Voluntary initiatives in global value chains: towards labour-led social upgrading?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

K.A. Siegmann (Karin Astrid); P. Knorringa (Peter); J.J.S. Merk

2014-01-01

markdownabstract__Abstract__ The organization of production in global value chains (GVCs) has been accompanied by a rise of informal and insecure work. Yet, the role of labour agency has received scant attention in the GVC and related literatures. Selwyn (2013) therefore demands to shift

Variety of modes of governance of a global value chain: the case of tourism from Holland to Turkey

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Erkuş-Öztürk, H.; Terhorst, P.

2010-01-01

Global value chains analysis has become an ever more important approach in economics and economic geography to study the globalization of different sectors. However, it is largely ignored in tourism research. This paper examines the modes of governance of the tourism value chain from Holland to

Opening up Global Value Chains : Web 2.0 Technologies and SME ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Opening up Global Value Chains : Web 2.0 Technologies and SME Productivity ... Researchers will examine how leading SMEs are currently using Web 2.0 technologies to increase exports, improve productivity and/or increase competitiveness; and the barriers and limitations to achieving greater ICT adoption by SMEs.

Voluntary initiatives in global value chains : Towards labour-led social upgrading?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

K.A. Siegmann (Karin Astrid); J. Merk (Jeroen); P. Knorringa (Peter)

2014-01-01

textabstractThe organization of production in global value chains (GVCs) has been accompanied by a rise of informal and insecure work. Yet, the role of labour agency has received scant attention in the GVC and related literatures. Selwyn (2013) therefore demands to shift attention towards engagement

Global negative vegetation feedback to climate warming responses of leaf litter decomposition rates in cold biomes.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cornelissen, J.H.C.; van Bodegom, P.M.; Aerts, R.; Gallaghan, T.V.; van Logtestijn, R.S.P; Alatalo, J.; Chapin, F.S. III; Gerdol, R.; Gudmundsson, J.; Gwynn-Jones, D.; Hartley, A.E.; Hik, D.S.; Hofgaard, A.; Jonsdottir, I.S.; Karlsson, S.; Klein, J.A.; Laundre, J.; Magnusson, B.; Michelsel, A.; Molau, U.; Onipchenko, V.G.; Quested, H.M.; Sandvik, S.M.; Schmidt, I.K.; Shaver, G.R.; Solhleim, B.; Soudzilovskaia, N.A.; Stenstrom, A.; Tolvanen, A.; Totland, O.; Wada, N.; Welker, J.M.; Zhao, X.; Team, M.O.L.

2007-01-01

Whether climate change will turn cold biomes from large long-term carbon sinks into sources is hotly debated because of the great potential for ecosystem-mediated feedbacks to global climate. Critical are the direction, magnitude and generality of climate responses of plant litter decomposition.

Global analysis of transcriptome responses and gene expression profiles to cold stress of Jatropha curcas L.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Haibo; Zou, Zhurong; Wang, Shasha; Gong, Ming

2013-01-01

Jatropha curcas L., also called the Physic nut, is an oil-rich shrub with multiple uses, including biodiesel production, and is currently exploited as a renewable energy resource in many countries. Nevertheless, because of its origin from the tropical MidAmerican zone, J. curcas confers an inherent but undesirable characteristic (low cold resistance) that may seriously restrict its large-scale popularization. This adaptive flaw can be genetically improved by elucidating the mechanisms underlying plant tolerance to cold temperatures. The newly developed Illumina Hiseq™ 2000 RNA-seq and Digital Gene Expression (DGE) are deep high-throughput approaches for gene expression analysis at the transcriptome level, using which we carefully investigated the gene expression profiles in response to cold stress to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms of cold response in J. curcas. In total, 45,251 unigenes were obtained by assembly of clean data generated by RNA-seq analysis of the J. curcas transcriptome. A total of 33,363 and 912 complete or partial coding sequences (CDSs) were determined by protein database alignments and ESTScan prediction, respectively. Among these unigenes, more than 41.52% were involved in approximately 128 known metabolic or signaling pathways, and 4,185 were possibly associated with cold resistance. DGE analysis was used to assess the changes in gene expression when exposed to cold condition (12°C) for 12, 24, and 48 h. The results showed that 3,178 genes were significantly upregulated and 1,244 were downregulated under cold stress. These genes were then functionally annotated based on the transcriptome data from RNA-seq analysis. This study provides a global view of transcriptome response and gene expression profiling of J. curcas in response to cold stress. The results can help improve our current understanding of the mechanisms underlying plant cold resistance and favor the screening of crucial genes for genetically enhancing cold resistance

Warehousing in the Global Supply Chain Advanced Models, Tools and Applications for Storage Systems

CERN Document Server

2012-01-01

With increased globalization and offshore sourcing, global supply chain management is becoming an important issue for many businesses as it involves a company's worldwide interests and suppliers rather than simply a local or national orientation. The storage systems significantly affect the level of quality of products, the customer’s service level, and the global logistic cost. The mission of warehousing systems design, control and optimization is to effectively ship products in the right place, at the right time, and in the right quantity (i.e. in any configuration) without any damages or alterations, and minimizing costs. Warehousing in the Global Supply Chain presents and discusses a set of models, tools and real applications, including a few case studies rarely presented with a sufficient detail by other literature, to illustrate the main challenges in warehousing activities. This includes all warehouse operations (from receiving to shipping), problems and issues (e.g. storage allocation, assignment,...

The medicines refrigerator and the importance of the cold chain in the safe storage of medicines.

Science.gov (United States)

Hatchett, Richard

2017-10-04

The medicines refrigerator is a common piece of equipment found in clinical areas. It is used to ensure specific medicines are safely stored within a narrow temperature range in line with manufacturers' instructions; this is usually between +2˚C and +8˚C, and ideally +5˚C. Drugs stored in the medicines refrigerator include: vaccines; insulin; chemotherapy drugs; topical preparations, such as some types of eye drops; and other treatments such as glucagon, which is used to manage severe hypoglycaemia. This article reviews the function of the medicines refrigerator and the checks required by healthcare practitioners to ensure that medicines remain safely stored and their effectiveness is maintained. It also outlines the medicines refrigeration procedure known as the 'cold chain', which includes the use of cold boxes or vaccine carriers to maintain the required temperature of medicines during transport from the manufacturer to user, or between healthcare departments. ©2012 RCN Publishing Company Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be copied, transmitted or recorded in any way, in whole or part, without prior permission of the publishers.

Sustainability of Local and Global Food Chains: Introduction to the Special Issue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gianluca Brunori

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Sustainability assessment is one of the keys to competition by food supply chains over sustainability. The way it is conceived and embodied into decision-makers’ choices affects the competitiveness of local and global chains. Science-based assessment methodologies have made substantial progress, but uncertainties—as well as interests at stake—are high. There are no science-based methods that are able to give an unchallenged verdict over the sustainability performance of a firm, let alone a supply chain. Assessment methods are more suited for medium-large firm dimensions, as planning, monitoring, and reporting are costly. Moreover, the availability of data affects the choice of parameters to be measured, and many claims of local food are not easily measurable. To give local chains a chance to operate on a level playing field, there is the need to re-think sustainability assessment processes and tailor them to the characteristics of the analysed supply chains. We indicate seven key points on which we think scholars should focus their attention when dealing with food supply chain sustainability assessment.

Analysing global value chains using input-output economics : proceed with care

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nomaler, Z.O.; Verspagen, B.

2014-01-01

Input-output economics has become a popular tool to analyse the international fragmentation of value chains, especially now that several multi-regional tables that cover large parts of the global economy have become available. It has been argued that these tables, when analysed with the help of the

Analysing global value chains using input-output economics: Proceed with care

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nomaler, Ö.; Verspagen, B.

2014-01-01

Input-output economics has become a popular tool to analyse the international fragmentation of value chains, especially now that several multi-regional tables that cover large parts of the global economy have become available. It has been argued that these tables, when analysed with the help of the

Managing Food Quality Risk in Global Supply Chain: A Risk Management Framework

OpenAIRE

Arevalo Chavez, Pablo Jose; Seow, Christopher

2012-01-01

Today, the food sector is one of the sectors most vulnerable to intentional contamination by debilitating agents [1]. Some cases of contaminated food have indicated that product quality risk is one of the vulnerabilities in the global supply chain. A series of company scandals, affecting reputation and causing the recall of products and increasing costs have hit the food industry. The obvious problem is that even a minor incident in one part of the chain can have disastrous effects on other p...

Development of food safety capability in Ghana to enhance access to the Global Food Manufacturing Value Chain (GFMVC)

OpenAIRE

Mensah, L. D.

2011-01-01

Demonstrating compliance with food safety requirements of the global economy is a prerequisite for access. As tariff barriers diminish, developing countries are exposed to greater opportunities for repositioning their food manufacturing sectors in global value chains (GVCs). At the same time, the measures for the protection of public health and safety are becoming more stringent because of the series of food safety crises that characterised the global food value chain in the 19...

Global Reverse Supply Chain Redesign for Household Plastic Waste under the Emission Trading Scheme

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bing, X.; Bloemhof-Ruwaard, J.M.; Chabaane, A.; Vorst, van der J.G.A.J.

2015-01-01

With increasing global resource scarcity, waste becomes a resource that can be managed globally. A reverse supply chain network for waste recycling needs to process all the waste with minimum costs and environmental impact. As re-processing of waste is one of the major sources of pollution in the

Global Value Chains from a 3D Printing Perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laplume, André O; Petersen, Bent; Pearce, Joshua M.

2016-01-01

This article outlines the evolution of additive manufacturing technology, culminating in 3D printing and presents a vision of how this evolution is affecting existing global value chains (GVCs) in production. In particular, we bring up questions about how this new technology can affect...... of whether in some industries diffusion of 3D printing technologies may change the role of multinational enterprises as coordinators of GVCs by inducing the engagement of a wider variety of firms, even households....

Supply Chain and Blade Manufacturing Considerations in the Global Wind Industry (Presentation)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

James, Ted [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Goodrich, Alan [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2013-12-12

This briefing provides an overview of supply chain developments in the global wind industry and a detailed assessment of blade manufacturing considerations for U.S. end-markets. The report discusses the international trade flows of wind power equipment, blade manufacturing and logistical costs, and qualitative issues that often influence factory location decisions. To help guide policy and research and development strategy decisions, this report offers a comprehensive perspective of both quantitative and qualitative factors that affect selected supply chain developments in the growing wind power industry.

Steady-state properties of coupled hot and cold Ising chains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lavrentovich, Maxim O

2012-01-01

Recently, the present author and Zia (2011 Europhys. Lett. 91 50003) reported on exact results for a far-from-equilibrium system in which two coupled semi-infinite Ising chains at temperatures T h and T c , with T h > T c , establish a flux of energy across their junction. This paper provides a complete derivation of those results, more explicit expressions for the energy flux, and a more detailed characterization of the system at arbitrary T c and T h . We consider the two-point correlation functions and the energy flux F(x) between each spin, located at integer position x, and its associated heat bath. In the T h → ∞ limit, the flux F(x) decays exponentially into the cold bath (spins with x = 1, 2, …) for all T c > 0 and transitions into a power-law decay as T c → 0. We find an asymptotic expansion for large x in terms of modified Bessel functions that captures both of these behaviors. We perform Monte Carlo simulations that give excellent agreement with both the exact and asymptotic results for F(x). The simulations are also used to study the system at arbitrary T h and T c . (paper)

On Production and Green Transportation Coordination in a Sustainable Global Supply Chain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feng Guo

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This paper addresses a coordination problem of production and green transportation and the effects of production and transportation coordination on supply chain sustainability in a global supply chain environment with the consideration of important realistic characteristics, including parallel machines, different order processing complexities, fixed delivery departure times, green transportation and multiple transportation modes. We formulate the measurements for carbon emissions of different transportation modes, including air, sea and land transportation. A hybrid genetic algorithm-based optimization approach is developed to handle this problem, in which a hybrid genetic algorithm and heuristic procedures are combined. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is validated by means of various problem instances. We observe that the coordination of production and green transportation has a large effect on the overall supply chain sustainability, which can reduce the total supply chain cost by 9.60% to 21.90%.

Measuring Urban Carbon Footprint from Carbon Flows in the Global Supply Chain.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yuanchao; Lin, Jianyi; Cui, Shenghui; Khanna, Nina Zheng

2016-06-21

A global multiregional input-output (MRIO) model was built for eight Chinese cities to track their carbon flows. For in-depth understanding of urban carbon footprint from the perspectives of production, consumption, and trade balance, four kinds of footprints and four redefined measurement indicators were calculated. From the global supply chain, urban carbon inflows from Mainland China were larger than outflows, while the carbon outflows to European, principal North American countries and East Asia were much larger than inflows. With the rapid urbanization of China, Construction was the largest consumer and Utilities was the largest producer. Cities with higher consumption (such as Dalian, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Beijing) should change their consumption patterns, while cities with lower production efficiency (such as Dalian, Shanghai, Ningbo, and Chongqing) should improve their technology. The cities of net carbon consumption tended to transfer carbon emissions out of them by trading in carbon-intensive products, while the cities of net carbon production tended to produce carbon-intensive products for nonlocal consumers. Our results indicated that urban carbon abatement requires not only rational consumption and industrial symbiosis at the city level, but also tighter collaboration along all stages of the global supply chain.

Kinetics of Quality Changes of Pangasius Fillets at Stable and Dynamic Temperatures, Simulating Downstream Cold Chain Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nga Mai

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This study was about the quality changes of Pangasius fillets during storage under simulated temperature conditions of downstream cold chain. Sensory, chemical, and microbiological analyses were conducted over storage time and bacterial growth was modelled. Sensory quality index (QI, at five stable (1, 4, 9, 15, and 19 ± 1°C and three dynamic temperatures, progressed faster at higher temperatures, especially with sooner temperature abuses. Total volatile basic nitrogen remained under the acceptable limit throughout all the storage conditions. Total viable psychrotrophic counts (TVC were around 5.68 ± 0.24 log CFU g−1 at the beginning and exceeded the limit of 6 log CFU g−1 after 216, 96, 36, 16, and 7 h at 1, 4, 9, 15, and 19 ± 1°C, respectively. Meanwhile, Pseudomonas counts started at 3.81 ± 0.53 log CFU g−1 and reached 4.60–6.36 log CFU g−1 by the time of TVC rejection. Since lower shelf lives were given by TVC rather than QI, it should be appropriate to base the product shelf life on the TVC acceptable limit. Kinetics models based on the Baranyi and Roberts and square root models, developed for TVC and Pseudomonas spp., gave acceptable bacterial estimations at dynamic temperatures, with over 80% of observed counts within the acceptable simulation zone, revealing promising model applicability as a supporting tool for cold chain management. However, further improvement and validation of the models are needed.

City networks and commodity chains: identifying global flows and local connections in Ho Chi Minh City

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vind, Ingeborg; Fold, Niels

2010-01-01

Any analytical framework for understanding actual forms of the intensified incorporation of cities into the world economy needs to go beyond the exclusive focus on advanced producer services, which is characteristic of most of the World City Network (WCN) approach. Simultaneously, an account...... of the role of advanced producer services will strengthen Global Commodity Chain (GCC) analysis. A combination of the literatures on WCN and GCC can contribute to a broader conceptualization of the connections and connectivities of global cities. In addition, a combined approach will improve our understanding...... of globalization processes within many so-called 'third-world' cities that are experiencing booms in export-oriented industrialization and in migration from rural hinterlands as they are being integrated into Global Commodity Chains. We illustrate our argument with insights from GCC analyses of the electronics...

Global analysis of transcriptome responses and gene expression profiles to cold stress of Jatropha curcas L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haibo Wang

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Jatropha curcas L., also called the Physic nut, is an oil-rich shrub with multiple uses, including biodiesel production, and is currently exploited as a renewable energy resource in many countries. Nevertheless, because of its origin from the tropical MidAmerican zone, J. curcas confers an inherent but undesirable characteristic (low cold resistance that may seriously restrict its large-scale popularization. This adaptive flaw can be genetically improved by elucidating the mechanisms underlying plant tolerance to cold temperatures. The newly developed Illumina Hiseq™ 2000 RNA-seq and Digital Gene Expression (DGE are deep high-throughput approaches for gene expression analysis at the transcriptome level, using which we carefully investigated the gene expression profiles in response to cold stress to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms of cold response in J. curcas. RESULTS: In total, 45,251 unigenes were obtained by assembly of clean data generated by RNA-seq analysis of the J. curcas transcriptome. A total of 33,363 and 912 complete or partial coding sequences (CDSs were determined by protein database alignments and ESTScan prediction, respectively. Among these unigenes, more than 41.52% were involved in approximately 128 known metabolic or signaling pathways, and 4,185 were possibly associated with cold resistance. DGE analysis was used to assess the changes in gene expression when exposed to cold condition (12°C for 12, 24, and 48 h. The results showed that 3,178 genes were significantly upregulated and 1,244 were downregulated under cold stress. These genes were then functionally annotated based on the transcriptome data from RNA-seq analysis. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a global view of transcriptome response and gene expression profiling of J. curcas in response to cold stress. The results can help improve our current understanding of the mechanisms underlying plant cold resistance and favor the screening of

Dynamics of global supply chain and electric power networks: Models, pricing analysis, and computations

Science.gov (United States)

Matsypura, Dmytro

In this dissertation, I develop a new theoretical framework for the modeling, pricing analysis, and computation of solutions to electric power supply chains with power generators, suppliers, transmission service providers, and the inclusion of consumer demands. In particular, I advocate the application of finite-dimensional variational inequality theory, projected dynamical systems theory, game theory, network theory, and other tools that have been recently proposed for the modeling and analysis of supply chain networks (cf. Nagurney (2006)) to electric power markets. This dissertation contributes to the extant literature on the modeling, analysis, and solution of supply chain networks, including global supply chains, in general, and electric power supply chains, in particular, in the following ways. It develops a theoretical framework for modeling, pricing analysis, and computation of electric power flows/transactions in electric power systems using the rationale for supply chain analysis. The models developed include both static and dynamic ones. The dissertation also adds a new dimension to the methodology of the theory of projected dynamical systems by proving that, irrespective of the speeds of adjustment, the equilibrium of the system remains the same. Finally, I include alternative fuel suppliers, along with their behavior into the supply chain modeling and analysis framework. This dissertation has strong practical implications. In an era in which technology and globalization, coupled with increasing risk and uncertainty, complicate electricity demand and supply within and between nations, the successful management of electric power systems and pricing become increasingly pressing topics with relevance not only for economic prosperity but also national security. This dissertation addresses such related topics by providing models, pricing tools, and algorithms for decentralized electric power supply chains. This dissertation is based heavily on the following

Upgrading and Strategic Options of Garment Producers in the Global Value Chain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Olav Jull; Kuada, John; Schaumburg-Müller, Henrik

2006-01-01

Focus of this study of the garment industry in Malaysia, Vietnam and Ghana is on the industry's position in the global value chain and the strategic options available for the local garment producers. The study indicates a number of optional strategies for the entreprenurial garment producers....

Companies’ contribution to sustainability through global supply chains

Science.gov (United States)

Thorlakson, Tannis; de Zegher, Joann F.; Lambin, Eric F.

2018-01-01

Global supply chains play a critical role in many of the most pressing environmental stresses and social struggles identified by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Responding to calls from the global community, companies are adopting a variety of voluntary practices to improve the environmental and/or social management of their suppliers’ activities. We develop a global survey of 449 publicly listed companies in the food, textile, and wood-products sectors with annual reports in English to provide insight into how the private sector contributes to advancing the SDGs via such sustainable-sourcing practices. We find that while 52% of companies use at least one sustainable-sourcing practice, these practices are limited in scope; 71% relates to only one or a few input materials and 60.5% apply to only first-tier suppliers. We also find that sustainable-sourcing practices typically address a small subset of the sustainability challenges laid out by the SDGs, primarily focusing on labor rights and compliance with national laws. Consistent with existing hypotheses, companies that face consumer and civil society pressure are associated with a significantly higher probability of adopting sustainable-sourcing practices. Our findings highlight the opportunities and limitations of corporate sustainable-sourcing practices in addressing the myriad sustainability challenges facing our world today. PMID:29440420

Rare earths: Market disruption, innovation, and global supply chains

Science.gov (United States)

Eggert, Roderick; Wadia, Cyrus; Anderson, Corby; Bauer, Diana; Fields, Fletcher; Meinert, Lawrence D.; Taylor, Patrick

2016-01-01

Rare earths, sometimes called the vitamins of modern materials, captured public attention when their prices increased more than ten-fold in 2010 and 2011. As prices fell between 2011 and 2016, rare earths receded from public view—but less visibly they became a major focus of innovative activity in companies, government laboratories and universities. Geoscientists worked to better understand the resource base and improve our knowledge about mineral deposits that will be mines in the future. Process engineers carried out research that is making primary production and recycling more efficient. Materials scientists and engineers searched for substitutes that will require fewer or no rare earths while providing properties comparable or superior to those of existing materials. As a result, even though global supply chains are not significantly different now than they were before the market disruption, the innovative activity motivated by the disruption likely will have far-reaching, if unpredictable, consequences for supply chains of rare earths in the future.

Innovation in Hungary - The Impact of EU Accession and Integration into Global Value Chains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Szalavetz Andrea

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This paper argues that EU accession has brought about minimal changes in the patterns of innovation in Hungary. The reason why is not that the ‘EU factor’ is of minor importance; rather, it is Hungary's inability to use EU resources effectively, so as to fully benefit from EU membership. The Hungarian story also demonstrates that the EU cannot block member states from reversing reform or abusing the opportunities EU membership offers to them. We contend that globalization (global value chain integration has more effectively contributed to Hungary's knowledge-based upgrading than Europeanization (in the sense of policy transfer; access to EU Structural & Cohesion Funds, and integration in the European Research Area. This argument is substantiated with a case study on innovation strategy design and implementation, which illustrates the ambiguous impact of Europeanization, which is contrasted with our investigation of integration in global value chains, conducted through interviews of foreign-owned manufacturing companies about their R&D-based upgrading experience.

Ethiopian-owned firms in the floriculture global value chain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Melese, Ayelech Tiruwha

and export trajectories of Ethiopian-owned firms engaged in cut-flower production for export. It constructs a technological capability matrix that describes the specific capabilities required to enter and operate in different parts of the floriculture global value chain, adjusted for the specificities...... of the Ethiopian industry, and uses this matrix to design a local firm survey to assess firms’ capabilities across four categories: product and production process, input integration, linkages and end-market. The survey was carried out with almost all local firms. The aggregate technological capability scores show...

Combining Innovation Systems and Global Value Chains for Development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jurowetzki, Roman; Lema, Rasmus; Lundvall, Bengt-Åke

2018-01-01

This paper contributes to ongoing work which seeks to bring together the national innovation system and global value chain literatures for the study of economic development. We depart from the view that such a new combination will be helpful both in enhancing understanding of socioeconomic...... processes in developing countries and in building a more useful knowledge base for action. To this aim, we combine bibliometric analysis with a qualitative review of work from both bodies of literature. The purpose is to inform a research agenda suited for policy-relevant studies of economic development...

Comparing the Sustainability of Local and Global Food Chains: A Case Study of Cheese Products in Switzerland and the UK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emilia Schmitt

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Local food has recently gained popularity under the assumption that it is more sustainable than food from distant locations. However, evidence is still lacking to fully support this assumption. The goal of this study is to compare local and global food chains in five dimensions of sustainability (environmental, economic, social, ethical and health, covering all stages of the chain. In particular, four cheese supply chains are compared in detail: a local (L’Etivaz and global (Le Gruyère case in Switzerland and a local (Single Gloucester and global (Cheddar case in the UK. A multi-dimensional perspective is adopted to compare their sustainability performance. Eight attributes of performance (affordability, creation and distribution of added value, information and communication, consumer behaviour, resource use, biodiversity, nutrition and animal welfare are used to frame the comparative analysis. The results suggest that local cheese performs better in the field of added value creation and distribution, animal welfare and biodiversity. Global chains, by contrast, perform better in terms of affordability and efficiency and some environmental indicators. This analysis needed to be expressed in qualitative terms rather than quantified indicators and it has been especially useful to identify the critical issues and trade-offs that hinder sustainability at different scales. Cheese supply chains in Switzerland and the UK also often present hybrid arrangements in term of local and global scales. Comparison is therefore most meaningful when presented on a local (farmhouse/global (creamery continuum.

Global value chains and agrifood standards: Challenges and possibilities for smallholders in developing countries

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Joonkoo; Gereffi, Gary; Beauvais, Janet

2012-01-01

The rise of private food standards has brought forth an ongoing debate about whether they work as a barrier for smallholders and hinder poverty reduction in developing countries. This paper uses a global value chain approach to explain the relationship between value chain structure and agrifood safety and quality standards and to discuss the challenges and possibilities this entails for the upgrading of smallholders. It maps four potential value chain scenarios depending on the degree of concentration in the markets for agrifood supply (farmers and manufacturers) and demand (supermarkets and other food retailers) and discusses the impact of lead firms and key intermediaries on smallholders in different chain situations. Each scenario is illustrated with case examples. Theoretical and policy issues are discussed, along with proposals for future research in terms of industry structure, private governance, and sustainable value chains. PMID:21149723

Development through global value chains and the achievement of decent work : challenges to work and representational processes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

L.J. Pegler (Lee)

2009-01-01

textabstractThe co-ordination of global production and trade within value chains has amplified debates concerning the impact of globalisation on labour, especially for developing countries. Whilst many development agencies argue for value chain insertion and upgrading as optimistic development

Human rights in global supply chains: Corporate social responsibility and public procurement in the European Union

OpenAIRE

Outhwaite, Opi; Martin-Ortega, Olga

2016-01-01

The global supply chains of multinational enterprises are complex and multi-tiered, often involving many stages of production and spanning several jurisdictions. Important questions remain about how to ensure that human rights are respected in these supply chains, including how multinational enterprises are to exercise the responsibility to respect human rights in their supply chains and the role that can be played by states in protecting human rights outside of their borders. This article fo...

The WTO Agreement on government procurement as a tool for Ukraine’s integration into the global value chains

OpenAIRE

GUZHVA IGOR

2015-01-01

The article deals with the features of modern internationalization of production and economic relations among economic entities around the world based on the global value chains formation. The essence and the basic provisions of the multilateral WTO Agreement on Government Procurement as the integration tool of Ukraine’s industries into the global value chains are revealed. The Ukraine’s government procurement reforming progress towards the relevant WTO rules and regulations full implementati...

Pushing or sharing as value-driven strategies for societal change in global supply chains: two case studies in the British-South African fresh fruit supply chain

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Müller, C.; Vermeulen, W.J.V.; Glasbergen, P.

