Search Results (623)

Background: Achieving deep decarbonization in global supply chains is essential for advancing net-zero objectives; however, the integrative role of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics in this transition remains insufficiently explored. This study examines how these technologies support carbon-emission reduction across supply chain operations. Methods: A curated corpus of 83 Scopus-indexed peer-reviewed articles published between 2013 and 2025 is analyzed and organized into six domains covering supply chain and logistics, warehousing operations, AI methodologies, robotic systems, emission-mitigation strategies, and implementation barriers. Results: AI-driven optimization consistently reduces transport emissions by enhancing routing efficiency, load consolidation, and multimodal coordination. Robotic systems simultaneously improve energy efficiency and precision in warehousing, yielding substantial indirect emission reductions. Major barriers include the high energy consumption of certain AI models, limited data interoperability, and poor scalability of current applications. Conclusions: AI and robotics hold substantial transformative potential for advancing supply chain decarbonization; nevertheless, their net environmental impact depends on improving the energy efficiency of digital infrastructures and strengthening cross-organizational data governance mechanisms. The proposed framework delineates technological and organizational pathways that can guide future research and industrial implementation, providing novel insights and actionable guidance for researchers and practitioners aiming to accelerate the low-carbon transition. Full article

Food fraud represents a growing global challenge with significant implications for public health, market integrity, sustainability, and consumer trust. Beyond economic losses, fraudulent practices undermine the environmental and social sustainability of food systems by distorting markets, misusing natural resources, and weakening incentives for authentic and responsible production. Despite the establishment of harmonized frameworks of the European Union for official controls, the increasing complexity of food supply chains has exposed persistent gaps in fraud detection, particularly for high-value products such as those with PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) and PGI (Protected Geographical Ιndication) Certification. This study investigates the perceptions, attitudes, and experiences of frontline inspectors in Greece to assess current challenges and opportunities for strengthening official food fraud controls. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, validated by experts and administered nationwide, involving 122 participants representing all major national food inspection authorities. Statistical analysis revealed significant institutional differences in perceptions of fraud prevalence, with mislabeling of origin, misleading organic claims, ingredient substitution, and documentation irregularities identified as the most common fraudulent practices. Olive oil, honey, meat, and dairy emerged as the most vulnerable product categories. Inspectors reported relying primarily on consumer complaints and institutional databases as key tools for identifying fraud risks. Food fraud was perceived to contribute strongly to losses in consumer trust in food safety and product authenticity, as well as to the erosion of sustainable production models that depend on transparency, fair competition, and responsible resource use. Overall, the findings highlight detection gaps, uneven resources across authorities, and the need for improved coordination and capacity-building to support more efficient, transparent, and sustainability-oriented food fraud control in Greece. Full article

Digital transformation in port logistics represents a profound and systemic shift in the way maritime trade and supply chain operations are designed, coordinated, and governed through the pervasive integration of advanced digital technologies and data-driven management practices. It extends beyond the mere digitization of paper-based documents into electronic formats and beyond the digitalization of isolated processes with IT tools. Transformation involves reconfiguring organizational structures, decision-making logics, and value creation models around connectivity, automation, and predictive intelligence. In practice, it includes the adoption of smart port technologies such as the Internet of Things, 5G communication networks, digital twins, blockchain-based trade documentation, and artificial intelligence applied to vessel scheduling and cargo planning. It also encompasses collaborative platforms like port community systems that link shipping companies, terminal operators, freight forwarders, customs, and hinterland transport providers into data-driven ecosystems. The purpose of digital transformation is not only to improve efficiency and reduce operational bottlenecks, but also to enhance resilience against disruptions, ensure sustainability in line with decarbonization goals, and reposition ports as orchestrators of trade networks rather than passive providers of physical infrastructure. Full article

Hydrogen has emerged as a cornerstone of global decarbonisation strategies, offering a flexible pathway to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and accelerate progress towards net-zero targets. However, the development of a globally integrated hydrogen economy remains uneven, reflecting disparities in renewable energy potential, infrastructure readiness, investment capacity, and policy commitment. To better understand these differences and the barriers they create, this study undertakes a comprehensive comparative assessment of the global hydrogen supply chain encompassing resources, production, storage, transport, and end-use applications. Further, a structured analytical framework comprising ten principles and twenty-nine sub-factors was developed to evaluate national hydrogen policies, technological readiness, and enabling conditions across twenty-six countries. The results show that the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, and Germany lead global progress, while many countries remain at an early stage of engagement. These findings further inform persistent regional asymmetries and emphasise the need for stronger international coordination. Drawing on these findings, the paper advances targeted policy and research recommendations to lower production costs, expand storage and transport capacity, and harmonise regulatory frameworks, thereby defining a coherent pathway towards a secure, cost-competitive, and equitable global hydrogen economy by 2050. Full article

Remote Indigenous communities experience persistent inequities in access to fresh and nutritious foods due to the fragility of perishable food supply chains (PFSCs). Disruptions across procurement, transportation, storage, retail, and limited local production restrict access to perishable foods, contributing to food insecurity and diet-related health risks. This scoping literature review synthesizes evidence from 84 peer-reviewed, grey, and unpublished sources across fourteen countries to map PFSC management (PFSCM) challenges affecting food access in remote Indigenous communities worldwide and to synthesize reported practices implemented to address these challenges. PFSCM challenges were identified across all supply chain levels, and five categories of reported practices emerged: PFSC redesign strategies, forecasting and decision-support models, technological innovations, collaboration and coordination mechanisms, and targeted investments. These findings informed the development of a multi-scalar conceptual framework comprising seven interconnected PFSCM clusters that organize how reported practices are associated with multiple food access dimensions, including quantity, affordability, quality, safety, variety, and cultural acceptability. This review contributes an integrative, system-oriented synthesis of PFSCM research and provides a conceptual basis to support future scholarly inquiry, comparative inquiry, and policy-relevant discussion of food access and health equity in remote Indigenous communities. Full article

