The influence of greening the suppliers and green innovation on environmental performance and competitive advantage in Taiwan

Recently, many companies have recognized the concepts of green supply chain management or supply chain environmental management. However, relatively little research attention has been devoted to the consideration of relations between greening the supply chain, green innovation, environmental performance and competitive advantage. Hence, this paper aims to bridge this gap by providing empirical evidence to encourage companies to implement green supply chain and green innovation in order to improve their environmental performance, and to enhance their competitive advantage in the global market. A model is constructed to link the aforementioned constructs. Data were collected through a questionnaire-based survey across 124 companies from eight industry sectors in Taiwan. The data are analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling and the results from the final measurement model are used to evaluate the structural model that verifies the significance of the proposed relationships. A prominent result of this study is that greening the supplier through green innovation contributes significant benefits to the environmental performance and competitive advantage of the firm.     

Integrating the warehousing and transportation functions of the supply chain

Electronic commerce and associated business-to-business transaction capabilities have changed the way in which supply chains operate. The Internet has enabled information exchange on an unprecedented scale, often at a pace too fast for normal consumption. Companies are not equipped to make effective use of data from warehouse management systems––which contain information on supplier/customer warehouse inventory levels and key customer ordering patterns––and transportation management systems––within which information pertaining to the location of important supply chain assets such as products or vehicles is typically stored. These systems are key factors in integrating the physical flow of goods along the supply chain. The integration of these systems leads to global inventory visibility, which, in turn, leads to reduced costs and improved customer service by decreasing shipping and receiving cycle times, increasing shipment and inventory accuracy, and decreasing lead-time variability. This paper examines the total cost benefits that can be achieved by suppliers and warehouses through the increased global visibility provided by an integrated system. We develop a discrete event simulation model of a multi-product supply chain to examine the potential benefits to be gained from global inventory visibility and trailer yard dispatching and sequencing techniques. Experimental results demonstrate the potential for this integrated paradigm to improve customer service through improved efficiencies, reduced costs, and reduced lead-time variability.     

Improving service quality in public transportation systems using automated customer feedback

In this paper the necessity for standardised automated information exchange between travellers and transportation company is evaluated to improve the service quality of public transport. Therefore the needs and expectations of transportation companies and travellers are defined and the usage of a novel approach for bidirectional information and communication systems in public transport is proposed. As a result, application scenarios for the usage of customer information are described and the advantages of this novel approach, especially for dispatching processes, are highlighted. Furthermore, the benefits for customers and transportation companies in regard to service quality are pointed out.     

VLC虚拟供应链的建构

虚拟物流中心(VLC)对传统实物供应链实施了有效的变革,构建了以信息整体管理为特征的矩阵型虚拟供应链。VLC充分集成资源、功能和技术,建立企业功能交换市场和实现业务流程的重组与创新,通过供应链的虚拟化变革、柔性化变革和协同化变革,实现了信息链控制的多端口、多层次平行运作的矩阵型虚拟供应链的建构,从而完成供应链的整体创新。     

Optimizing inventory decisions in a multi-stage multi-customer supply chain: A note

In this paper, we propose an n-stage-multi-customer supply chain inventory model where there is a company that can supply products to several customers. We formulate the model for the simplest inventory coordination mechanism which is referred to as the same cycle time for all companies in the supply chain. We conclude that it is possible to use an algebraic approach to optimize the supply chain model without the use of differential calculus.     

基于CIM模型的SCADA系统实时数据库

随着铁路牵引供电系统的发展,管理系统中各种异构系统不断涌现,为实现这些系统间的信息交换和互操作,方便第三方软件的接入,不同的系统间需构建一个开放的电力系统信息模型,IEC61970标准的CIM模型能很好地解决这一问题。针对构造符合CIM标准的SCADA内存数据库,提出在内存中组织基于符合IEC61970标准的数据库的设计及关键技术。     

基于电子商务的供应链管理集成技术研究

针对传统的供应链管理难以实现企业与合作伙伴间对信息的实时同步共享,不能充分支持和体现供应链管理的战略优势和系统特征的问题,在分析基于电子商务的供应链管理集成模式的基础上,给出以BizTalk为主要开发平台的电子商务供应链管理系统集成的技术架构,使供应链上的节点企业可以真正实现与供应商、经销商和客户的信息共享。     

Internet book retailing and supply chain management: an analytical study of inventory location speculation and postponement

Internet retailing models support supply chains where consumer order locations are decoupled from inventory locations. In this setting, retailers dynamically consider inventory location speculation and postponement to fulfill their orders. Particularly, retailers can manage inventory to fulfill orders through two opposing strategies: in-stock inventory and drop-shipping. This paper extends the supply chain management literature by modeling Internet retailers' decisions to balance their offerings between these two strategies. The results show how retailers depend more on both of these strategies as their market share and product popularity increase. Thus, both inventory management strategies may be considered simultaneously to better manage Internet retailers' inventory.     

