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Sustainability in Supply Chain Management

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2016) | Viewed by 214572

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Industrial Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
Interests: Supply Chain Management, Inventory System, Logistics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Growing societal and governmental pressure has challenged businesses to focus on the environmental and efficient conservation of resources during all operations of the supply chain. Business leaders today are very interested in continuously running their supply chains through a sustainable supply chain management. The challenges in being sustainable in supply chain management include building, redesigning and reconfiguring the effective and efficient supply chain with the capabilities of robustness, resilience, flexibility, agility, and responsiveness.

They should consider cost, tax laws, skills, material availability, new market entry, and other organizational operations and resources. More attention is needed to optimize the supply chain processes, from product design, raw material selection, and production, to delivering, customer service, and end-of-life product management. Supply chain optimization also enables business leaders to make their operations more flexible, responsive, and efficient, based on an organization’s operations, resources, and other capabilities.

From this point of view, authors are invited to submit their works regarding innovative methodologies and models for improving and maintaining sustainability in supply chain management. Research related to the keyword below is welcomed.

Prof. Ilkyeong Moon
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Sustainable supply chain management with applications
  • Robust and Resilient supply chain design and operation
  • Flexibility in supply chain management
  • Agility and responsiveness in supply chain management
  • Sustainable supplier selection
  • Sustainable production and inventory management
  • Sustainable distribution management
  • Sustainable logistics networks design
  • Optimization of sustainable supply chain networks
  • Analytical models for sustainable supply chain
  • Green and close-loop logistics and supply chain management
  • Big data management and IoT for sustainable supply chain
  • Risk management for sustainable supply chain
  • Sustainable humanitarian supply chain management

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Published Papers (28 papers)

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2453 KiB  
Article
A Lagrangian Relaxation-Based Solution Method for a Green Vehicle Routing Problem to Minimize Greenhouse Gas Emissions
by Yanjie Zhou and Gyu M. Lee
Sustainability 2017, 9(5), 776; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9050776 - 8 May 2017
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 6854
Abstract
The effects of greenhouse gas (GHG) on the weather has caused ever-increasing disasters around the world. Many countries are making significant efforts to reduce GHG emissions in all industrial sectors. In this study, a green vehicle routing problem (GVRP) has been formulated as [...] Read more.
The effects of greenhouse gas (GHG) on the weather has caused ever-increasing disasters around the world. Many countries are making significant efforts to reduce GHG emissions in all industrial sectors. In this study, a green vehicle routing problem (GVRP) has been formulated as a nonlinear integer programming problem to minimize GHG emissions, considering various realistic factors that include three-dimensional customer locations, gravity, vehicle speed, vehicle operating time, vehicle capacity, rolling resistance, air density, road grade and inertia. Lagrangian relaxation has been introduced to propose a simple solution method. In contrast to traditional vehicle routing problems, the vehicle speed, vehicle weight, and road grade between two customer locations are also determined along with vehicle routes. The computational results demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed solution method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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1253 KiB  
Article
An Integrated Location-Allocation Model for Temporary Disaster Debris Management under an Uncertain Environment
by Muhammad Salman Habib and Biswajit Sarkar
Sustainability 2017, 9(5), 716; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9050716 - 29 Apr 2017
Cited by 61 | Viewed by 6706
Abstract
Natural disasters always generate an overwhelming amount of debris. Reusing and recycling waste from disasters are essential for sustainable debris management. Before recycling the debris, it is necessary to sort this mixed waste. To perform the sorting process efficiently, a Temporary Disaster Debris [...] Read more.
Natural disasters always generate an overwhelming amount of debris. Reusing and recycling waste from disasters are essential for sustainable debris management. Before recycling the debris, it is necessary to sort this mixed waste. To perform the sorting process efficiently, a Temporary Disaster Debris Management Site (TDDMS) is required, and the selection of TDDMS is a multi-criteria decision-making problem due to its numerous regional and municipal constraints. This paper provides a two-phase framework for sustainable debris management during the response phase of disasters. In the first phase, a methodology for TDDMS selection is proposed that consists of Analytical Network Process (ANP) and a fuzzy Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). In the second phase, a debris allocation optimization model is developed to allocate the debris from disaster-affected regions to the selected TDDMS. A city prone to hurricane damage is selected to illustrate the proposed framework. For the debris allocation purpose, five TDDMS are chosen, among which three sites are selected using the proposed methodology. To illustrate the utilization of the proposed study, a numerical example with two different scenarios is provided. Numerical outcomes prove that the model results in a sustainable debris management system for disasters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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1582 KiB  
Article
Optimization and Analysis of a Manufacturing–Remanufacturing–Transport–Warehousing System within a Closed-Loop Supply Chain
by Sadok Turki, Stanislav Didukh, Christophe Sauvey and Nidhal Rezg
Sustainability 2017, 9(4), 561; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9040561 - 7 Apr 2017
Cited by 56 | Viewed by 7886
Abstract
This paper deals with the optimization of a manufacturing–remanufacturing–transport–warehousing closed-loop supply chain, which is composed of two machines for manufacturing and remanufacturing, manufacturing stock, purchasing warehouse, transport vehicle and recovery inventory. The proposed system takes into account the return of used end-of-life products [...] Read more.
