y la tipología de software de gestión de la cadena de suministro. La revisión de la literatura clasifica las contribuciones recientes sobre la gestión de la cadena de suministro, tratando ambos conceptos, el diseño de la organización y su soporte por las TI. La clasificación incluye criterios relacionados con la metodología de la investigación y su contenido. Los estudios empíricos en el ámbito de la administración de empresas se centran en tipologías de redes industriales. Nuevos algoritmos de planificación y esquemas de coordinación innovadoras se desarrollan principalmente en el campo de la investigación de operaciones con el fin de proponer nuevas funciones de software. Artículos procedentes del área de la gestión de la producción se centran en el análisis de coste y beneficio de las implantaciones de sistemas. La revisión de la literatura revela que el éxito de las TI para la coordinación de redes industriales depende en gran medida de características de tres dimensiones: la configuración de la red industrial, los esquemas de coordinación y las funcionalidades del software. La literatura disponible está enfocada sobre todo en los beneficios de las implantaciones de SCM software. Sin embargo, la coordinación de la cadena de suministro, basándose en el sistema ERP, sigue siendo la práctica industrial generalizada, pero el coste de coordinación asociado no ha sido abordado por los investigadores. Los fundamentos de diseño organizativo eficiente se explican en detalle en la medida necesaria para la comprensión de la síntesis de las diferentes formas de organización. Se han generado varios esquemas de coordinación variando los siguientes parámetros de diseño: la estructura organizativa, los mecanismos de coordinación y el soporte por TI. Las diferentes propuestas de organización desarrolladas son evaluadas por un método heurístico y otro basado en la simulación por eventos discretos. Para ambos métodos, se tienen en cuenta los principios de la teoría de la organización. La falta de rendimiento empresarial se debe a las dependencias entre actividades que no se gestionan adecuadamente. Dentro del método heurístico, se clasifican las dependencias y se mide su intensidad basándose en factores contextuales. A continuación, se valora la idoneidad de cada elemento de diseño organizativo para cada dependencia específica. Por último, cada forma de organización se evalúa basándose en la contribución de los elementos de diseño tanto al beneficio como al coste. El beneficio de coordinación se refiere a la mejora en el rendimiento logístico - este concepto es el objeto central en la mayoría de modelos de evaluación de la gestión de la cadena de suministro. Por el contrario, el coste de coordinación que se debe incurrir para lograr beneficios no se suele considerar en detalle. Procesos iterativos son costosos si se ejecutan manualmente. Este es el caso cuando SCM software no está implementada y el sistema ERP es el único instrumento de coordinación disponible. El modelo heurístico proporciona un procedimiento simplificado para la clasificación sistemática de las dependencias, la cuantificación de los factores de influencia y la identificación de configuraciones que indican el uso de formas organizativas y de soporte de TI más o menos complejas. La simulación de eventos discretos se aplica en el segundo modelo de evaluación utilizando el paquete de software ‘Plant Simulation’. Con respecto al rendimiento logístico, por un lado se mide el coste de fabricación, de inventario y de transporte y las penalizaciones por pérdida de ventas. Por otro lado, se cuantifica explícitamente el coste de la coordinación teniendo en cuenta los ciclos de coordinación iterativos. El método se aplica a una configuración de cadena de suministro ejemplar considerando diversos parámetros. Los resultados de la simulación confirman que, en la mayoría de los casos, el beneficio aumenta cuando se intensifica la coordinación. Sin embargo, en ciertas situaciones en las que se aplican ciclos de planificación manuales e iterativos el coste de coordinación adicional no siempre conduce a mejor rendimiento logístico. Estos resultados inesperados no se pueden atribuir a ningún parámetro particular. La investigación confirma la gran importancia de nuevas dimensiones hasta ahora ignoradas en la evaluación de propuestas organizativas y herramientas de TI. A través del método heurístico se puede comparar de forma rápida, pero sólo aproximada, la eficiencia de diferentes formas de organización. Por el contrario, el método de simulación es más complejo pero da resultados más detallados, teniendo en cuenta parámetros específicos del contexto del caso concreto y del diseño organizativo. ABSTRACT Transactional systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems have been implemented widely while analytical software like Supply Chain Management (SCM) add-ons are adopted less by manufacturing companies. Although significant benefits are reported stemming from SCM software implementations, companies are reluctant to invest in such systems. On the one hand this is due to the lack of methods that are able to detect benefits from the use of SCM software and on the other hand associated costs are not identified, detailed and quantified sufficiently. Coordination schemes based only on ERP systems are valid alternatives in industrial practice because significant investment in IT can be avoided. Therefore, the evaluation of these coordination procedures, in particular the cost due to iterations, is of high managerial interest and corresponding methods are comprehensive tools for strategic IT decision making. The purpose of this research is to provide evaluation methods that allow the comparison of different organizational forms and software support levels. The research begins with a comprehensive introduction dealing with the business environment that industrial networks are facing and concludes highlighting the challenges for the supply chain software industry. Afterwards, the central terminology is addressed, focusing on organization theory, IT investment peculiarities and supply chain management software typology. The literature review classifies recent supply chain management research referring to organizational design and its software support. The classification encompasses criteria related to research methodology and content. Empirical studies from management science focus on network types and organizational fit. Novel planning algorithms and innovative coordination schemes are developed mostly in the field of operations research in order to propose new software features. Operations and production management researchers realize cost-benefit analysis of IT software implementations. The literature review reveals that the success of software solutions for network coordination depends strongly on the fit of three dimensions: network configuration, coordination scheme and software functionality. Reviewed literature is mostly centered on the benefits of SCM software implementations. However, ERP system based supply chain coordination is still widespread industrial practice but the associated coordination cost has not been addressed by researchers. Fundamentals of efficient organizational design are explained in detail as far as required for the understanding of the synthesis of different organizational forms. Several coordination schemes have been shaped through the variation of the following design parameters: organizational structuring, coordination mechanisms and software support. The different organizational proposals are evaluated using a heuristic approach and a simulation-based method. For both cases, the principles of organization theory are respected. A lack of performance is due to dependencies between activities which are not managed properly. Therefore, within the heuristic method, dependencies are classified and their intensity is measured based on contextual factors. Afterwards the suitability of each organizational design element for the management of a specific dependency is determined. Finally, each organizational form is evaluated based on the contribution of the sum of design elements to coordination benefit and to coordination cost. Coordination benefit refers to improvement in logistic performance – this is the core concept of most supply chain evaluation models. Unfortunately, coordination cost which must be incurred to achieve benefits is usually not considered in detail. Iterative processes are costly when manually executed. This is the case when SCM software is not implemented and the ERP system is the only available coordination instrument. The heuristic model provides a simplified procedure for the classification of dependencies, quantification of influence factors and systematic search for adequate organizational forms and IT support. Discrete event simulation is applied in the second evaluation model using the software package ‘Plant Simulation’. On the one hand logistic performance is measured by manufacturing, inventory and transportation cost and penalties for lost sales. On the other hand coordination cost is explicitly considered taking into account iterative coordination cycles. The method is applied to an exemplary supply chain configuration considering various parameter settings. The simulation results confirm that, in most cases, benefit increases when coordination is intensified. However, in some situations when manual, iterative planning cycles are applied, additional coordination cost does not always lead to improved logistic performance. These unexpected results cannot be attributed to any particular parameter. The research confirms the great importance of up to now disregarded dimensions when evaluating SCM concepts and IT tools. The heuristic method provides a quick, but only approximate comparison of coordination efficiency for different organizational forms. In contrast, the more complex simulation method delivers detailed results taking into consideration specific parameter settings of network context and organizational design.