2012-01-01

Business strategy is linked to organisational values and culture, which is determined to some extent by national culture. This can provide a challenge in a global supply chain where culture and values at one end of the chain do not correspond with culture at the other end. This paper contends that

THE ROLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN THE POST-COLD WAR WORLD: A GLOBAL LEADER OR HEGEMON?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katarina Jonev

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The authors of this paper deal with the role of the USA in the post-Cold War world and their position from the standpoint of relevant indicators and theoretical considerations. This work also refers to path that the United States took from isolationism to the world domination and considers justification of the position of the USA in the period after the Cold War from the point of hegemonic stability theories, while at the end indicates the diversity of understanding of contemporary thinkers regarding the position of the United States as the hegemon or rather “just” a global leader. This paper does not prejudge the final definition of the position of the USA in international relations, but aims to launch discussions on the necessity and justification of the existence of such vision on a global scale.

Companies' contribution to sustainability through global supply chains.

Science.gov (United States)

Thorlakson, Tannis; de Zegher, Joann F; Lambin, Eric F

2018-02-27

Global supply chains play a critical role in many of the most pressing environmental stresses and social struggles identified by the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Responding to calls from the global community, companies are adopting a variety of voluntary practices to improve the environmental and/or social management of their suppliers' activities. We develop a global survey of 449 publicly listed companies in the food, textile, and wood-products sectors with annual reports in English to provide insight into how the private sector contributes to advancing the SDGs via such sustainable-sourcing practices. We find that while 52% of companies use at least one sustainable-sourcing practice, these practices are limited in scope; 71% relates to only one or a few input materials and 60.5% apply to only first-tier suppliers. We also find that sustainable-sourcing practices typically address a small subset of the sustainability challenges laid out by the SDGs, primarily focusing on labor rights and compliance with national laws. Consistent with existing hypotheses, companies that face consumer and civil society pressure are associated with a significantly higher probability of adopting sustainable-sourcing practices. Our findings highlight the opportunities and limitations of corporate sustainable-sourcing practices in addressing the myriad sustainability challenges facing our world today. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

The Role of National Clusters in the Development of Global Value Chains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ostrovskaya Elena, Y.

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In modern economic literature there are many publications concerning innovative development of clusters and global value chains (GVCs. But still the interaction between these two structures is not studied completely. What are the main features and mechanisms of their interaction? Can clusters stimulate companies’ involvement in GVCs? Do they facilitate competition between participating companies and countries? These are just a few of those issues that are covered in the article. The efficiency of incorporation to GVCs depends both on the type of embedded cluster, and the management of particular links within the chain. In order to explain the cooperation between companies, the institutional approach is used, paying much attention to the issues of moral risks in the context of multiply goals, the effect of gauge, and the development of long-term relational contracts among agents. Thus, the recommendations concerning the role of clusters and GVCs for the raise of competitiveness of countries are provided with regard to the integrated research of global suppliers and customers’ motives.

Breaking the Global Production Chain: Thai women's struggles for economic rights and justice

OpenAIRE

Junya Lek Yimprasert

2006-01-01

Junya Lek Yimprasert, founder of the Thai Labor Campaign, reviews workers’ rights in the context of today's fast moving global production chain. She asks women concerned with economic justice to look beyond just dialogue and build global solidarity based on worker's dignity, rights, hearts and lives. It is not short-term charity that is needed but solidarity that paves the way for self-determination, freedom of association and a share in the huge profits that are built on the exploitation of ...

CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE CHAIN DEVELOPMENT IN TIMES OF GLOBALIZATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olga Dębicka

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The rate of economic, technological, political and legal changes, as well as the com-plexity of predicting demand, behavior and preferences of consumers, along with expand-ing markets contribute to the growing importance of sustainable supply chain in the com-pany’s operation, playing a special role in the decision making process and adaptation to the consumer needs of. In order, therefore, to achieve a competitive advantage, it is nec-essary to maintain the high level of innovation, which should result in the implementation of new solutions, ideas and concepts that contribute to the competitiveness on a global scale.

Positioning in the Global Value Chain as a Sustainable Strategy: A Case Study in a Mature Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jose Albors-Garrigos

2014-06-01

Full Text Available As a result of the development of new industrialized countries, such as Brazil, China and other Southern Asian economies, as well as a globalized economy, traditional competitive paradigms based on advantages associated with costs and quality efficiencies or even innovation are no longer sufficient. These previous classical paradigms related competitiveness either to costs or technology innovation and the resources of industry incumbents. However, the combination of adequate knowledge and relationship management with marketing efforts brings forth a reconsideration of the present competitive models that go beyond those analyses from the point of view of global value chains. The objective of this investigation will analyze the governance structure of the territorial value chain in the Spanish and Italian ceramic tile industry, through the understanding of the previous and current roles of several industries involved in the value creation system. By way of both a case study and quantitative methodology approach, we will explore the paradigm change where traditional chain actors are losing their grip on their contribution to the territorial value creation system as new actors appear with a more stable status. The article concludes that proper positioning in the global value chain is a key strategy for the sustainability of the involved firms, especially Small and Medium Enterprises (SME.

Automatic Type Recognition and Mapping of Global Tropical Cyclone Disaster Chains (TDC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ran Wang

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The catastrophic events caused by meteorological disasters are becoming more severe in the context of global warming. The disaster chains triggered by Tropical Cyclones induce the serious losses of population and economy. It is necessary to make the regional type recognition of Tropical Cyclone Disaster Chain (TDC effective in order to make targeted preventions. This study mainly explores the method of automatic recognition and the mapping of TDC and designs a software system. We constructed an automatic recognition system in terms of the characteristics of a hazard-formative environment based on the theory of a natural disaster system. The ArcEngine components enable an intelligent software system to present results by the automatic mapping approach. The study data comes from global metadata such as Digital Elevation Model (DEM, terrain slope, population density and Gross Domestic Product (GDP. The result shows that: (1 according to the characteristic of geomorphology type, we establish a type of recognition system for global TDC; (2 based on the recognition principle, we design a software system with the functions of automatic recognition and mapping; and (3 we validate the type of distribution in terms of real cases of TDC. The result shows that the automatic recognition function has good reliability. The study can provide the basis for targeted regional disaster prevention strategy, as well as regional sustainable development.

Thermolabile drugs stability faced with an accidental interruption in the cold chain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Ricote-Lobera

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Objective: To develop an updated guide about the stability of thermolabiledrugs included in the Pharmacotherapeutic Guide that,according to product information sheet, should be stored underrefrigeration or freezing, when are accidentally exposed to temperaturesoutside the range recommended by the manufacturer. Methods: It was reviewed the information about storage temperaturesrecommended in the product information sheet andthe available stability data at different temperatures of thermolabiledrugs included in the Pharmacotherapeutic Guide of a400-bed hospital that, according to the manufacturer, shouldbe stored under refrigeration or freezing. Drugs of clinical trialswere excluded. Stability data were obtained from the productinformation sheet, the last two guides published in Spain aboutthermolabile drugs and through consultations to laboratories(via phone or e-mail. Results: It was created a table with the storage temperaturesrecommended in the product information sheet and currentlyavailable stability data at different temperatures of 209 presentationsof several drugs. Stability data were requested to laboratoriesin 172 cases. Conclusions: The stability guide is a tool that facilitates decisionsof pharmacists when they are faced with an accidentalinterruption of the cold chain, when it is necessary to knowwhether the drug can be used and it is not possible to contactthe laboratory

Sustainable supply chain governance systems: conditions for effective market based governance in global trade

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vermeulen, W.J.V.

2010-01-01

In this article I discuss the conceptualisation and existing empirical research on the creation of sustainable global product chains. This papers sets steps in moving from normative prescriptive approaches towards an empirical descriptive approach, comparing available research in various forms of

The role of supply chain collaboration in supply chain risk mitigation

OpenAIRE

Chen, Jie

2017-01-01

In the last two decades, supply chain operations have changed drastically. Globalization of the market, shortened product life cycle, global outsourcing and offshoring, and increasing complexity of the supply base has resulted in modern supply chains becoming more vulnerable than ever. There are also more frequent natural or man-made disasters which disrupt the supply chain operations. All these have led to higher exposure of risks of supply chains and the failure to manage the...

Microscopic observations of palladium used for cold fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsumoto, T.

1991-01-01

This paper examines the microscopic structures of palladium metals used for cold fusion experiments. Tiny spot defects suggesting cold fusion have been observed in grain boundaries as the Nattoh model predicts. The relationship between these defects and a series of neutron busts and an indirect loop of hydrogen chain reactions are discussed

Global reverse supply chain design for solid waste recycling under uncertainties and carbon emission constraint.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Zhitao; Elomri, Adel; Pokharel, Shaligram; Zhang, Qin; Ming, X G; Liu, Wenjie

2017-06-01

The emergence of concerns over environmental protection, resource conservation as well as the development of logistics operations and manufacturing technology has led several countries to implement formal collection and recycling systems of solid waste. Such recycling system has the benefits of reducing environmental pollution, boosting the economy by creating new jobs, and generating income from trading the recyclable materials. This leads to the formation of a global reverse supply chain (GRSC) of solid waste. In this paper, we investigate the design of such a GRSC with a special emphasis on three aspects; (1) uncertainty of waste collection levels, (2) associated carbon emissions, and (3) challenges posed by the supply chain's global aspect, particularly the maritime transportation costs and currency exchange rates. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first attempt to integrate the three above-mentioned important aspects in the design of a GRSC. We have used mixed integer-linear programming method along with robust optimization to develop the model which is validated using a sample case study of e-waste management. Our results show that using a robust model by taking the complex interactions characterizing global reverse supply chain networks into account, we can create a better GRSC. The effect of uncertainties and carbon constraints on decisions to reduce costs and emissions are also shown. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The IASI detection chain

Science.gov (United States)

Nicol, Patrick; Fleury, Joel; Le Naour, Claire; Bernard, Frédéric

2017-11-01

IASI (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer) is an infrared atmospheric sounder. It will provide meteorologist and scientific community with atmospheric spectra. The instrument is composed of a Fourier transform spectrometer and an associated infrared imager. The presentation will describe the spectrometer detection chain architecture, composed by three different detectors cooled in a passive cryo-cooler (so called CBS : Cold Box Subsystem) and associated analog electronics up to digital conversion. It will mainly focus on design choices with regards to environment constraints, implemented technologies, and associated performances. CNES is leading the IASI program in collaboration with EUMETSAT. The instrument Prime is ALCATEL SPACE responsible, notably, of the detection chain architecture. SAGEM SA provides the detector package (so called CAU : Cold Acquisition Unit).

Global land-water nexus: Agricultural land and freshwater use embodied in worldwide supply chains.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, B; Han, M Y; Peng, K; Zhou, S L; Shao, L; Wu, X F; Wei, W D; Liu, S Y; Li, Z; Li, J S; Chen, G Q

2018-02-01

As agricultural land and freshwater inextricably interrelate and interact with each other, the conventional water and land policy in "silos" should give way to nexus thinking when formulating the land and water management strategies. This study constructs a systems multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model to expound global land-water nexus by simultaneously tracking agricultural land and freshwater use flows along the global supply chains. Furthermore, land productivity and irrigation water requirements of 160 crops in different regions are investigated to reflect the land-water linkage. Results show that developed economies (e.g., USA and Japan) and major large developing economies (e.g., mainland China and India) are the overriding drivers of agricultural land and freshwater use globally. In general, significant net transfers of these two resources are identified from resource-rich and less-developed economies to resource-poor and more-developed economies. For some crops, blue water productivity is inversely related to land productivity, indicating that irrigation water consumption is sometimes at odds with land use. The results could stimulus international cooperation for sustainable land and freshwater management targeting on original suppliers and final consumers along the global supply chains. Moreover, crop-specific land-water linkage could provide insights for trade-off decisions on minimizing the environmental impacts on local land and water resources. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Certification of Markets, Markets of Certificates: Tracing Sustainability in Global Agro-Food Value Chains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arthur P. J. Mol

2015-09-01

Full Text Available There is a blossoming of voluntary certification initiatives for sustainable agro-food products and production processes. With these certification initiatives come traceability in supply chains, to guarantee the sustainability of the products consumed. No systematic analysis exists of traceability systems for sustainability in agro-food supply chains. Hence, the purpose of this article is to analyze the prevalence of four different traceability systems to guarantee sustainability; to identify the factors that determine the kind of traceability systems applied in particular supply chains; and to assess what the emergence of economic and market logics in traceability mean for sustainability. Two conclusions are drawn. Globalizing markets for sustainable agro-food products induces the emergence of book-and-claim traceability systems, but the other three systems (identity preservation, segregation and mass balance will continue to exist as different factors drive traceability requirements in different supply chains. Secondly, traceability itself is becoming a market driven by economic and market logics, and this may have consequences for sustainability in agro-food supply chains in the future.

Transforming vaccines supply chains in Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarley, David; Mahmud, Mustafa; Idris, Jide; Osunkiyesi, Modele; Dibosa-Osadolor, Onome; Okebukola, Peter; Wiwa, Owens

2017-04-19

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and in 2012 was suffering some of the lowest vaccination rates in the World. A combination of factors had resulted in a dysfunctional immunization cold chain and supply chain. Recognizing that the number of unimmunized children contributed to high levels of under-5-mortality, and that health MDGs would not be attained, Minister of State for Health Mohammed Pate launched a vaccines transformation project in 2013. In partnership with BMGF, GAVI, UNICEF, WHO, other donors and implementing partners the transformation journey has so far taken three years and achieved impressive results. It has though faced challenges along the way and with the financial burden of GAVI graduation facing Nigeria, the economic downturn and the decentralized funding of health services, the results are far from sustained. This paper documents the work undertaken at the Federal level and then highlights specific work undertaken in partnership with Lagos State Government. It identifies the importance of taking an end to end approach and looking at the root causes of weak system performance. The strategy combined simple innovations in how data was captured, recorded and used to drive decision making. It included a comprehensive and systematic approach to cold chain procurement, installation and maintenance with a shift to a culture of active cold chain maintenance that is performing with higher levels of uptime. It also included supply chain redesign at both the Federal and State level. Finally, it involved an institutional transformation at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to establish a data driven Department of Logistics and Health Commodities (DLHC) to manage the many challenges in immunizing 7.5 million children annually. While results have been impressive, there have been many challenges and lessons learned on the way. As Nigeria gets ready for its graduation from GAVI, a robust agile performing cold chain and

Developing a global health diplomacy supply chain--a viable option for the United States to curb extremism.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Sameer; Honkanen, Erik J; Karl, Chad C

2009-01-01

This study examines the idea of developing a global health diplomacy supply chain as an important foreign policy approach with the aim of improving the lives of vulnerable populations and serving the best interests of the United States. The study was based on the review of academic literature, news events, and military communiques, and historical writings were studied to determine the feasibility of the idea and the extent of costs and benefits of such an endeavor. An integrated strategic business model, supported by a medical care delivery process, was developed to create a framework for a feasible global health diplomacy supply chain. The findings indicate that extremism can be contained by creating and efficiently executing an effective supply chain to get medical care units to those that need them. The limitations are the potential exit strategies required, the tactical abilities, and diplomatic techniques needed in order to create positive diplomatic change in aid distribution. Managers must consider how supply chains will affect other organizations giving aid and the potential public response. Moreover, determining the level of care necessary to achieve the greatest positive health diplomacy continues to require vigilant scrutiny over the potential cost/benefit analysis. The analysis is valuable to policymakers considering the impacts of health diplomacy by utilizing supply chain management.

The roles of information technology in global chain supply: a multiple case study of multinational companies of China

Science.gov (United States)

He, Mao; Duan, Wanchun

2007-12-01

Nowadays many Chinese companies have being becoming more and more international. Therefore, these Chinese companies have to face global supply chains rather than the former domestic ones. The use of information technology (IT) is considered a prerequisite for the effective control of today's complex global supply chains. Based on empirical data from 10 multinational companies of China, this paper presents a classification of the ways in which companies use IT in SCM, and examines the drivers for these different utilization types. According to the findings of this research, the purposes of using of IT in SCM can be divided into 1) transaction processing, 2) supply chain planning and collaboration, and 3) order tracking and delivery coordination. The findings further suggest that the drivers between these three uses of IT in SCM differ.

A sensitivity study to global desertification in cold and warm climates: results from the IPSL OAGCM model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alkama, Ramdane [GAME/CNRM, CNRS/Meteo-France, Toulouse (France); Kageyama, Masa; Ramstein, Gilles [LSCE/IPSL UMR CEA-CNRS-UVSQ 8212, Gif sur Yvette (France)

2012-04-15

Many simulations have been devoted to study the impact of global desertification on climate, but very few have quantified this impact in very different climate contexts. Here, the climatic impacts of large-scale global desertification in warm (2100 under the SRES A2 scenario forcing), modern and cold (Last Glacial Maximum, 21 thousand years ago) climates are assessed by using the IPSL OAGCM. For each climate, two simulations have been performed, one in which the continents are covered by modern vegetation, the other in which global vegetation is changed to desert i.e. bare soil. The comparison between desert and present vegetation worlds reveals that the prevailing signal in terms of surface energy budget is dominated by the reduction of upward latent heat transfer. Replacing the vegetation by bare soil has similar impacts on surface air temperature South of 20 N in all three climatic contexts, with a warming over tropical forests and a slight cooling over semi-arid and arid areas, and these temperature changes are of the same order of magnitude. North of 20 N, the difference between the temperatures simulated with present day vegetation and in a desert world is mainly due to the change in net radiation related to the modulation of the snow albedo by vegetation, which is obviously absent in the desert world simulations. The enhanced albedo in the desert world simulations induces a large temperature decrease, especially during summer in the cold and modern climatic contexts, whereas the largest difference occurs during winter in the warm climate. This temperature difference requires a larger heat transport to the northern high latitudes. Part of this heat transport increase is achieved through an intensification of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. This intensification reduces the sea-ice extent and causes a warming over the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans in the warm climate context. In contrast, the large cooling North of 20 N in both the modern

Benchmarking global supply chains: the power of the ‘ethical audit’ regime

OpenAIRE

LeBaron, G.; Lister, J.

2015-01-01

This article critically investigates the growing power and effectiveness of the ‘ethical’ compliance audit regime. Over the last decade, audits have evolved from a tool for companies to track internal organisational performance into a transnational governing mechanism to measure and strengthen corporate accountability globally and shape corporate responsibility norms. Drawing on original interviews, we assess the effectiveness of supply chain benchmarks and audits in promoting environmental a...

Theoretical and practical aspects of risk management in contemporary global supply chains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Globalization, off-shoring, outsourcing and pressure on cost reduction influence on the increasing complexity of supply chains and lead to higher risk. This may concern supplies, deliveries, manufacturing and transportation. Companies which source from distant countries have to implement risk management system. Examples of companies which use such systems prove, that it is possible to reduce uncertainty. Results concern shorter lead times, better quality and accepted cost level.

75 FR 8396 - Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, Cold Bay, Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-24

...] Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, Cold Bay, Alaska AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior..., we will hold public scoping meetings in King Cove, Cold Bay, Sand Point, and Nelson Lagoon in Alaska... Aleutian arc chain of volcanoes. Landforms include mountains, active volcanoes, U-shaped valleys, glacial...

Global Commodity Chains and the Production of Surplus-value on a Global Scale: Bringing Back the New International Division of Labour Theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicolas Grinberg

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This paper offers a critique of mainstream and critical versions of Global Commodity Chain analysis of post-1960s global-economy transformations claiming that they suffer from different types of methodological nationalism. After arguing that the key to overcome their intrinsic problems is to be found in the critical revision of Fröbel et al.'s New International Division of Labour theory, the paper advances a novel account of the structural dynamics of the stratified capitalist world-system developed by Iñigo Carrera (1998. Finally, the paper substantiates its main claims with an analysis of the long-term development of the global semiconductors industry.

Sustainable Supply Chain Design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bals, Lydia; Tate, Wendy

A significant conceptual and practical challenge is how to integrate triple bottom line (TBL; including economic, social and environmental) sustainability into global supply chains. Although this integration is necessary to slow down global resource depletion, understanding is limited of how...... to implement TBL goals across the supply chain. In supply chain design, the classic economic perspective still dominates, although the idea of the TBL is more widely disseminated. The purpose of this research is to add to the sustainable supply chain management literature (SSCM) research agenda...... by incorporating the physical chain, and the (information and financial) support chains into supply chain design. This manuscript tackles issues of what the chains are designed for and how they are designed structurally. Four sustainable businesses are used as illustrative case examples of innovative supply chain...

Macro-Logistics Decision Factors and Information Measures for Scanning Global (Supply Chain) Environments in International Location Choice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kinra, Aseem

2012-01-01

and strategic forecasting needs in relation to international risks. This may be done within the context of decision support systems that aid in global site location and other supply chain design problems. In contrast to solely utilizing widely-accepted environmental scanning indexes, managers may......value chains and supply chain management. This scope is usually accompanied by uncertainty to organisations, especially for the cross-border value chain with geographically dispersed operations and activities, and poses environmental complexity in the form of risks and costs that organisations need...... that pose constraints to international supply chain flows, and describe international uncertainty for firms. A catalogue of 187 information measures that aid in decisions on each relevant factor is also identified. The findings may be used by managers in different industry contexts for their scanning...

La cadena de frío vacunal en un departamento de salud de la Comunidad Valenciana The vaccine cold chain in a Valencian health department (Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen Barber-Hueso

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: Evaluar la cadena de frío en los puntos de vacunación de un departamento de salud de la Comunidad Valenciana, incluida la formación de los responsables de esta cadena. Método: Estudio transversal de revisión de un departamento de salud de la Comunidad Valenciana con 50 puntos de vacunación y 68 frigoríficos. Se utilizó una encuesta estructurada que recogía información relativa a las características del centro de vacunación, el personal responsable, la infraestructura y el control de los elementos que componen la cadena de frío, los procedimientos usados en la conservación y el manejo de las vacunas, así como los conocimientos del personal. Resultados: Se obtuvo una tasa de respuesta del 100%. Los frigoríficos eran, en su mayor parte, equipos domésticos sin alarma de avería o corte eléctrico (76,7%, alarma de puerta abierta (98,5%, termómetro exterior (92,6%, descongelación automática (76,5%, sensores internos de temperatura ni conexión a circuitos de emergencia (85,3%. La mayoría tenía la temperatura en el rango correcto (83,9%, las vacunas estaban adecuadamente situadas (88,2% y todos los centros contaban con un responsable de vacunas. En un 33,8% de las neveras había alimentos; en el 32,4% los viales se conservaban en la mesa durante la jornada vacunal y el gráfico de temperatura no se cumplimentaba diariamente (75%. Conclusión: Pese a que 5 de cada 6 neveras mantenían la temperatura adecuada, parece necesario mejorar la infraestructura vacunal de los centros de salud de atención primaria y la formación de los profesionales que intervienen en la cadena de frío.Objective: To evaluate the cold chain in the vaccination points of a health department in the autonomous region of Valencia, including training of the staff responsible for the cold chain. Method: We performed a crosssectional study to review all the vaccination points (n=50, with 68 refrigerators of a health department in the autonomous region

Cold stress decreases the capacity for respiratory NADH oxidation in potato leaves

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svensson, Å.S.; Johansson, F.I.; Møller, I.M.

2002-01-01

is 10% of the original level. This decrease is accompanied by specific decreases of immunodetected NDA protein and internal rotenone-insensitive NADH oxidation in mitochondria isolated from cold-treated plants. The alternative oxidase is not cold-induced neither at the protein nor at the activity level......Cold stress effects on the expression of genes for respiratory chain enzymes were investigated in potato (Solarium tuberosum L., cv. Desiree) leaves. The nda1 and ndb1 genes, homologues to genes encoding the non-proton-pumping respiratory chain NADH dehydrogenases of Escherichia coli and yeast......, were compared to genes encoding catalytic subunits of the proton-pumping NADH dehydrogenase (complex I). Using a real-time PCR system, we demonstrate a specific and gradual decrease of the NDA1 transcript after exposing the plants to 5 C. After 6 days of cold treatment the NDA1 transcript abundance...

Global dynamics in a stoichiometric food chain model with two limiting nutrients.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ming; Fan, Meng; Kuang, Yang

2017-07-01

Ecological stoichiometry studies the balance of energy and multiple chemical elements in ecological interactions to establish how the nutrient content affect food-web dynamics and nutrient cycling in ecosystems. In this study, we formulate a food chain with two limiting nutrients in the form of a stoichiometric population model. A comprehensive global analysis of the rich dynamics of the targeted model is explored both analytically and numerically. Chaotic dynamic is observed in this simple stoichiometric food chain model and is compared with traditional model without stoichiometry. The detailed comparison reveals that stoichiometry can reduce the parameter space for chaotic dynamics. Our findings also show that decreasing producer production efficiency may have only a small effect on the consumer growth but a more profound impact on the top predator growth. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improving Sustainability in Global Supply Chains with Private Certification Standards: Testing An Approach for Assessing Their Performance and Impact Potential

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vermeulen, Walter; Metselaar, Janneke

Sustainable supply chain governance approaches aim for improvement of environmental and community living conditions at the developing country's side of the global supply chains. Impact evaluation in remote and multiple sourcing countries is hardly done in practice because of its complexity and

The Use of Supply Chains and Supply Chain Management in the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dr Peter Schmitz

supply chain management to guide the production of maps. Supply chain management can ... Distribution and logistics. Product flow. Information flow and Money. The Firm. Data from supplier(s) ..... In Global Supply Chains: Developing Skills ...

The Philippines in the Electronics Global Value Chain: Upgrading Opportunities and Challenges

OpenAIRE

Rafaelita M. ALDABA

2015-01-01

This paper examines the extent and depth of participation of the Philippines in the electronics global value chains (GVC) using Trade in Value Added (TiVA) and extensive margin indicators. While the Philippines remains strong in semiconductors, it is lagging behind other ASEAN countries. According to the TiVA database, the level of participation of the Philippines in the electronics GVC increased substantially between 1995 and 2009. The extensive margins show that the Philippines has been reg...

Corporate Social Responsibility in Supply Chains of Global Brands: A Boundaryless Responsibility? Clarifications, Exceptions and Implications

OpenAIRE

Amaeshi, K.; Nnodim, P.; Osuji, O.

2008-01-01

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is increasingly becoming a popular business concept in developed economies. As typical of other business concepts, it is on its way to globalization through practices and structures of the globalized capitalist world order, typified in Multinational Corporations (MNCs). However, CSR often sits uncomfortably in this capitalist world order, as MNCs are often challenged by the global reach of their supply chains and the possible irresponsible practices inher...

Rents, Power and Governance in Global Value Chains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dennis Davis

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This paper addresses the  generation  of  rents  and  the  distribution  of  gains  in  the  global  operations  of  governed Global  Value  Chains  (GVCs  and  seeks  to  provide  an  architecture  for  analyzing  the  governance  of  GVCs.  It distinguishes between four sets of rent—gifts of nature; innovation rents; exogenously defined rents; and market power—and three spheres of governance—setting the rules -“legislative governance”; implementing the rules -“executive governance”; and monitoring rules and sanctioning malfeasance -“judicial governance.” The exercise of governance power in GVCs over the generation, protection and appropriation of rents is considered though the lens of four sets of key GVC stakeholders—the corporate sector, civil society organizations, the nation state and supranational institutions. This general analysis is given flesh through three case studies: food-safety standards in GVCs; taxation  policies  and  competition  policies.  In these  sectors,  the  corporate  sector  is  generally  much  more effective in governing rent generation and appropriation in the global operations of GVCs than are the three sets of  non-corporate  stakeholders.  From this  observation  we  offer  a  hypothesis  that  the  capacity  of  non-corporate stakeholders, including national states, to govern GVCs is contingent upon the extent to which this coincides with the interest of the corporate sector. However, as noted, this balance of power between private and non-corporate actors is a contested terrain and dynamic in nature.