This paper deals with the optimization of a manufacturing–remanufacturing–transport–warehousing closed-loop supply chain, which is composed of two machines for manufacturing and remanufacturing, manufacturing stock, purchasing warehouse, transport vehicle and recovery inventory. The proposed system takes into account the return of used end-of-life products from the market. Manufactured and re-manufactured products are stored in the manufacturing stock. The used end-of-life products are stored in the recovery inventory for remanufacturing. The vehicle transports products from the manufacturing stock to the purchasing warehouse. The objective of this work is to simultaneously evaluate the optimal capacities of manufacturing stock, purchasing warehouse and the vehicle, as well as the optimal value of returned used end-of-life products. Those four decision variables minimize the total cost function. A discrete flow model, which is supposed to be the most realistic, is used to describe the system. An optimization program, based on a genetic algorithm, is developed to find the decision variables. Numerical results are presented to study the influence of transportation time, unit remanufacturing cost and configuration of the manufacturing/remanufacturing machines on the decision variables. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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1164 KiB  
Article
Sustainable EOQ under Lead-Time Uncertainty and Multi-Modal Transport
by Soon-Kyo Lee, Seung Ho Yoo and Taesu Cheong
Sustainability 2017, 9(3), 476; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9030476 - 22 Mar 2017
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 6391
Abstract
In this paper, we examine a sustainable economic order quantity (S-EOQ) problem with a stochastic lead-time and multi-modal transportation options. With the S-EOQ, decisions of order quantities, as well as a reorder point could be influenced by various factors, including unit price, stock-out [...] Read more.
In this paper, we examine a sustainable economic order quantity (S-EOQ) problem with a stochastic lead-time and multi-modal transportation options. With the S-EOQ, decisions of order quantities, as well as a reorder point could be influenced by various factors, including unit price, stock-out cost, lead-time variability and emission costs. For a better understanding, we present a mathematical model of the concomitant S-EOQ problem and, using numerical experiments, explore various scenarios to determine the effects of incorporating sustainability considerations into the traditional inventory model on operational decisions including the choice of transportation modal combination and the sourcing decisions Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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468 KiB  
Article
Corporate Social Responsibility Motive Attribution by Service Employees in the Parcel Logistics Industry as a Moderator between CSR Perception and Organizational Effectiveness
by Su-Yol Lee and Yong Won Seo
Sustainability 2017, 9(3), 355; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9030355 - 28 Feb 2017
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 7975
Abstract
With sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) emerging as urgent issues in the logistics service industry, the effects of CSR on employee work behavior is receiving increasing attention. This study explores this issue by considering intrinsic and extrinsic CSR motive attributions as moderating [...] Read more.
With sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) emerging as urgent issues in the logistics service industry, the effects of CSR on employee work behavior is receiving increasing attention. This study explores this issue by considering intrinsic and extrinsic CSR motive attributions as moderating variables between CSR perception and organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior. The results of a cross-sectional survey and hierarchical regression analyses of 241 survey responses from parcel delivery logistics employees indicate that their perception of CSR strongly enhances their organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior. This study also presents evidence that the positive effect of CSR on organizational commitment is weakened when employees attribute CSR practices to intrinsic motives. This study provides guidance for managers in the logistics sector and for academics who wish to address sustainability and CSR issues and to enhance employees’ organizational commitment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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2625 KiB  
Article
The Emergency Vehicle Routing Problem with Uncertain Demand under Sustainability Environments
by Jin Qin, Yong Ye, Bi-rong Cheng, Xiaobo Zhao and Linling Ni
Sustainability 2017, 9(2), 288; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9020288 - 21 Feb 2017
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 8313
Abstract
The reasonable utilization of limited resources is critical to realize the sustainable developments. In the initial 72-h crucial rescue period after the disaster, emergency supplies have always been insufficient and the demands in the affected area have always been uncertain. In order to [...] Read more.
The reasonable utilization of limited resources is critical to realize the sustainable developments. In the initial 72-h crucial rescue period after the disaster, emergency supplies have always been insufficient and the demands in the affected area have always been uncertain. In order to improve timeliness, utilization and sustainability of emergency service, the allocation of the emergency supplies and the emergency vehicle routes should be determined simultaneously. Assuming the uncertain demands follow normal distribution, an optimization model for the emergency vehicle routing, by considering the insufficient supplies and the uncertain demands, is developed. The objective function is applied to minimize the total costs, including the penalty costs induced by more or less supplies than the actual demands at all demand points, as well as the constraints of the time windows and vehicle load capacity taken into account. In more details, a solution method for the model, based on the genetic algorithm, is proposed, which solves the problem in two stages. A numerical example is presented to demonstrate the efficiency and validity of the proposed model and algorithm. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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1634 KiB  
Article
Probabilistic Graphical Framework for Estimating Collaboration Levels in Cloud Manufacturing
by Gilseung Ahn, You-Jin Park and Sun Hur
Sustainability 2017, 9(2), 277; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9020277 - 16 Feb 2017
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 6281
Abstract
Cloud manufacturing (CM) is an emerging manufacturing model based on collaboration among manufacturing enterprises in a cloud computing environment. Naturally, collaboration is one of main factors that impacts performance in a variety of ways such as quality, lead time, and cost. Therefore, collaboration [...] Read more.