城市轨道交通智慧乘客综合服务平台方案研究与设计

城市轨道交通乘客服务相关系统和设施设备是提升乘客出行满意度的关键要素。以挖掘数据潜能、释放资源价值为切入点,整合相关系统业务流程,在研究国内城市轨道交通乘客服务智能化发展的基础上,从提升服务体验、优化运营管理、挖掘商业价值3个维度分析乘客服务存在的问题,提出基于中台技术的智慧乘客综合服务平台方案。基于信息资源整合和业务能力抽取,设计乘客画像、出行支持、客流特征、场景模型4大业务中台模块,满足乘客购票、站内引导、资讯获取等方面的服务需求,实现乘客服务与车站信息的协同共享能力。通过设计智能票务、无人客服中心、智能导向、精准营销等典型场景应用,提升服务体验与运营管理水平,促进商业资源开发以满足日益增长的乘客消费需求。     

供应链的战略管理模型研究

强调成本的有效性供应链和强调时间反应速度的反应性供应链是两种完全不同的供应链战略。企业在强调成本时不能完全忽略供应链的时间效用,同样在强调反应速度时也无法完全忽视成本的影响,因此通过对供应链战略的分析,对成本和时间赋予一定的权重,建立综合成本和反应速度的供应链战略模型,并通过实例对模型进行了验证。     

Location of logistics companies: a stated preference study to disentangle the impact of accessibility

Due to the globalization and the fragmentation of industrial production processes, the logistics sector, organizing the linkages between different production plants and the market, is growing fast. This results in an increasing demand for suitable new business locations. Previous research has indicated that accessibility is a key factor in the location decision making process. Though the literature on this subject is extensive, little research has been done to quantify the impact of the different dimensions of accessibility on the location decision process of logistics companies. This paper aims to fill this void in the literature by means of a revealed preference study (using a Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis) and a stated preference study (using a designed discrete choice experiment) in Flanders (Belgium). The results of the revealed preference study served as input to the design of the choice situations in the stated preference study. In the stated preference study, the respondents were confronted with a series of choice situations described by means of accessibility variables as well as land rent information. An analysis of the resulting data by means of discrete choice modeling revealed that land rent is the most important factor in the location choice of logistics companies in Flanders. Access to a port is the second most important factor, followed by access to a motorway, the location in a business park and an inland navigation terminal, which are all about equally important. Access to a rail terminal plays no significant role in the location choice of logistics companies in Flanders.     

An analysis of an airport–airline relationship under a risk sharing contract

This paper analyzes a risk sharing incomplete contract under which an airline agrees to serve an airport in exchange for payment to/from the airport based on the difference between a realized and a target load factor. The key results are that we specified the relevant conditions on payments and utilities under which the incomplete contract can overcome the under-effort problem and achieve the efficient utility levels. These results are numerically illustrated by showing the impacts of the project prospect deterioration and the uncertainty increases on effort and utility levels.     

A note on supply chain network equilibrium models

This paper is concerned with the supply chain network equilibrium models proposed by Nagurney et al. [Nagurney, A., Dong, J., Zhang, D., 2002. A supply chain network equilibrium model. Transportation Research 38E, 281–303] and Dong et al. [Dong, J., Zhang, D., Nagurney, A., 2004. A supply chain network equilibrium model with random demands. European Journal of Operational Research 156, 194–212]. It demonstrates that these models possess the unconstrained continuously differentiable minimization formulations, whose any stationary point is the solution of the corresponding model. Accordingly, not only is the Quasi-Newton algorithm capable of finding a solution of the model, but also it can overcome the difficulty experienced by the modified projection method in choosing an appropriate predetermined step size. In addition, 11 benchmark examples are employed to show the advantage of the unconstrained minimization formulation.     

