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In the field of inventory management, it is a well‐known fact that centralisation, by sharing the risk between several entities, helps reduce the inventory required to provide a certain level of service. In practice, centralisation can be difficult to accomplish, because improvements to the system’s general performance may be achieved at the expense of some of the entities involved. This paper describes a simulation‐based methodology used to study the impacts of equipment pooling on a group of local community service centres (CLSCs) in the Montreal (Canada) region. In addition to quantifying the benefits of the pooling process, the approach allowed the stakeholders to reach an agreement by appraising various pooling scenarios and identifying the conditions that would help ensure fairness.

The purpose of this paper is to present issues and challenges faced during a firm’s facility relocation decision aimed at improving both cost and service performance in an innovative service context.

The reader is given background of the decision-making process behind single service facility relocation decision using a detailed case study. Key financial, operational and business data of the firm are collected, compiled and analysed. The solution methodology uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative analyses to choose the best among the three possible discrete location choices. For propriety reasons, some information has been disguised, and some data have been sanitized.

The factors that significantly influence relocation decision are proximity to high transaction customers, infrastructure and other input costs, customer service level requirements and extant regulations. Transportation has a direct impact on cost as well as service level. Most of the findings are in line with literature, but some of them differ too.

The approach is focused on a single case study of a pooling container firm in the Indian context and thereby limits the ability to generalize the findings. Nevertheless, this study may serve as a significant starting point for future research.

Firms can create a rational, efficient and even-handed approach for relocation of facilities applying a mix of qualitative and quantitative models judiciously. It provides managers better understanding and insights and actions needed for single service facility relocation.

This work is perhaps the first on facility relocation in emerging economies covering actual interventions and experiences. It gives new insights to a limited literature of relocating single service facility reflecting both theoretical imperatives and practitioner requirements.

Discusses the benefits of recycling packaging, the most obvious being cost savings. But other benefits are often more important, such as better storage facilities and ease of handling direct into retail display. Points to difficulties of quantifying benefits in advance. Lists areas where reusable packaging systems work best.

Presents a study which compares two police fleet management programs in San Diego County and combines both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods to evaluate the costs and effectiveness of a personally‐assigned vehicle program to that of a conventional pool car program. Concludes that personally‐assigned vehicles are most cost‐effective to maintain. Moreover, officers report a higher level of satisfaction using a personally‐assigned vehicle than a shared patrol car. Finds that those officers with individually‐assigned vehicles have less job stress and higher levels of morale.

This paper examines the possible cooperation options in terms of empty container repositioning across alliances for shipping lines based in the Greater China Region (China, Taiwan and Hong Kong SAR), after the three global shipping alliances reformed in April 2017.

This paper offers a comprehensive review to the latest shipping alliances and introduces a new cooperative dimension among shipping lines based in the Greater China Region which are member of different shipping alliances.

Cooperation among shipping lines in the Greater China Region in terms of empty container handling is possible in terms of resource sharing among shipping lines across alliances that fosters mega shipping line formation in the future.

Shipping lines should review their current empty container repositioning strategies and explore cooperation among non-alliance members having headquarters in proximity for quick responsiveness in empty container repositioning plan and execution.

This is a research directly analyzing the empty repositioning plan of the major shipping lines and their major service routes, fleet and containers.

It is widely accepted that doing exercise regularly is essential to promote physical, psychological and social well-being. Yet, often dropout rates tend to be high. The purpose of this paper is to propose a model to understand the potential drivers of satisfaction and loyalty in the sports and fitness context looking in particular at four main dimensions of service quality: infrastructures/physical environment, relationship with instructors/staff, outcomes achieved and customer-to-customer interaction.

An extensive literature review was conducted to identify potential drivers of customer satisfaction and loyalty in sports. The proposed model was estimated using data collected from a sample of 384 users of four Portuguese swimming pools facilities by means of a survey questionnaire.

The majority of the hypotheses tested found support in the data. In particular, the quality of the interaction with instructors and the results obtained from exercising have a strong impact on satisfaction, which, in turn, is highly correlated with psychological commitment and positive word-of-mouth communication.

Based on the findings some managerial implications can be derived. Such recommendations can enhance users’ perceptions of service quality and indirectly contribute to a more regular and effective sports practice.

The importance of enhancing loyalty has been emphasised in sports management literature. Yet, few studies have empirically investigated the simultaneous relationships among service quality dimensions, customer satisfaction and loyalty. This research partially addresses this gap.

Examines the impact of increased truck weight limits on the inland movement of ocean containers in the US. Considers six major inland lanes, 12 combinations of cargo density and shipment size, and eight transport options. Shows that transloading from ocean containers to either domestic containers or dry vans becomes economically more attractive if truck weight limits are increased in accordance with a proposed bridge weight formula. Gross savings to shippers from transloading range from 5 to 44 per cent depending on the lane and commodity type involved.

WITH, no doubt, tears in his eyes, Mr. Russell Miller, who is a National Officer employed by the Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs (ASTMS) complains in a recent issue of his Union's Journal that quangos are “under attack”. Facing drastic cuts, he cries, their very existence is in jeopardy. Is this such a bad thing?

This paper aims to provide details of a collaborative campus effort that created a Media Commons at an undergraduate library at a major research university to provide students and faculty opportunities to experiment with emerging technologies, with expanded opportunities to learn of best practices in educational technology.

This is a case study that used a web survey, focus groups, usage statistics, and interviews to determine the needs and best practices for creating and maintaining the Media Commons.

Preliminary results indicate that this program provides value to students and faculty seeking to learn about and use multimedia for coursework and projects. It confirms the gap on campus for places students can go for loanable technology and consultation services in the production and editing of multimedia.

Because the Media Commons just launched there has not had a programmatic evaluation yet to assess the impact of this program. However, based on initial feedback, suggestions for improvements in the program are included.

The rationale, process and efforts described in this paper can be replicated by other institutions that are interested in creating a Media Commons.

Although there are many articles written about Learning Commons and Information Commons, there is not much available that documents the efforts of creating a Media Commons at a library and the rationale for centralizing and freely making available campus multimedia expertise and equipment.

The purpose of this paper is to describe and evaluate the potential approaches to introduce rapid manufacturing (RM) in the spare parts supply chain.

Alternative conceptual designs for deploying RM technology in the spare parts supply chain were proposed. The potential benefits are illustrated for the aircraft industry. The general feasibility was discussed based on literature.

The potential supply chain benefits in terms of simultaneously improved service and reduced inventory makes the distributed deployment of RM very interesting for spare parts supply. However, considering the trade‐offs affecting deployment it is proposed that most feasible is centralized deployment by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), or deployment close to the point of use by generalist service providers of RM.

The limited part range that is currently possible to produce using the technology means that a RM‐based service supply chain is feasible only in very particular situations.

OEMs should include the consideration of RM in their long‐term service supply chain development.

The paper identifies two distinct approaches for deploying RM in the spare parts supply chain.