Cloud manufacturing (CM) is an emerging manufacturing model based on collaboration among manufacturing enterprises in a cloud computing environment. Naturally, collaboration is one of main factors that impacts performance in a variety of ways such as quality, lead time, and cost. Therefore, collaboration levels should be considered when solving operational issues in CM. However, there has been no attempt to estimate these levels between enterprises participating in CM. The collaboration level among enterprises in CM is defined as the ability to produce a manufacturing service that satisfies a customer by means of collaborative production amongst enterprises. We measure it as the conditional probability that collaborative performances are high given collaborative performance factors (e.g., resource sharing, information sharing, etc.). In this paper, we propose a framework for estimating collaboration levels. We adopt a probabilistic graphical model (PGM) to develop the framework, since the framework includes a lot of random variables and complex dependencies among them. The framework yields conditional probabilities that two enterprises will reduce the total cost, improve resource utilization or quality through collaboration between them given each enterprise’s features, collaboration possibility, and collaboration activities. The collaboration levels the proposed framework yields will help to handle diverse operational problems in CM. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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2130 KiB  
Article
A Linkage Model of Supply Chain Operation and Financial Performance for Economic Sustainability of Firm
by Suk Ho Jin, Suk Jae Jeong and Kyung Sup Kim
Sustainability 2017, 9(1), 139; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9010139 - 19 Jan 2017
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 10090
Abstract
Although several studies have explored the relationship between the operation and performance of a supply chain (SC), a general SC model cannot deliver the expected financial results at a company-wide level. In this paper, we argue that this cannot guarantee the maximization of [...] Read more.
Although several studies have explored the relationship between the operation and performance of a supply chain (SC), a general SC model cannot deliver the expected financial results at a company-wide level. In this paper, we argue that this cannot guarantee the maximization of a firm’s overall value because short-term financial performance metrics do not reflect the risk to businesses and the invested capital. Owing to the varying natures of risk and the capital invested, firms with multiple divisions should assess each division separately, and the results can be compared for decisions concerning the allocation of the firm’s capital and resources to maximize the overall value of its businesses. We propose a linkage model to consider operational activities and financial performance simultaneously in a firm’s supply chain model. To exhibit the superiority of the proposed model that connects SC operation and financial indicators, we first compare the differences between models for maximizing profit and enterprise-wise economic value added (EVA) as objective functions. To examine uncertainty in the operational and financial parameters of the SC, the results of sensitivity analyses are then reported. Experimental results showed that our model, using the EVA approach, is more effective and superior in terms of maximizing the firm’s overall value from the long-term perspective while satisfying the target values for financial ratios set by the firm’s executives and shareholders for all periods, unlike the results of the general model. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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974 KiB  
Article
How Do Power Type and Partnership Quality Affect Supply Chain Management Performance?
by Kwang O. Park, Hwalsik Chang and Dae Hyun Jung
Sustainability 2017, 9(1), 127; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9010127 - 17 Jan 2017
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 7305
Abstract
A supply chain management (SCM) system is a strategic cooperative that organically integrates all supply chains to improve the performance of a company. The greatest critical success factor of SCM is partnership. Without cooperation between companies, SCM performance is limited. Does this imply, [...] Read more.
A supply chain management (SCM) system is a strategic cooperative that organically integrates all supply chains to improve the performance of a company. The greatest critical success factor of SCM is partnership. Without cooperation between companies, SCM performance is limited. Does this imply, therefore, that companies within the supply chain can achieve mutual transactions equally? If the power between companies is unequal, how does this affect their partnership? The focus of this study is to assess whether power types enhance SCM performance through partnerships. We categorize power types as mediated and non-mediated. Mediated power is categorized based on coercion, reward, and legitimate, while non-mediated power is categorized based on information, expert, and reference. Therefore, this study examines how power types form a causal partnership relationship within the supply chain, and performs an empirical investigation on how the partnerships influence SCM performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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1197 KiB  
Article
Multinational Firm’s Production Decisions under Overlapping Free Trade Agreements: Rule of Origin Requirements and Environmental Regulation
by Sung Hee Lee, Kun Soo Park and Yong Won Seo
Sustainability 2017, 9(1), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9010042 - 30 Dec 2016
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 7606
Abstract
In this paper, we study the impact of the rule of origin (ROO) requirements accompanied by free trade agreements (FTAs), which specify the minimum portion of supplies that should satisfy the origin requirement, on a multinational firm’s production decisions. We consider a multinational [...] Read more.
In this paper, we study the impact of the rule of origin (ROO) requirements accompanied by free trade agreements (FTAs), which specify the minimum portion of supplies that should satisfy the origin requirement, on a multinational firm’s production decisions. We consider a multinational firm who exports its product to multiple countries and analyze its production decision in the presence of multiple free trading agreements (FTAs). The ROO requirements in FTAs not only refer to the origin of supplies but are also involved with an environmental regulation of a country of the supplies. As such, meeting multiple ROO requirements can be costly since it may be involved with an adjustment of production facility and suppliers according to different environmental standards. We investigate a multinational firm’s choice of the ROO level in its production decision under multiple FTAs. It is well known that, in the presence of overlapping FTAs, the firm may strategically choose not to comply with the minimum ROO requirements in the FTAs. Instead, the firm may choose to comply with an ROO level that is higher than required, or pay the tariff instead without enjoying tariff exemption by the FTA in the new country. Such unintended outcomes in the FTAs are called the Spaghetti Bowl Effect. We characterize and quantify two types of such Spaghetti Bowl Effects with the optimal production decisions of a multinational firm under multiple ROO requirements and derive policy implications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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2021 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Supply Chain under Different Subsidy Policies of the Government
by Dongxue Guo, Yi He, Yuanyuan Wu and Qingyun Xu
Sustainability 2016, 8(12), 1290; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8121290 - 9 Dec 2016
Cited by 61 | Viewed by 6655
Abstract
The increasing public attention on green products prompted firms and government to focus on the design and manufacturing of these products. This study focuses on a supply chain system that consists of three members, namely, supplier, manufacturer, and government, and then investigates the [...] Read more.