Cultivating sources of competitive advantage : Opportunities for small-scale African farmers in global value chains

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Olthaar, Matthias

2015-01-01

Small-scale farmers in developing countries often appropriate little of the value created in global value chains. The farmers typically receive only a fraction of what consumers pay for a certain product. In the current thesis we studied which resources farmers have access to that enable them to

Preservation of food by cold chains. Part 4. Brief history of the industrial food preservation; Conservering van voedingsmiddelen door koudeketens. Deel 4. Korte historie van de industriele voedingsmiddelenconservering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van den Berg, C.; Berends, E.

2011-10-01

This is the fourth article in the series on cold chain food preservation, which describes the use of refrigeration in the food industry. Milestones were the building of cold chains for food distribution and new processes such as margarine and lager beer, and the scaling up of existing processes (e.g. for dairy, meat and fish products). By quick freezing, introduced by Clarence Birdseye in 1925, refrigeration can also be used for long term preservation of food products, as a powerful alternative for canning food. [Dutch] Dit vierde artikel in de reeks 'voedingsmiddelenconservering door koudeketens' completeert de beknopte historie van de voedingsmiddelenindustrie met een overzicht van het in gebruik nemen van de koelmachine. Mijlpalen zijn het ontstaan van koudeketens voor voedseldistributie en de nu mogelijk geworden nieuwe processen, de bereiding van pilsbier en margarine, de opschaling van bereidingsprocessen en het lange-afstandtransport van bederfelijke producten zoals zuivelproducten, vlees en vis. Door diepvriezen als methode aan te wenden, uitgevonden door Clarence Birdseye in 1925, kan koude ook worden gebruikt om voedingsmiddelen lang houdbaar te maken, een superieur alternatief voor inblikken van voedsel.

Impacts of the Tropical Pacific Cold Tongue Mode on ENSO Diversity Under Global Warming

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yang; Li, Jianping; Zhang, Wenjun; Chen, Quanliang; Feng, Juan; Zheng, Fei; Wang, Wei; Zhou, Xin

2017-11-01

The causes of ENSO diversity, although being of great interest in recent research, do not have a consistent explanation. This study provides a possible mechanism focused on the background change of the tropical Pacific as a response to global warming. The second empirical orthogonal function mode of the sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) in the tropical Pacific, namely the cold tongue mode (CTM), represents the background change of the tropical Pacific under global warming. Using composite analysis with surface observations and subsurface ocean assimilation data sets, we find ENSO spatial structure diversity is closely associated with the CTM. A positive CTM tends to cool the SST in the eastern equatorial Pacific and warm the SST outside, as well as widen (narrow) zonal and meridional scales for El Niño (La Niña), and vice versa. Particularly in the positive CTM phase, the air-sea action center of El Niño moves west, resembling the spatial pattern of CP-El Niño. This westward shift of center is related to the weakened Bjerknes feedback (BF) intensity by the CTM. By suppressing the SSTA growth of El Niño in the eastern equatorial Pacific, the CTM contributes to more frequent occurrence of CP-El Niño under global warming.

Break the Kill Chain, Not the Budget: How to Avoid U.S. Strategic Retrenchment

Science.gov (United States)

2016-06-10

mass quantities. The United States maintained a Cold War offset strategy focused on technology and kill chain annihilation with an understanding of...Annihilating the kill chain with advanced instruments of war is more the norm than the exception in the post- Cold War era U.S. military. The U.S. Air...Masters Thesis 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 27-07-2015 to 10-06-2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER BREAK THE KILL CHAIN

Auto component supply chain: a path to global India

OpenAIRE

Kale, Shailendra; Palacios Fernández, Miguel; Tafur Segura, José Javier; Jarad, Rajendra; Chitale, C.M.

2011-01-01

Supply chain management works to bring the supplier, the distributor, and the customer into one cohesive process. The Supply Chain Council defined supply chain as ‘Supply Chain: The flow and transformation of raw materials into products from suppliers through production and distribution facilities to the ultimate consumer., and then Sunil Chopra and Meindl, (2001) have define Supply chain management as ‘Supply Chain Management involves the flows between and among stages in a supply chain to m...

El frágil inicio de la cadena de frío vacunal en España The fragile beginning of the vaccine cold chain in Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Tuells

2010-08-01

Full Text Available La realización de dos estudios de ámbito nacional durante 1988-89 con el objetivo de analizar la situación de la cadena de frío vacunal en España activó el interés por la logística de las vacunas entre los profesionales de la salud pública. Se realizaron utilizando la metodología de evaluación basada en tarjetas de monitorización tiempo-temperatura (informe Battersby y encuestas transversales sobre el estado de la cadena de frío vacunal (informe Ferrando en los niveles provincial y local (2º y 3er eslabón. Los informes técnicos pusieron de manifiesto la precariedad de la situación, identificaron los puntos débiles que ponían en riesgo la efectividad de las vacunas y favorecieron la sensibilización hacia una actividad que constituye la columna vertebral de un programa de inmunización. Las mejoras propuestas fueron incorporadas paulatinamente por las distintas comunidades autónomas, que realizaron inversiones en equipamientos materiales y formación del personal sanitario, estableciendo protocolos de gestión específicos.Two studies aiming to analyze the vaccine cold chain throughout Spain, performed from 1988-89, sparked interest in vaccine logistics among public health authorities. The studies were performed using evaluation methodology based on cold chain monitor cards with a time-temperature indicator (Battersby's report and cross-sectional surveys on the conditions of the cold chain (Ferrando's report in the second and third levels (provincial and local stores. The technical reports revealed the precariousness of the situation, identified the weak points that were jeopardizing the vaccines' efficiency, and favored awareness of an activity that constitutes the vertebral column of any immunization program. The improvements proposed were gradually implemented by regional governments. More funds for equipment and personnel training were provided and specific management protocols were established.

Critical Research Needed to Examine the Environmental Impacts of Expanded Refrigeration on the Food System.

Science.gov (United States)

Heard, Brent R; Miller, Shelie A

2016-11-15

The unbroken global refrigerated supply chain, or cold chain, is rapidly expanding in developing countries. In addition to increasing the energy intensity of the food system, the expanded cold chain may facilitate changes in the global diet, food waste patterns, food production and distribution, and shopping habits. The sustainability impacts of many of these changes chain are unknown, given the complexity of interacting social, economic, and technical factors. The current literature surrounding the environmental impacts of refrigeration in the food system focuses on the direct impacts of energy use and coolant emissions, and lacks a critical evaluation of the accompanying systemic societal changes that potentially carry greater environmental impacts. This review examines the cold chain as a transformative technology, identifying key intrinsic, indirect, and external factors that will favorably, unfavorably, or ambiguously impact the environmental profile of the food system. The review identifies key interactions and feedbacks between the cold chain, food production and consumption decisions, infrastructure development, and the global environment which are largely unexamined and in need of empirical data. Viewing cold chain expansion from this broader perspective is essential to understanding the changing impacts of the food system in developing countries and may inform future sustainability planning.

Value chain dynamics, settlement trajectories and regional development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fold, Niels

2014-01-01

Global value chain (GVC) analysis has little to say about the interaction between regions and global chain dynamics. However, recent calls to address broader development issues have resulted in efforts to incorporate a spatial dimension in GVC analysis. Addressing this issue, the paper argues tha...... by value chain dynamics will improve by adding elements from global production network (GPN) theory to the combined methodology, namely by an examination of territorial embeddedness and value (creation, enhancement, capture, distribution) at settlement level.......Global value chain (GVC) analysis has little to say about the interaction between regions and global chain dynamics. However, recent calls to address broader development issues have resulted in efforts to incorporate a spatial dimension in GVC analysis. Addressing this issue, the paper argues...

Cold season emissions dominate the Arctic tundra methane budget

Science.gov (United States)

Zona, Donatella; Gioli, Beniamino; Commane, Róisín; Lindaas, Jakob; Wofsy, Steven C.; Miller, Charles E.; Dinardo, Steven J.; Dengel, Sigrid; Sweeney, Colm; Karion, Anna; Chang, Rachel Y.-W.; Henderson, John M.; Murphy, Patrick C.; Goodrich, Jordan P.; Moreaux, Virginie; Liljedahl, Anna; Watts, Jennifer D.; Kimball, John S.; Lipson, David A.; Oechel, Walter C.

2016-01-01

Arctic terrestrial ecosystems are major global sources of methane (CH4); hence, it is important to understand the seasonal and climatic controls on CH4 emissions from these systems. Here, we report year-round CH4 emissions from Alaskan Arctic tundra eddy flux sites and regional fluxes derived from aircraft data. We find that emissions during the cold season (September to May) account for ≥50% of the annual CH4 flux, with the highest emissions from noninundated upland tundra. A major fraction of cold season emissions occur during the "zero curtain" period, when subsurface soil temperatures are poised near 0 °C. The zero curtain may persist longer than the growing season, and CH4 emissions are enhanced when the duration is extended by a deep thawed layer as can occur with thick snow cover. Regional scale fluxes of CH4 derived from aircraft data demonstrate the large spatial extent of late season CH4 emissions. Scaled to the circumpolar Arctic, cold season fluxes from tundra total 12 ± 5 (95% confidence interval) Tg CH4 y-1, ∼25% of global emissions from extratropical wetlands, or ∼6% of total global wetland methane emissions. The dominance of late-season emissions, sensitivity to soil environmental conditions, and importance of dry tundra are not currently simulated in most global climate models. Because Arctic warming disproportionally impacts the cold season, our results suggest that higher cold-season CH4 emissions will result from observed and predicted increases in snow thickness, active layer depth, and soil temperature, representing important positive feedbacks on climate warming.

Examination of food chain-derived Listeria monocytogenes strains of different serotypes reveals considerable diversity in inlA genotypes, mutability, and adaptation to cold temperatures.

Science.gov (United States)

Kovacevic, Jovana; Arguedas-Villa, Carolina; Wozniak, Anna; Tasara, Taurai; Allen, Kevin J

2013-03-01

Listeria monocytogenes strains belonging to serotypes 1/2a and 4b are frequently linked to listeriosis. While inlA mutations leading to premature stop codons (PMSCs) and attenuated virulence are common in 1/2a, they are rare in serotype 4b. We observed PMSCs in 35% of L. monocytogenes isolates (n = 54) recovered from the British Columbia food supply, including serotypes 1/2a (30%), 1/2c (100%), and 3a (100%), and a 3-codon deletion (amino acid positions 738 to 740) seen in 57% of 4b isolates from fish-processing facilities. Caco-2 invasion assays showed that two isolates with the deletion were significantly more invasive than EGD-SmR (P cold temperature following a downshift from 37°C to 4°C. Overall, three distinct cold-adapting groups (CAG) were observed: 46% were fast (200 h) adaptors. Intermediate CAG strains (70%) more frequently possessed inlA PMSCs than did fast (20%) and slow (10%) CAGs; in contrast, 87% of fast adaptors lacked inlA PMSCs. In conclusion, we report food chain-derived 1/2a and 4b serotypes with a 3-codon deletion possessing invasive behavior and the novel association of inlA genotypes encoding a full-length InlA with fast cold-adaptation phenotypes.

The Sustainability of Global Chain Governance: Network Structures and Local Supplier Upgrading in Thailand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sungchul Cho

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Although it has been widely accepted that insertion into global production networks may play a critical role in fostering local supplier upgrading, scholars have yet to fully incorporate heterogeneous configurations of buyer-supplier relationships within networks into empirical testing. Using a representative sample of manufacturing firms in Thailand, we propose a more nuanced empirical framework that asks which features of buyer-supplier relationships are related to which aspects of local supplier upgrading. Our findings, derived from latent class analysis, show that the ways value chains are governed can exert varying effects on different types of technological upgrading. Being a multinational corporation (MNC supplier was found to have positive effects on process and minor product upgrading, irrespective of the types of buyer-supplier networks. However, we found a more radical type of upgrading (i.e., the development of own brands to be negatively related to insertion into ‘quasi-hierarchical’ or ‘buyer-driven relationships’, whilst involvement in ‘cooperative networks’ was associated with a significantly higher tendency of product and brand upgrading. Understanding this inherent relationality provides a crucial balance to previous firm-level findings, suggesting that the sustainability of participation in global value chains depends on the relational structures in which local manufacturers are embedded.

Tip model of cold fission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goennenwein, F.; Boersig, B.

1991-01-01

Cold fission is defined to be the limiting case of nuclear fission where virtually all of the available energy is converted into the total kinetic energy of the fragments. The fragments have, therefore, to be born in or at least close to their respective ground states. Starting from the viewpoint that cold fission corresponds to most compact scission configurations, energy constraints have been exploited to calculate minimum tip distances between the two nascent fragments in binary fission. Crucial input parameters to this tip model of cold fission are the ground-state deformations of fragment nuclei. It is shown that the minimum tip distances being compatible with energy conservation vary strongly with both the mass and charge fragmentation of the fission prone nucleus. The tip distances refer to nuclei with equivalent sharp surfaces. In keeping with the size of the surface width of leptodermous nuclei, only configurations where the tip distances are smaller than a few fm may be considered as valid scission configurations. From a comparison with experimental data on cold fission this critical tip distance appears to be 3.0 fm for the model parameters chosen. Whenever the model calculation yields tip distances being smaller than the critical value, a necessary condition for attaining cold fission is considered to be fulfilled. It is shown that this criterion allows to understand in fair agreement with experiment which mass fragmentations are susceptible to lead to cold fission and which fragment-charge divisions are the most favored in each isobaric mass chain. Being based merely on energy arguments, the model cannot aim at predicting fragment yields in cold fission. However, the tip model proposed appears well suited to delineate the phase space where cold fission phenomena may come into sight. (orig.)

Fusion chain reaction - a chain reaction with charged particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peres, A.; Shvarts, D.

1975-01-01

When a DT-plasma is compressed to very high density, the particles resulting from nuclear reactions give their energy mostly to D and T ions, by nuclear collisions, rather than to electrons as usual. Fusion can thus proceed as a chain reaction, without the need of thermonuclear temperatures. In this paper, we derive relations for the suprathermal ion population created by a fusion reaction. Numerical integration of these equations shows that a chain reaction can proceed in a cold infinite DT-plasma at densities above 8.4x10 27 ions.cm -3 . Seeding the plasma with a small amount of 6 Li reduces the critical density to 7.2x10 27 ions.cm -3 (140000times the normal solid density). (author)

The global wood furniture value chain: what prospects for upgrading by developing countries? The case of South Africa

OpenAIRE

Kaplinsky, Raphael; Memedovic, Olga; Morris, Mike; Readman, Jeff

2003-01-01

Because of its resource and labour intensity, the wood furniture sector presents an opportunity for developing countries and their firms to participate effectively in the global economy. This paper begins with a brief description of the global wood furniture industry and highlights the importance of exports wood furniture products for developing countries and emerging and transitional economies. The paper then maps the wood furniture value chain and opens-up the nature of the buying function,...

Evaluation of measles vaccine cold chain in Lagos State, Nigeria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The National (level 1), State (L2), and Local government vaccine cold stores (L3) as well as some vaccination centres (L4) were physically inspected in Lagos State, Nigeria and the potency of the live-attenuated measles vaccine was tested. Both the L1 and L2 storage facilities were formally adequately equipped and ...

Studies and modeling of cold neutron sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campioni, G.

2004-11-01

With the purpose of updating knowledge in the fields of cold neutron sources, the work of this thesis has been run according to the 3 following axes. First, the gathering of specific information forming the materials of this work. This set of knowledge covers the following fields: cold neutron, cross-sections for the different cold moderators, flux slowing down, different measurements of the cold flux and finally, issues in the thermal analysis of the problem. Secondly, the study and development of suitable computation tools. After an analysis of the problem, several tools have been planed, implemented and tested in the 3-dimensional radiation transport code Tripoli-4. In particular, a module of uncoupling, integrated in the official version of Tripoli-4, can perform Monte-Carlo parametric studies with a spare factor of Cpu time fetching 50 times. A module of coupling, simulating neutron guides, has also been developed and implemented in the Monte-Carlo code McStas. Thirdly, achieving a complete study for the validation of the installed calculation chain. These studies focus on 3 cold sources currently functioning: SP1 from Orphee reactor and 2 other sources (SFH and SFV) from the HFR at the Laue Langevin Institute. These studies give examples of problems and methods for the design of future cold sources

Impact of Service Liberalization on the Participation of BRICS Countries in Global Value Chains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olga Biryukova

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This article examines the nature and degree of influence of service liberalization on the participation of the BRICS grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa in global value chains (GVCs. The inverse relationship between the barriers in infrastructure services and the degree of participation of countries in GVCs was determined using econometric analysis methods. Using data on the structure of trade in goods and services in terms of value added, the situation of developing countries was analyzed using the example of the BRICS in production and service GVCs. China and India are the most deeply integrated countries in the international production and service chains while Russia, Brazil and South Africa participate in the production value chains as suppliers of raw materials and intermediate goods with low added value. However, these countries have a significant potential to expand their participation in the system of international production by improving the infrastructure necessary for the operation of the GVC. This study of the experience of liberalization in certain service sectors in BRICS countries reveals the positive impact of reducing barriers in maritime, rail and air transportation sectors, as well as finance, for improving the quality and reducing the cost of services. The authors note that in many respects, these effects were the result not only of reducing barriers in services, but also the implementation of a set of measures aimed at increasing the investment attractiveness of countries. The article concludes that the liberalization of infrastructure services industries can become one of the tools for integrating BRICS countries into the GVC. However, this liberalization should be part of a broader development strategy that includes trade and investment policy measures aimed not only at increasing participation in global production, but also overall economic development of the country

Phenotypic and genetic characteristics associated with Listeria monocytogenes food chain isolates displaying enhanced and diminished cold tolerance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hingston, P.; Chen, J.; Laing, C.

between strains with varied cold tolerance. The objective of this study was to determine if Lm isolates with enhanced cold tolerance, exhibit other high risk characteristics that may add to their survival and/or pathogenicity. To accomplish this, 166 predominantly food/food plant Lm isolates were tested...... in brainheart infusion broth, for their ability to tolerate cold (4°C), salt (6% NaCl, 25°C), acid (pH 5, 25°C), and desiccation (33% RH, 20°C) stress. Isolates were considered tolerant or sensitive if they exhibited survival characteristics > or ... with a truncated version (n=47). Cold tolerant isolates were more likely to be tolerant to the other three stresses than intermediate and cold sensitive isolates. Similarly, cold sensitive isolates were more likely to be sensitive to the other stresses. Cold tolerant isolates had shorter (p=0.012) lag phases...

Least-developed Countries in a World of Global Value Chains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Flentø, Daniel; Ponte, Stefano

2017-01-01

Nimble trade and industrial policy is essential for Least-Developed Countries (LDCs) to thrive in a world of global value chains (GVCs). “Adaptive states” in LDCs need to create and exploit policy space in national decision-making, build specific production capabilities to participate...... and meaningfully capture value in GVCs, and handle policy stretches arising from factors and actors they cannot control. In this article, we show that the outcomes of recent multilateral trade negotiations will facilitate these processes only partially. The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Bali and Nairobi...... are also needed to guide investment in the direction that allows for flexible specialization and domestic value addition—these options are severely limited in the current WTO regime. The legally binding commitments made in Nairobi on rules of origin are also a positive step, but must be linked to the yet...

Mott-insulating phases in unidimensional multi-components fermionic cold atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nonne, Heloise

2011-01-01

This thesis is devoted to the investigation of the Mott insulating phases arising in one-dimensional multicomponent fermionic cold atoms systems. The first part of this work is the study of a model with alkaline-earth cold atoms with nuclear spin I = 1/2. Those atoms enjoy an additional orbital degree of freedom, due to the presence of a metastable excited state; they thus have a total of four components. Our investigation is carried at half-filling, at strong and at weak couplings by means of analytic methods (conformal theory, bosonization, refermionization, renormalisation group). We found that the zero temperature phase diagram of the system is very rich: it contains seven Mott insulating phases, among which three are particularly interesting, since they display a hidden order, related to the Haldane physics of the antiferromagnetic spin-1 Heisenberg chain. Our conclusions are checked against numerical simulations, that were carried out with the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) algorithm for intermediate couplings. The comparison shows an adiabatic continuity between the different regimes. A similar study for a model of cold atoms with hyperfine spin-3/2 highlights the Haldane physics in the charge sector of the degrees of freedom, with an effective model given by an antiferromagnetic pseudo-spin-1 chain. This analysis provides us an opportunity to investigate the zero temperature properties of the SO(5) bilinear-bi-quadratic Heisenberg chain. We show the presence of two gapped phases: one is dimerized, the other has a hidden symmetry (Z 2 x Z 2 ) 2 and spin-3/2 edge states, and they are separated by a critical point that belongs to the SO(5) 1 universality class. Finally, we investigate half-integer hyperfine spin cold atoms systems with 2N components which generalized the results obtained for the hyperfine spin-3/2 model. This leads us to find an even/odd effect according to the parity of N, very similar to the even/odd effect of spin chains

Probabilistic Chain Teleportation of a Qutrit-State

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Meiyu; Yan Fengli

2010-01-01

We investigate chain teleportation of a qutrit-state via the non-maximally two-qutrit entangled channels. For the case of four parties, the efficiencies of two chain teleportation protocols, the separate chain teleportation protocol (SCTP), and the global chain teleportation protocol (GCTP), are calculated. In SCTP the errors are corrected between every step while in GCTP the errors are corrected only at the end. Furthermore, we present a piecewise global chain teleportation protocol (PGCTP) for keeping away from the inconvenience of error-correction of GCTP. We show that PGCTP is more efficient than SCTP. (general)

Testing and design of a passive container for the optimisation of highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L. cold chain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto Beghi

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work is to test a passive cooling system (PCS on highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. to verify cooling performances soon after harvest. Based on experimental results the cooling trend was modelled and a dedicated system was designed for the optimisation of blueberries cold chain. The evolution of qualitative characteristics of stored fruits was evaluated analysing the percentage of damaged berries, the weight loss, the texture, the titratable acidity and the total soluble solids content. The analysis of temperature profiles during transport using PCS shows how this device is not fast enough in tearing down the blueberries field heat. A computer simulation, using finite elements method modelling, considering the thermo-physical properties of materials used and the boundary conditions arising from experimental data collected was carried out. Computer modelling has provided the characteristics of geometry, thickness, type and density of the material to obtain the desired cooling performance.

Is there any cardioprotective role of Taurine during cold ischemic period following global myocardial ischemia?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gamsizkan Mehmet

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of the present study was to investigate the cardioprotective effect of Taurine on the donor hearts during cold ischemic period. Methods 32 rats were divided into four groups (sham, taurine, ischemia, treatment group, 8 rats in each. All rats were fed with rat food for three weeks. Taurine and treatment groups were given a 200 mg/kg/day dose of Taurine by oral gavage besides rat feed. Cardiectomy was performed in all rats after three weeks. In ischemia and treatment groups, harvested hearts were kept in 0.9% sodium chloride at +4 degrees C for 5 hours. Tissue samples were taken from left ventricle in all groups. These samples were evaluated by histopathologic and biochemical examination. Results In the present study results of the biochemical and histopathological examination reveals the protective effects of Taurine. As a marker of lipid peroxidation, Malondialdehyde (MDA levels in ischemia group were significantly higher than both Sham and Taurine groups. MDA values were recorded; 3.62 ± 0.197 in the sham group, 2.07 ± 0.751 in the Taurine group, 9.71 ± 1.439 in the ischemia group and 7.68 ± 1.365 in the treatment group. MDA levels decreased in treatment group. (p Conclusion Taurine decreased myocardial damage during cold ischemic period following global myocardial ischemia.

Value Chain Engineering

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wæhrens, Brian Vejrum; Slepniov, Dmitrij

2015-01-01

This workbook is recommended for the attention of students of and managers in Danish small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Danish SMEs are currently facing a number of key challenges related to their position in global value chains. This book provides an insight into value chain management t...

Fuzzy Multicriteria ABC Supplier Classification in Global Supply Chain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petar Kefer

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The determination of the optimal purchasing strategy in enterprise that is a part of global supply chain could be performed in two steps. In step one, a classification of potential suppliers is performed in order to determine the optimal portfolio of suppliers. This is delivered by using the fuzzy multicriteria proposed ABC classification method. Uncertainties in relative importance of criteria and their values are described by linguistic expressions. Modelling of linguistic expressions is based on the fuzzy sets theory. In the second step, ranking of optimal portfolio of suppliers is performed by using the modified ELECTRE method. The obtained results represent valuable input for determining the long time purchasing strategy and building partnership with the best suppliers. The developed two-step model is verified on real life data. The obtained results indicate good compliance with the opinions management in this type of industry. It is worth to mention that the proposed model can be easily extended and adopted to the analysis of other issues of management which could be applicable in different research areas.

Market integration of cold and warmwater shrimp in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ankamah-Yeboah, Isaac; Ståhl, Lisa; Nielsen, Max

2017-01-01

) holds in three of the five cases. For processed shrimp, the LOP holds in three of four integrated cases, and for retail sales in the UK and Denmark, the LOP fails to hold in the presence of market integration. Unprocessed coldwater shrimp leads the market in northern Europe. Downstream, prices adjust......This study examines market integration between the cold and warmwater shrimp value chain in the UK, Denmark, Italy, Sweden, and Norway using cointegration methods. For all countries, market integration exists between cold and warmwater unprocessed shrimp imports, where the law of one price (LOP...

Assessing the Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility Standards in Global Value Chains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund-Thomsen, Peter

This paper considers the issue of corporate social responsibility (CSR) standard impact assessment in global value chains. CSR standards have proliferated in recent years, and several studies have attempted to assess their effects on local producers, workers, and the environment in developing...... countries. However, much less attention has been paid to the “dark side” of impact assessment – the ethical and political dilemmas that arise in the process of carrying out impact studies. This paper addresses this gap in literature, arguing that impact assessments of CSR standards may do more harm than...... good to the intended beneficiaries - developing country firms, farmers, workers, and communities - unless these ethical and political dilemmas are given serious consideration....

