A dimension stone supply chain has certain unique characteristics despite having many similarities to a typical manufacturing/processing industry supply chain. Examples of these characteristics include the multitude of dimension stone varieties dispersed over large geographical regions, variable raw dimension stone sizes due to the varying rock deposit quality, and variability in physical stone properties among different varieties. The hardness, texture, fracture, cleavage, and chemical composition vary between dimension stones of different varieties. These unique characteristics produce multidimensional complexity in modelling different processes from the rock excavation stage to the retail store stage. In this research, a dimension stone supply chain is analyzed from strategic and tactical perspectives that address the issues of supply chain network design and production planning. This research reflects the specific characteristics of a dimension stone supply chain that differentiate it from other mineral commodity supply chains. A Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) based formulation is proposed to model the capacitated facility location problem to aid in the supply chain network design, and a linear programming-based model is proposed to address material transformation related supply chain process issues to facilitate medium-term tactical planning. Detailed numerical analyses are also presented to illustrate the proposed mathematical models.

There has been an increasing consumer demand for local and organic food as they are considered to be more sustainable, ecological, and healthier. The ‘conventional’ long food distribution system is not sufficient to fulfill the current needs. Consequently, short distribution systems for local and organic food have been gaining popularity, which is not only sustainable but also contributes to food security and satisfies local consumer demand. One such short distribution systems are Alternative Food Networks (AFNs). The AFNs have emerged as a promising provisioning system for local and organic food that promotes economical, environmental, and social sustainability and respect for farming tradition. However, the AFNs are facing challenges in increasing the distribution of local and organic food in the long term. The purpose of the paper is to make a review of the existing short food distribution systems for local and organic food and also to propose a research agenda. In order to achieve this, a literature review is conducted and different food distribution channels within AFNs are studied. The challenges for each food distribution channel are identified and then compared to ‘conventional’ distribution systems. The main finding of the study is a framework of the main challenges of short food distribution channels within AFNs. The practical implication is generic criteria to consider while designing a short food distribution system that closely connects consumers and farmers of local and organic food. The policy implication is to create favorable conditions to encourage short food distribution systems in the long term.

Universities today face heightened competition, tight budgets, and stringent accreditation requirements. Students, on the other hand, have expectations in terms of time-to-degree, cost of attendance, program quality, curricular flexibility, and schedule convenience. Researchers have used various approaches to address educational program planning: mathematical programming, simulation, Markov analysis, material requirements planning, and flow analysis. Here, we propose a data-driven approach that uses enrollment data along with project management methodology. The degree program is viewed as a “project” with multiple, related tasks (courses). We define appropriate performance measures and develop decision rules to determine the schedule for future course offerings.

Nowadays, the aspects of managing risks and building resilience are crucial for maintaining the continuity of business processes. Therefore, it is highly valuable to recognize those aspects that support such activities. The main purpose of this article is to investigate whether supplier involvement in product development (SIPD) affects the degree of supply chain risk and thus, indirectly impacts supply chain resilience. The study is based on a survey conducted among 500 manufacturing companies, from which several hypotheses have been defined and tested. This allowed the verification of a theoretical model covering the following three research areas: supplier involvement in product development, supply chain risks and supply chain resilience. In particular, the study confirmed that implementation of partnership practices during SIPD positively influences supply risk reduction, while extensive communication during SIPD minimizes operational risk for a company, i.e. risk of human failures and inadequate or failed internal processes. Subsequently, the positive impact of reduced operational risk on SCRES has also been confirmed.

We consider a periodic review inventory control problem of minimizing inventory cost, production cost, and lost sales under demand uncertainty, in which product demands are not specified exactly and it is only known to belong to a given uncertainty set. We propose a robust optimization formulation for obtaining lowest cost possible and guaranteeing the feasibility with respect to range of order quantity and inventory level for possible values of the data from the uncertainty set. Our formulation is based on the affinely adaptive robust counterpart, which suppose order quantity is affine function of past demands. We derive certainty equivalent problem via second-order cone programming, which gives 'not too pessimistic' worst-case.

The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) is currently putting high pressure on most countries’ critical infrastructures (not only health care), creating huge uncertainties in supply and demand, and disrupting global supply chains. The global crisis will demonstrate the extent to which different parties (countries, public authorities, private companies etc.) can work together and take holistic decisions in such situations. A core question in supply chain management asks how independent decision-makers at many levels can work together and how this joint work can be governed. Supply chain risk management (SCRM), however, has focused mostly on how focal private companies apply SCRM processes to identify, analyse and mitigate risk related to upstream and downstream flows in their supply networks. At the same time, interorganisational collaboration to handle diverse risks is always needed. A risk that hits one organisation often affects other, interconnected organisations. This study aims to develop the term supply chain risk governance with an associated conceptual framework that embraces various types of supply chains and actors. In a cross-disciplinary literature study, we dissect, compare and combine risk governance with interorganisational aspects of SCRM and find that the mechanisms suggested in the risk governance literature coincide with many of those in SCRM. We suggest a combination of these to govern risk processes at an inter-organisational level, regardless of the type of organisation included in the supply chain. This would be suitable for critical infrastructures that often contain a mixture of private and public actors. The scope of the literature employed is limited, and some articles have played a larger role in the framework development. The paper explores new territory through this cross-disciplinary study, extends existing multi-level frameworks with inter-organisational governance mechanisms and proposes new governance mechanisms to the field. This study could support the understanding of how critical infrastructures in our society are governed so as to increase their resilience to both smaller and larger disruptions.

Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) systems have benefited numerous industrial warehouses in the transportation of components, parts, and raw materials. Although the AGV systems have offered great flexibility, the implementation of AGV systems imposes major challenges in the management of traffic between multiple ground vehicles inside the warehouse. An AGV traffic control system in conjunction with an anti-collision path planning algorithm presents efficiencies for transferring parts in the warehouse operations. This paper evaluates several path planning algorithms and traffic control algorithms that can be implemented with multiple ground vehicles. The application of the Dijkstra approach is proposed as the most efficient traffic control algorithm and path planning algorithm with the implementation of the anti-collision algorithm. The suggested algorithm is simulated using MATLAB software to check its rationality and performances under a real-life scenario and for comparison with the alternatives. The traffic control algorithm for multiple AGV systems has been performed in a dynamic environment and a time-based simulation and calculations have been used to optimize the velocity profile for each AGV. The finding from this paper presents timely and valuable insights into smart warehouses and logistics phenomenon, as a potential mechanism for optimizing material handling in warehouse management to be more efficient and collision-free through the use of modern technologies such as AGV systems and Industry 4.0 integration.

Inland waterway transportation (IWT) in Sweden could be a substitute for road transports with the prospects of improving the environmental performance. Sweden currently has no systematic strategies or policies for transports on inland waterways (IWW), and despite available capacity the waterways are barely utilized. In the Netherlands, for example, the IWW capacity is embedded in the transport system and utilized to a large extent. For a successful modal shift it is important to understand the drivers and barriers for the shift and develop strategies to leverage the drivers and mitigate the barriers. This study aims to identify drivers and barriers for IWT based on successful benchmark cases in the Netherlands. Furthermore, based on the learning from these benchmarks the study aims to point out strategic actions for Sweden regarding IWT. The data for this study was collected from IWT organizations, shippers and local administrations in the Netherlands. The results showed that main drivers for IWT are congestion relief, cost reduction and lower environmental impact. On the other hand, main barriers are slow pace of development, high investment costs and poor hinterland connectivity. For a successful modal shift in Sweden, it is crucial to prepare governmental support, a change in stakeholders’ mindset, decisive attitude to modal shift process and a strong long-term perspective.