The increasing public attention on green products prompted firms and government to focus on the design and manufacturing of these products. This study focuses on a supply chain system that consists of three members, namely, supplier, manufacturer, and government, and then investigates the effects of government subsidies on social welfare and the profits of supply chain members. We utilize game and optimization theories to calculate and compare the optimal decisions and profits of players in the following scenarios: (i) the government provides a subsidy rate to the cost of manufacturer’s greenness efforts (first subsidy policy); and (ii) the government grants a per unit subsidy to the manufacturer for the demand for green product (second subsidy policy). We also derive the necessary condition for the most effective subsidy policy that maximizes expected social welfare and profits. Our analysis derives the following findings: (i) under the first subsidy policy, the government tends to provide high subsidy rate to a manufacturer with low marginal profit; (ii) under the second subsidy policy, the government tends to offer low subsidy to a manufacturer with low marginal profit; and (iii) a government’s selection of subsidy policy depends on the sensitivity of consumers to price. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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2078 KiB  
Article
Analyzing Environmental Continuous Improvement for Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Focusing on Its Performance and Information Disclosure
by Koichi Murata
Sustainability 2016, 8(12), 1256; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8121256 - 2 Dec 2016
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5358
Abstract
This study analyzes the relationship between the implementation and information disclosure of environmental continuous improvement (e-CI) in sustainable supply chain management. The analyzed data relates to e-CI delivered from 19 manufacturing industry types in Japan. A degenerated Charnes-Cooper-Rhodes model, a proposed model for [...] Read more.
This study analyzes the relationship between the implementation and information disclosure of environmental continuous improvement (e-CI) in sustainable supply chain management. The analyzed data relates to e-CI delivered from 19 manufacturing industry types in Japan. A degenerated Charnes-Cooper-Rhodes model, a proposed model for data envelopment analysis, is also used for the analysis. The obtained result is a classification of types of manufacturing industries from the perspective of their capabilities in both e-CI implementation and information disclosure to systematically discover emphatic indicators of these two activities in each manufacturing industry type. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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3280 KiB  
Article
The Dynamic Enterprise Network Composition Algorithm for Efficient Operation in Cloud Manufacturing
by Gilseung Ahn, You-Jin Park and Sun Hur
Sustainability 2016, 8(12), 1239; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8121239 - 29 Nov 2016
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5296
Abstract
As a service oriented and networked model, cloud manufacturing (CM) has been proposed recently for solving a variety of manufacturing problems, including diverse requirements from customers. In CM, on-demand manufacturing services are provided by a temporary production network composed of several enterprises participating [...] Read more.
As a service oriented and networked model, cloud manufacturing (CM) has been proposed recently for solving a variety of manufacturing problems, including diverse requirements from customers. In CM, on-demand manufacturing services are provided by a temporary production network composed of several enterprises participating within an enterprise network. In other words, the production network is the main agent of production and a subset of an enterprise network. Therefore, it is essential to compose the enterprise network in a way that can respond to demands properly. A properly-composed enterprise network means the network can handle demands that arrive at the CM, with minimal costs, such as network composition and operation costs, such as participation contract costs, system maintenance costs, and so forth. Due to trade-offs among costs (e.g., contract cost and opportunity cost of production), it is a non-trivial problem to find the optimal network enterprise composition. In addition, this includes probabilistic constraints, such as forecasted demand. In this paper, we propose an algorithm, named the dynamic enterprise network composition algorithm (DENCA), based on a genetic algorithm to solve the enterprise network composition problem. A numerical simulation result is provided to demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithm. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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1281 KiB  
Article
Sustainability Assessment in Automotive and Electronics Supply Chains—A Set of Indicators Defined in a Multi-Stakeholder Approach
by Josef-Peter Schöggl, Morgane M. C. Fritz and Rupert J. Baumgartner
Sustainability 2016, 8(11), 1185; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8111185 - 17 Nov 2016
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 9493
Abstract
In automotive and electronics supply chains, sustainability assessment is gaining increasing importance. More stringent regulations and growing customer pressure are driving the change towards more environmentally, socially and economically responsible supply chains. Since this implies a rising use of resources for data collection, [...] Read more.