GLOBAL LOGISTICS AND INTERNATIONAL CHANNEL DEVELOPMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fani Mateska

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Business Logistics and Supply Chain Management (SCM are relatively new terms that emerged in recent years concerning to be modern terms compared to the more traditional fields of production, marketing or finance. By opening new stores globally, from which to source products, by increasing the number of retailers, wholesalers, agents and distributers in the global supply chain, as well as easing global transport, these events dramatically changed the way business looked at managing its physical operations. Therefore, this paper offers deep understanding of the main characteristics, new trends and evaluation of global logistics which referred to as global supply chain management. Global logistics plays critical role in the growth and development of world trade, and in the integration of business operations on a worldwide scale. This paper also emphasizes the differences between traditional and global supply chains, by explaining several alternative types of distribution channels that are part of the international distribution channels. Also, real world examples of global organizations and their global supply chain management processes are accurately described in the end of this paper.

A practical approach to implementing CSR in the electronics industry: global supply chain management focusing on corporate social responsibility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jamieson, S.; Rice, G. [Panasonic Mobile Communication Development of Europe (PMCDE) (United Kingdom); Hilbron, R. [Vodafone Group Plc (United Kingdom); Clift, R.; Wehrmeyer, W. [Centre for Environmental Strategy, Univ. of Surrey (United Kingdom)

2004-07-01

This paper covers a co-operative investigation undertaken by Vodafone Plc and Panasonic Mobile Communications (PMC); applying Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) principles in an actual assessment of the supply chain. Together, we carried out an informal CSR assessment on a Panasonic mobile phone handset manufacturing facility in the Philippines. CSR issues vary with geographical and cultural region. By researching CSR concerns typically encountered in the region, focal points of business performance for the Philippines investigation were identified. These are detailed in the paper. A key benefit from this assessment was the increased understanding of the management of the indirect CSR issues within the supply chain. This understanding is essential when developing a system for CSR supply-chain management. This paper will describe this exercise and its findings and will suggest future steps necessary to successfully integrate CSR principles though the global supply chain. (orig.)

Intermodal Supply Chain Risk Management

OpenAIRE

Maslarić, Marinko; Brnjac, Nikolina; Bago, Drago

2016-01-01

Efficient and secure global supply chains contribute to the Improvement of the competitiveness of the products traded on international markets by reducing their costs and delivery time while increasing the reliability and security. Global supply chains are unthinkable without transport integration, which is usually accomplished through the form of intermodal transport systems. Intermodal transport systems are much more complex than the unimodal ones due to the number of stakeholders, included...

Benefits of using vaccines out of the cold chain: delivering meningitis A vaccine in a controlled temperature chain during the mass immunization campaign in Benin.

Science.gov (United States)

Zipursky, Simona; Djingarey, Mamoudou Harouna; Lodjo, Jean-Claude; Olodo, Laifoya; Tiendrebeogo, Sylvestre; Ronveaux, Olivier

2014-03-14

In October 2012, the Meningococcal A conjugate vaccine MenAfriVac was granted a label variation to allow for its use in a controlled temperature chain (CTC), at temperatures of up to 40°C for not more than four days. This paper describes the first field use of MenAfriVac in a CTC during a campaign in Benin, December 2012, and assesses the feasibility and acceptability of the practice. We implemented CTC in one selected district, Banikoara (target population of 147,207; 1-29 years of age), across 14 health facilities and 150 villages. We monitored the CTC practice using temperature indicators and daily monitoring sheets. At the end of the campaign we conducted a face-to-face survey to assess vaccinators' and supervisors' experience with CTC. A mix of strategies were implemented in the field to maximize the benefits from CTC practice, depending on the distance from health centre to populations and the availability of a functioning refrigerator in the health centre. Coverage across Banikoara was 105.7%. Over the course of the campaign only nine out of approx. 15,000 vials were discarded due to surpassing the 4 day CTC limit and no vial was discarded because of exposure to a temperature higher than 40°C or due to the Vaccine Vial Monitor (VVM) reaching its endpoint. Overall confidence and perceived usefulness of the CTC approach were very high among vaccinators and supervisors. Vaccinators and supervisors see clear benefits from the CTC approach in low income settings, especially in hard-to-reach areas or where cold chain is weak. Taking advantage of the flexibility offered by CTC opens the door for the implementation of new immunization strategies to ensure all those at risk are protected. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Only adding stationary storage to vaccine supply chains may create and worsen transport bottlenecks.

Science.gov (United States)

Haidari, Leila A; Connor, Diana L; Wateska, Angela R; Brown, Shawn T; Mueller, Leslie E; Norman, Bryan A; Schmitz, Michelle M; Paul, Proma; Rajgopal, Jayant; Welling, Joel S; Leonard, Jim; Claypool, Erin G; Weng, Yu-Ting; Chen, Sheng-I; Lee, Bruce Y

2013-01-01

Although vaccine supply chains in many countries require additional stationary storage and transport capacity to meet current and future needs, international donors tend to donate stationary storage devices far more often than transport equipment. To investigate the impact of only adding stationary storage equipment on the capacity requirements of transport devices and vehicles, we used HERMES (Highly Extensible Resource for Modeling Supply Chains) to construct a discrete event simulation model of the Niger vaccine supply chain. We measured the transport capacity requirement for each mode of transport used in the Niger vaccine cold chain, both before and after adding cold rooms and refrigerators to relieve all stationary storage constraints in the system. With the addition of necessary stationary storage, the average transport capacity requirement increased from 88% to 144% for cold trucks, from 101% to 197% for pickup trucks, and from 366% to 420% for vaccine carriers. Therefore, adding stationary storage alone may worsen or create new transport bottlenecks as more vaccines flow through the system, preventing many vaccines from reaching their target populations. Dynamic modeling can reveal such relationships between stationary storage capacity and transport constraints.

Arsenic contamination in food chain: Thread to global food security

Science.gov (United States)

Kashyap, C. A.

2016-12-01

The supply of good quality food is a necessity for economic and social health of urban and rural population. Over the last several decades groundwater contamination in developing countries has assumed dangerous levels as a result millions of people are at risk. This is so particularly with respect to arsenic that has registered high concentration in groundwater in countries like India and Bangladesh. The arsenic content in groundwater varies from 10 to 780 µg/L, which is far above the levels for drinking water standards prescribed by World Health Organization (WHO). Currently arsenic has entered in food chain due to irrigation with arsenic contaminated water. In the present study reports the arsenic contamination in groundwater that is being used for irrigating paddy in Manipur and West Bengal. The arsenic content in irrigation water is 475 µg/L and 780 µg/L in Manipur and West Bengal, respectively. In order to assess the effect of such waters on the rice crop, we collected rice plant from Manipur and determined the arsenic content in roots, stem, and grain. The arsenic content in grain varies from 110 to 190 mg/kg while the limit of arsenic intake by humans is 10 mg/kg (WHO). This problem is not confine to the area, it spread global level, and rice being cultivated in these regions is export to the other countries like USA, Middle East and Europe and will be thread to global food security.

Sustainability governance of chains and networks: a review and future outlook

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bush, S.R.; Oosterveer, P.J.M.; Bailey, M.L.; Mol, A.P.J.

2015-01-01

This paper reviews the extent to which sustainability governance has been integrated into the literature on sustainable chains and networks. The analysis brings together four main approaches to chains and network studies – supply chain management (SCM), global commodity chains (GCC), global value

Global chain properties of an all l-α-eicosapeptide with a secondary α-helix and its all retro d-inverso-α-eicosapeptide estimated through the modeling of their CZE-determined electrophoretic mobilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Deiber, Julio A; Piaggio, Maria V; Peirotti, Marta B

2014-03-01

Several global chain properties of relatively long peptides composed of 20 amino acid residues are estimated through the modeling of their experimental effective electrophoretic mobilities determined by CZE for 2 chains, they do not present similar global conformations in the whole range of pH studied. These peptides may also differ in the quality of BGE components chain interactions depending on the pH value. Three Peptide 1 fragments (Peptides 3, 4, and 5) are also analyzed in this framework with the following purposes: (i) visualization of the effects of initial and final strands at each side of the α-helix on the global chain conformations of Peptide 1 at different pHs and (ii) analysis of global chain conformations of Peptides 1 and 2, and Peptide 1 fragments in relation to their pI values. Also, the peptide maximum and minimum hydrations predicted by the model, compatible with experimental effective electrophoretic mobilities at different pHs, are quantified and discussed, and needs for further research concerning chain hydration are proposed. It is shown that CZE is a useful analytical tool for peptidomimetic designs and purposes. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A conceptual framework for supply chain governance: An application to agri-food chains in China

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhang, X.Y.; Aramyan, L.H.

2009-01-01

Purpose - Chinese agri-food chains consist of the millions of small scale farmers, who are not well structured and organized in the supply chain. Owing to market liberalization and globalization, one of the most challenging issues along agri-food chains in China is becoming the issue of how to link

The Politics of Global Value Chains: Import-dependent Firms and EU-Asia Trade Agreements.

Science.gov (United States)

Eckhardt, Jappe; Poletti, Arlo

2016-01-01

In 2006, the European Commission released its Global Europe Communication, in which it announced a shift from a multilateral to a bilateral trade strategy. One of the key pillars of this new strategy was to strengthen the bilateral trade relations with key Asian countries. In contrast to existing analyses that focus on European Union (EU) decision makers' agency, we propose an explanation for this notable shift in the EU's trade policy that stresses the political role of import-dependent firms. In light of the increasing integration of such firms into global value chains, the article argues that a plausible case can be made, both theoretically and empirically, that import-dependent firms had a clear stake in the signing of preferential trade agreements between the EU and Asian countries and that their lobbying efforts significantly affected the EU's decision to start negotiations with South Korea, India and Vietnam.

The Politics of Global Value Chains: Import-dependent Firms and EU–Asia Trade Agreements

Science.gov (United States)

Eckhardt, Jappe; Poletti, Arlo

2015-01-01

In 2006, the European Commission released its Global Europe Communication, in which it announced a shift from a multilateral to a bilateral trade strategy. One of the key pillars of this new strategy was to strengthen the bilateral trade relations with key Asian countries. In contrast to existing analyses that focus on European Union (EU) decision makers’ agency, we propose an explanation for this notable shift in the EU’s trade policy that stresses the political role of import-dependent firms. In light of the increasing integration of such firms into global value chains, the article argues that a plausible case can be made, both theoretically and empirically, that import-dependent firms had a clear stake in the signing of preferential trade agreements between the EU and Asian countries and that their lobbying efforts significantly affected the EU’s decision to start negotiations with South Korea, India and Vietnam. PMID:28018131

Cold fusion produces more tritium than neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rajagopalan, S.R.

1989-01-01

The results of the major cold fusion experiments performed in various laboratories of the world and attempts to explain them are reviewed in brief. Particular reference is made to the experiments carried out in the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Bombay. In BARC experiments, it is found that tritium is the primary product of cold fusion. Author has put forward two hypothetical pictures of D-D fusion. (1) When a metal like Pd or Ti is loaded with D 2 , a crack forms. Propogation of such a crack accelerates deuterons which bombard Pd D 2 /D held by Pd or Ti leading to neutron capture or tritium formation with the release of protons and energy. The released protons might transfer its energy to some other deuteron and a chain reaction is started. This chain reaction terminates when a substantial portion of D in the crack tip is transmuted. This picture explains fusion reaction bursts and the random distribution of reaction sites, but does not explain neutron emission. (2) The deuterons accelerated by a propogating crack may hit a Pd/Ti nucleus instead of a deuterium nucleus and may transmute Pd/Ti. (M.G.B.). 18 refs

A study about business sustainability in cold storage agroindustry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geraldino Carneiro de Araújo

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Industrial organizations are adapting to the concept of business sustainability in which companies develop social actions not losing the focus of financial and economic returns. In this context, the beef production sector, which has the cold storage agroindustry as the official coordinator of the chain, is important because of the socio-environmental actions. The objective of this research, characterized as descriptive and exploratory, with a qualitative approach, is to describe the measures adopted for business sustainability of agroindustry. Data analysis was the methodology of Grounded Theory. The results show the involvement of the cold storage studied in the three dimensions of sustainability (environmental, economic and social, and conclude that the cold storage agroindustry has incorporated the concept of sustainability of the business requirements of exporters.

Conceptual Readings into the Cold War: Towards Transnational Approaches from the Perspective of Latin American Studies in Eastern and Western Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Albert Manke

Full Text Available Abstract This bibliographical and conceptual essay summarizes recent research in Cold War Studies in Europe and the Americas, especially on smaller states in historiographical studies. Against the background of an increasing connectedness and globalization of research about the Cold War, the authors highlight the importance of the full-scale integration of countries and regions of the 'Global South' into Cold War Studies. Critical readings of the newly available resources reveal the existence of important decentralizing perspectives resulting from Cold War entanglements of the 'Global South' with the 'Global North.' As a result, the idea that these state actors from the former 'periphery' of the Cold War should be considered as passive recipients of superpower politics seems rather troubled. The evidence shows (at least partially autonomous and active multiple actors.

Distributions of carbon pricing on extraction, combustion and consumption of fossil fuels in the global supply-chain

Science.gov (United States)

Karstensen, Jonas; Peters, Glen

2018-01-01

Pricing carbon is one of the most important tools to reduce emissions and mitigate climate change. Already, about 40 nations have implemented explicit or implicit carbon prices, and a carbon price was explicitly stated as a mitigation strategy by many nations in their emission pledges submitted to the Paris Agreement. The coverage of carbon prices varies significantly between nations though, often only covering a subset of sectors in the economy. We investigate the propagation of carbon prices along the global supply-chain when the carbon price is applied at the point where carbon is removed from the ground (extraction), is combusted (production), or where goods and services are consumed (consumption). We consider both the regional and sectoral effects, and compare the carbon price income and costs relative to economic output. We find that implementation using different accounting systems makes a significant difference to revenues and increased expenditure, and that domestic and global trade plays a significant role in spreading the carbon price between sectors and countries. A few single sectors experience the largest relative price increases (especially electricity and transport), but most of the carbon price is ultimately paid by households for goods and services due to the large expenditure and indirect supply chain impacts. We finally show that a global carbon price will generate a larger share of revenue relative to GDP in non-OECD nations than OECD nations, independent on the point of implementation.

An analysis of warm pool and cold tongue El Ninos: air-sea coupling processes, global influences, and recent trends

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Zeng-Zhen; Kumar, Arun; Wang, Wanqiu [NCEP/NWS/NOAA, Climate Prediction Center, Camp Springs, MD (United States); Jha, Bhaskar; Huang, Boyin [NCEP/NWS/NOAA, Climate Prediction Center, Camp Springs, MD (United States); Wyle Information Systems, Camp Springs, MD (United States); Huang, Bohua [George Mason University, Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences, College of Science, Fairfax, VA (United States); Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies, Calverton, MD (United States)

2012-05-15

The differences in tropical air-sea interactions and global climate connection as well as the hindcast skills for the warm pool (WP) and cold tongue (CT) El Ninos are investigated based on observed, (re)analyzed, and model hindcast data. The robustness of observed global climate connection is established from the model simulations. Lastly, variations of atmosphere and ocean conditions in the recent decades, and their possible connection with the frequency increase of the WP El Nino are discussed. Consistent with previous results, our individual case study and composite results suggest that stronger (weaker) and more eastward extended (westward confined) westerly wind along the equatorial Pacific in early months of a year is associated with active (suppressed) air-sea interaction over the cold tongue/the Intertropical Convergence Zone complex, as well as more (less) intensive oceanic thermocline feedback, favoring the CT (WP) El Nino development. The preceding westerly wind signal and air-sea interaction differences may be responsible for the predication skill difference with higher (lower) overall hindcast skill for the CT (WP) El Nino in the Climate Forecast System of National Centers for Environmental Prediction. Our model experiments show that, in addition to the tropics, the eastern Pacific, North America and North Atlantic are the major regions having robust climate differences between the CT and WP El Ninos. Nevertheless, the climate contrasts seem not robust over the Eurasian continent. Also, the frequency increase of the WP El Nino in the recent decades may not be directly connected with the linear trend of the tropical climate. (orig.)

Review on Doctoral Dissertation: Drago Pupavac: Logistics operator – the factor of dynamic optimization of global logistics chains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ratko Zelenika

2007-05-01

Full Text Available The main objective of the scientific research of this doctoral thesis is the effect of the logistics operator in the function of cutting total costs of the global logistics chain. In order to achieve the objective of the research, a number of scientific methods have been applied such as survey methods, methods of dynamic programming and mixed convex programming. Owing to the applied scientific methodology,Drago Pupovac, M.Sc. has successfully interpreted the obtained results by proving that the selective model approach to active participants of the logistics chain gives the logistics operator the insight into potential logistics network, depicts skills of individual operators in the logistics network, specifies logistics activitiesof each logistics venture, provides information on costs of specific logistics activities and in that way proves that it enables logistics operator to optimize logistics chains by protecting them from the demand instability and changes.

The Greening of Global Value Chains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

De Marchi, Valentina; Maria, Eleonora Di; Ponte, Stefano

2013-01-01

case studies in the Italian furniture industry (Ikea, Valcucine) are used to show that lead firms implement ‘hands-on’ governing mechanisms to improve the environmental performance of their value chain partners — moving away from the market but still avoiding vertical integration — but also ‘hands...

A half-century of production-phase greenhouse gas emissions from food loss & waste in the global food supply chain.

Science.gov (United States)

Porter, Stephen D; Reay, David S; Higgins, Peter; Bomberg, Elizabeth

2016-11-15

Research on loss & waste of food meant for human consumption (FLW) and its environmental impact typically focuses on a single or small number of commodities in a specific location and point in time. However, it is unclear how trends in global FLW and potential for climate impact have evolved. Here, by utilising the Food and Agriculture Organization's food balance sheet data, we expand upon existing literature. Firstly, we provide a differentiated (by commodity, country and supply chain stage) bottom-up approach; secondly, we conduct a 50-year longitudinal analysis of global FLW and its production-phase greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; and thirdly, we trace food wastage and its associated emissions through the entire food supply chain. Between 1961 and 2011 the annual amount of FLW by mass grew a factor of three - from 540Mt to 1.6Gt; associated production-phase (GHG) emissions more than tripled (from 680Mt to 2.2Gt CO2e). A 44% increase in global average per capita FLW emissions was also identified - from 225kg CO2e in 1961 to 323kg CO2e in 2011. The regional weighting within this global average changing markedly over time; in 1961 developed countries accounted for 48% of FLW and less than a quarter (24%) in 2011. The largest increases in FLW-associated GHG emissions were from developing economies, specifically China and Latin America - primarily from increasing losses in fruit and vegetables. Over the period examined, cumulatively such emissions added almost 68Gt CO2e to the atmospheric GHG stock; an amount the rough equivalent of two years of emissions from all anthropogenic sources at present rates. Building up from the most granular data available, this study highlights the growth in the climate burden of FLW emissions, and thus the need to improve efficiency in food supply chains to mitigate future emissions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On spin chains and field theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roiban, Radu

2004-01-01

We point out that the existence of global symmetries in a field theory is not an essential ingredient in its relation with an integrable model. We describe an obvious construction which, given an integrable spin chain, yields a field theory whose 1-loop scale transformations are generated by the spin chain hamiltonian. We also identify a necessary condition for a given field theory to be related to an integrable spin chain. As an example, we describe an anisotropic and parity-breaking generalization of the XXZ Heisenberg spin chain and its associated field theory. The system has no nonabelian global symmetries and generally does not admit a supersymmetric extension without the introduction of more propagating bosonic fields. For the case of a 2-state chain we find the spectrum and the eigenstates. For certain values of its coupling constants the field theory associated to this general type of chain is the bosonic sector of the q-deformation of N = 4 SYM theory. (author)

Thyroid hormone regulates muscle function during cold acclimation in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Science.gov (United States)

Little, Alexander G; Seebacher, Frank

2013-09-15

Thyroid hormone (TH) is a universal regulator of growth, development and metabolism during cold exposure in mammals. In zebrafish (Danio rerio), TH regulates locomotor performance and metabolism during cold acclimation. The influence of TH on locomotor performance may be via its effect on metabolism or, as has been shown in mammals, by modulating muscle phenotypes. Our aim was to determine whether TH influences muscle phenotypes in zebrafish, and whether this could explain changes in swimming capacity in response to thermal acclimation. We used propylthiouracil and iopanoic acid to induce hypothyroidism in zebrafish over a 3-week acclimation period to either 18 or 28°C. To verify that physiological changes following hypothyroid treatment were in fact due to the action of TH, we supplemented hypothyroid fish with 3,5-diiodothryronine (T2) or 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3). Cold-acclimated fish had significantly greater sustained swimming performance (Ucrit) but not burst speed. Greater Ucrit was accompanied by increased tail beat frequency, but there was no change in tail beat amplitude. Hypothyroidism significantly decreased Ucrit and burst performance, as well as tail beat frequency and SERCA activity in cold-acclimated fish. However, myofibrillar ATPase activity increased in cold-acclimated hypothyroid fish. Hypothyroid treatment also decreased mRNA concentrations of myosin heavy chain fast isoforms and SERCA 1 isoform in cold-acclimated fish. SERCA 1 mRNA increased in warm-acclimated hypothyroid fish, and SERCA 3 mRNA decreased in both cold- and warm-acclimated hypothyroid fish. Supplementation with either T2 or T3 restored Ucrit, burst speed, tail beat frequency, SERCA activity and myosin heavy chain and SERCA 1 and 3 mRNA levels of hypothyroid fish back to control levels. We show that in addition to regulating development and metabolism in vertebrates, TH also regulates muscle physiology in ways that affect locomotor performance in fish. We suggest that the

Sustainable Value Chains and Labour - Linking Chain and "Inner Drivers" : From Concepts to Practice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

L.J. Pegler (Lee)

2011-01-01

textabstractGlobal value chains are driven by considerations of cost and efficiency but just as much by power relations. This appears evident from studies of industrial relations and labour outcomes within value chains, especially those where drivenness is most explicit. Within a context of

Business integration unit (BIU adapter for industrial global value chain on the web

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adel Ghannam

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Today's manufacturing enterprises rarely live in isolation. They need to be connected in order to create products from which a group of enterprises, called global-value-chain (GVC, can derive value. Service-oriented architecture (SOA and event-driven architecture (EDA are two different paradigms that address complex integration challenges. Enterprise service bus (ESB allows for the implementation of both the SOA and the EDA concepts. This paper addresses the development of an enterprise service bus (ESB to grant the operation of GVC. A proposed business-integrator-unit (BIU is designed to be plugged in each enterprise system. The BIU contains a “business collaboration map configurator” that allows real time allocation of roles to members’ enterprises.

RNA-Seq and Mass-Spectrometry-Based Lipidomics Reveal Extensive Changes of Glycerolipid Pathways in Brown Adipose Tissue in Response to Cold

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marcher, Ann-Britt; Loft, Anne; Nielsen, Ronni

2015-01-01

involved in glycerophospholipid synthesis and fatty acid elongation. This is accompanied by significant changes in the acyl chain composition of triacylglycerols (TAGs) as well as subspecies-selective changes of acyl chains in glycerophospholipids. These results indicate that cold adaptation of BAT......Cold exposure greatly alters brown adipose tissue (BAT) gene expression and metabolism to increase thermogenic capacity. Here, we used RNA sequencing and mass-spectrometry-based lipidomics to provide a comprehensive resource describing the molecular signature of cold adaptation at the level...... of the transcriptome and lipidome. We show that short-term (3-day) cold exposure leads to a robust increase in expression of several brown adipocyte genes related to thermogenesis as well as the gene encoding the hormone irisin. However, pathway analysis shows that the most significantly induced genes are those...

Short-chain alkane cycling in deep Gulf of Mexico cold-seep sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Sibert, R.; Joye, S. B.; Hunter, K.

2015-12-01

Mixtures of light hydrocarbon gases are common in deep Gulf of Mexico cold-seep sediments, and are typically dissolved in pore fluids, adsorbed to sediment particles, trapped in methane ice, or as free gas. The dominant component in these natural gas mixtures is usually methane (>80% C1), but ethane (C2) and propane (C3) are nearly always present in trace amounts (95% of the methane produced at depth never reaches the water column. Production of C1 and C2 in deep-sea sediments has been historically attributed only to thermocatalytic processes, though limited data suggests production of C2/C3 compounds through the activity of archaea at depth. Furthermore, carbon isotopic data on ethane and propane from deep cores of Gulf of Mexico sediments suggest alkanogenesis at >3 m depth in the sediment column and alkane oxidation in uppermost oxidant-rich sediments. Additional studies have also isolated microorganisms capable of oxidizing ethane and propane in the laboratory, but field studies of microbial-driven dynamics of C2/C3 gases in cold-seep sediments are rare. Here, we present the results of a series of incubation experiments using sediment slurries culled from surface sediments from one of the most prolific natural oil and gas seeps in the Gulf of Mexico. Rates of alkane oxidation were measured under a variety of conditions to assess the surface-driven microbial controls on C2/C3 cycling in cold-seep environments. Such microbial processes are important in terms of the possible 'oxidative overprinting' of alkane isotopic signatures produced at depth, possibly obscuring typical microbial isotopic signals.

Cooperative microexcitations in 2+1D chain-bundle dusty plasma liquids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Io, C.-W.; Chan, C.-L.; Lin I

2010-01-01

Through direct visualization at the discrete level, the microexcitations in cold 2+1D dusty plasma liquids formed by negatively charged dusts suspended in low pressure gaseous discharges were experimentally investigated, in which the downward ion flow wake field induces strong vertical coupling and chain bundle structure. It is found that the horizontal structure and motion are similar to those of the two-dimensional liquid. Different types of basic cooperative chain excitations: straight vertical chains with small amplitude jittering, chain tilting-restraightening, bundle twisting-restraightening, and chain breaking-reconnection, are observed. The region with good (poor) horizontal structural order prefers the straight (tilted or broken) chains with little (large) titling and tilting rate.

The Atomic Views of Flat Supply Chains in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sekhar Chattopadhyay

2010-09-01

Full Text Available China's domestic supply chain networks are getting flat and unbalanced despite its spectacular growth and rise to the enviable position in the global supply chain arena in recent times. The aftermath of continued investment explosion, especially in the coastal areas of the mainland, calls for an interwoven relationship of Chinese companies with the rest of the global supply chains. However, with new information and communication technologies, the real-time problems arising from this flattened supply chains are much more complex, multifaceted and multidimensional. China needs to re-think and re-focus on better alignment to the western values and cultures while managing its global business activities. This paper discusses four recently developed enterprise models in the light of several case studies conducted recently in Australia, China and India to characterise these new flat supply chains: People-Centric, Molecular Organization, Globally Dispersed and Disaggregated Value Chain. These, apparently different but inherently similar models have a vibrant architecture and system behaviour in their core and propose an alternative approach to address challenges of unbalanced domestic flat supply chains in China and helps the Chinese manufacturers to explore an approach to embrace Western values and cultures by enlarging their sphere of influence.

Global Carbon Fiber Composites Supply Chain Competitiveness Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sujit Das, Josh Warren, Devin West, Susan M. Schexnayder

2016-05-01

This analysis identifies key opportunities in the carbon fiber supply chain where resources and investments can help advance the clean energy economy. The report focuses on four application areas — wind energy, aerospace, automotive, and pressure vessels — that top the list of industries using carbon fiber and carbon fiber reinforced polymers. For each of the four application areas, the report addresses the supply and demand trends within that sector, supply chain, and costs of carbon fiber and components.