Multistage optimization of the supply chains of biofuels

In this study, a mathematical model that integrates spatial and temporal dimensions is developed for strategic planning of future bioethanol supply chain systems. The planning objective is to minimize the cost of the entire supply chain of biofuel from biowaste feedstock fields to end users over the entire planning horizon, simultaneously satisfying demand, resource, and technology constraints. This model is used to evaluate the economic potential and infrastructure requirements for bioethanol production from eight waste biomass resources in California as a case study. It is found that, through careful supply chain design, biowaste-based ethanol production can be sustained at a compatible cost around $1.1 per gallon.     

On the use of RFID in the management of reusable containers in closed-loop supply chains under stochastic container return quantities

This paper studies a closed-loop supply chain that uses containers for transporting products from a supplier to a retailer. At the retailer, used containers are collected and returned to the supplier. The supplier inspects returned containers, and either repairs and reuses or disposes them. This paper studies the case where the fraction of containers that are returned to the supplier is stochastic, and where an RFID system can be used to support the tracking of container positions in the supply chain. The use of RFID leads to improved information on the return of containers and better return predictability as well as higher return rates, which we model as an increase in the mean return rate of containers and a reduction in return variance. The paper first develops a mathematical planning model for this scenario, and it then studies how the use of RFID impacts the performance of the system. In addition, it analyzes under which conditions the use of RFID is economical, and in which situations traditional container systems should be preferred.     

Dynamic electric power supply chains and transportation networks: An evolutionary variational inequality formulation

In this paper, we develop a static electric power supply chain network equilibrium model with known demands and establish the equivalence between the model and a transportation network equilibrium model with fixed demands over an appropriately constructed supernetwork. This equivalence yields a new interpretation of electric power supply chain network equilibria in path flows. We then exploit this equivalence to propose a dynamic electric power supply chain network model in which the demand varies over time using an evolutionary variational inequality formulation. Finally, we demonstrate how numerical dynamic electric power supply chain network problems can be solved utilizing recently obtained theoretical results in the unification of evolutionary variational inequalities and projected dynamical systems.     

多式联运数据交换区块链技术应用研究

针对多式联运数据交换中存在的数据中心化、作业协同效率不高等问题,对铁水联运、公铁联运过程中数据交换需求进行分析,阐述多式联运和区块链技术在数据共享、信任机制、安全机制和合约机制等方面的契合点,提出基于区块链的包括基础层、区块链核心层、应用服务层、应用接口和业务层的总体架构方案,设计基于联盟链的网络架构方式,模拟基于区块链技术的铁水联运运单流转过程,以实现共享数据的去中心化,提高多式联运作业的协同性和安全可靠性,促进多式联运"一单制"建设。     

面向电子供应链的企业物流信息系统模型研究

面向电子供应链的企业物流信息系统的开发和建设,有助于实现企业、供应商、销售商之间的协调发展,减少库存,降低操作成本,缩短交易时间等。根据电子供应链的网络环境特点,在研究制造业企业物流一般流程的基础上,根据主、辅制造商物流流程,提出企业物流信息系统的参考模型结构设计。     

Integration of inland waterway transport in the intermodal supply chain: a taxonomy of research challenges

This paper identifies research opportunities which will enable the further integration of inland waterway transport in the intermodal supply chain. Intermodal transport may be interpreted as a chain of actors who supply a transport service. Inland navigation can play a crucial role in increasing supply chain service performance. A first group of research challenges lies in the evolving relationship between transport geography and logistics activities. The next set of research challenges has the objective to encourage efficient operations in IWT: development of a system wide model for IWT, integration of operational planning systems and analysis of bundling networks. A third group of research efforts is directed towards shippers and consignees who use the intermodal transport chain to send or receive their goods: further development of models that integrate intermodal transport decisions with supply chain decisions and creation of green supply chains. A fourth cluster of research challenges concerns the problem domain of external cost calculations. Finally detailed time series data on freight transport should be collected to support these future research tracks.     

The value of information on supply risk under random yields

For companies facing challenge of managing unreliable supply sources, one of the operational goals is to increase the overall profit by improving performance of uncertain supply. We here develop stochastic decision frameworks which evaluate necessary information about uncertainties and help newsvendor and suppliers to enhance supply reliability. We first analyze the newsvendor’s purchasing decision under supply uncertainty and the derived decision framework is used to identify stochastic dominance conditions. We found that partial supply risk information is sufficient to determine regular ordering quantity, but to improve the overall profit, it is important to gather more information about stochastic dominance conditions.