In automotive and electronics supply chains, sustainability assessment is gaining increasing importance. More stringent regulations and growing customer pressure are driving the change towards more environmentally, socially and economically responsible supply chains. Since this implies a rising use of resources for data collection, monitoring, exchange and assessment, the objective of this paper is to facilitate supply chain sustainability assessment. The present paper first provides a tailored set of 69 supply chain sustainability indicators for the European automotive and electronics industries. These were derived on the basis of a systematic literature review, together with 13 semi-structured interviews and five focus group workshops, all of which involved sustainability and industry experts. Second, the paper provides a case example of software-based supply chain sustainability data exchange. The extent to which sustainability information is currently exchanged in the two industries is also analyzed. The set of indicators is scientifically relevant since it considers all three dimensions of sustainability and is intended to allow for supply chain-wide sustainability assessment in two specific industries. It is also of high practical relevance since it was developed with and validated by industry experts, and also since it considers industrial and technical requirements for supply chain sustainability assessment in order to increase the efficiency of the work processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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5672 KiB  
Article
Sustainable and Resilient Garment Supply Chain Network Design with Fuzzy Multi-Objectives under Uncertainty
by Sonia Irshad Mari, Young Hae Lee and Muhammad Saad Memon
Sustainability 2016, 8(10), 1038; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8101038 - 16 Oct 2016
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 9006
Abstract
Researchers and practitioners are taking more interest in developing sustainable garment supply chains in recent times. On the other hand, the supply chain manager drops sustainability objectives while coping with unexpected natural and man-made disruption risks. Hence, supply chain managers are now trying [...] Read more.
Researchers and practitioners are taking more interest in developing sustainable garment supply chains in recent times. On the other hand, the supply chain manager drops sustainability objectives while coping with unexpected natural and man-made disruption risks. Hence, supply chain managers are now trying to develop sustainable supply chains that are simultaneously resilient enough to cope with disruption risks. Owing to the importance of the considered issue, this study proposed a network optimization model for a sustainable and resilient supply chain network by considering sustainability via embodied carbon footprints and carbon emissions and resilience by considering resilience index. In this paper, initially, a possibilistic fuzzy multi-objective sustainable and resilient supply chain network model is developed for the garment industry considering economic, sustainable, and resilience objectives. Secondly, a possibilistic fuzzy linguistic weight-based interactive solution method is proposed. Finally, a numerical case example is presented to show the applicability of the proposed model and solution methodology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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2404 KiB  
Article
New Algorithm for Evaluating the Green Supply Chain Performance in an Uncertain Environment
by Pan Liu and Shuping Yi
Sustainability 2016, 8(10), 960; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8100960 - 26 Sep 2016
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5689
Abstract
An effective green supply chain (GSC) can help an enterprise obtain more benefits and reduce costs. Therefore, developing an effective evaluation method for GSC performance evaluation is becoming increasingly important. In this study, the advantages and disadvantages of the current performance evaluations and [...] Read more.
An effective green supply chain (GSC) can help an enterprise obtain more benefits and reduce costs. Therefore, developing an effective evaluation method for GSC performance evaluation is becoming increasingly important. In this study, the advantages and disadvantages of the current performance evaluations and algorithms for GSC performance evaluations were discussed and evaluated. Based on these findings, an improved five-dimensional balanced scorecard was proposed in which the green performance indicators were revised to facilitate their measurement. A model based on Rough Set theory, the Genetic Algorithm, and the Levenberg Marquardt Back Propagation (LMBP) neural network algorithm was proposed. Next, using Matlab, the Rosetta tool, and the practical data of company F, a case study was conducted. The results indicate that the proposed model has a high convergence speed and an accurate prediction ability. The credibility and effectiveness of the proposed model was validated. In comparison with the normal Back Propagation neural network algorithm and the LMBP neural network algorithm, the proposed model has greater credibility and effectiveness. In practice, this method provides a more suitable indicator system and algorithm for enterprises to be able to implement GSC performance evaluations in an uncertain environment. Academically, the proposed method addresses the lack of a theoretical basis for GSC performance evaluation, thus representing a new development in GSC performance evaluation theory. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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1564 KiB  
Article
Implementing Coordinative Contracts between Manufacturer and Retailer in a Reverse Supply Chain
by Sung Wook Yoon and Suk Jae Jeong
Sustainability 2016, 8(9), 913; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8090913 - 9 Sep 2016
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5749
Abstract
There is an increasing need for company awareness of environmental problems and sustainable business practices. As a post-consumption activity, the reverse supply chain aims to extract value from products at the end of their lifecycle; it offers a means of pursuing sustainability through [...] Read more.
There is an increasing need for company awareness of environmental problems and sustainable business practices. As a post-consumption activity, the reverse supply chain aims to extract value from products at the end of their lifecycle; it offers a means of pursuing sustainability through recycling, remanufacturing, refurbishing, and reusing. This study develops a series of procedures for implementing contracts between manufacturers and retailers to maximize individual profits and total profits through the reverse supply chain. To analyze the effects of the decision strategies made by parties acting on non-coordinative (decentralized) and coordinative contracts, we model a two-echelon reverse supply chain environment using a system dynamics approach. In this study, we examine three cooperative contracts with differing shares of cost and profit between the two parties. Each contract is analyzed according to the following three contract processes. First, the manufacturer proposes a set of contracts that can be considered by the retailer. Second, the retailer evaluates the proposed contracts and chooses the one that is expected to maximize profits. Finally, the retailer and manufacturer adjust the parameters of the best contract to achieve the mutual goal of the supply chain. Using the experimental results, we discuss the best coordinative strategy between manufacturer and retailer for maximizing profits in the reverse supply chain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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1437 KiB  
Article
A Grey Forecasting Approach for the Sustainability Performance of Logistics Companies
by Min-Chun Yu, Chia-Nan Wang and Nguyen-Nhu-Y Ho
Sustainability 2016, 8(9), 866; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8090866 - 29 Aug 2016
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 6914
Abstract
Logistics plays an important role in globalized companies and contributes to the development of foreign trade. A large number of external conditions, such as recession and inflation, affect logistics. Therefore, managers should find ways to improve operational performance, enabling them to increase efficiency [...] Read more.
