A performance evaluation model for supply chain of shipping company in Iran: an application of the relational network DEA

Shipping business is capital intensive and highly competitive. It necessitates for the shipping companies to constantly monitor their performance and measure relative efficiencies of their supply chains. Despite such importance, the studies devoted to this field have been surprisingly limited. This paper reviews the involved factors and proposes a relational network data envelopment analysis (DEA) model for measuring the efficiency of supply chain of an international shipping company in Iran with relevant sub-processes in the period 2008–2011. First, the supply chain network of the company is illustrated and then the input and output variables associated to each member are determined. The proposed model is suitable for shipping companies which usually use similar pattern in this business. Finally based on the results, recommendations are made for improvements and a new field of business is also proposed.     

Managing port-related supply chain disruptions (PSCDs): a management model and empirical evidence

ABSTRACT

In the contemporary port business environment, port resilience is of paramount importance for supply chain continuity. A result of the increased integration of ports into supply chains is ports’ potential to supply chain disruptions. This paper introduces a PSCD management model that incorporates the application of risk management, business continuity management, and quality management theories with the purpose of increasing port resilience such that supply chain continuity is enhanced. To validate this model, primary data were collected from samples of port operators and port authorities and analyzed using structural equation modeling with AMOS 22.0. The results indicate that managing PSCD using the management model contributes positively to the identification of internal and external opportunities and through that to port’s resilience of internal operations. This, in turn, positively influences port’s financial health and market reputation. The management model has several managerial and academic implications as it offers meaningful insights on policy development as well as theory building.     

Implementing green supply chain practices: an empirical investigation in the shipbuilding industry

ABSTRACT

Environmental concerns have become important in the shipbuilding industry. Governmental expectations about environmental and social performance are much higher than in the past. Public authorities penalize companies that do not comply with the rules. Shipbuilding companies face these challenges by introducing new technologies into their business processes. They do not only start initiatives to green their own business processes but also those of their supply chain partners. This form of environmental management is called Green Supply Chain Management (GrSCM) and its importance is increasingly recognized. Although GrSCM is growing, companies are experiencing difficulties engaging suppliers in environmental activities.

This empirical study analyses drivers for supply chain participation of suppliers in the shipbuilding industry. We explain the participations of suppliers in GrSCM practice by investigating influencing factors including governmental involvement in greening the supply chain, customer requirements towards green issues, feeling of social responsibility, competitive advantage by going green, and GrSCM readiness. Hypotheses are tested with partial least squares, using survey data of 93 suppliers of two leading shipbuilding companies. We found GrSCM readiness, competitive advantage, and social responsibility to be significant drivers in supplier participation. No significant support was found for governmental involvement and customer requirements.     

Game theory analysis of quality control in two-echelon supply chain

Game theories were used to study the problem of quality control in the two-echelon supply chain which has one manufacturer and one supplier in this paper. Firstly, a stackelberg game was introduced into the quality control of a two-echelon supply chain. In this general non-cooperative quality control game situation, the manufacturer acts as the leader, the optimal action policies were obtained for the manufacturer and the supplier. Then, a Nash bargaining model was used to analyze optimal action selection in the cooperative quality control game situation and to determine the profit segment between two supply chain members after collaboration. By comparison of two game equilibrium results above, it was found that the cooperative quality control game structure is superior to the general non-cooperative quality control game structure during the process of quality management in the two-echelon supply chain. Finally, a numerical example is given to illustrate the conclusion of this paper.     

基于博弈论的多利益主体绿色供应链两阶段博弈分析

本文主要研究绿色供应链多利益主体的博弈行为和决策选择问题。首先提出了包含制造企业、政府、分销商与消费者的绿色供应链多方博弈分析框架。其次,通过博弈理论合理构建了两阶段博弈,第一阶段针对制造企业、政府、消费者三者进行博弈分析,第二阶段基于委托代理机制针对制造企业与分销商进行博弈分析。最后从理论上分析绿色供应链中各方优化协调的效率,重点分析在政府参与下,不同博弈策略对绿色供应链管理的影响。     

能量致灾循环演化与环链效应相关性分析

以能量作为灾害环链模型的载体,能量在不同介质载体中传输演化的表观形态和演化特性有所不同。能量致灾演化过程能够体现物质与能量之间相互作用演绎的复杂性,以及系列灾害能量过程演化的非线性,灾害能量链式循环演化形式是客观物质质变阶段激进变形的结果,导致能量致灾演化与环链效应存在一定的相关性,这也体现Ⅲ能量致灾循环演绎具有双重属性的特点。     

职业教育教学标准的研究

我国职业教育取得较大成绩,但是还存在许多问题,这些问题产生的其中一个重要原因就是国家缺乏统一的职业教育教学标准,因此制定职业教育教学标准具有重要意义。文章对国内外职业教育教学标准现状进行了研究,并提出了职业教育教学标准链条,在此基础上建立了职业教育教学标准框架。     

Synchronized Production and Transportation Planning Using Subcontracted Vehicles in a Production-Distribution Network

Abstract

Effective management of interfaces between procurement, supply, production and distribution for higher efficiency in the supply chain is an important issue in global manufacturing, where the synchronization of production and transportation planning represents important savings in operational costs. This paper focuses on the synchronization of production planning and transportation planning in a production distribution network, where transportation is subcontracted to a professional transportation enterprise (PTE) for vehicle-hiring. Dynamic and flexible numbers of vehicles are used to cater for fast changing market demands. Thus, the number of vehicles to be hired is viewed from the planning point of view as an operational decision considered simultaneously with production and transportation planning. A mathematical model – SPTP/MTDS – for synchronized production and transportation planning under multiple times and direct shipping strategy (MTDS) is discussed, and a Lagrange relaxation decomposition-based two layer decision procedure (LRD-TLDP) is developed. By introducing artificial decision variables and Lagrange multipliers, SPTP/MTDS is decomposed into a production decision sub-problem (SPTP-PD), and a distribution decision sub-problem (SPTP-DD). A priority-based assignment heuristic and a partial chain-based genetic algorithm are developed to solve SPTP-PD and SPTP-DD, respectively. An illustration of the application of the model in an electronic appliance manufacturing enterprise in China is presented.     

滑坡、崩塌、泥石流三者之间的关系研究

以四川省九环线平武段地质灾害为对象,通过大量野外调查研究,得出滑坡、崩塌和泥石流三者之间是相互联系、相互促进、相互转化的结论。不同地质条件形成不同类型的地质灾害链,它们是循环发生的,在地质灾害治理中应予以重视,尽量做到一次性彻底治理。     

三峡库区变动回水区趸船系留设施疲劳性能评估

针对三峡库区变动回水区重庆段内某一典型码头工程项目,分别计算得到在4种随机过程条件下,其趸船系留设施中各缆绳、锚链在疲劳寿命期内的日均系缆、系锚应力-历时关系。根据Miner线性累积损伤理论,结合各缆绳、锚链材料的T-N曲线,计算得到各缆绳、锚链的总疲劳损伤,并预测各构件的疲劳寿命年限。本文中所用到的疲劳分析理论及计算过程不仅可以为三峡库区变动回水区趸船系留设施疲劳安全整改提供一定程度上的技术支撑,也可为类似工程项目的疲劳设计与评估提供有价值的参考依据。