Integration of vaccine supply chains with other health commodity supply chains: a framework for decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, Prashant; Lydon, Patrick; Oswald, Julianna; Dicko, Modibo; Zaffran, Michel

2014-11-28

One of the primary objectives of National Immunization Programs is to strengthen and optimize immunization supply chains so that vaccines are delivered to the end recipients effectively, efficiently and sustainably. As a result of larger investments in global health and a wider portfolio of vaccines, global agencies are recognizing the need for vaccine supply chains to operate at their most optimal levels. Integration with other supply chains is often presented as a strategy to improve efficiency. However, it remains unclear if the proposed benefits from integration of vaccine supply chains with other supply chains will outweigh the costs. This paper provides a framework for deciding where such integration offers the most significant benefits. It also cautions about the pitfalls of integration as a one size fits all strategy. It also highlights the need for systematic collection of cost and efficiency data in order to understand the value of integration and other such initiatives. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hafnium carbide nanocrystal chains for field emitters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian, Song; Li, Hejun; Zhang, Yulei; Ren, Jincui; Qiang, Xinfa; Zhang, Shouyang

2014-01-01

A hafnium carbide (HfC) nanostructure, i.e., HfC nanocrystal chain, was synthesized by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. X-ray diffractometer, field-emission scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer were employed to characterize the product. The synthesized one-dimensional (1D) nanostructures with many faceted octahedral nanocrystals possess diameters of tens of nanometers to 500 nm and lengths of a few microns. The chain-like structures possess a single crystalline structure and preferential growth direction along the [1 0 0] crystal orientation. The growth of the chains occurred through the vapor–liquid–solid process along with a negative-feedback mechanism. The field emission (FE) properties of the HfC nanocrystal chains as the cold cathode emitters were examined. The HfC nanocrystal chains display good FE properties with a low turn-on field of about 3.9 V μm −1 and a high field enhancement factor of 2157, implying potential applications in vacuum microelectronics.

Molecular characterization of elongase of very long-chain fatty acids 6 (elovl6) genes in Misgurnus anguillicaudatus and their potential roles in adaptation to cold temperature.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jingwen; Cui, Yun; Yan, Jie; Jiang, Jimin; Cao, Xiaojuan; Gao, Jian

2018-08-05

Elongase of very long-chain fatty acids 6 (ELOVL6) is a rate-limiting enzyme catalyzing elongation of saturated and monounsaturated long-chain fatty acid. Although functional characteristics of Elovl6 have been demonstrated in mammal, the role of elovl6 in fish remains unclear. In this study, we firstly cloned three isoforms of elovl6 (elovl6a, elovl6b and elovl6-like) from loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus). Molecular characterizations of the three elovl6 isoforms in loach and their expressions of early life stages and different tissues were then determined. We also functionally characterized the three elovl6 isoforms using heterologous expression in baker's yeast. Results obtained here showed the three elovl6 proteins in loach can elongate C16:0 and C16:1 to C18:0 and C18:1, respectively. At last, to confirm the role of three loach elovl6 isoforms for elongation of fatty acids in adaption to cold stress, differences in skin histological structures, body fatty acid compositions, expressions of four hepatic lipogenesis or lipolysis related genes, and expressions of the three elovl6 isoforms and their related gene uncoupling protein 1 (ucp1) in different tissues were investigated in the loach reared in two different water temperatures (28 °C and 4 °C) for ten days. Cold stress increased ratios of C18/C16 and C20:5n-3/C18:3n-3 in loach body, and induced expressions of hepatic acyl-CoA delta-9 desaturase 1 (scd1), sterol-regulator element-binding protein 1 (srebp1), carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (cpt1) and fatty acid synthase (fas). Meanwhile, significant differences were found in expressions of the three elovl6 isoforms in different tissues between 28 °C and 4 °C groups. Overall, this study suggests that the three elovl6 isoforms in loach have ability to elongate C16 to C18, and elovl6 proteins in loach may play a role in adaptation to cold stress. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The impact of making vaccines thermostable in Niger's vaccine supply chain.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Bruce Y; Cakouros, Brigid E; Assi, Tina-Marie; Connor, Diana L; Welling, Joel; Kone, Souleymane; Djibo, Ali; Wateska, Angela R; Pierre, Lionel; Brown, Shawn T

2012-08-17

Determine the effects on the vaccine cold chain of making different types of World Health Organization (WHO) Expanded Program on Immunizations (EPI) vaccines thermostable. Utilizing a detailed computational, discrete-event simulation model of the Niger vaccine supply chain, we simulated the impact of making different combinations of the six current EPI vaccines thermostable. Making any EPI vaccine thermostable relieved existing supply chain bottlenecks (especially at the lowest levels), increased vaccine availability of all EPI vaccines, and decreased cold storage and transport capacity utilization. By far, the most substantial impact came from making the pentavalent vaccine thermostable, increasing its own vaccine availability from 87% to 97% and the vaccine availabilities of all other remaining non-thermostable EPI vaccines to over 93%. By contrast, making each of the other vaccines thermostable had considerably less effect on the remaining vaccines, failing to increase the vaccine availabilities of other vaccines to more than 89%. Making tetanus toxoid vaccine along with the pentavalent thermostable further increased the vaccine availability of all EPI vaccines by at least 1-2%. Our study shows the potential benefits of making any of Niger's EPI vaccines thermostable and therefore supports further development of thermostable vaccines. Eliminating the need for refrigerators and freezers should not necessarily be the only benefit and goal of vaccine thermostability. Rather, making even a single vaccine (or some subset of the vaccines) thermostable could free up significant cold storage space for other vaccines, and thereby help alleviate supply chain bottlenecks that occur throughout the world. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Detection of cold pain, cold allodynia and cold hyperalgesia in freely behaving rats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Woolf Clifford J

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Pain is elicited by cold, and a major feature of many neuropathic pain states is that normally innocuous cool stimuli begin to produce pain (cold allodynia. To expand our understanding of cold induced pain states we have studied cold pain behaviors over a range of temperatures in several animal models of chronic pain. Results We demonstrate that a Peltier-cooled cold plate with ± 1°C sensitivity enables quantitative measurement of a detection withdrawal response to cold stimuli in unrestrained rats. In naïve rats the threshold for eliciting cold pain behavior is 5°C. The withdrawal threshold for cold allodynia is 15°C in both the spared nerve injury and spinal nerve ligation models of neuropathic pain. Cold hyperalgesia is present in the spared nerve injury model animals, manifesting as a reduced latency of withdrawal response threshold at temperatures that elicit cold pain in naïve rats. We also show that following the peripheral inflammation produced by intraplantar injection of complete Freund's adjuvant, a hypersensitivity to cold occurs. Conclusion The peltier-cooled provides an effective means of assaying cold sensitivity in unrestrained rats. Behavioral testing of cold allodynia, hyperalgesia and pain will greatly facilitate the study of the neurobiological mechanisms involved in cold/cool sensations and enable measurement of the efficacy of pharmacological treatments to reduce these symptoms.

Adoption of wireless sensors in supply chains: A process view analysis of a pharmaceutical cold chain

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haan, Georg Hendrik; van Hillegersberg, Jos; de Jong, Eelco; Sikkel, Nicolaas

2013-01-01

Real-time and continuous monitoring of high value goods can considerably improve the reliability and effectiveness of supply chains. Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) offer technical capabilities for continuous sense and respond capabilities. WSN offer complementary advantages over the use of Radio

Adoption of Wireless Sensors in Supply Chains: A Process View Analysis of a Pharmaceutical Cold Chain

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haan, G.K.; van Hillegersberg, Jos; Jong, E.; Sikkel, Nicolaas

Real-time and continuous monitoring of high value goods can considerably improve the reliability and effectiveness of supply chains. Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) offer technical capabilities for continuous sense and respond capabilities. WSN offer complementary advantages over the use of Radio

Vendor Managed Inventory: A new approach to supply chain management

OpenAIRE

Gandhi, Ujval

2003-01-01

The Global Supply Chain Forum (Stanford Global Supply Chain Forum Web Resource, http://www.stanford.edu/groups/scforum) defines supply chain management (SCM) as “Supply chain management is the integration of key business processes from end user through original suppliers that provides products, services and information that add value for customer and other stakeholders.” The rapid development of the Internet has dramatically changed the traditional definitions of manufacturer, suppliers and c...

Analyzing the Critical Supply Chain For Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Science.gov (United States)

2017-03-23

Global Supply Chain Risk Management . Journal of Business Logistics , 29(1). McGinnis, L. F., and V., R. V. (1977). On Goal...U.S. supplier performance management firm, outlined the four main 35 challenges that a global AandD supply chain face as export control and...2600529 Christopher, M., and Peck, H. (2004). Building the Resilient Supply Chain . International Journal of Logistics Management , 15(2), 1–13.

The effects of the global financial crisis on the Australian building construction supply chain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ram Karthikeyan Thangaraj

2012-09-01

Full Text Available This study involves a financial analysis of 43 publicly listed and large private companies in the building and construction supply chain from 2005 to 2010; straddling the period of the global financial crisis (GFC; and examines the impact of the GFC on the performance of these companies. The construction supply chain was divided into four sectors – material suppliers, construction companies, property developers and real estate investment trusts (REITs. The findings indicate that the impact was minimal for both material suppliers and construction companies, but especially severe for the more leveraged property developers and REITs. Building material suppliers and construction companies have benefitted substantially from the building economic stimulus package provided by the Australian government to mitigate the effects of the GFC. Decreases in the valuation of assets have, to a large extent, reduced the profitability of property developers and REITs during the GFC but these companies have recovered quickly from these adverse conditions to return to a sound financial position by the end of the 2010 financial year. The results will inform investors, managers and construction professionals in devising strategies for prudent financial management and for weathering future financial crises.

A unified dislocation density-dependent physical-based constitutive model for cold metal forming

Science.gov (United States)

Schacht, K.; Motaman, A. H.; Prahl, U.; Bleck, W.

2017-10-01

Dislocation-density-dependent physical-based constitutive models of metal plasticity while are computationally efficient and history-dependent, can accurately account for varying process parameters such as strain, strain rate and temperature; different loading modes such as continuous deformation, creep and relaxation; microscopic metallurgical processes; and varying chemical composition within an alloy family. Since these models are founded on essential phenomena dominating the deformation, they have a larger range of usability and validity. Also, they are suitable for manufacturing chain simulations since they can efficiently compute the cumulative effect of the various manufacturing processes by following the material state through the entire manufacturing chain and also interpass periods and give a realistic prediction of the material behavior and final product properties. In the physical-based constitutive model of cold metal plasticity introduced in this study, physical processes influencing cold and warm plastic deformation in polycrystalline metals are described using physical/metallurgical internal variables such as dislocation density and effective grain size. The evolution of these internal variables are calculated using adequate equations that describe the physical processes dominating the material behavior during cold plastic deformation. For validation, the model is numerically implemented in general implicit isotropic elasto-viscoplasticity algorithm as a user-defined material subroutine (UMAT) in ABAQUS/Standard and used for finite element simulation of upsetting tests and a complete cold forging cycle of case hardenable MnCr steel family.

Who profits from innovation in global value chains? A study of the iPod and notebook PCs

OpenAIRE

Jason Dedrick; Kenneth L. Kraemer; Greg Linden

2010-01-01

This article analyzes the distribution of financial value from innovation in the global supply chains of iPods and notebook computers. We find that Apple has captured a great deal of value from the innovation embodied in the iPod, while notebook makers capture a more modest share of the value from PC innovation. In order to understand these differences, we employ concepts from theories of innovation and industrial organization, finding significant roles for industry evolution, complementary a...

Quality Parameters Defined by Chebyshev Polynomials in Cold Rolling Process Chain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Judin, Mika; Nylander, Jari; Larkiola, Jari; Verho, Martti

2011-01-01

The thickness profile of hot strip is of importance to profile, flatness and shape of the final cold rolled product. In this work, strip thickness and flatness profiles are decomposed into independent components by solving Chebyshev polynomials coefficients using matrix calculation. Four terms are used to characterize most common shapes of thickness and flatness profile. The calculated Chebyshev coefficients from different line measurements are combined together and analysed using neural network tools. The most common types of shapes are classified.

Global land-atmosphere coupling associated with cold climate processes

OpenAIRE

Dutra, Emanuel, 1983-

2011-01-01

Tese de doutoramento, Ciências Geofísicas e da Geoinformação (Meteorologia), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2011 This dissertation constitutes an assessment of the role of cold processes, associated with snow cover, in controlling the land-atmosphere coupling. The work was based on model simulations, including offline simulations with the land surface model HTESSEL, and coupled atmosphere simulations with the EC-EARTH climate model. A revised snow scheme was developed and t...

Comparative Phosphoproteomics Reveals an Important Role of MKK2 in Banana (Musa spp.) Cold Signal Network

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Jie; Zhang, Sheng; He, Wei-Di; Shao, Xiu-Hong; Li, Chun-Yu; Wei, Yue-Rong; Deng, Gui-Ming; Kuang, Rui-Bin; Hu, Chun-Hua; Yi, Gan-Jun; Yang, Qiao-Song

2017-01-01

Low temperature is one of the key environmental stresses, which greatly affects global banana production. However, little is known about the global phosphoproteomes in Musa spp. and their regulatory roles in response to cold stress. In this study, we conducted a comparative phosphoproteomic profiling of cold-sensitive Cavendish Banana and relatively cold tolerant Dajiao under cold stress. Phosphopeptide abundances of five phosphoproteins involved in MKK2 interaction network, including MKK2, HY5, CaSR, STN7 and kinesin-like protein, show a remarkable difference between Cavendish Banana and Dajiao in response to cold stress. Western blotting of MKK2 protein and its T31 phosphorylated peptide verified the phosphoproteomic results of increased T31 phosphopeptide abundance with decreased MKK2 abundance in Daojiao for a time course of cold stress. Meanwhile increased expression of MKK2 with no detectable T31 phosphorylation was found in Cavendish Banana. These results suggest that the MKK2 pathway in Dajiao, along with other cold-specific phosphoproteins, appears to be associated with the molecular mechanisms of high tolerance to cold stress in Dajiao. The results also provide new evidence that the signaling pathway of cellular MKK2 phosphorylation plays an important role in abiotic stress tolerance that likely serves as a universal plant cold tolerance mechanism. PMID:28106078

Peak globalization. Climate change, oil depletion and global trade

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Curtis, Fred [Department of Economics, Drew University, Madison, NJ 07940 (United States)

2009-12-15

The global trade in goods depends upon reliable, inexpensive transportation of freight along complex and long-distance supply chains. Global warming and peak oil undermine globalization by their effects on both transportation costs and the reliable movement of freight. Countering the current geographic pattern of comparative advantage with higher transportation costs, climate change and peak oil will thus result in peak globalization, after which the volume of exports will decline as measured by ton-miles of freight. Policies designed to mitigate climate change and peak oil are very unlikely to change this result due to their late implementation, contradictory effects and insufficient magnitude. The implication is that supply chains will become shorter for most products and that production of goods will be located closer to where they are consumed. (author)

Peak globalization. Climate change, oil depletion and global trade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curtis, Fred

2009-01-01

The global trade in goods depends upon reliable, inexpensive transportation of freight along complex and long-distance supply chains. Global warming and peak oil undermine globalization by their effects on both transportation costs and the reliable movement of freight. Countering the current geographic pattern of comparative advantage with higher transportation costs, climate change and peak oil will thus result in peak globalization, after which the volume of exports will decline as measured by ton-miles of freight. Policies designed to mitigate climate change and peak oil are very unlikely to change this result due to their late implementation, contradictory effects and insufficient magnitude. The implication is that supply chains will become shorter for most products and that production of goods will be located closer to where they are consumed. (author)

The Impact of Making Vaccines Thermostable in Niger’s Vaccine Supply Chain

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Bruce Y.; Cakouros, Brigid E.; Assi, Tina-Marie; Connor, Diana L.; Welling, Joel; Kone, Souleymane; Djibo, Ali; Wateska, Angela R.; Pierre, Lionel; Brown, Shawn T.

2012-01-01

Objective Determine the effects on the vaccine cold chain of making different types of World Health Organization (WHO) Expanded Program on Immunizations (EPI) vaccines thermostable. Methods Utilizing a detailed computational, discrete-event simulation model of the Niger vaccine supply chain, we simulated the impact of making different combinations of the six current EPI vaccines thermostable. Findings Making any EPI vaccine thermostable relieved existing supply chain bottlenecks (especially at the lowest levels), increased vaccine availability of all EPI vaccines, and decreased cold storage and transport capacity utilization. By far, the most substantial impact came from making the pentavalent vaccine thermostable, increasing its own vaccine availability from 87% to 97% and the vaccine availabilities of all other remaining non-thermostable EPI vaccines to over 93%. By contrast, making each of the other vaccines thermostable had considerably less effect on the remaining vaccines, failing to increase the vaccine availabilities of other vaccines to more than 89%. Making tetanus toxoid vaccine along with the pentavalent thermostable further increased the vaccine availability of all EPI vaccines by at least 1–2%. Conclusion Our study shows the potential benefits of making any of Niger’s EPI vaccines thermostable and therefore supports further development of thermostable vaccines. Eliminating the need for refrigerators and freezers should not necessarily be the only benefit and goal of vaccine thermostability. Rather, making even a single vaccine (or some subset of the vaccines) thermostable could free up significant cold storage space for other vaccines, and thereby help alleviate supply chain bottlenecks that occur throughout the world. PMID:22789507

Global production chains in the fast fashion sector, transports and logistics: the case of the Spanish retailer Inditex

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Isabel Escalona Orcao

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Recent geographical analyses of global production networks in different economic sectors demonstrate that little attention has been paid to the logistical and transport systems through which networks are fully integrated. This paper on Inditex, a leading firm in the fast fashion sector, addresses this lack of attention and analyses how transport and logistics fit into the production network and provide the firm with one of its most notable competitive advantages. We describe the network of shops and manufacturing, present the principles of the logistical model, and provide details of the procedures applied for the functional and geographical integration of the chain of production of Zara, the best known of the company’s 11 brands. The analysis highlights the growing use of air transport in supplying chains of high-fashion-content products manufactured in distant countries and in the distribution of garments to distant markets. The conclusion of the paper is that logistics and transport strategies must be considered because the geographical configuration of global fashion networks increasingly depends on how rapidly the major fashion retailers are able to meet the needs of time-sensitive customers and the appropriate organisational and logistical strategies they adopt for that purpose.

Information Technology in Supply Chain Management at apparel industry

OpenAIRE

YANG, YANQING

2013-01-01

With the rapid development of the global economy, the Chinese market is the largest consumption market in the world. Chinese domestic enterprises as well as global apparel enterprises target at the Chinese market. Enterprises informatization becomes a competition weapon to earn Chinese market shares. Supply chain management (SCM) could play an important role in the supply chain competition at the apparel industry. IT is like a nerve system for supply chain management (SCM). SCM clearly depend...

Global Carbon Fiber Composites. Supply Chain Competitiveness Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Das, Sujit [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Warren, Joshua A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); West, Devin [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Schexnayder, Susan M. [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

2016-05-01

The objective of this study is to identify key opportunities in the carbon fiber (CF) supply chain where resources and investments can help advance the clean energy economy. The report focuses on four application areas—wind energy, aerospace, automotive, and pressure vessels—that top the list of industries using CF and carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) and are particularly relevant to the mission of U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (DOE EERE). For each of the four application areas, the report addresses the supply and demand trends within that sector, supply chain, and costs of carbon fiber and components.

Supply chain finance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kasavica Petar

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The concept of supply chain finance is a response to global illiquidity, intensified through the global economic crisis and globalization of commercial and financial flows. The growing illiquidity undermines credit ratings of economic entities, thereby reducing the potential for achieving the projected goals (profitability and portfolio quality. In order to overcome this, banks have introduced certain products flexible to the requirements of specific transactions. The concerned products redirect the focus from a client's credit rating and risk to the credit rating and risk of a business partner (buyer, resulting in benefits for all transaction participants ('win-win-win'. Moreover, the activities are targeted at transaction analysis, i.e. the isolation and protection of the cash flow as the source of financial instrument's repayment. On the other hand, there has been an increasing number of transactions based on the risk of the commercial bank of the client's business partner, or on the risk of collateral (inventory. The focus is actually placed on the financing of adequate supply chain stages, given that counterparty relationship management has been proven to be crucial for efficient management of one's own business. The tensions existing in the relations between partners (increasingly long payment deadlines are in the basis of the supply chain finance concept. Decisions made by banks are based on the entire supply chain (wide information basis, thereby shifting the focus from the product (as was the case before the crisis to the client's needs. Thus, decisions become increasingly comprehensive, quicker, and more precise, and portfolios less risky. Through the individual portfolio of banks, the market of national economies also becomes safer and more liquid. These are rather profitable transactions, because, due to the risk transfer, financing is enabled to companies to whom classic crediting in most cases is not available.

Introducing the book 'Cold fusion and the future'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rothwell, Jed

2006-01-01

Cold fusion will be the ideal source of energy, provided its introduction can be handled properly. A few cells have shown power density and temperatures suitable for real-world applications. Once these cells can be replicated on demand, commercial development will be straightforward. Manufacturing should not be too demanding, so thousands of companies will compete, and costs will fall quickly. The transition from fossil fuel to cold fusion will be rapid. Many extraordinary new applications will become possible, and seemingly intractable problems such as global warming may be fixed. Some examples will be presented. Public support is essential to funding research, and commercialization. 'Cold Fusion and the Future' is the title of a new book by this author. This paper discusses a few of the topics in the book

Understanding your supply chain to reduce the risk of supply chain disruption.

Science.gov (United States)

Wildgoose, Nick; Brennan, Patrick; Thompson, Simon

2012-01-01

Supply chains are at the heart of the way in which organisations operate and compete today; they also play a critical role in overall organisation performance. In the context of increasingly complex and global supply chains, the actions taken to drive down costs are likely to drive risk into the supply chain. The frequency of supply chain disruptions is high and this paper offers practical advice to help reduce the frequency and cost associated with these. There is advice to help with the understanding of how to identify critical suppliers. The reader is guided through comprehensive risk assessment and mitigation approaches and a selection of practical risk solutions and tools that you can use is described. There is a section on the 'dos and don'ts' relating to supplier due diligence. For those organisations facing the challenge of drawing up a business case relating to investment in improving supply chain resiliency, there is also a section outlining some of the business benefits of improving supply chain resiliency.

Complex Network Analysis for Characterizing Global Value Chains in Equipment Manufacturing

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Bo; Cheng, Lihong

2017-01-01

The rise of global value chains (GVCs) characterized by the so-called “outsourcing”, “fragmentation production”, and “trade in tasks” has been considered one of the most important phenomena for the 21st century trade. GVCs also can play a decisive role in trade policy making. However, due to the increasing complexity and sophistication of international production networks, especially in the equipment manufacturing industry, conventional trade statistics and the corresponding trade indicators may give us a distorted picture of trade. This paper applies various network analysis tools to the new GVC accounting system proposed by Koopman et al. (2014) and Wang et al. (2013) in which gross exports can be decomposed into value-added terms through various routes along GVCs. This helps to divide the equipment manufacturing-related GVCs into some sub-networks with clear visualization. The empirical results of this paper significantly improve our understanding of the topology of equipment manufacturing-related GVCs as well as the interdependency of countries in these GVCs that is generally invisible from the traditional trade statistics. PMID:28081201

Complex Network Analysis for Characterizing Global Value Chains in Equipment Manufacturing.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hao Xiao

Full Text Available The rise of global value chains (GVCs characterized by the so-called "outsourcing", "fragmentation production", and "trade in tasks" has been considered one of the most important phenomena for the 21st century trade. GVCs also can play a decisive role in trade policy making. However, due to the increasing complexity and sophistication of international production networks, especially in the equipment manufacturing industry, conventional trade statistics and the corresponding trade indicators may give us a distorted picture of trade. This paper applies various network analysis tools to the new GVC accounting system proposed by Koopman et al. (2014 and Wang et al. (2013 in which gross exports can be decomposed into value-added terms through various routes along GVCs. This helps to divide the equipment manufacturing-related GVCs into some sub-networks with clear visualization. The empirical results of this paper significantly improve our understanding of the topology of equipment manufacturing-related GVCs as well as the interdependency of countries in these GVCs that is generally invisible from the traditional trade statistics.

Complex Network Analysis for Characterizing Global Value Chains in Equipment Manufacturing.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Hao; Sun, Tianyang; Meng, Bo; Cheng, Lihong

2017-01-01

The rise of global value chains (GVCs) characterized by the so-called "outsourcing", "fragmentation production", and "trade in tasks" has been considered one of the most important phenomena for the 21st century trade. GVCs also can play a decisive role in trade policy making. However, due to the increasing complexity and sophistication of international production networks, especially in the equipment manufacturing industry, conventional trade statistics and the corresponding trade indicators may give us a distorted picture of trade. This paper applies various network analysis tools to the new GVC accounting system proposed by Koopman et al. (2014) and Wang et al. (2013) in which gross exports can be decomposed into value-added terms through various routes along GVCs. This helps to divide the equipment manufacturing-related GVCs into some sub-networks with clear visualization. The empirical results of this paper significantly improve our understanding of the topology of equipment manufacturing-related GVCs as well as the interdependency of countries in these GVCs that is generally invisible from the traditional trade statistics.

Computer simulation and cold model testing of CCL cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, C.R.; Yao, C.G.; Swenson, D.A.; Funk, L.W.

1993-01-01

The SSC coupled-cavity-linac (CCL) consists of nine modules with eight tanks in each module. Multicavity magnetically coupled bridge couplers are used to couple the eight tanks within a module into one RF resonant chain. The operating frequency is 1282.851 MHz. In this paper the authors discuss both computer calculations and cold model measurements to determine the geometry dimension of the RF structure

The Supply of Medical Radioisotopes. Results from the Second Self-assessment of the Global 99Mo/99mTc Supply Chain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peykov, Pavel; Cameron, Ron

2014-07-01

At the request of its member countries, the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) became involved in global efforts to ensure a secure supply of 99 Mo/ 99m Tc. Since June 2009, the NEA and its High-level Group on the Security of Supply of Medical Radioisotopes (HLG-MR) examined the issues that led to supply shortages and developed a policy approach, including six principles and supporting recommendations to address those issues. The governments of HLG-MR member countries agreed to implement the policy approach, within three years of its adoption, i.e. by June 2014. In the second mandate of the HLG-MR (2011-2013), the NEA secretariat undertook a review of the 99 Mo/ 99m Tc supply chain, based on input from key supply chain participants, with a focus on full-cost recovery, outage reserve capacity and the governments' role in the market. The results from this first self-assessment were published in Implementation of the HLG-MR Policy Approach: Results from a Self-assessment by the Global 99 Mo/ 99m Tc Supply Chain (NEA, 2013a). In its third mandate (2013-2015), the HLG-MR has continued to evaluate progress towards the implementation of the six policy principles and encourage governments and supply chain participants to take actions for secure supply of 99 Mo/ 99m Tc in the future. This report provides information from the second self-assessment by supply chain participants and analyses the progress made towards the implementation of the HLG-MR policy approach, compared with the first self-assessment. The focus of the second self-assessment is on all agreed policy principles (Principle 6 calls for periodic reviews of the supply chain and is being implemented by undertaking the self-assessment.) The report is organised as follows: Chapter 2 presents a brief summary of the HLG-MR policy approach, including the six principles that are critical to achieving long-term security of supply, and supporting recommendations. Chapter 3 explains the objectives and methodology of the

Securing global trade through secure freight transportation : final report.