Logistics plays an important role in globalized companies and contributes to the development of foreign trade. A large number of external conditions, such as recession and inflation, affect logistics. Therefore, managers should find ways to improve operational performance, enabling them to increase efficiency while considering environmental sustainability due to the industry’s large scale of energy consumption. Based on data collected from the financial reports of top global logistics companies, this study uses a DEA model to calculate corporate efficiency by implementing a Grey forecasting approach to forecast future sustainability values. Consequently, the study addresses the problem of how to enhance operational performance while accounting for the impact of external conditions. This research can help logistics companies develop operation strategies in the future that will enhance their competitiveness vis-à-vis rivals in a time of global economic volatility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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3860 KiB  
Article
ePedigree Traceability System for the Agricultural Food Supply Chain to Ensure Consumer Health
by Umar Farooq, Wu Tao, Ganjar Alfian, Yong-Shin Kang and Jongtae Rhee
Sustainability 2016, 8(9), 839; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8090839 - 24 Aug 2016
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 9613
Abstract
Sustainability relies on the environmental, social and economical systems: the three pillars of sustainability. The social sustainability mostly advocates the people’s welfare, health, safety, and quality of life. In the agricultural food industry, the aspects of social sustainability, such as consumer health and [...] Read more.
Sustainability relies on the environmental, social and economical systems: the three pillars of sustainability. The social sustainability mostly advocates the people’s welfare, health, safety, and quality of life. In the agricultural food industry, the aspects of social sustainability, such as consumer health and safety have gained substantial attention due to the frequent cases of food-borne diseases. The food-borne diseases due to the food degradation, chemical contamination and adulteration of food products pose a serious threat to the consumer’s health, safety, and quality of life. To ensure the consumer’s health and safety, it is essential to develop an efficient system which can address these critical social issues in the food distribution networks. This research proposes an ePedigree (electronic pedigree) traceability system based on the integration of RFID and sensor technology for real-time monitoring of the agricultural food to prevent the distribution of hazardous and adulterated food products. The different aspects regarding implementation of the proposed system in food chains are analyzed and a feasible integrated solution is proposed. The performance of the proposed system is evaluated and finally, a comprehensive analysis of the proposed ePedigree system’s impact on the social sustainability in terms of consumer health and safety is presented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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1627 KiB  
Article
Location-Routing Problem with Simultaneous Home Delivery and Customer’s Pickup for City Distribution of Online Shopping Purchases
by Lin Zhou, Xu Wang, Lin Ni and Yun Lin
Sustainability 2016, 8(8), 828; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8080828 - 22 Aug 2016
Cited by 64 | Viewed by 11165
Abstract
With the increasing interest in online shopping, the Last Mile delivery is regarded as one of the most expensive and pollutive—and yet the least efficient—stages of the e-commerce supply chain. To address this challenge, a novel location-routing problem with simultaneous home delivery and [...] Read more.
With the increasing interest in online shopping, the Last Mile delivery is regarded as one of the most expensive and pollutive—and yet the least efficient—stages of the e-commerce supply chain. To address this challenge, a novel location-routing problem with simultaneous home delivery and customer’s pickup is proposed. This problem aims to build a more effective Last Mile distribution system by providing two kinds of service options when delivering packages to customers. To solve this specific problem, a hybrid evolution search algorithm by combining genetic algorithm (GA) and local search (LS) is presented. In this approach, a diverse population generation algorithm along with a two-phase solution initialization heuristic is first proposed to give high quality initial population. Then, advantaged solution representation, individual evaluation, crossover and mutation operations are designed to enhance the evolution and search efficiency. Computational experiments based on a large family of instances are conducted, and the results obtained indicate the validity of the proposed model and method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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1088 KiB  
Article
Regional Port Productivity in APEC
by Yen-Chun Jim Wu, Chih-Hung Yuan, M. Goh and Yung-Hsiang Lu
Sustainability 2016, 8(7), 689; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8070689 - 19 Jul 2016
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5276
Abstract
The regional growth of the goods and services trade has placed greater pressure on the ports of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) members, especially in the developing countries. The purpose of this study is to apply the generalized metafrontier Malmquist productivity index (gMMPI) [...] Read more.
The regional growth of the goods and services trade has placed greater pressure on the ports of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) members, especially in the developing countries. The purpose of this study is to apply the generalized metafrontier Malmquist productivity index (gMMPI) to compare the port productivity of developed countries (DCs) and developing countries (LDCs) in APEC. The results indicate that, first, the average rate of utilized capacity among the ports of APEC members was only 65.7% during 2002–2011, which means that another 34.3% of additional through put can be handled with the same level of resources. Second, the average productivity of the container ports in the DCs appeared to be higher than those located in the LDCs. The main sources of productive growth in the DCs were based on scale efficiency change (SEC), technical efficiency change (TEC), and potential technological relative change (PTRC), while the main source of productive growth in LDCs was based on SEC. Third, SEC appeared to be the dominant factor that affects the utilization of all ports. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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1044 KiB  
Article
Driving Sustainable Competitive Advantage in the Mobile Industry: Evidence from U.S. Wireless Carriers
by Changhee Kim, Soo Wook Kim and Hee Jay Kang
Sustainability 2016, 8(7), 659; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8070659 - 12 Jul 2016
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 6582
Abstract
In light of the growing importance of data network quality in the wireless industry, this study analyzes and compares efficiencies in management, service quality, network quality, and market in the 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless industry. For this purpose, a bootstrap data [...] Read more.