A new paradigm: cloud agile manufacturing

Cloud Agile Manufacturing is a new paradigm proposed in this article. The main objective of Cloud Agile Manufacturing is to offer industrial production systems as a service. Thus users can access any functionality available in the cloud of manufacturing (process design, production, management, business integration, factories virtualization, etc.) without knowledge — or at least without having to be experts — in managing the required resources. The proposal takes advantage of many of the benefits that can offer technologies and models like: Business Process Management (BPM), Cloud Computing, Service Oriented Architectures (SOA) and Ontologies. To develop the proposal has been taken as a starting point the Semantic Industrial Machinery as a Service (SIMaaS) proposed in previous work. This proposal facilitates the effective integration of industrial machinery in a computing environment, offering it as a network service. The work also includes an analysis of the benefits and disadvantages of the proposal.

Cloud agile manufacturing

This paper proposes a new manufacturing paradigm, we call Cloud Agile Manufacturing, and whose principal objective is to offer industrial production systems as a service. Thus users can access any functionality available in the cloud of manufacturing (process design, production, management, business integration, factories virtualization, etc.) without knowledge — or at least without having to be experts — in managing the required resources. The proposal takes advantage of many of the benefits that can offer technologies and models like: Business Process Management (BPM), Cloud Computing, Service Oriented Architectures (SOA) and Ontologies. To develop the proposal has been taken as a starting point the Semantic Industrial Machinery as a Service (SIMaaS) proposed in previous work. This proposal facilitates the effective integration of industrial machinery in a computing environment, offering it as a network service. The work also includes an analysis of the benefits and disadvantages of the proposal.