Science.gov (United States)

2009-12-16

Given the increased probability of disruptions to global supply chains, and the significant impact these have on national and global economies, the problem is how to secure global trade. The concept of a global trade chain-of-custody has been develop...

A protein-dependent side-chain rotamer library.

KAUST Repository

Bhuyan, M.S.; Gao, Xin

2011-01-01

Protein side-chain packing problem has remained one of the key open problems in bioinformatics. The three main components of protein side-chain prediction methods are a rotamer library, an energy function and a search algorithm. Rotamer libraries summarize the existing knowledge of the experimentally determined structures quantitatively. Depending on how much contextual information is encoded, there are backbone-independent rotamer libraries and backbone-dependent rotamer libraries. Backbone-independent libraries only encode sequential information, whereas backbone-dependent libraries encode both sequential and locally structural information. However, side-chain conformations are determined by spatially local information, rather than sequentially local information. Since in the side-chain prediction problem, the backbone structure is given, spatially local information should ideally be encoded into the rotamer libraries. In this paper, we propose a new type of backbone-dependent rotamer library, which encodes structural information of all the spatially neighboring residues. We call it protein-dependent rotamer libraries. Given any rotamer library and a protein backbone structure, we first model the protein structure as a Markov random field. Then the marginal distributions are estimated by the inference algorithms, without doing global optimization or search. The rotamers from the given library are then re-ranked and associated with the updated probabilities. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed protein-dependent libraries significantly outperform the widely used backbone-dependent libraries in terms of the side-chain prediction accuracy and the rotamer ranking ability. Furthermore, without global optimization/search, the side-chain prediction power of the protein-dependent library is still comparable to the global-search-based side-chain prediction methods.

A protein-dependent side-chain rotamer library.

KAUST Repository

Bhuyan, M.S.

2011-12-14

Protein side-chain packing problem has remained one of the key open problems in bioinformatics. The three main components of protein side-chain prediction methods are a rotamer library, an energy function and a search algorithm. Rotamer libraries summarize the existing knowledge of the experimentally determined structures quantitatively. Depending on how much contextual information is encoded, there are backbone-independent rotamer libraries and backbone-dependent rotamer libraries. Backbone-independent libraries only encode sequential information, whereas backbone-dependent libraries encode both sequential and locally structural information. However, side-chain conformations are determined by spatially local information, rather than sequentially local information. Since in the side-chain prediction problem, the backbone structure is given, spatially local information should ideally be encoded into the rotamer libraries. In this paper, we propose a new type of backbone-dependent rotamer library, which encodes structural information of all the spatially neighboring residues. We call it protein-dependent rotamer libraries. Given any rotamer library and a protein backbone structure, we first model the protein structure as a Markov random field. Then the marginal distributions are estimated by the inference algorithms, without doing global optimization or search. The rotamers from the given library are then re-ranked and associated with the updated probabilities. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed protein-dependent libraries significantly outperform the widely used backbone-dependent libraries in terms of the side-chain prediction accuracy and the rotamer ranking ability. Furthermore, without global optimization/search, the side-chain prediction power of the protein-dependent library is still comparable to the global-search-based side-chain prediction methods.

Global Business Networks and Cooperation within Supply Chain as a Strategy of High-Tech Companies’ Growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milena Ratajczak-Mrozek

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract The specificity of the operation profile of high-tech companies, including the necessity of operating at the international scale may account for the fact that these companies may find in network relationships, business networks and cooperation an essential determinant for growth and competitiveness. Foreign entities should be especially interesting business partners for high- tech companies, as they are often seen as representing more advanced knowledge, resources and experience. The aim of the article is to point out to global business networks (i.e. including both local and foreign entities, and especially to cooperation within supply chain, as an important basis for a growth strategy of a high-tech company. The article adopts assumptions of the network approach as a concept of companies cooperation. An analysis of the author’s own as well as secondary empirical research, with the focus on high- tech companies located in Poland is presented. In particular, the data from own research of 62 high-tech companies in Poland conducted in the first half of 2011 is analysed. It shows that the high-tech companies placing great importance on cooperation within supply chain demonstrate a higher growth and level of competitiveness than the companies which do not ascribe such importance (bearing in mind that supply chain forms an important part of a business network.

Winners and losers in the complex web of global supply chains.

Science.gov (United States)

Glendon, Lee

2013-01-01

This paper discusses how supply chain, risk and business continuity professionals can collaboratively address the consequences of increasing supply chain complexity in order to deliver both resilient and sustainable supply chains. The paper identifies the key drivers of complexity supported by recent case examples, including the equine DNA scandal and the Rana Plaza tragedy in Bangladesh.

How cold is cold dark matter?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armendariz-Picon, Cristian; Neelakanta, Jayanth T.

2014-01-01

If cold dark matter consists of particles, these must be non-interacting and non-relativistic by definition. In most cold dark matter models however, dark matter particles inherit a non-vanishing velocity dispersion from interactions in the early universe, a velocity that redshifts with cosmic expansion but certainly remains non-zero. In this article, we place model-independent constraints on the dark matter temperature to mass ratio, whose square root determines the dark matter velocity dispersion. We only assume that dark matter particles decoupled kinetically while non-relativistic, when galactic scales had not entered the horizon yet, and that their momentum distribution has been Maxwellian since that time. Under these assumptions, using cosmic microwave background and matter power spectrum observations, we place upper limits on the temperature to mass ratio of cold dark matter today (away from collapsed structures). These limits imply that the present cold dark matter velocity dispersion has to be smaller than 54 m/s. Cold dark matter has to be quite cold, indeed

Development of instrumentation for imaging scattered cold neutrons. Phase 1 report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walter, J.

1988-01-01

The project involves the development of a cold neutron imaging array consisting of a neutron to charged particle convertor and an array of Si detector pixels. Each detector pixel has its own preamplifier/signal conditioning chain and its own data storage registers. The parallel processing capability will be contained on WSI-ASIC sub-array wafers with 196 channels per wafer. Such sub-arrays can be assembled into large focal plane arrays. The high speed of the silicon detectors and signal conditioning chains makes 100,000 cps per pixel a realistic goal. Calculations and experimental measurements of neutron detection efficiency as a function of neutron wavelength are very encouraging. Preliminary design studies of the preamplifier/signal conditioning chain appear to present no insurmountable technical problems

Cold Antimatter Plasmas, and Aspirations for Cold Antihydrogen

Science.gov (United States)

2002-06-24

UNCLASSIFIED Defense Technical Information Center Compilation Part Notice ADP012494 TITLE: Cold Antimatter Plasmas, and Aspirations for Cold...part numbers comprise the compilation report: ADP012489 thru ADP012577 UNCLASSIFIED Cold Antimatter Plasmas, and Aspirations for Cold Antihydrogen G...and positrons. The antiprotons come initially from the new Antiproton Decel- erator facility at CERN. Good control of such cold antimatter plasmas is

Cold light dark matter in extended seesaw models

Science.gov (United States)

Boulebnane, Sami; Heeck, Julian; Nguyen, Anne; Teresi, Daniele

2018-04-01

We present a thorough discussion of light dark matter produced via freeze-in in two-body decays A→ B DM . If A and B are quasi-degenerate, the dark matter particle has a cold spectrum even for keV masses. We show this explicitly by calculating the transfer function that encodes the impact on structure formation. As examples for this setup we study extended seesaw mechanisms with a spontaneously broken global U(1) symmetry, such as the inverse seesaw. The keV-scale pseudo-Goldstone dark matter particle is then naturally produced cold by the decays of the quasi-degenerate right-handed neutrinos.

USING A NEW SUPPLY CHAIN PLANNING METHODOLOGY TO IMPROVE SUPPLY CHAIN EFFICIENCY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.L.V. Raubenheimer

2012-01-01

Full Text Available

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Effective supply chain planning and management has emerged as one of the most challenging opportunities for companies in the global economy during the last decade or two. This article reviews the evolution of Supply Chain Management and the traditional Supply Chain Solutions. It then introduces a new Supply Chain Planning methodology in which simulation modelling plays an important value-adding role to help organisations understand the dynamics of their Supply Chains.

AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING:Effektiewe voorsieningskettingbeplanning en –bestuur het gedurende die laaste twee dekades ontwikkel tot een van die mees uitdagende geleenthede vir ondernemings in die wêreldekonomie. Hierdie artikel hersien kortliks die ontwikkeling van voorsieningskettingbestuur en die tradisionele oplossings. ‘n Nuwe voorsieningskettingbeplanningsmetodologie word dan voorgestel en bespreek waarin simulasiemodellering ‘n belangrike rol speel om ondernemings te help om die dinamika van hul voorsieningskettings te begryp.

Review for 'Nattoh' model and experimental findings during cold fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsumoto, Takaaki

1993-01-01

A review is described for the Nattoh model that provides the framework of the mechanisms of cold fusion. The model classifies the reactions into two categories: fundamental and associated reactions. The former involves the new 'hydrogen-catalyzed' fusion reaction and the chain-reactions of hydrogens. And extremely exciting physics are involved in the latter. Furthermore experimental findings are described. (author)

Manila and the World Dance Space: Nationalism and Globalization in Cold War Philippines and South East Asia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yamomo, M.; Villaruz, B.E.; Balme, C.B.; Szymanski-Düll, B.

2017-01-01

The rise of South East Asia as a region is inextricably linked to the birth of the Cold War. In no other region did the Cold War feel quite so ‘hot’. After decolonization, South East Asian nation-states forming new national identities each found allegiances with one or other of the two Cold War

Sustainable and responsible supply chain governance: challenges and opportunities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boström, M.; Jönsson, A.M.; Lockie, S.; Mol, A.P.J.; Oosterveer, P.J.M.

2015-01-01

This paper introduces the Special Volume on sustainable and responsible supply chain governance. As globalized supply chains cross multiple regulatory borders, the firms involved in these chains come under increasing pressure from consumers, NGOs and governments to accept responsibility for social

Global value chains: an analysis of the overflow effect of the Brazilian auto industry for the years 2000 and 2014

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gustavo Henrique Leite de Castro

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work is to map, analyze and compare the production multipliers and the overflow effect related to the manufacturing sector of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers to 43 countries plus the rest of the world - focusing on Brazil - for the years of 2000 and 2014. For this purpose, a theoretical and empirical discussion was held that contemplates theories about the Global Value Chains and a retrospective of the Brazilian automobile industry. The work used the global input-output analysis to estimate the production multipliers based on data available from WIOD (2017. As the main result the research indicates an increase of the multipliers of global production, occurring the same for this sector in Brazil. Another important result was the reduction of the overflow effect for Brazil going against the global effect, that is, this sector, which is supported by the State, decreased its external dependence

Layers of Cold Dipolar Molecules in the Harmonic Approximation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

R. Armstrong, J.; Zinner, Nikolaj Thomas; V. Fedorov, D.

2012-01-01

We consider the N-body problem in a layered geometry containing cold polar molecules with dipole moments that are polarized perpendicular to the layers. A harmonic approximation is used to simplify the hamiltonian and bound state properties of the two-body inter-layer dipolar potential are used...... to adjust this effective interaction. To model the intra-layer repulsion of the polar molecules, we introduce a repulsive inter-molecule potential that can be parametrically varied. Single chains containing one molecule in each layer, as well as multi-chain structures in many layers are discussed...... and their energies and radii determined. We extract the normal modes of the various systems as measures of their volatility and eventually of instability, and compare our findings to the excitations in crystals. We find modes that can be classified as either chains vibrating in phase or as layers vibrating against...

Cold H I clouds near the supernova remnant W44

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, F.

1986-01-01

The cold H I clouds near the supernova remnant W44 are investigated by the use of the Maryland-Green Bank Survey (Westerhout 1973). Several clouds with a mean diameter of about 20 pc are distributed in the region. They do not seem to make a shell around W44, contrary to the suggestion by Knapp and Kerr (1974) based on the low-resolution data at coarse grids. Some of them form a chain, about 100 pc in length, extending approximately along the galactic equator. It resembles the cold H I cloud near W3 and W4. The major constituent of the clouds is probably the hydrogen molecule, and the total mass of the entire complex amounts to 25,000 81,000 solar masses. The estimated Jeans mass indicates that they will contract to dense molecular clouds. Therefore, it may safely be concluded that the cold H1 cloud complex near W44 is a giant molecular cloud at an early evolutionary stage. 14 references

Hypothermic general cold adaptation induced by local cold acclimation.

Science.gov (United States)

Savourey, G; Barnavol, B; Caravel, J P; Feuerstein, C; Bittel, J H

1996-01-01

To study relationships between local cold adaptation of the lower limbs and general cold adaptation, eight subjects were submitted both to a cold foot test (CFT, 5 degrees C water immersion, 5 min) and to a whole-body standard cold air test (SCAT, 1 degree C, 2 h, nude at rest) before and after a local cold acclimation (LCA) of the lower limbs effected by repeated cold water immersions. The LCA induced a local cold adaptation confirmed by higher skin temperatures of the lower limbs during CFT and a hypothermic insulative general cold adaptation (decreased rectal temperature and mean skin temperature P adaptation was related to the habituation process confirmed by decreased plasma concentrations of noradrenaline (NA) during LCA (P general cold adaptation was unrelated either to local cold adaptation or to the habituation process, because an increased NA during SCAT after LCA (P syndrome" occurring during LCA.

Heat conduction in one-dimensional chains and nonequilibrium Lyapunov spectrum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Posch, H.A.; Hoover, W.G.

1998-01-01

We define and study the heat conductivity κ and the Lyapunov spectrum for a modified 'ding-a-ling' chain undergoing steady heat flow. Free and bound particles alternate along a chain. In the present work, we use a linear gravitational potential to bind all the even-numbered particles to their lattice sites. The chain is bounded by two stochastic heat reservoirs, one hot and one cold. The Fourier conductivity of the chain decreases smoothly to a finite large-system limit. Special treatment of satellite collisions with the stochastic boundaries is required to obtain Lyapunov spectra. The summed spectra are negative, and correspond to a relatively small contraction in phase space, with the formation of a multifractal strange attractor. The largest of the Lyapunov exponents for the ding-a-ling chain appears to converge to a limiting value with increasing chain length, so that the large-system Lyapunov spectrum has a finite limit. copyright 1998 The American Physical Society

Multinational firms, global value chains and the organization of technology transfer

OpenAIRE

Federica Saliola; Antonello Zanfei

2007-01-01

This paper combines insights from different streams of literature to develop a more comprehensive framework for the analysis of technology transfer via value chain relationships. We integrate the existing literature in three ways. First, we consider value chain relationships as a multi-facet process of interaction between buyers and suppliers, involving different degrees of knowledge transmission and development. Second, we assess whether and to what extent value chain relationships are assoc...

Multinational Firms, Global Value Chains and the Organization of Knowledge Transfer

OpenAIRE

Saliola, Federica; Zanfei, Antonello

2009-01-01

This paper combines insights from different streams of literature to develop a more comprehensive framework for the analysis of knowledge transfer via value chain relationships. We integrate the existing literature in three ways. First, we consider value chain relationships as a multi-facet process of interaction between buyers and suppliers, involving different modes of knowledge transmission and development. Second, we assess whether and to what extent value chain relationships are associat...

On robustness in food supply chain networks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vlajic, J.V.; Vorst, van der J.G.A.J.; Hendrix, E.M.T.

2010-01-01

Purpose: Today's business environment is characterized by challenges of strong global competition where companies tend to achieve leanness and maximum responsiveness to customer demand. Lean supply chain networks are vulnerable to all kind of disruptions. For food supply chain networks (FSCNs), due

tracing uganda's global primary organic pineapple value chain

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ACSS

2016-02-22

Feb 22, 2016 ... methods were used to validate results obtained from the .... TABLE 2. Agronomic information on organic pineapple production in Uganda ..... management, which makes the value chain expensive ..... A handbook for value ...

A detailed view of Listeria monocytogenes’ adaptation and survival under cold temperature stress

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hingston, P.; Hansen, Lisbeth Truelstrup; Wang, S.

The human pathogen Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) continues to be a challenge for the food industry where it is known to contaminate ready-to-eat foods and grow during refrigerated storage. In order to gain increased control of Lm in the food-supply-chain, an improved understanding of low temperature...... expression occured in Lm cells during late SP at 4°C, the most relevant physiological state to Lm’s survival in chilled food products. Common among all time points was the upregulation of nine genes required for branched-chain fatty acid (BCFA) synthesis, which was supported by an increase in membrane BCFAs...... from 77% at T1-4°C to 93%at T5-4°C. Putative cold stress regulatory mechanisms could be observed through negatively correlated expression levels of sense and antisense RNA. This research highlights Lm’s response to cold stress and provides deeper insight into how refrigerated storage conditions...

GLOBAL LOGISTICS AND INTERNATIONAL CHANNEL DEVELOPMENT

OpenAIRE

Fani Mateska

2015-01-01

Business Logistics and Supply Chain Management (SCM) are relatively new terms that emerged in recent years concerning to be modern terms compared to the more traditional fields of production, marketing or finance. By opening new stores globally, from which to source products, by increasing the number of retailers, wholesalers, agents and distributers in the global supply chain, as well as easing global transport, these events dramatically changed the way business lo...

Functional Demand Satiation and Industrial Dynamcis - The Emergence of the Global Value Chain for the U.S. Footwear Industry

OpenAIRE

Alexander Frenzel Baudisch

2006-01-01

Around 1940 Schumpeter draws on an analysis of the U.S. footwear industry as an exemplar case to formulate his famous hypothesis about the positive relation between market concentration and innovative activity. Starting in the 1970s the value chain of U.S. footwear producers disintegrates, eventually separating the process of product innovation from manufacturing in this industry. Studies testing Schumpeter’s hypothesis commonly do not account for the modularity and globalization of an indust...

Mathematical supply-chain modelling: Product analysis of cost and time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Easters, D J

2014-01-01

Establishing a mathematical supply-chain model is a proposition that has received attention due to its inherent benefits of evolving global supply-chain efficiencies. This paper discusses the prevailing relationships found within apparel supply-chain environments, and contemplates the complex issues indicated for constituting a mathematical model. Principal results identified within the data suggest, that the multifarious nature of global supply-chain activities require a degree of simplification in order to fully dilate the necessary factors which affect, each sub-section of the chain. Subsequently, the research findings allowed the division of supply-chain components into sub-sections, which amassed a coherent method of product development activity. Concurrently, the supply-chain model was found to allow systematic mathematical formulae analysis, of cost and time, within the multiple contexts of each subsection encountered. The paper indicates the supply-chain model structure, the mathematics, and considers how product analysis of cost and time can improve the comprehension of product lifecycle management

Mathematical supply-chain modelling: Product analysis of cost and time

Science.gov (United States)

Easters, D. J.

2014-03-01

Establishing a mathematical supply-chain model is a proposition that has received attention due to its inherent benefits of evolving global supply-chain efficiencies. This paper discusses the prevailing relationships found within apparel supply-chain environments, and contemplates the complex issues indicated for constituting a mathematical model. Principal results identified within the data suggest, that the multifarious nature of global supply-chain activities require a degree of simplification in order to fully dilate the necessary factors which affect, each sub-section of the chain. Subsequently, the research findings allowed the division of supply-chain components into sub-sections, which amassed a coherent method of product development activity. Concurrently, the supply-chain model was found to allow systematic mathematical formulae analysis, of cost and time, within the multiple contexts of each subsection encountered. The paper indicates the supply-chain model structure, the mathematics, and considers how product analysis of cost and time can improve the comprehension of product lifecycle management.

Cold Stress

Science.gov (United States)

... Publications and Products Programs Contact NIOSH NIOSH COLD STRESS Recommend on Facebook Tweet Share Compartir Workers who ... cold environments may be at risk of cold stress. Extreme cold weather is a dangerous situation that ...

Ouverture de 'Ethics in Global Supply Chains'

OpenAIRE

Silvio M. Brondoni; Cosetta Pepe

2007-01-01

In global markets, a 'competitive' corporate culture tends to develop communications and information flows, manufacturing decentralisation, decision making autonomy, operating accountability and ethical conduct. In this context, the global corporate culture highlights the central role of 'ethical cross cultural management'. The increased attention paid to ethics can draw strength from the dynamics of globalisation. Consumers' awareness that their purchases can promote the protection of the wo...

Business plan optimization of cold chains and blue prints for investments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Montsma, M.P.; Ribbink, G.

2015-01-01

In today’s market, imports from South Africa are the primary source for fresh produce. Weekly truckloads of fresh produce are delivered to supermarkets and caterers in Tete. The long travel time decreases the shelf life of the produce. A local supply chain with locally grown produce will provide for

Perception of Childhood Immunization among Mothers of Under ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

global immunization rates were at 83%. Increased knowledge ... Chain and Logistics systems are aging and often ... of better cold chain and supply logistic systems and promoting ... clearance was obtained from the management of St. Charles ...

Benchmarks of Global Clean Energy Manufacturing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sandor, Debra [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Chung, Donald [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Keyser, David [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Mann, Margaret [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Engel-Cox, Jill [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2017-01-01

The Clean Energy Manufacturing Analysis Center (CEMAC), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), provides objective analysis and up-to-date data on global supply chains and manufacturing of clean energy technologies. Benchmarks of Global Clean Energy Manufacturing sheds light on several fundamental questions about the global clean technology manufacturing enterprise: How does clean energy technology manufacturing impact national economies? What are the economic opportunities across the manufacturing supply chain? What are the global dynamics of clean energy technology manufacturing?

Dynamics of an ion chain in a harmonic potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morigi, Giovanna; Fishman, Shmuel

2004-01-01

Cold ions in anisotropic harmonic potentials can form ion chains of various sizes. Here, the density of ions is not uniform, and thus the eigenmodes are not phononic-like waves. We study chains of N>>1 ions and evaluate analytically the long-wavelength modes and the density of states in the short-wavelength limit. These results reproduce with good approximation the dynamics of chains consisting of dozens of ions. Moreover, they allow one to determine the critical transverse frequency required for the stability of the linear structure, which is found to be in agreement with results obtained by different theoretical methods [D. H. E. Dubin, Phys. Rev. Lett. 71, 2753 (1993)] and by numerical simulations [J. P. Schiffer, Phys. Rev. Lett. 70, 818 (1993)]. We introduce and explore the thermodynamic limit for the ion chain. The thermodynamic functions are found to exhibit deviations from extensivity

Optimal cooling for the globalization of food and ornamental cultivation chains; Mondialisering van voedsel en sierteeltketens vereist optimale koeling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boerrigter, H.A.M. [Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen UR, Wageningen (Netherlands)

2008-10-15

Over the last years, the design of fresh food supply chains has been changing, with improved logistics and globalization of the trade as the major driving forces. In this article the consequences of these developments for the utilization of cooling will be addressed. [Dutch] Het inrichten van distributieketens is de laatste jaren sterk veranderd door verbeterde Iogistiek en door verdere mondialisering van bederfelijke goederenstromen. De consequenties hiervan voor bet gebruik van koeling worden in dit artikel behandeld.

a European Global Navigation Satellite System — the German Market and Value Adding Chain Effects

Science.gov (United States)

Vollerthun, A.; Wieser, M.

2002-03-01

Since Europe is considering to establish a "market-driven" European Global Navigation Satellite System, the German Center of Aerospace initiated a market research to justify a German investment in such a European project. The market research performed included the following market segments: aviation, railway, road traffic, shipping, surveying, farming, military, space applications, leisure, and sport. In these market segments, the forementioned inputs were determined for satellite navigation hardware (receivers) as well as satellite navigation services. The forecast period was from year 2007 to 2017. For the considered period, the market amounts to a total of DM 83.0 billion (approx. US $50 billion), whereas the satellite navigation equipment market makes up DM 39.8 billion, and charges for value-added-services amount to DM 43.2 billion. On closer examination road traffic can be identified as the dominant market share, both in the receiver-market and service-market. With a share of 96% for receivers and 73% for services the significance of the road traffic segment becomes obvious. The second part of this paper investigates the effects the market potential has on the Value-Adding-Chain. Therefore, all participants in the Value-Adding-Chain are identified, using industrial cost structure models the employment effect is analyzed, and possible tax revenues for the state are examined.

Sustainability As A Success Factor In Global Operations: A Survey Of Car Manufacturing Supply Chains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamilton Pozo

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Since the 1990s, environmental issues have put companies under a growing pressure to reduce their environmental impact, especially in logistics operations. As a result, green supply chains have been gaining importance on the agendas of business executives seeking to create competitive distinction. Many companies have adopted a “green attitude,” seeking ways to integrate environmental dimensions into their business. Current research seeks to define green practices in each supply chain segment, to deepen the understanding of how companies formulate their green initiatives and to analyze the logistical bases and results connected with such decisions. The methodology used was a Survey with questions were based on patterns in green initiatives in the literature, this study’s sample was three large assembly companies in the automotive segment, with industrial plants located both in the southeast region of Brazil and globally. The results show that the wave of sustainability is a result of more than just the threat of negative publicity, and it is pushing enterprises into the green zone. At the same time, economic instability with oscillating growth is forcing enterprises to concentrate on improving efficiency to compensate for unstable demand and the price volatility of commodities, including water and energy.

Who Manages Our Supply Chains?

OpenAIRE

Flöthmann, Christoph H.

2017-01-01

While managers in traditional management functions focus on developing strong expertise to become “specialists” in their own discipline, supply chain managers are a different species: They have to combine a cross-functional understanding of various business fields and multi-faceted competencies to manage the manifold tasks they face on a daily basis. Unfortunately, as globalization has simultaneously increased the complexity of supply chains and the demand for highly qualified ...

Global Carbon Fiber Composites Supply Chain Competitiveness Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Das, Sujit [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Warren, Josh [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); West, Devin [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Schexnayder, Susan M. [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

2016-05-01

This study identifies key opportunities in the carbon fiber supply chain where the United States Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy resources and investments can help the United States achieve or maintain a competitive advantage. The report focuses on four application areas--wind energy, aerospace, automotive, and pressure vessels--that top the list of industries using carbon fiber and carbon fiber reinforced polymers and are also particularly relevant to EERE's mission. For each of the four application areas, the report addresses the supply and demand trends within that sector, supply chain, and costs of carbon fiber and components, all contributing to a competitiveness assessment that addresses the United States' role in future industry growth. This report was prepared by researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee for the Clean Energy Manufacturing Analysis Center.

