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1 – 10 of over 30000Wei Yang and Yongxin Gao
This paper aims to describe typical regional document supply networks in China through detailed discussion of their framework, service mode and influence on the nationwide…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to describe typical regional document supply networks in China through detailed discussion of their framework, service mode and influence on the nationwide document supply networks.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper highlights various kinds of regional document supply networks in China that serve as document resource sharing cooperation networks within provinces, cities and university towns. Their framework, service mode and influence on the nationwide document supply networks are discussed, followed by suggestions for improvement.
Findings
Regional document supply networks have their natural advantages in local financial support and extensive local coverage and are capable of providing fine service to meet various user needs timely and economically. They become an important part and beneficial supplement to nationwide document supply networks.
Originality/value
This paper studies regional document supply networks in China which has rarely been addressed in the international library literature.
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Larissa Statsenko, Alex Gorod and Vernon Ireland
This paper aims to propose an empirically grounded governance framework based on complex adaptive systems (CAS) principles to facilitate formation of well-connected regional supply…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to propose an empirically grounded governance framework based on complex adaptive systems (CAS) principles to facilitate formation of well-connected regional supply chains that foster economic development, adaptability and resilience of mining regions.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is an exploratory case study of the South Australian (SA) mining industry that includes 38 semi-structured interviews with the key stakeholders and structural analysis of the regional supply network (RSN).
Findings
Findings demonstrate the applicability of the CAS framework as a structured approach to the governance of the mining industry regional supply chains. In particular, the findings exemplify the relationship between RSN governance, its structure and interconnectivity and their combined impact on the adaptability and resilience of mining regions.
Research limitations/implications
The data set analysed in the current study is static. Longitudinal data would permit a deeper insight into the evolution of the RSN structure and connectivity. The validity of the proposed framework could be further strengthened by being applied to other industrial domains and geographical contexts.
Practical/implications
The proposed framework offers a novel insight for regional policy-makers striving to create an environment that facilitates the formation of well-integrated regional supply chains in mining regions through more focussed policy and strategies.
Originality/value
The proposed framework is one of the first attempts to offer a holistic structured approach to governance of the regional supply chains based on CAS principles. With the current transformative changes in the global mining industry, policy-makers and supply chain practitioners have an urgent need to embrace CAS and network paradigms to remain competitive in the twenty-first century.
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Larissa Statsenko, Alex Gorod and Vernon Ireland
The competitiveness of mining regions largely depends on the performance of the regional supply chains that provide services to mining companies. These local supply chains are…
Abstract
Purpose
The competitiveness of mining regions largely depends on the performance of the regional supply chains that provide services to mining companies. These local supply chains are often highly intertwined and represent a regional supply network for the industry. Individual companies often use supply chain strategies that are sub-optimal to overall supply network performance. To effectively respond to an uncertain business environment, policy-makers and supply chain participants would benefit by a governance framework that would allow to incentivise the formation of supply networks structures enabling effective operations. The purpose of this paper is to offer an empirically grounded conceptual framework based on Complex Adaptive Systems (CASs) governance principles, which links network governance mechanisms with supply network structure and operational performance to incentivise the formation of adaptive and resilient supply networks in the mining industry.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed method research design and a case study of the South Australian mining sector were used to collect empirical data. Qualitative interviews and network analysis of the SA mining industry regional supply network structure were conducted. The relationships between network parameters were interpreted using CAS theory.
Findings
An empirically grounded conceptual framework based on CAS governance principles is developed. The case study revealed that supply chain strategies and governance mechanisms in the SA mining industry have led to the formation of a hierarchical, scale-free structure with insufficient horizontal connectivity which limits the adaptability, responsiveness and resilience of the regional supply network.
Research limitations/implications
The findings are drawn from a single case study. This limits generalisability of the findings and the proposed framework.
Practical implications
The proposed framework draws the attention of the policy-makers and supply chain participants towards the need for utilising CAS governance principles to facilitate the formation of adaptive, responsive and resilient regional supply networks in the mining industry.
Originality value
The proposed conceptual framework is an attempt to parameterise the governance of the regional supply networks in the mining industry.
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Saman Esmaeilian, Dariush Mohamadi, Majid Esmaelian and Mostafa Ebrahimpour
This paper aims to minimize the total carbon emissions and costs and also maximize the total social benefits.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to minimize the total carbon emissions and costs and also maximize the total social benefits.
Design/methodology/approach
The present study develops a mathematical model for a closed-loop supply chain network of perishable products so that considers the vital aspects of sustainability across the life cycle of the supply chain network. To evaluate carbon emissions, two different regulating policies are studied.
Findings
According to the obtained results, increasing the lifetime of the perishable products improves the incorporated objective function (IOF) in both the carbon cap-and-trade model and the model with a strict cap on carbon emission while the solving time increases in both models. Moreover, the computational efficiency of the carbon cap-and-trade model is higher than that of the model with a strict cap, but its value of the IOF is worse. Results indicate that efficient policies for carbon management will support planners to achieve sustainability in a cost-effectively manner.