In light of the growing importance of data network quality in the wireless industry, this study analyzes and compares efficiencies in management, service quality, network quality, and market in the 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless industry. For this purpose, a bootstrap data envelopment analysis (DEA) model using representative U.S. wireless carriers as decision making units (DMUs) was designed and conducted, with further verification through the Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon W test, to examine the differences in efficiency distribution. The results indicate that, in terms of efficiency distribution, network quality efficiency and market efficiency belongs to the same group as that which has high management efficiency. Based on these results, this paper suggests implications and strategic guidelines for wireless carriers for improvement in management efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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625 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Supply Chain Management: The Influence of Disposal Scenarios on the Environmental Impact of a 2400 L Waste Container
by José Eduardo Galve, Daniel Elduque, Carmelo Pina and Carlos Javierre
Sustainability 2016, 8(6), 564; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8060564 - 17 Jun 2016
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 6842
Abstract
This paper analyzes the influence of the supply chain management on the environmental impact of a 2400 L waste disposal container used in most cities of Spain. The studied functional unit, a waste disposal container, made up mostly of plastic materials and a [...] Read more.
This paper analyzes the influence of the supply chain management on the environmental impact of a 2400 L waste disposal container used in most cities of Spain. The studied functional unit, a waste disposal container, made up mostly of plastic materials and a metallic structure, and manufactured in Madrid (Spain), is distributed to several cities at an average distance of 392 km. A life cycle assessment of four different scenarios (SC) has been calculated with the software EcoTool v4.0 (version 4.0; i+: Zaragoza, Spain, 2015) and using Ecoinvent v3.0 database (version 3.0; Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories: St. Gallen, Switzerland, 2013). The environmental impact has been characterized with two different methodologies, recipe and carbon footprint. In order to reduce the environmental impact, several end of life scenarios have been performed, analyzing the influence of the supply chain on a closed-looped system that increases recycling. Closed loop management of the waste and reuse of parts allows companies to stop selling products and start selling the service that their products give to the consumers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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1279 KiB  
Article
Optimal Financing Decisions of Two Cash-Constrained Supply Chains with Complementary Products
by Yuting Li, Tong Chen and Baogui Xin
Sustainability 2016, 8(5), 429; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8050429 - 30 Apr 2016
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5271
Abstract
In recent years; financing difficulties have been obsessed small and medium enterprises (SMEs); especially emerging SMEs. Inter-members’ joint financing within a supply chain is one of solutions for SMEs. How about members’ joint financing of inter-supply chains? In order to answer the question, [...] Read more.
In recent years; financing difficulties have been obsessed small and medium enterprises (SMEs); especially emerging SMEs. Inter-members’ joint financing within a supply chain is one of solutions for SMEs. How about members’ joint financing of inter-supply chains? In order to answer the question, we firstly employ the Stackelberg game to propose three kinds of financing decision models of two cash-constrained supply chains with complementary products. Secondly, we analyze qualitatively these models and find the joint financing decision of the two supply chains is the most optimal one. Lastly, we conduct some numerical simulations not only to illustrate above results but also to find that the larger are cross-price sensitivity coefficients; the higher is the motivation for participants to make joint financing decisions; and the more are profits for them to gain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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1869 KiB  
Article
Supply Chain Coordination and Consumer Awareness for Pollution Reduction
by Bowon Kim and Jeong Eun Sim
Sustainability 2016, 8(4), 365; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8040365 - 15 Apr 2016
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 6459
Abstract
To understand the dynamics of the manufacturer’s effort to reduce pollution in a supply chain consisting of manufacturer, retailer, and consumers, we analyze four cases according to consumer awareness of the pollution’s harmful effect, i.e., environmentally aware versus ignorant, and supply chain [...] Read more.
To understand the dynamics of the manufacturer’s effort to reduce pollution in a supply chain consisting of manufacturer, retailer, and consumers, we analyze four cases according to consumer awareness of the pollution’s harmful effect, i.e., environmentally aware versus ignorant, and supply chain coordination, i.e., competitive versus cooperative. Applying differential games, we derive managerial implications: the most significant is that the supply chain coordination strategy becomes irrelevant to reducing the pollution, if the consumers are not environmentally aware or sensitive enough. It highlights the critical role played by the consumer awareness in curbing the pollution in the supply chain. In addition, we find the transfer price and the potential market size are important factors to determine each case’s relative effectiveness. Under a regular condition, where the transfer price from the retailer to the manufacturer is sufficiently high, the consumer-aware and competitive case can generate a better outcome in reducing the pollution than those with ignorant consumers. However, the opposite might occur if the transfer price is excessively low, giving the manufacturer little motivation to make an effort to reduce the pollution. For the cooperative supply chain, it is the potential market size that determines whether the consumer-aware case is better than the consumer-ignorant. In fact, it turns out that there is a stronger result, i.e., the feasibility condition enforces that the market is always big enough to make the consumer-aware cooperative case better than the consumer-ignorant cases. We further discuss managerial as well as policy implications of these analysis outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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3806 KiB  
Article
Weighing Efficiency-Robustness in Supply Chain Disruption by Multi-Objective Firefly Algorithm
by Tong Shu, Xiaoqin Gao, Shou Chen, Shouyang Wang, Kin Keung Lai and Lu Gan
Sustainability 2016, 8(3), 250; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8030250 - 9 Mar 2016
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 6304
Abstract
This paper investigates various supply chain disruptions in terms of scenario planning, including node disruption and chain disruption; namely, disruptions in distribution centers and disruptions between manufacturing centers and distribution centers. Meanwhile, it also focuses on the simultaneous disruption on one node or [...] Read more.