Value-Chain Dynamics of the West Point Foundry, 1817-1911: A Historical Case Analysis in Marketing

Science.gov (United States)

Petkus, Ed, Jr.

2013-01-01

This case provides the opportunity for students to explore marketing and value/supply-chain dynamics in a unique historical context. The West Point Foundry (WPF), located in Cold Spring, New York, was one of the most important manufacturing ventures in the United States from 1817 to 1911. The case outlines the supply-chain details of the WPF as…

Who Manages Our Supply Chains?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Flöthmann, Christoph

to manage the manifold tasks they face on a daily basis. Unfortunately, as globalization has simultaneously increased the complexity of supply chains and the demand for highly qualified personnel, companies are facing a significant undersupply of talent (Cottrill, 2010). Moreover, organizations appear......While managers in traditional management functions focus on developing strong expertise to become “specialists” in their own discipline, supply chain managers are a different species: They have to combine a cross-functional understanding of various business fields and multi-faceted competencies......-based dissertation is to address the research gap between human resource management (HRM) and supply chain management (SCM)....

Globalization, cultural politics and identity politics

OpenAIRE

Sawada, Sinji

1997-01-01

This article is an attempt to examine several theoretical frameworks on cultural globalization in connection with trans-national relations. The term of Globalization has become a key-word to describe the post-cold war and the post-hegemonic world, especially as regards the economic sphere of international relations. In comparison with the economic one, the cultural aspect of global process, for instance global homogenization, has hardly been analysed theoretically. In recent years, however, w...

Direct investigations on strain-induced cold crystallization behavior and structure evolutions in amorphous poly(lactic acid) with SAXS and WAXS measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhou, Chengbo; Li, Hongfei; Zhang, Wenyang

2016-01-01

scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements. The data obtained from the stretched samples within 70-90 degrees C showed that all of the formed crystals are disordered alpha' form with more compact chain packing than that of the cold crystallization. Upon stretching at 70 degrees C, the mesocrystal appears......Strain-induced cold crystallization behavior and structure evolution of amorphous poly(lactic acid) (PLA) stretched within 70-90 degrees C were investigated via in situ synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) measurements as well as differential...... in strain-induced crystallization behavior of amorphous PLA within 70-90 degrees C can be attributed to the competition between chain orientation caused by stretching and chain relaxation. It was proposed that the strain-induced mesocrystal/crystal and the lamellae are formed from the mesophase originally...

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT OF INDIAN ENTERPRISE IN INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS: TYPE OF MODERN LITERARY CRITIQUE

OpenAIRE

Deepak Hajoary

2017-01-01

This paper aims to explore supply chain management challenges and prospects in the international scenario. Globalization has delivered a platform for local companies to think at international level. The paper will highlights different critical scenarios of supply chain management. The study will identify key strategies that can be constructed at global supply chain. Issues of supply chain design, tools and sourcing strategy will be studied in the paper.

Risk assessment and management logistics chains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vladimir Vikulov

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Background: In the context of economic globalization and increasing complexity of economic relations enterprises need methods and techniques to improve and sustain their position on the global market. Integration processes offer business new opportunities, but at the same time present new challenges for the management, including the key objectives of the risk management. Method: On the basis of analysis tools known from the pertinent literature (Supply Chain Management and Supply Chain Risk Management methods, methods of probability theory, methods of risk management, methods of statistics the authors of this paper proposed their own risk assessment method and the method of management of logistics chains. The proposed tool is a specific hybrid of solutions known from the literature. Results: The presented method has been successfully used within the frames of economic-mathematical model of industrial enterprises. Indicators of supply chain risks, including risks caused by supplier are considered in this paper. Authors formed a method of optimizing the level of supply chain risk in the integration with suppliers and customers. Conclusion: Every organization, which starting the process of integration with supplier and customers, needs to use tools, methodologies and techniques for identification of "weak links" in the supply chain. The proposed method allows to fix risk origin places in various links of the supply chain and to identify "weak links" of a logistic chain that may occur in the future. The method is a useful tool for managing not only risks and risk situations, but also to improve the efficiency of current assets management by providing the ability to optimize the level of risk in the current assets management of the industrial enterprise.

Mapping the Technological Capabilities of Ethiopian-owned Firms in the Apparel Global Value Chain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Whitfield, Lindsay; Staritz, Cornelia

firms and their positions within the apparel global value chain, as well as how they have fared and which challenges they continue to face. Generally, the 14 local exporting firms have low technological capabilities and struggle to meet export requirements, despite important diversity among them...... exporting apparel or made-up textiles. To export, local firms have to be able to deliver consistently products at a certain price and quality and to meet delivery deadlines, which require developing new technological capabilities. This paper analyses the level of capabilities among Ethiopian-owned exporting......, quality and delivery standards of export markets. Therefore, most local firms use the domestic market as a means to subsidize the cost of learning to compete, but they also use what they learn through exporting in terms of productivity, quality and design for their domestic market business....

Cold growth behaviour and genetic comparison of Canadian and Swiss Listeria monocytogenes strains associated with the food supply chain and human listeriosis cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Arguedas-Villa, Carolina; Kovacevic, Jovana; Allen, Kevin J; Stephan, Roger; Tasara, Taurai

2014-06-01

Sixty-two strains of Listeria monocytogenes isolated in Canada and Switzerland were investigated. Comparison based on molecular genotypes confirmed that strains in these two countries are genetically diverse. Interestingly strains from both countries displayed similar range of cold growth phenotypic profiles. Based on cold growth lag phase duration periods displayed in BHI at 4 °C, the strains were similarly divided into groups of fast, intermediate and slow cold adaptors. Overall Swiss strains had faster exponential cold growth rates compared to Canadian strains. However gene expression analysis revealed no significant differences between fast and slow cold adapting strains in the ability to induce nine cold adaptation genes (lmo0501, cspA, cspD, gbuA, lmo0688, pgpH, sigB, sigH and sigL) in response to cold stress exposure. Neither was the presence of Stress survival islet 1 (SSI-1) analysed by PCR associated with enhanced cold adaptation. Phylogeny based on the sigL gene subdivided strains from these two countries into two major and one minor cluster. Fast cold adaptors were more frequently in one of the major clusters (cluster A), whereas slow cold adaptors were mainly in the other (cluster B). Genetic differences between these two major clusters are associated with various amino acid substitutions in the predicted SigL proteins. Compared to the EGDe type strain and most slow cold adaptors, most fast cold adaptors exhibited five identical amino acid substitutions (M90L, S203A/S203T, S304N, S315N, and I383T) in their SigL proteins. We hypothesize that these amino acid changes might be associated with SigL protein structural and functional changes that may promote differences in cold growth behaviour between L. monocytogenes strains. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cold injuries.

Science.gov (United States)

Kruse, R J

1995-01-01

There are two categories of cold injury. The first is hypothermia, which is a systemic injury to cold, and the second is frostbite, which is a local injury. Throughout history, entire armies, from George Washington to the Germans on the Russian Front in World War II, have fallen prey to prolonged cold exposure. Cold injury is common and can occur in all seasons if ambient temperature is lower than the core body temperature. In the 1985 Boston Marathon, even though it was 76 degrees and sunny, there were 75 runners treated for hypothermia. In general, humans adapt poorly to cold exposure. Children are at particular risk because of their relatively greater surface area/body mass ratio, causing them to cool even more rapidly than adults. Because of this, the human's best defense against cold injury is to limit his/her exposure to cold and to dress appropriately. If cold injury has occurred and is mild, often simple passive rewarming such as dry blankets and a warm room are sufficient treatment.

Cold Electronics for Giant Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radeka, V.; De Geronimo, G.; Chen, H.; Deptuch, G.; Lanni, F.; Li, S.; Nambiar, N.; Rescia, S.; Thorn, C.; Yarema, R.; Yu, B.

2011-01-01

The choice between cold and warm electronics (inside or outside the cryostat) in very large LAr TPCs (>5-10 ktons) is not an electronics issue, but it is rather a major cryostat design issue. This is because the location of the signal processing electronics has a direct and far reaching effect on the cryostat design, an indirect effect on the TPC electrode design (sense wire spacing, wire length and drift distance), and a significant effect on the TPC performance. All these factors weigh so overwhelmingly in favor of the cold electronics that it remains an optimal solution for very large TPCs. In this paper signal and noise considerations are summarized, the concept of the readout chain is described, and the guidelines for design of CMOS circuits for operation in liquid argon (at ∼89 K) are discussed.

The "Grey Zone" cold air outbreak global model intercomparison: A cross evaluation using large-eddy simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Tomassini, Lorenzo; Field, Paul R.; Honnert, Rachel; Malardel, Sylvie; McTaggart-Cowan, Ron; Saitou, Kei; Noda, Akira T.; Seifert, Axel

2017-03-01

A stratocumulus-to-cumulus transition as observed in a cold air outbreak over the North Atlantic Ocean is compared in global climate and numerical weather prediction models and a large-eddy simulation model as part of the Working Group on Numerical Experimentation "Grey Zone" project. The focus of the project is to investigate to what degree current convection and boundary layer parameterizations behave in a scale-adaptive manner in situations where the model resolution approaches the scale of convection. Global model simulations were performed at a wide range of resolutions, with convective parameterizations turned on and off. The models successfully simulate the transition between the observed boundary layer structures, from a well-mixed stratocumulus to a deeper, partly decoupled cumulus boundary layer. There are indications that surface fluxes are generally underestimated. The amount of both cloud liquid water and cloud ice, and likely precipitation, are under-predicted, suggesting deficiencies in the strength of vertical mixing in shear-dominated boundary layers. But also regulation by precipitation and mixed-phase cloud microphysical processes play an important role in the case. With convection parameterizations switched on, the profiles of atmospheric liquid water and cloud ice are essentially resolution-insensitive. This, however, does not imply that convection parameterizations are scale-aware. Even at the highest resolutions considered here, simulations with convective parameterizations do not converge toward the results of convection-off experiments. Convection and boundary layer parameterizations strongly interact, suggesting the need for a unified treatment of convective and turbulent mixing when addressing scale-adaptivity.

Natural Hazards and Supply Chain Disruptions

Science.gov (United States)

Haraguchi, M.

2016-12-01

Natural hazards distress the global economy through disruptions in supply chain networks. Moreover, despite increasing investment to infrastructure for disaster risk management, economic damages and losses caused by natural hazards are increasing. Manufacturing companies today have reduced inventories and streamlined logistics in order to maximize economic competitiveness. As a result, today's supply chains are profoundly susceptible to systemic risks, which are the risk of collapse of an entire network caused by a few node of the network. For instance, the prolonged floods in Thailand in 2011 caused supply chain disruptions in their primary industries, i.e. electronic and automotive industries, harming not only the Thai economy but also the global economy. Similar problems occurred after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami in 2011, the Mississippi River floods and droughts during 2011 - 2013, and the Earthquake in Kumamoto Japan in 2016. This study attempts to discover what kind of effective measures are available for private companies to manage supply chain disruptions caused by floods. It also proposes a method to estimate potential risks using a Bayesian network. The study uses a Bayesian network to create synthetic networks that include variables associated with the magnitude and duration of floods, major components of supply chains such as logistics, multiple layers of suppliers, warehouses, and consumer markets. Considering situations across different times, our study shows desirable data requirements for the analysis and effective measures to improve Value at Risk (VaR) for private enterprises and supply chains.

Measuring the environmental sustainability performance of global supply chains: A multi-regional input-output analysis for carbon, sulphur oxide and water footprints.

Science.gov (United States)

Acquaye, Adolf; Feng, Kuishuang; Oppon, Eunice; Salhi, Said; Ibn-Mohammed, Taofeeq; Genovese, Andrea; Hubacek, Klaus

2017-02-01

Measuring the performance of environmentally sustainable supply chains instead of chain constitute has become a challenge despite the convergence of the underlining principles of sustainable supply chain management. This challenge is exacerbated by the fact that supply chains are inherently dynamic and complex and also because multiple measures can be used to characterize performances. By identifying some of the critical issues in the literature regarding performance measurements, this paper contributes to the existing body of literature by adopting an environmental performance measurement approach for economic sectors. It uses economic sectors and evaluates them on a sectoral level in specific countries as well as part of the Global Value Chain based on the established multi-regional input-output (MRIO) modeling framework. The MRIO model has been used to calculate direct and indirect (that is supply chain or upstream) environmental effects such as CO 2 , SO 2 , biodiversity, water consumption and pollution to name just a few of the applications. In this paper we use MRIO analysis to calculate emissions and resource consumption intensities and footprints, direct and indirect impacts, and net emission flows between countries. These are exemplified by using carbon emissions, sulphur oxide emissions and water use in two highly polluting industries; Electricity production and Chemical industry in 33 countries, including the EU-27, Brazil, India and China, the USA, Canada and Japan from 1995 to 2009. Some of the highlights include: On average, direct carbon emissions in the electricity sector across all 27 member states of the EU was estimated to be 1368 million tons and indirect carbon emissions to be 470.7 million tons per year representing 25.6% of the EU-27 total carbon emissions related to this sector. It was also observed that from 2004, sulphur oxide emissions intensities in electricity production in India and China have remained relatively constant at about 62

Key Trends Shaping the Global Logistics Environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Handfield, Robert; Straube, Frank; Pfohl, Hans-Christian

A summary from the full study “Trends and Strategies in Logistics and Supply Chain Management. Embracing Global Logistics Complexity to Drive Market Advantage” (2013).......A summary from the full study “Trends and Strategies in Logistics and Supply Chain Management. Embracing Global Logistics Complexity to Drive Market Advantage” (2013)....

Introducing the book 'Cold fusion and the future'

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rothwell, Jed

2006-07-01

Cold fusion will be the ideal source of energy, provided its introduction can be handled properly. A few cells have shown power density and temperatures suitable for real-world applications. Once these cells can be replicated on demand, commercial development will be straightforward. Manufacturing should not be too demanding, so thousands of companies will compete, and costs will fall quickly. The transition from fossil fuel to cold fusion will be rapid. Many extraordinary new applications will become possible, and seemingly intractable problems such as global warming may be fixed. Some examples will be presented. Public support is essential to funding research, and commercialization. 'Cold Fusion and the Future' is the title of a new book by this author. This paper discusses a few of the topics in the book.

Semi-arid development: competitiveness factors in biodiesel productive chain

OpenAIRE

Breno Barros Telles do Carmo; Dmontier Pinheiro Aragão; Heráclito Lopes Jaguaribe Pontes; Bruno Magalhães Ribeiro; Marcos Ronaldo Albertin

2009-01-01

The new global market competitiveness considerer the competition between productive chains (PC) or supply chains, not just between enterprises. In this case, it can be observed collaboration and cooperation enterprises that dispute with others productives chain. The PC competitiveness can be impaired if is subject by inhibitors factors, that can impairer the performance. This paper analyses these competitiveness factors inhibitors in biodiesel productive chain (CPB) in semi-arid area: exporte...

Analysis of Product Complexity considering Disruption Cost in Fast Fashion Supply Chain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shaheen Sardar

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Outsourcing in the textile industry has been playing an important role in the global economy for six decades. Recently, reshoring is an emerging trend due to various complexities involved in supply chain management. As compared with basic textile and apparel products, fast fashion products are complex in their own way. A single assortment contains several new styles, colors, and sizes with unpredictable demand and urgent deadlines. Numerous assortments run simultaneously in the supply chain. For each assortment, the garment manufacturer has to source various types of fabrics and materials from different suppliers and then manufacture the garments to ship within the deadlines. This complexity contributes to supply chain disruption. This paper develops a model to estimate supply chain disruption cost as a function of fast fashion product complexity in the global outsourcing environment. Estimation of disruption cost will help us to increase visibility and eliminate the bottlenecks in supply chain. Model conclusions are used to develop a method to manage the level of product complexity from the global supply chain perspective. Several strategies are proposed to manage the impact of product complexity on supply chain design.

What's Your Strategy for Supply Chain Disclosure?

OpenAIRE

Marshall, Donna; McCarthy, Lucy; McGrath, Paul; Harrigan, Fiona

2016-01-01

We live in an era where many organizations operate highly complex and globalized supply chains. While these supply chains are now required to be lean, agile and sustainable, they are also the focus of growing attention from a variety of external stakeholders seeking information that includes and frequently exceeds what the company is legally obliged to disclose. However, many companies have limited visibility of their supply chain information, have a poor understanding of their capabilities f...

Cold crystallization of polytetrafluoroethylene by γ irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takenaga, M.; Yamagata, K.

1980-01-01

Changes in density and in the corresponding degree of crystallinity with radiation dose are studied experimentally for γ-irradiated polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) in the dose range from 1 x 10 3 to 1 x 10 9 R. The relation between the amorphous fraction and the radiation dose is derived from a quantitative analysis of cold crystallization by scission of polymer backbone chains. The characteristic radiation dose, at which one break occurs on the average per initial molecule, is estimated as about 3 x 10 4 R on the basis of a derived kinetic equation. The theoretical relation is modified by considering microvoids produced in the irradiated samples. The radii of microvoids in the form of spheres are evaluated as about 0.2 nm, and are also related to cage spheres relevant to the chain scission process. Good agreement between the modified theoretical relation and experimental data is attained over the entire range of radiation dose. 4 figures, 1 table

Global quantum discord and matrix product density operators

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Hai-Lin; Cheng, Hong-Guang; Guo, Xiao; Zhang, Duo; Wu, Yuyin; Xu, Jian; Sun, Zhao-Yu

2018-06-01

In a previous study, we have proposed a procedure to study global quantum discord in 1D chains whose ground states are described by matrix product states [Z.-Y. Sun et al., Ann. Phys. 359, 115 (2015)]. In this paper, we show that with a very simple generalization, the procedure can be used to investigate quantum mixed states described by matrix product density operators, such as quantum chains at finite temperatures and 1D subchains in high-dimensional lattices. As an example, we study the global discord in the ground state of a 2D transverse-field Ising lattice, and pay our attention to the scaling behavior of global discord in 1D sub-chains of the lattice. We find that, for any strength of the magnetic field, global discord always shows a linear scaling behavior as the increase of the length of the sub-chains. In addition, global discord and the so-called "discord density" can be used to indicate the quantum phase transition in the model. Furthermore, based upon our numerical results, we make some reliable predictions about the scaling of global discord defined on the n × n sub-squares in the lattice.

What Is Local or Global about Wine? An Attempt to Objectivize a Social Construction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-Marc Touzard

2016-04-01

Full Text Available What is a “local” food chain as opposed to a “global” chain? Are local food chains more sustainable than global chains? In the context of market globalization and the proliferation of local alternatives, these questions have taken on a new aspect, which has been addressed by the GLAMUR (Global and Local food chain Assessment: a Multidimensional performance-based approach project. Using an analysis of three archetypal wine chains in the south of France, and considering food chains as embedded social constructions, we will first attempt to objectivize which aspects of wine are local, and which are global, using a multidimensional analytical approach. As local vs. global characteristics seem to be strategic assets or constraints, and not structural components, we will then outline an evaluative approach to wine chain sustainability by valuing qualitative indicators to be scored and benchmarked by experts. We will discuss our findings from a scientific and operational perspective by highlighting how a local vs. global approach produces new sustainability issues and practical solutions. Nevertheless, as concrete chains often mix global and local characteristics, further research must be done in order to assess how this combination may be sustainable for different types of actors, depending on their values, capacities, networks and constraints.

Supporting Smallholders to Access Sustainable Supply Chains : Lessons from the Indian Cotton Supply Chain

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fayet, Laia; Vermeulen, Walter J V

2014-01-01

A significant number of different sustainable initiatives have emerged to improve sustainability and inclusion of small farmers in global supply chains. These include production process adjustment advice and implementation of different sustainable product standards. In practice two different

Supporting Smallholders to Access Sustainable Supply Chains: Lessons form the Indian Cotton Supply Chain

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fayet, L.; Vermeulen, W.J.V.

2013-01-01

A significant number of different sustainable initiatives have emerged to improve sustainability and inclusion of small farmers in global supply chains. These include production process adjustment advice and implementation of different sustainable product standards. In practice two different

Effect of chain stiffness on the structure of single-chain polymer nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno, Angel J.; Bacova, Petra; Lo Verso, Federica; Arbe, Arantxa; Colmenero, Juan; Pomposo, José A.

2018-01-01

Polymeric single-chain nanoparticles (SCNPs) are soft nano-objects synthesized by purely intramolecular cross-linking of single polymer chains. By means of computer simulations, we investigate the conformational properties of SCNPs as a function of the bending stiffness of their linear polymer precursors. We investigate a broad range of characteristic ratios from the fully flexible case to those typical of bulky synthetic polymers. Increasing stiffness hinders bonding of groups separated by short contour distances and increases looping over longer distances, leading to more compact nanoparticles with a structure of highly interconnected loops. This feature is reflected in a crossover in the scaling behaviour of several structural observables. The scaling exponents change from those characteristic for Gaussian chains or rings in θ-solvents in the fully flexible limit, to values resembling fractal or ‘crumpled’ globular behaviour for very stiff SCNPs. We characterize domains in the SCNPs. These are weakly deformable regions that can be seen as disordered analogues of domains in disordered proteins. Increasing stiffness leads to bigger and less deformable domains. Surprisingly, the scaling behaviour of the domains is in all cases similar to that of Gaussian chains or rings, irrespective of the stiffness and degree of cross-linking. It is the spatial arrangement of the domains which determines the global structure of the SCNP (sparse Gaussian-like object or crumpled globule). Since intramolecular stiffness can be varied through the specific chemistry of the precursor or by introducing bulky side groups in its backbone, our results propose a new strategy to tune the global structure of SCNPs.

Relaxation in the XX quantum chain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Platini, Thierry; Karevski, Dragi

2007-01-01

We present the results obtained on the magnetization relaxation properties of an XX quantum chain in a transverse magnetic field. We first consider an initial thermal kink-like state where half of the chain is initially thermalized at a very high temperature T b while the remaining half, called the system, is put at a lower temperature T s . From this initial state, we derive analytically the Green function associated with the dynamical behaviour of the transverse magnetization. Depending on the strength of the magnetic field and on the temperature of the system, different regimes are obtained for the magnetic relaxation. In particular, with an initial droplet-like state, that is a cold subsystem of the finite size in contact at both ends with an infinite temperature environment, we derive analytically the behaviour of the time-dependent system magnetization

Detox fashion supply chain

CERN Document Server

2017-01-01

This first volume on detox fashion discusses various interesting topics including a Toxic-Free Supply Chain for Textiles and Clothing; Environmental Issues in Textiles; Global Regulations, Restrictions & Research; Making the Change: Consumer Adoption of Sustainable Fashion; and Strategies for Detoxing Your Wardrobe. It provides an overview of the chemical-related issues confronting the fashion sector, summarizes global regulations, and discusses how to make the change by changing consumers’ attitude towards adopting sustainable fashion, as well as the best strategies for detoxing our wardrobes.

Research Methodologies in Supply Chain Management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kotzab, Herbert

. Within the 36 chapters 70 authors bring together a rich selection of theoretical and practical examples of how research methodologies are applied in supply chain management. The book contains papers on theoretical implications as well as papers on a range of key methods, such as modelling, surveys, case...... studies or action research. It will be of great interest to researchers in the area of supply chain management and logistics, but also to neighbouring fields, such as network management or global operations.......While supply chain management has risen to great prominence in recent year, there are hardly related developments in research methodologies. Yet, as supply chains cover more than one company, one central issue is how to collect and analyse data along the whole or relevant part of the supply chain...

Processes controlling the retreat of the Isles Dernieres, a Louisiana barrier-island chain

Science.gov (United States)

Dingler, John R.; Reiss, Thomas E.

1991-01-01

The Isles Dernieres is a low-lying, transgressive barrier-island chain situated about 150 km west of the modern Mississippi delta. Much of the Isles Dernieres consists of highly dissected salt-marsh muds that lie at or slightly above sea level and are covered by a veneer of sand along the shoreline facing the Gulf of Mexico. Maximum berm elevations are generally less than 1.5 m above mean sea level. Since the mid-1800s, the initial island has been fragmented into four islands, and the beach face has retreated landward at a rate of more than 10 m/yr. The dominant processes controlling degradation of the chain are cold fronts that pass through the area several times each year and occasional hurricanes. Beach surveys over a 2-year period on the Isles Dernieres document irreversible beach-face retreat in conjunction with multiple cold fronts and one major hurricane (Gilbert). Although both the hurricane and the cold fronts caused the island to erode, the erosional patterns of the two storm types differed from each other. During the two years, over 60 cold fronts collectively caused about 37 m of beach-face retreat, whereas Gilbert itself produced more than 40 m of retreat. A major difference between the two storm types was in the percentage of washover sand produced by each. Commonly, the cold fronts did not create enough of a storm surge to overtop the berm, so most of the material removed from the beach face must have moved offshore or alongshore. Gilbert, in contrast, inundated the study site, and essentially all the sand removed from the beach face moved to the backshore.

Influence Strategies in South African Wine Value Chains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joachim Ewert

2015-11-01

Drawing on a number of detailed case studies, in this paper we investigate this conclusion in more depth. By doing so, we try to explain which paths South African producer cellars have or have not chosen, and why. As global value chain theory posits that the governance structure of value chains are of crucial importance, we will pay particular interest to the design of the chains as a success factor.

The composite supply chain efficiency model: A case study of the Sishen-Saldanha supply chain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leila L. Goedhals-Gerber

2016-01-01

Full Text Available As South Africa strives to be a major force in global markets, it is essential that South African supply chains achieve and maintain a competitive advantage. One approach to achieving this is to ensure that South African supply chains maximise their levels of efficiency. Consequently, the efficiency levels of South Africa’s supply chains must be evaluated. The objective of this article is to propose a model that can assist South African industries in becoming internationally competitive by providing them with a tool for evaluating their levels of efficiency both as individual firms and as a component in an overall supply chain. The Composite Supply Chain Efficiency Model (CSCEM was developed to measure supply chain efficiency across supply chains using variables identified as problem areas experienced by South African supply chains. The CSCEM is tested in this article using the Sishen-Saldanda iron ore supply chain as a case study. The results indicate that all three links or nodes along the Sishen-Saldanha iron ore supply chain performed well. The average efficiency of the rail leg was 97.34%, while the average efficiency of the mine and the port were 97% and 95.44%, respectively. The results also show that the CSCEM can be used by South African firms to measure their levels of supply chain efficiency. This article concludes with the benefits of the CSCEM.

Buy-back and revenue-sharing contracts in global supply shain

OpenAIRE

Liu, Yang

2015-01-01

Purpose: The main propose of this study is to investigate how exchange rate risk affects the buy-back and revenue-sharing contracts in the global supply chain, hence to improve the performance of global supply chain. Design/methodology/approach: Based on a two-echelon global supply chain, with the model equilibrium, this paper studies the difference between the buy-back contract and the revenue-sharing contract. By the transmitting of the exchange rate risk, it discusses the node-enterpris...