Originality/value
This research proposes a mathematical model for the sustainable closed-loop supply chain of perishable products that applies the significant aspects of sustainability across the life cycle of the supply chain network. Regional economic value, regional development, unemployment rate and the number of job opportunities created in the regions are considered as the social dimension.
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Zainab Al-Balushi and Christopher M. Durugbo
The purpose of this study is to propose a conceptual model for managing supply risk (SR) dependencies in regional supply networks (SNs). Grounded on resource dependency theory…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to propose a conceptual model for managing supply risk (SR) dependencies in regional supply networks (SNs). Grounded on resource dependency theory (RDT), the research conceptualises the management of SR as buffering and bridging strategies that enable organisations to redefine their SN to cope with SR and as a three-stage transformation mechanism.
Design/methodology/approach
Four supply failure case studies from the aluminium and the oil and gas industries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region inductively provide empirical insights for a revised conceptual framing. Within and cross case analysis on transcribed semi-structured interviews with 11 SN managers focus on the SRs and dependencies associated with the supply failures and an abstraction of risk management (RM) strategies for coping with these failures.
Findings
The analysis finds that underpinning ‘second-order’ buffering and bridging strategies from RDT are four main ‘first-order’ RM strategies: unit independency, organisational adaptation, network reconfiguration and environmental acceptance. These RM strategies are due to controllability and predictability levels that influence investment in RM and reflect the locations for implementing RM practices, i.e. the business unit, the organisation, the SN and the environment.
Originality/value
The article contributes to research through the conceptual framework of SR dependencies and unique insights on SR management within the GCC region. Practically, the research is novel in offering strategic directions for RM evaluations and investments that reflect the controllability and predictability of risk incidents. Such evaluations are potentially valuable in orchestrating regional SNs, for managing GCC companies in global supply chains, and for strategic decisions to expand or outsource to the GCC region.
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Walter W.C. Chung, Kevin C.M. Wong and Paul T.K. Soon
The purpose of this paper is to propose an integrated model of decision support system (DSS), artificial neural network, information and communication technologies and statistical…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose an integrated model of decision support system (DSS), artificial neural network, information and communication technologies and statistical process control (SPC) to facilitate agreement by different stakeholders with special interests to commit to the decision that will be taken to stop the production line when something goes wrong somewhere in a supplier network environment.
Design/methodology/approach
A DSS is proposed to capture exceptional signals from source on deterioration of product quality to alert preventive actions needed before the problems are getting out of hand. The supervisors are given a set of guidelines to support making the decision. Real‐time SPC and rule‐based decision support procedures are used to trigger pre‐defined exceptional signals for forwarding to the most appropriate person (the knowledge holder in the problem domain) to make a decision to stop the line. All servers in all remote sites are internet‐connected and provide real‐time quality data to the regional supply chain manager. A case study is described to show how this is implemented in a lens manufacturing company.
Findings
A significant improvement in quality level can be achieved by holding the knowledge worker accountable for making the decision to stop the production line rather than made by default as is with most traditional operations.
Practical implications
To provide a concept to structure activities for decision support so that the persons responsible for making the decision to stop the production line is held accountable by all stakeholders.
Originality/value
Practitioners can replicate the approach used in this paper to their own situations involving decisions to be made to address un‐structured problems and unclear responsibilities.
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Thomas E. Johnsen, Ole Stegmann Mikkelsen and Chee Yew Wong
The purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges facing companies that operate within complex supply networks and the strategies they use to manage such complex supply…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges facing companies that operate within complex supply networks and the strategies they use to manage such complex supply networks.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses mixed methods by combining in-depth case studies with an executive forum with those of senior industry stakeholders. The two in-depth supply network case studies were carried out through multiple interviews with focal (or ‘developer’) firms that supply energy through offshore wind power and key suppliers such as wind turbine manufacturers.
Findings
The findings show the challenges the offshore wind power industry faces because of complex supply networks, including attempts by several actors to exert their power and control. Despite the networks facing similar complexities and challenges, two distinctly different strategies for orchestrating and governing supply networks are uncovered: one strategy resembles an interventionist strategy, while the other is based on delegation.
Research limitations/implications
Based on the findings, the authors identify and develop a classification of complex supply network divided into intervention and delegation strategies, thereby adding to existing research on ways to manage complex supply networks.
Practical implications
The authors identify strategies for focal firms for managing in complex supply networks, based on control and intervention or coordination and delegation.
Originality/value
Existing research on supply network strategies has largely focused on non-complex contexts. This paper draws from complex adaptive systems and organisational behaviour perspectives to contribute original insights into supply network strategies in complex supply networks.