This paper investigates various supply chain disruptions in terms of scenario planning, including node disruption and chain disruption; namely, disruptions in distribution centers and disruptions between manufacturing centers and distribution centers. Meanwhile, it also focuses on the simultaneous disruption on one node or a number of nodes, simultaneous disruption in one chain or a number of chains and the corresponding mathematical models and exemplification in relation to numerous manufacturing centers and diverse products. Robustness of the design of the supply chain network is examined by weighing efficiency against robustness during supply chain disruptions. Efficiency is represented by operating cost; robustness is indicated by the expected disruption cost and the weighing issue is calculated by the multi-objective firefly algorithm for consistency in the results. It has been shown that the total cost achieved by the optimal target function is lower than that at the most effective time of supply chains. In other words, the decrease of expected disruption cost by improving robustness in supply chains is greater than the increase of operating cost by reducing efficiency, thus leading to cost advantage. Consequently, by approximating the Pareto Front Chart of weighing between efficiency and robustness, enterprises can choose appropriate efficiency and robustness for their longer-term development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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1359 KiB  
Article
A Sustainable Outsourcing Strategy Regarding Cost, Capacity Flexibility, and Risk in a Textile Supply Chain
by Shaheen Sardar, Young Hae Lee and Muhammad Saad Memon
Sustainability 2016, 8(3), 234; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8030234 - 3 Mar 2016
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 11589
Abstract
The textile industry achieves economic benefits through outsourcing to low cost markets. Today, reshoring is an emerging trend due to rising cost and unemployment concerns. This problem is primarily due to an industry-wide focus on economic benefits only. Cost saving is a basic [...] Read more.
The textile industry achieves economic benefits through outsourcing to low cost markets. Today, reshoring is an emerging trend due to rising cost and unemployment concerns. This problem is primarily due to an industry-wide focus on economic benefits only. Cost saving is a basic reason for international outsourcing while domestic outsourcing provides capacity flexibility. Moreover, outsourcing risk has a major impact on strategic location of the production destinations. Therefore, the merging of capacity flexibility and outsourcing risk comprises a sustainable outsourcing strategy. This paper suggests a sustainable outsourcing strategy in which a textile manufacturer outsources to international markets for cost savings and outsources to the domestic market for capacity flexibility. The manufacturer reserves some capacity with domestic suppliers, and pays a unit penalty cost if this capacity flexibility is not utilized. The manufacturer seeks minimum risk in international markets. Operational cost, penalty cost, and outsourcing risk are considered to be objective functions. Decisions include the assignment of contracts to suitable facilities, the quantity of each contract, and allocation of reserved capacity flexibility among domestic suppliers. Multi-objective problem of this research was solved using three variants of goal programming. Several insights are proposed for outsourcing decision making in the current global environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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Review

Jump to: Research

528 KiB  
Review
The New Generation of Operations Research Methods in Supply Chain Optimization: A Review
by Pourya Pourhejazy and Oh Kyoung Kwon
Sustainability 2016, 8(10), 1033; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8101033 - 17 Oct 2016
Cited by 57 | Viewed by 12994
Abstract
The possibilities of applying Operations Research (O.R.) techniques in the design of real-world systems are vast. The optimization and design of the supply chain network (SCN) is one of the relevant topics that has directed the attention of many scholars. Sound decisions in [...] Read more.
The possibilities of applying Operations Research (O.R.) techniques in the design of real-world systems are vast. The optimization and design of the supply chain network (SCN) is one of the relevant topics that has directed the attention of many scholars. Sound decisions in this regard, including the proper selection of the facility’s location, transportation modes and routes and inventory management policies, can noticeably improve the systems performance. Over 380 articles published between 2005 and 2016 in the ISI/Web of Science database have applied advanced O.R. techniques in SCN optimization studies. This paper offers a systematic review of these published contributions by focusing on two categories of O.R. approaches most recently applied for the design of SC systems: integrated mathematical modeling and simulation-optimization (S-O) frameworks. A taxonomy analysis of the mentioned approaches is presented based on the supply chain elements. A bibliometric analysis is also conducted to provide technical insights into the possible gaps in the field. Moreover, the relevant studies on SC sustainability are highlighted. The research results are supportive of the S-O frameworks as either an alternative approach or an effective solution method for the integrated problems. The research outcomes can provide researchers in the field with useful details of the integrated problems and S-O frameworks as the most recent O.R. methodologies in the field of SC optimization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Supply Chain Management)
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