Design and control of carbon aware supply chains

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoen, K.M.R.

2012-01-01

In this dissertation the impact of carbon emissions on the design and control of supply chains is studied. Increasing awareness for global warming and the role of greenhouse gasses in this has made companies more aware of carbon dioxide emissions caused by supply chains. As a result of this

Study on characteristics of coupled cavity chain filled with plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Jianqing; Xiao Shu; Mo Yuanlong

2003-01-01

In this paper, by using rigorous field analysis, a coupled-cavity (CC) chain filled with plasma has been analyzed. How the hybrid wave between the cavity mode and plasma mode is formed has been studied. The periodical CC chain filled with plasma demonstrates periodical TG modes with a cutoff frequency of zero. When the plasma density increase to a large scale, the cavity mode of the CC chain overlaps the TG mode, these two modes couple with each other and form the hybrid modes. In the case of hybrid modes, the 'cold' bandwidth and the 'warm' bandwidth expand, and the coupled impedance increases about 5 times larger than that of the vacuum. As a whole, the slow wave characteristics are improved substantially due to the formation of the hybrid mode

Cold plate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marroquin, Christopher M.; O' Connell, Kevin M.; Schultz, Mark D.; Tian, Shurong

2018-02-13

A cold plate, an electronic assembly including a cold plate, and a method for forming a cold plate are provided. The cold plate includes an interface plate and an opposing plate that form a plenum. The cold plate includes a plurality of active areas arranged for alignment over respective heat generating portions of an electronic assembly, and non-active areas between the active areas. A cooling fluid flows through the plenum. The plenum, at the non-active areas, has a reduced width and/or reduced height relative to the plenum at the active areas. The reduced width and/or height of the plenum, and exterior dimensions of cold plate, at the non-active areas allow the non-active areas to flex to accommodate surface variations of the electronics assembly. The reduced width and/or height non-active areas can be specifically shaped to fit between physical features of the electronics assembly.

Sustainable Supply Chain Design in Social Businesses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tate, Wendy L.; Bals, Lydia

2018-01-01

A significant conceptual and practical challenge for companies is how to integrate triple bottom line (TBL) sustainability into their global supply chains. In supply chain research, the classic economic perspective—the business of business is to be profitable—still dominates, followed by coverage......, how to connect these insights into supply chain design for TBL sustainability has not been studied. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to move the theory of supply chain forward into the sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) research agenda. Toward that purpose, the paper analyzes...... of the environmental dimension; the social dimension is underrepresented. Stakeholders, however, are calling for a TBL perspective that simultaneously includes environmental, social, and economic gains. While there have been recent theoretical advances on how to characterize supply chains in terms of their structure...

Participation in global value chain and green technology progress: evidence from big data of Chinese enterprises.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Malin; Wang, Shuhong

2017-01-01

This study examined the stimulative effects of Chinese enterprises' participation in the global value chain (GVC) on the progress of their green technologies. Using difference-in-difference panel models with big data of Chinese enterprises, we measured influencing factors such as enterprise participation degree, enterprise scale, corporate ownership, and research and development (R&D) investment. The results revealed that participation in the GVC can considerably improve the green technology levels in all enterprises, except state-owned ones. However, the older an enterprise, the higher the sluggishness is likely to be in its R&D activities; this is particularly true for state-owned enterprises. The findings provide insights into the strategy of actively addressing Chinese enterprises' predicament of being restricted to the lower end of the GVC.

Global Value Chain and Manufacturing Analysis on Geothermal Power Plant Turbines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akar, Sertac [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Augustine, Chad R [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Kurup, Parthiv [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Mann, Margaret K [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2017-10-04

The global geothermal electricity market has significantly grown over the last decade and is expected to reach a total installed capacity of 18.4 GWe in 2021 (GEA, 2016). Currently, geothermal project developers customize the size of the power plant to fit the resource being developed. In particular, the turbine is designed and sized to optimize efficiency and resource utilization for electricity production; most often, other power plant components are then chosen to complement the turbine design. These custom turbine designs demand one-off manufacturing processes, which result in higher manufacturing setup costs, longer lead-times, and higher capital costs overall in comparison to larger-volume line manufacturing processes. In contrast, turbines produced in standard increments, manufactured in larger volumes, could result in lower costs per turbine. This study focuses on analysis of the global supply chain and manufacturing costs for Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) turboexpanders and steam turbines used in geothermal power plants. In this study, we developed a manufacturing cost model to identify requirements for equipment, facilities, raw materials, and labor. We analyzed three different cases 1) 1 MWe geothermal ORC turboexpander 2) 5 MWe ORC turboexpander and 3) 20 MWe geothermal steam turbine, and calculated the cost of manufacturing the major components, such as the impellers/blades, shaft/rotor, nozzles, inlet guide lanes, disks, and casings. Then we used discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis to calculate the minimum sustainable price (MSP). MSP is the minimum price that a company must sell its product for in order to pay back the capital and operating expenses during the plant lifetime (CEMAC, 2017). The results showed that MSP could highly vary between 893 dollar/kW and 30 dollar/kW based on turbine size, standardization and volume of manufacturing. The analysis also showed that the economy of scale applies both to the size of the turbine and the number

On Farm and Packhouse: Employment at the Bottom of a Global Value Chain

Science.gov (United States)

Dolan, Catherine S.

2004-01-01

The fresh vegetables commodity chain linking Kenyan producers with United Kingdom (UK) consumers employs significant numbers of workers in production and processing. This chain is dominated by UK retailers that determine the production imperatives of Kenyan firms upstream in the chain and, indirectly the employment strategies they adopt. This…

The Third World Perspective on the Cold War: Making Curriculum and Pedagogy Relevant in History Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Iftikhar

2017-01-01

American and global history curriculum frameworks for high schools across the 50 states generally present the topic of the Cold War from the Western political perspective and contain material about the impact of the US-Soviet ideological rivalry on American society. This article argues that since the Cold War impacted the lives of people in the…

Towards ethical and sustainable supply chains: Promoting decent ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Towards ethical and sustainable supply chains: Promoting decent work for homeworkers in South Asia. Global supply chains are an engine of economic growth and job creation for many countries in South Asia. However, they can also be sources of inequality and social exclusion in the absence of sound employment ...

Sustainable Chemical Supply and Logistics Chains: The Path forward

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Browitt, P.; Andreesen, F.; Ploos van Amstel, W.; Schroeter, I.; Gasparic, C.

2013-01-01

Today, supply chain managers across the global chemical industry, while operating in a very difficult economic environment, need to respond to important sustainability challenges in the supply chain. Chemical production is shifting faster than expected from Europe to Asia, while shale gas is

Controllability in tunable chains of coupled harmonic oscillators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Buchmann, Lukas Filip; Mølmer, Klaus; Petrosyan, David

2018-01-01

any desired Gaussian state requires at most 3 N ( N −1)/2 operations. We illustrate this capability by engineering squeezed pseudo-phonon states—highly nonlocal, strongly correlated states that may result from various nonlinear processes. Tunable chains of coupled harmonic oscillators can......We prove that temporal control of the strengths of springs connecting N harmonic oscillators in a chain provides complete access to all Gaussian states of N −1 collective modes. The proof relies on the construction of a suitable basis of cradle modes for the system. An iterative algorithm to reach...... be implemented by a number of current state-of-the-art experimental platforms, including cold atoms in lattice potentials, arrays of mechanical micro-oscillators, and coupled optical waveguides....

Controllability in tunable chains of coupled harmonic oscillators

Science.gov (United States)

Buchmann, L. F.; Mølmer, K.; Petrosyan, D.

2018-04-01

We prove that temporal control of the strengths of springs connecting N harmonic oscillators in a chain provides complete access to all Gaussian states of N -1 collective modes. The proof relies on the construction of a suitable basis of cradle modes for the system. An iterative algorithm to reach any desired Gaussian state requires at most 3 N (N -1 )/2 operations. We illustrate this capability by engineering squeezed pseudo-phonon states—highly nonlocal, strongly correlated states that may result from various nonlinear processes. Tunable chains of coupled harmonic oscillators can be implemented by a number of current state-of-the-art experimental platforms, including cold atoms in lattice potentials, arrays of mechanical micro-oscillators, and coupled optical waveguides.

Controllability in tunable chains of coupled harmonic oscillators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Buchmann, Lukas Filip; Mølmer, Klaus; Petrosyan, David

2018-01-01

We prove that temporal control of the strengths of springs connecting N harmonic oscillators in a chain provides complete access to all Gaussian states of N −1 collective modes. The proof relies on the construction of a suitable basis of cradle modes for the system. An iterative algorithm to reach...... any desired Gaussian state requires at most 3 N ( N −1)/2 operations. We illustrate this capability by engineering squeezed pseudo-phonon states—highly nonlocal, strongly correlated states that may result from various nonlinear processes. Tunable chains of coupled harmonic oscillators can...... be implemented by a number of current state-of-the-art experimental platforms, including cold atoms in lattice potentials, arrays of mechanical micro-oscillators, and coupled optical waveguides....

Increased Adhesion of Listeria monocytogenes Strains to Abiotic Surfaces under Cold Stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bo-Hyung Lee

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Food contamination by Listeria monocytogenes remains a major concern for some food processing chains, particularly for ready-to-eat foods, including processed foods. Bacterial adhesion on both biotic and abiotic surfaces is a source of contamination by pathogens that have become more tolerant or even persistent in food processing environments, including in the presence of adverse conditions such as cold and dehydration. The most distinct challenge that bacteria confront upon entry into food processing environments is the sudden downshift in temperature, and the resulting phenotypic effects are of interest. Crystal violet staining and the BioFilm Ring Test® were applied to assess the adhesion and biofilm formation of 22 listerial strains from different serogroups and origins under cold-stressed and cold-adapted conditions. The physicochemical properties of the bacterial surface were studied using the microbial adhesion to solvent technique. Scanning electron microscopy was performed to visualize cell morphology and biofilm structure. The results showed that adhesion to stainless-steel and polystyrene was increased by cold stress, whereas cold-adapted cells remained primarily in planktonic form. Bacterial cell surfaces exhibited electron-donating properties regardless of incubation temperature and became more hydrophilic as temperature decreased from 37 to 4°C. Moreover, the adhesion of cells grown at 4°C correlated with affinity for ethyl acetate, indicating the role of cell surface properties in adhesion.

Conceptualizing Cold Disasters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauta, Kristian Cedervall; Dahlberg, Rasmus; Vendelø, Morten Thanning

2017-01-01

In the present article, we explore in more depth the particular circumstances and characteristics of governing what we call ‘cold disasters’, and thereby, the paper sets out to investigate how disasters in cold contexts distinguish themselves from other disasters, and what the implications hereof...... are for the conceptualization and governance of cold disasters. Hence, the paper can also be viewed as a response to Alexander’s (2012a) recent call for new theory in the field of disaster risk reduction. The article is structured in four overall parts. The first part, Cold Context, provides an overview of the specific...... conditions in a cold context, exemplified by the Arctic, and zooms in on Greenland to provide more specific background for the paper. The second part, Disasters in Cold Contexts, discusses “cold disasters” in relation to disaster theory, in order to, elucidate how cold disasters challenge existing...

Engineering the Dynamics of Effective Spin-Chain Models for Strongly Interacting Atomic Gases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Volosniev, A. G.; Petrosyan, D.; Valiente, M.

2015-01-01

We consider a one-dimensional gas of cold atoms with strong contact interactions and construct an effective spin-chain Hamiltonian for a two-component system. The resulting Heisenberg spin model can be engineered by manipulating the shape of the external confining potential of the atomic gas. We...

High brilliant thermal and cold moderator for the HBS neutron source project Jülich

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cronert, T; Zakalek, P; Rücker, U; Brückel, T; Dabruck, J P; Doege, P E; Nabbi, R; Bessler, Y; Hofmann, M; Butzek, M; Klaus, M; Lange, C; Hansen, W

2016-01-01

The proposed High Brilliance Neutron Source (HBS), recognized within the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres, will optimize the entire chain from particle source through particle accelerator, target, moderator, reflector, shielding, beam extraction, beam transport all the way to the detector, utilizing the nuclear Be(p,n) or Be(d,n) reaction in the lower MeV energy range. A D 2 O moderating reflector prototype (MRP) and a cold source were constructed and build according to MCNP parameter studies. The MRP was tested in a feasibility study at the TREFF instrument at MLZ (Garching). Cold beam extraction from the flux maximum within the moderator based on liquid para H 2 and other cold moderators will be tested by energy spectroscopy via TOF-method. Different ratios of liquid ortho/para H 2 will be fed to the cold moderator. The ratio will be controlled by feeding from reservoires of natural liquid H 2 and a storage loop with an ortho/para converter and determined via online heat capacity measurement. (paper)

Studies and modeling of cold neutron sources; Etude et modelisation des sources froides de neutron

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Campioni, G

2004-11-15

With the purpose of updating knowledge in the fields of cold neutron sources, the work of this thesis has been run according to the 3 following axes. First, the gathering of specific information forming the materials of this work. This set of knowledge covers the following fields: cold neutron, cross-sections for the different cold moderators, flux slowing down, different measurements of the cold flux and finally, issues in the thermal analysis of the problem. Secondly, the study and development of suitable computation tools. After an analysis of the problem, several tools have been planed, implemented and tested in the 3-dimensional radiation transport code Tripoli-4. In particular, a module of uncoupling, integrated in the official version of Tripoli-4, can perform Monte-Carlo parametric studies with a spare factor of Cpu time fetching 50 times. A module of coupling, simulating neutron guides, has also been developed and implemented in the Monte-Carlo code McStas. Thirdly, achieving a complete study for the validation of the installed calculation chain. These studies focus on 3 cold sources currently functioning: SP1 from Orphee reactor and 2 other sources (SFH and SFV) from the HFR at the Laue Langevin Institute. These studies give examples of problems and methods for the design of future cold sources.

The I.A.G. / A.I.G. SEDIBUD Book Project: Source-to-Sink Fluxes in Undisturbed Cold Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Beylich, Achim A.; Dixon, John C.; Zwolinski, Zbigniew

2015-04-01

The currently prepared SEDIBUD Book on "Source-to-Sink Fluxes in Undisturbed Cold Environments" (edited by Achim A. Beylich, John C. Dixon and Zbigniew Zwolinski and published by Cambridge University Press) is summarizing and synthesizing the achievements of the International Association of Geomorphologists` (I.A.G./A.I.G.) Working Group SEDIBUD (Sediment Budgets in Cold Environments), which has been active since 2005 (http://www.geomorph.org/wg/wgsb.html). Amplified climate change and ecological sensitivity of largely undisturbed polar and high-altitude cold climate environments have been highlighted as key global environmental issues. The effects of projected climate change will change surface environments in cold regions and will alter the fluxes of sediments, nutrients and solutes, but the absence of quantitative data and coordinated geomorphic process monitoring and analysis to understand the sensitivity of the Earth surface environment in these largely undisturbed environments is acute. Our book addresses this existing key knowledge gap. The applied approach of integrating comparable and longer-term field datasets on contemporary solute and sedimentary fluxes from a number of different defined cold climate catchment geosystems for better understanding (i) the environmental drivers and rates of contemporary denudational surface processes and (ii) possible effects of projected climate change in cold regions is unique in the field of geomorphology. Largely undisturbed cold climate environments can provide baseline data for modeling the effects of environmental change. The book synthesizes work carried out by numerous SEDIBUD Members over the last decade in numerous cold climate catchment geosystems worldwide. For reaching a global cover of different cold climate environments the book is - after providing an introduction part and a basic part on climate change in cold environments and general implications for solute and sedimentary fluxes - dealing in different

TRACING COLD H I GAS IN NEARBY, LOW-MASS GALAXIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warren, Steven R.; Skillman, Evan D.; Stilp, Adrienne M.; Dalcanton, Julianne J.; Ott, Jürgen; Walter, Fabian; Petersen, Eric A.; Koribalski, Bärbel; West, Andrew A.

2012-01-01

We analyze line-of-sight atomic hydrogen (H I) line profiles of 31 nearby, low-mass galaxies selected from the Very Large Array—ACS Nearby Galaxy Survey Treasury (VLA-ANGST) and The H I Nearby Galaxy Survey (THINGS) to trace regions containing cold (T ∼ –1 . Our galaxy sample spans four orders of magnitude in total H I mass and nine magnitudes in M B . We fit single and multiple component functions to each spectrum to isolate the cold, neutral medium given by a low-dispersion ( –1 ) component of the spectrum. Most H I spectra are adequately fit by a single Gaussian with a dispersion of 8-12 km s –1 . Cold H I is found in 23 of 27 (∼85%) galaxies after a reduction of the sample size due to quality-control cuts. The cold H I contributes ∼20% of the total line-of-sight flux when found with warm H I. Spectra best fit by a single Gaussian, but dominated by cold H I emission (i.e., have velocity dispersions of –1 ), are found primarily beyond the optical radius of the host galaxy. The cold H I is typically found in localized regions and is generally not coincident with the very highest surface density peaks of the global H I distribution (which are usually areas of recent star formation). We find a lower limit for the mass fraction of cold-to-total H I gas of only a few percent in each galaxy.

Tunable self-assembled spin chains of strongly interacting cold atoms for demonstration of reliable quantum state transfer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Loft, N. J. S.; Marchukov, O. V.; Petrosyan, D.

2016-01-01

We have developed an efficient computational method to treat long, one-dimensional systems of strongly-interacting atoms forming self-assembled spin chains. Such systems can be used to realize many spin chain model Hamiltonians tunable by the external confining potential. As a concrete...... demonstration, we consider quantum state transfer in a Heisenberg spin chain and we show how to determine the confining potential in order to obtain nearly-perfect state transfer....

Sustainable Supply Chain Engagement in a Retail Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anika Berning

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Sustainability is a key requirement for business success and is often regarded a competitive advantage if strategically managed. Sustainability-mature organisations look to their value chains where the retailer-supplier collaboration becomes critical in embedding sustainability. With this in mind, it is important to monitor retailer-supplier collaboration to determine whether it is effective. To facilitate this monitoring, the UN Global Compact Supply Chain Sustainability: A Guide for Continuous Improvement was consulted. The research question aimed to determine the progress of a prominent South African retailer regarding their sustainable supply chain management (SSCM and collaboration with suppliers. Therefore, this study attempts to apply the Supplier Engagement Continuum, extracted from the UN Global Compact Supply Chain Sustainability: A Guide for Continuous Improvement, in order to determine how the retailer is progressing in sustainable supply chain management. The qualitative and exploratory nature of the study necessitated a case study research design, while the technique of purposive sampling was used to select the sample of three suppliers. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews facilitated by an interview guide, and data analysis was conducted with Atlas.ti software. It was found that the retailer’s sustainable supply chain management can only be located on level one of the continuum. Supply chain sustainability in organisations lack the theoretical foundation of what sustainability really is. Therefore, the model was amended and an additional level was added to incorporate the education of sustainability.

Energetic recovery from LNG gasification plant : cold energy utilization in agro-alimentary industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Messineo, A.; Panno, D.

2009-01-01

It is known how the complete gasification of liquefied natural gas (LNG) can return about 230 kWh/t of energy. Nevertheless out of 51 gasification plants in the world, only 31 of them are equipped with systems for the partial recovery of the available energy. At the moment most of these plants mainly produce electric energy; however the employment of the cold energy results very interesting, in fact, it can be recovered for agrofood transformation and conservation as well as for some loops in the cold chain. Cold energy at low temperatures requires high amounts of mechanical energy and it unavoidably increases as the required temperature diminishes. Cold energy recovery from LNG gasification would allow considerable energy and economic savings to these applications, as well as environmental benefits due to the reduction of climate-changing gas emissions. The task of this work is to assess the possibility to create around a gasification plant an industrial site for firms working on the transformation and conservation of agrofood products locally grown. The cold recovered from gasification would be distributed to those firms through an opportune liquid Co 2 network distribution capable of supplying the cold to the different facilities. A LNG gasification plant in a highly agricultural zone in Sicily would increase the worth of the agrofood production, lower transformation and conservation costs when compared to the traditional systems and bring economic and environmental benefits to the interested areas. [it

The Vulnerability of Rice Value Chains in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fanen Terdoo

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Rice is one of the most important food crops in sub-Saharan Africa. Climate change, variability, and economic globalization threatens to disrupt rice value chains across the subcontinent, undermining their important role in economic development, food security, and poverty reduction. This paper maps existing research on the vulnerability of rice value chains, synthesizes the evidence and the risks posed by climate change and economic globalization, and discusses agriculture and rural development policies and their relevance for the vulnerability of rice value chains in sub-Saharan Africa. Important avenues for future research are identified. These include the impacts of multiple, simultaneous pressures on rice value chains, the effects of climate change and variability on parts of the value chain other than production, and the forms and extent to which different development policies hinder or enhance the resilience of rice value chains in the face of climatic and other pressures.

Cold urticaria. Dissociation of cold-evoked histamine release and urticara following cold challenge.

Science.gov (United States)

Keahey, T M; Greaves, M W

1980-02-01

Nine patients with acquired cold urticaria were studied to assess the effects of beta-adrenergic agents, xanthines, and corticosteroids on cold-evoked histamine release from skin in vivo. The patients, in all of whom an immediate urticarial response developed after cooling of the forearm, demonstrated release of histamine into the venous blood draining that forearm. Following treatment with aminophylline and albuterol in combination or prednisone alone, suppression of histamine release occurred in all but one patient. In some patients, this was accompanied by a subjective diminution in pruritus or buring, but there was no significant improvement in the ensuing edema or erythema. In one patient, total suppression of histamine release was achieved without any effect on whealing and erythema in response to cold challenge. Our results suggest that histamine is not central to the pathogenesis of vascular changes in acquired cold urticaria.

SUPPLY CHAIN RISKS: LITERATURE REVIEW AND A NEW CATEGORIZATION

OpenAIRE

Er Kara, Merve; Oktay Fırat, Seniye Ümit

2017-01-01

Identification of risks is the first step to build a resilient and sustainable supply chain and develop proactive risk management strategies. Supply chains contain numerous risks with different forms, probabilities and impacts. Supply chain risks have a multi-dimensional nature and can result from a wide variety of sources including demand and supply variability, poor performing suppliers, price fluctuations, dynamic consumer markets, global economic uncertainty, and even unexpected events su...

Influences of reverse outsourcing on green technological progress from the perspective of a global supply chain.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shuhong; Song, Malin

2017-10-01

As a newly appeared trade mode in recent years, reverse outsourcing has made a great impact on traditional trade modes. This paper researched the influences of reverse outsourcing on green technological progress from the perspective of a global supply chain by using micro-data of enterprises. It worked out the rate of green technological progress from two innovative concepts: potential production technology and practical production technology. The empirical analysis results indicated that reverse outsourcing stimulates, and enterprise size and ownership type potentially affects, green technological progress. State-owned or foreign enterprises with high income levels would pay more attention to environmental protection, energy saving, and emission reduction, while small and micro enterprises with low incomes would choose to ignore environmental protection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Johnson & Johnson Asia Pacific Supply Chain: A Value(less) Chain?

OpenAIRE

Wong, Wennie

2008-01-01

An increasing number of companies claim to pursue International supply chain management (ISCM), but the empirical evidence of successful implementation programs is still scarce. This project aims to contribute in this area by presenting an review of goals, barriers, and enablers on the road towards effective ISCM by Johnson and Johnson Asia Pacific. In today's highly competitive globalized environment, organizations must seek to develop collaborative partnerships and more effective informatio...

Supply Chain Risk Management: An Introduction to the Credible Threat

Science.gov (United States)

2016-08-01

van.poindexter@dau.mil. Figure 3. Trusted Suppliers Source: “ Managing Information Communications Technology Global Supply Chain Risk Awareness...Defense AT&L: July-August 2016 18 Supply Chain Risk Management An Introduction to the Credible Threat Heath Ferry n Van Poindexter 19...cybersecurity breach. This article examines the elements of supply chain risk management , the national security risks associated with exploitation, and

CHARACTERIZATION OF VITRIFIED SAVANNAH RIVER SITE SB4 WASTE SURROGATE PRODUCED IN COLD CRUCIBLE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marra, J

2008-01-01

Savannah River Site (SRS) sludge batch 4 (SB4) waste surrogate with high aluminum and iron content was vitrified with commercially available Frit 503-R4 (8 wt.% Li 2 O, 16 wt.% B2O3, 76 wt.% SiO 2 ) by cold crucible inductive melting using lab- (56 mm inner diameter), bench- (236 mm) and large-scale (418 mm) cold crucible. The waste loading ranged between 40 and 60 wt.%. The vitrified products obtained in the lab-scale cold crucible were nearly amorphous with traces of unreacted quartz in the product with 40 wt.% waste loading and traces of spinel phase in the product with 50 wt.% waste loading. The glassy products obtained in the bench-scale cold crucible are composed of major vitreous and minor iron-rich spinel phase whose content at ∼60 wt.% waste loading may achieve ∼10 vol.%. The vitrified waste obtained in the large-scale cold crucible was also composed of major vitreous and minor spinel structure phases. No nepheline phase has been found. Average degree of crystallinity was estimated to be ∼12 vol.%. Anionic motif of the glass network is built from rather short metasilicate chains and boron-oxygen constituent based on boron-oxygen triangular units

Life-Cycle Based Climate Regulation Through Supply Chain Contracts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mitkidis, Katerina

question thus arises what can we do to reduce emissions in global supply chains without having a clear knowledge on their distribution among the supply chain tiers. The paper proposes that commercial contracting can be a viable tool. It provides a brief theoretical account for, some empirical evidence...

Supply Chain Security. Tools, Trends, and Techniques : Toyota and Honda cases

OpenAIRE

Klimova, Nadezda; Akimova, Anna

2011-01-01

  Supply chain management has experienced great changes within the last fifty years. Inevitably, many companies entered the global market with the prime intention to achieve their defined goals. In comparison with the local markets, the global environment requires more efforts and changes in the supply chain operation in order to remain viable in business. Several business models are introduced for achieving the success in the market, suggested by the following researchers: Liker, Choi, Ronal...

Quantifying the agri-food supply chain: proceedings of the Frontis workshop on quantifying the agri-food supply chain, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 22-24 October 2004

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ondersteijn, C.J.M.; Wijnands, J.H.M.; Huirne, R.B.M.; Kooten, van O.

2006-01-01

Due to globalization and internationalization of agri-food production, the arena of competition and competitive advantage is moving from individual firms operating on spot markets towards supply chains and networks. Therefore, coordination between firms within the chain becomes more important.

INFORMATION FLOW IN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT WITH AN EXAMPLE OF WASTE MANAGEMENT COMPANY

OpenAIRE

Joanna Nowakowska-Grunt; Janusz Grabara

2007-01-01

The paper presents information flow process in management of supply chains. Authors notices information flows as a driving element of the global supply chain. Authors points also on the logistics aspects in supply chain of waste management company