Prime contractors qualifying additional sources : report to the Congress /

"July 1985."

Managing quality and productivity in aerospace and defense.

"November 1989."

Producibility guidelines : a blueprint for product integrity.

"August 1993."

National Defense Program: Contracts and Expenditures

Title varies: June-July 1940, National Defense Program: Contracts and Awards; July 12,1941, National Defense Program: Contract Award Listing

Measuring and managing performance in extended enterprises

Purpose - The purpose of this research paper is to demonstrate how existing performance measurement may be adopted to measure and manage performance in extended enterprises. Design/methodology/approach - The paper reviews the literature in performance measurement and extended enterprises. It explains the collaborative architecture of an extended enterprise and demonstrates this architecture through a case study. A model for measuring and managing performance in extended enterprises is developed using the case study. Findings - The research found that due to structural differences between traditional and extended enterprises, the systems required to measure and manage the performance of extended enterprises, whilst being based upon existing performance measurement frameworks, would be structurally and operationally different. Based on this, a model for measuring and managing performance in extended enterprises is proposed which includes intrinsic and extrinsic inter-enterprise coordinating measures. Research limitations/implications - There are two limitations this research. First, the evidence is based on a single case, thus further cases should be studied to establish the generalisibility of the presented results. Second, the practical limitations of the EE performance measurement model should be established through longitudinal action research. Practical implications - In practice the model proposed requires collaborating organisations to be more open and share critical performance information with one another. This will require change in practices and attitudes. Originality/value - The main contribution this paper makes is that it highlights the structural differences between traditional and collaborative enterprises and specifies performance measurement and management requirements of these collaborative organisations. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Structured engagement in the extended enterprise

Discusses the necessity for the conscious recognition of the phenomenon known as the extended enterprise; this demands that product, process and supply chain design are all considered simultaneously. Structure must be given to the extended enterprise in order to understand and manage it efficaciously. The authors discuss multiple perspectives for doing this, and employ the notions of “3-dimensional concurrent engineering” and “holonic thinking” for conceiving what the structure may look like. Describes a current “action research” project that is investigating potential lead-time reductions within an extended enterprise’s product introduction process. This aims to produce process visualisations, a framework for structuring and sychronising phases and stage-gates within the extended enterprise, and a new simulation tool which will provide a synthetic distributed hypermedia network. These deliverables will be used to play strategic “games” to explore problem issues within the product introduction process that belongs to the extended enterprise, develop teamwork across autonomous companies, and ultimately, contribute to the design of future extended enterprise supply chains.

Analytic hierarchy process helps evaluate projects in Indian oil pipeline industry

Conventionally, oil pipeline projects are evaluated thoroughly by the owner before investment decision is made using market, technical and financial analysis sequentially. The market analysis determines pipelines throughput and supply and demand points. Subsequent, technical analysis identifies technological options and economic and financial analysis then derives the least cost option among all technically feasible options. The subsequent impact assessment tries to justify the selected option by addressing environmental and social issues. The impact assessment often suggests alternative sites, technologies, and/or implementation methodology, necessitating revision of technical and financial analysis. This study addresses these issues via an integrated project evaluation and selection model. The model uses analytic hierarchy process, a multiple-attribute decision-making technique. The effectiveness of the model has been demonstrated through a case application on cross-country petroleum pipeline project in India.

Decision support system for project selection

The evaluation and selection of industrial projects before investment decision is customarily done using marketing, technical, and financial information. Subsequently, environmental impact assessment and social impact assessment are carried out mainly to satisfy the statutory agencies. Because of stricter environment regulations in developed and developing countries, quite often impact assessment suggests alternate sites, technologies, designs, and implementation methods as mitigating measures. This causes considerable delay to complete project feasibility analysis and selection as complete analysis requires to be taken up again and again until the statutory regulatory authority approves the project. Moreover, project analysis through the above process often results in suboptimal projects as financial analysis may eliminate better options as more environment friendly alternative will always be cost intensive. In this circumstance, this study proposes a decision support system which analyses projects with respect to market, technicalities, and social and environmental impact in an integrated framework using analytic hierarchy process, a multiple attribute decision-making technique. This not only reduces duration of project evaluation and selection, but also helps select an optimal project for the organization for sustainable development. The entire methodology has been applied to a cross-country oil pipeline project in India and its effectiveness has been demonstrated. © 2008, IGI Global.