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The regional comprehensive economic partnership (RCEP) is promising as per the claims and can be revolutionary for the Asia–Pacific Region. The member countries will get a boost…
Abstract
Purpose
The regional comprehensive economic partnership (RCEP) is promising as per the claims and can be revolutionary for the Asia–Pacific Region. The member countries will get a boost in the post-pandemic world due to the RCEP. According to Brookings, the RCEP is going to be an agreement reshaping the global economics. This study aims to clarify the aspects related to the RCEP and how it can boost global economics.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employs qualitative descriptive analysis to address the status of RCEP in the region and the consequences of such main transnational partnership. The study is based on economic reports, official documents and data directly related to the subject of the study.
Findings
Findings show that the RCEP will be a significant driver of regional trade despite its faults. The RCEP's tariff benefits and rules of origin, notwithstanding their relatively restricted scope, will encourage enterprises to source products and services from RCEP members, and in combination, RCEP and Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) are anticipated to replace at least some competing US commodities, services and farm exports. For items that integrate parts and components from inside the area, such as from China, the RCEP is projected to reduce tax and trade facilitation costs, allowing enterprises to avoid US Section 301 tariffs.
Originality/value
By examining how the RCEP operates within the framework of domestic and international trade, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of RCEP and analyses its nature based on data and official reports.
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Ekaterina Yatskovskaya, Jagjit Singh Srai and Mukesh Kumar
The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel resource availability assessment for supply chain (SC) configuration. This approach involves understanding both local resource…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel resource availability assessment for supply chain (SC) configuration. This approach involves understanding both local resource availability and the demand-side implications of supplying global/regional markets as part of a more holistic SC design activity that incorporates local environmental factors.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed framework was derived from literature analysis, bridging relevant literature domains – natural capital theory, industrial ecology and SC configuration – in order to develop design rules for future resource-constrained industrial systems. In order to test the proposed framework, an exploratory case study, based on secondary data, was conducted.
Findings
Research findings suggest that this approach might better identify relationships and vulnerabilities between natural resource availability and the viability of regional/global SCs. The research suggests that natural resource availability depends upon three elements – local resource consumption, global resource demand and external environmental factors.
Research limitations/implications
The framework has two main limitations. The current work is focussed on a single industry case study used to exemplify the approach. Second, the framework does not consider other possible industries, which might enter or leave the specific location during the company’s operation. Furthermore, no assessment was made of the migration of populations within the area.
Practical implications
For practitioners, such as those in the agri-food sector, the resource availability assessment framework informs SC configuration design. For policymakers, the research aims to provide policy guidelines, which can help to improve water-saving strategies for a particular region. At a broader societal level, the research raises awareness of resource scarcity amongst industrial players and the wider public.
Originality/value
A resource availability assessment framework has been proposed, suggesting that the dynamics of both global and local resource demand, in conjunction with changing local environmental factors, can over time significantly deteriorate a firm’s natural resource impact on the local environment. Thus, the framework seeks to deliver mechanisms to evaluate potential vulnerabilities and solutions available to firms using a more proactive SC design method and to apply reconfiguration processes that account for natural resources, based primarily on network and resource attributes.
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The purpose of this paper is to explore whether brokered network governance, run by the manufacturer, affects relational embeddedness and thus contributes to yielding the Coleman…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore whether brokered network governance, run by the manufacturer, affects relational embeddedness and thus contributes to yielding the Coleman rent in the triadic supply chains.
Design/methodology/approach
Building upon the theoretical tenets of transaction cost analysis, complemented by the underpinnings of social capital theory, this study involves an empirical investigation that uses survey data collected from the triadic supply chains in Europe. The research covers a two-step analysis. In the first step, the Coleman rent was estimated through the regression analysis with the interaction effects. Then, partial least squares–structural equation modeling was used to estimate the reflective-formative nature of higher component model and test the research hypotheses.
Findings
The results of the study demonstrate that the distribution of three mechanisms in network governance is relatively even; however, market and hierarchy still emerge as the most impactful dimensions. Interestingly, though, this study shows that social capital can actually coexist with market and hierarchy in the triadic supply chains with the structural hole. Likewise, the research indicates that the impact of brokered network governance on the strength of network relational embeddedness is significant, but relatively weak, whereas network relational embeddedness has a strong and positive effect on the Coleman rent.
Research limitations/implications
This study makes three major contributions. First, this study is one of very few that explicitly considers brokered network governance, run by the manufacturer positioned on the structural hole in its triadic supply chain. Second, as the triadic perspective is still uncommon in the supply chain studies, this research investigates a triad with the structural hole within the manufacturing setting. Third, the paper seeks to investigate the ability to yield the Coleman rent in the triadic supply chains with the structural hole, although this type of rent is typically linked to another arrangement called closure.
Originality/value
Given the increasing attention paid to the role of social capital within supply chains, this study investigates how relational embeddedness can be used by the manufacturer, sitting on the structural hole and running the network governance mechanism, to yield the Coleman rent in the triadic supply chain.
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