Pig pandemic: Industrial hog farming in eastern Mexico

Industrial hog farming is an increasingly important land use in Mexico. Despite the known public health and environmental risks associated with this factory-style model of production, hog concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) remain unregulated. Legal standards regarding the establishment and operation of swine CAFOs are lacking at municipal, regional, and federal levels. There are currently no restrictions on the size, concentration, or geographic location of operations, and public notice to surrounding and downstream communities is generally not required. These lax environmental standards facilitate swine CAFO expansion in regions such as the Perote Valley, with potential for negative long-term impacts on public health, community well-being, water resources, ecosystems, and climate.     

Influence of industry type on the relationship between international operations and risk

Reducing strategic risk has become an issue of paramount importance to corporations. One way to reduce such risk is through international operations. However, published research reports conflicting findings on the relationship between international operations and risk reduction. In addition, the literature leaves one avenue largely unexplored, namely, industry influence. Using a sample of 367 firms, this study tests for the relationship between internationalization and risk across global and multi-domestic industries. Study findings indicate a negative relationship between risk and internationalization, indicating that firms are benefited by reduced risk through internationalization. Additionally, regression models indicate the incremental rate of benefits due to internationalization is greater in the case of global industries, compared to multi-domestic industries.     

Applying search theory to determine the feasibility of eradicating an invasive population in natural environments

The detectability of invasive organisms influences the feasibility of eradicating an infestation. Search theory offers a framework for defining and measuring detectability, taking account of searcher ability, biological factors and the search environment. In this paper, search theory concepts are incorporated into a population model, and the costs of search and control are calculated as functions of the amount of search effort (the decision variable). Simulations are performed on a set of weed scenarios in a natural environment, involving different combinations of plant longevity, seed longevity and plant fecundity. Results provide preliminary estimates of the cost and duration of eradication programs to assist in prioritising weeds for control. The analysis shows that the success of an eradication program depends critically on the detectability of the target plant, the effectiveness of the control method, the labour requirements for search and control, and the germination rate of the plant.     

Cropland expansion and grassland loss in the eastern Dakotas: New insights from a farm-level survey

The western Corn Belt region of the United States has become a hotspot for agricultural extensification and consequent land use and land cover changes. The goals of this research were to characterize geographic patterns of grassland loss resulting from cropland expansion in the eastern Dakotas, and to understand how these changes were associated with characteristics of individual farms and farm operators. We collected data on grassland conversion and other land use decisions through a mail survey of farm operators in North and South Dakota. Overall, 40% of respondents converted at least some grassland to cropland between 2004 and 2014, and the total acreage of converted grassland was equivalent to 5.1% of the surveyed farm acreage. Although most converted grassland acres (3.2% of farm acreage) were from land enrolled in the conservation reserve program (CRP), there were also substantial amounts of native grassland conversion (1.0%) and tame grassland conversion (0.9%). The total acreage of grassland conversion was more than four times larger than the acreage enrolled in CRP and other conservation programs. Different types of grassland conversion (e.g., native grassland versus CRP) were concentrated in different parts of the study region, and were spatially disjunct from the areas of highest conservation program enrollment. Larger farms were more likely than smaller farms to expand their cropland acreage and accounted for a disproportionate share of grassland conversion. Younger farm operators, higher levels of farm income, higher proportions of rented croplands, and marginal yields were also associated with cropland expansion and grassland conversion. Although CRP and other land retirement programs will remain important policy mechanisms for conservation in this region, they are not sufficient to maintain current levels of grassland cover and do not provide protection for native grasslands. Alternative conservation strategies and new agricultural policies are thus critically needed to maintain the ecosystem services provided by grasslands.     

ERP与MRO系统集成过程建模与应用研究

为了实现产品生产阶段到服务阶段业务与数据的有效集成,从业务层和数据层对制造服务系统中的大修维护维修(MRO)与企业资源计划(ERP)的集成过程进行了建模与分析,对ERP与MRO系统之间的业务过程和信息交互过程进行了分析,建立了二者的业务集成框架模型,分析了ERP与MRO系统的数据结构转换过程,提出了二者数据集成模型。应用Web Services完成了ERP与MRO的系统集成开发,包括服务BOM集成、备品备件管理集成等。研究结果实现了制造和服务阶段关键产品数据信息的集成与反馈,打通了从制造到服务阶段的数据传递与集成,对进一步研究复杂产品生命周期管理的信息集成具有一定的借鉴意义。     

匹克与阿迪达斯国际化经营战略比较研究

国际企业作为实现国际化投资、经营和管理的组织载体和国际市场行为主体,活跃在世界经济的舞台上。本文以匹克与阿迪达斯公司国际化经营战略为研究内容,从战略管理视角,结合匹克与阿迪达斯的国际经营环境之间的差异,系统论述了匹克与阿迪达斯在品牌国际化、海外市场进入模式和全球经营方面的差异,指出匹克这样的中国企业在国际化进程中既要学习阿迪达斯这样的国际著名体育企业的国际化经营战略,还要结合自身企业状况,制定合理的国际化经营战略。     

Understanding the strategies of late-movers in International Manufacturing

This paper analyzes the internationalization of new multinationals from emerging countries. It also focuses on Production's role in firm internationalization, a subject seldom addressed because the discipline of International Manufacturing is still embryonic, while International Business tends to overlook production. The authors integrate International Business and International Manufacturing concepts and frameworks in order to analyze new multinationals from emerging countries, using the empirical evidence of a survey plus case studies of Brazilian multinationals for understanding late-movers’ strategies and competences, with emphasis on production.     

A unifying view of goods and services supply chain management

Ambiguities in the constructs that are the building blocks of research may have hindered advancement of service operations knowledge/research. To alleviate this situation, the authors identify similarities and differences between goods and services to inform a view of constructs (e.g. inventory, capacity, and Bullwhip effect) that are equivalent and are of relevance to both sectors. A unifying paradigm that allows transference of ideas across the two broad sectors is proposed and illustrated with case studies.     

A Green Vehicle Routing Problem

A Green Vehicle Routing Problem (G-VRP) is formulated and solution techniques are developed to aid organizations with alternative fuel-powered vehicle fleets in overcoming difficulties that exist as a result of limited vehicle driving range in conjunction with limited refueling infrastructure. The G-VRP is formulated as a mixed integer linear program. Two construction heuristics, the Modified Clarke and Wright Savings heuristic and the Density-Based Clustering Algorithm, and a customized improvement technique, are developed. Results of numerical experiments show that the heuristics perform well. Moreover, problem feasibility depends on customer and station location configurations. Implications of technology adoption on operations are discussed.     

工业工程专业生产与物流类课程群改革研究

文章以优化生产与物流类课程群的内容板块,加强该课程群内各课程之间的融合渗透。改革传统教学中以启发式方法、试验法为主解决企业生产与物流管理各环节典型问题的方法,针对各典型问题建立详细运筹优化模型并探讨模型优化技巧,从全局优化的角度对生产与物流管理各环节的精确定量优化方法教学进行研究,探索培养学生运用运筹优化技术更有效地解决生产与物流管理问题的教学方法。