AI technologies are increasingly applied to optimize operations in both port and urban logistics systems, yet integration across the full maritime city chain remains limited. The objective of this study is to assess, using a simulation-based experiment, the impact of an AI-orchestrated control policy on the performance of port–city logistics relative to a baseline scheduler. The study proposes an AI-orchestrated approach that connects autonomous ships, smart ports, central warehouses, and multimodal urban networks via a shared cloud control layer. This approach is designed to enable real-time, cross-domain coordination using federated sensing and adaptive control policies. To evaluate its impact, a simulation-based experiment was conducted comparing a traditional scheduler with an AI-orchestrated policy across 20 paired runs under identical conditions. The orchestrator dynamically coordinated container dispatching, vehicle assignment, and gate operations based on capacity-aware logic. Results show that the AI policy substantially reduced the total completion time, lowered truck idle time and estimated emissions, and improved system throughput and predictability without modifying physical resources. These findings support the expectation that integrated, data-driven decision-making can significantly enhance logistics performance and sustainability in port–city contexts. The study provides a replicable pathway from conceptual architecture to quantifiable evidence and lays the groundwork for future extensions involving learning controllers, richer environmental modeling, and real-world deployment in digitally connected logistics corridors. Full article

Grounded in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4), specifically addressing the urgent need to increase relevant skills for decent work (Target 4.4) while ensuring inclusive access and quality (Targets 4.3, 4.5, 4.c), this study develops a province-level indicator system for the “talent chain” and “industry chain” and integrates entropy-weighted composite evaluation, a coupling coordination model, correlation tests, and mismatch typology classification to systematically assess the alignment between higher education talent formation and industrial demand across 31 Chinese provinces during 2000–2022. The analysis aims to characterize China’s phase-specific progress in SDG4-consistent development at the education–industry interface and to provide a theoretical and empirical basis for improving graduate job matching. The results show that (1) overall talent–industry matching improved steadily from 2000 to 2022, yet pronounced regional disparities persist, with eastern provinces generally outperforming central and western regions; (2) educational quality and structural inputs—such as faculty capacity, per-student expenditure, and the composition of human capital—are the primary drivers of talent-chain performance, whereas expansion-oriented indicators exhibit limited marginal contributions, implying that sustainable graduate job matching hinges more on quality upgrading and supply-structure optimization than on quantitative expansion alone; (3) industry-chain advancement is jointly driven by industrial scale, structural upgrading, and employment absorptive capacity, with the tertiary sector playing a particularly prominent role in shaping demand for higher-skilled labor; and (4) a divergence in driving mechanisms—quality- and structure-oriented on the education side versus scale- and structure-oriented on the industry side—combined with regional heterogeneity produces stage-specific mismatch typologies, suggesting remaining scope for structural alignment between higher education systems and industrial upgrading. Overall, strengthening regional coordination, integration, quality, and upgrading drives synergistic development, advancing SDG 4 targets by validating that quality-driven education reform is the key lever for sustainable employment in China. Full article

Pharmaceutical supply chains face high inventory and stockout risks because of short product shelf lives and volatile demand. To enhance coordination efficiency and reduce drug waste, this study examines a two-echelon supply chain comprising a manufacturer and multiple medical institutions. We built a joint ordering and transshipment optimization model that simultaneously incorporates shelf-life constraints, the first-in–first-out (FIFO) policy, inventory capacity limits, and peer-level transshipment. Under deterministic and stochastic demand, we solved the model using Bayesian optimization and Monte Carlo simulation. The results show that moderate inventory transshipment effectively mitigates risk from demand uncertainty and increases total supply-chain profit; under stochastic demand, the optimal strategy relies more heavily on coordinated transshipment to reduce excess inventory and near-expiry waste. Full article

Information asymmetry regarding freshness has become a critical issue in the fresh produce supply chain. This study focuses on a fresh produce e-commerce supply chain comprising suppliers, third-party logistics (TPL) providers, and e-commerce platforms. Considering consumer preferences for freshness, it employs a Stackelberg game model to examine the impact of TPL exaggerating freshness preservation efforts on the supply chain. Subsequently, contract design is employed to achieve supply chain coordination. Findings indicate that when TPL misrepresents preservation effort information, profits decline across all supply chain members. A cost-sharing-profit-sharing contract facilitates redistribution of costs and benefits between upstream and downstream entities, thereby increasing preservation effort levels. Although preservation costs increase under this arrangement, contractual terms ultimately enhance profits for all supply chain members. This study incorporates freshness preferences to enhance model realism, providing theoretical foundations for decision-making under information asymmetry regarding freshness preservation efforts. It holds significant practical value for fostering collaboration among members in fresh produce e-commerce supply chains and promoting sustainable supply chain development. Full article

Agri-food supply chain management (ASCM) involves hierarchical structures in which actors make autonomous decisions and pursue objectives that may conflict with one another, thereby hindering coordination and limiting the understanding of how these decisions affect overall chain performance. This study proposes a decentralized bilevel mixed-integer linear programming model (BLDPP) for ASCM, solved using an interactive fuzzy decision-making approach that integrates membership functions with multi-objective programming. The model was validated through a case study conducted on an agri-food supply chain in Colombia. The results show that the interactive fuzzy approach enabled the development of a planning scheme that achieved a 94% satisfaction level among all decision-makers, demonstrating its effectiveness in harmonizing potentially conflicting interests. Additionally, the resulting planning incorporated up to 99% of the total productive capacity of small producers into the purchasing plan, supporting their inclusion in the chain. These findings indicate that both the proposed management model and its solution approach offer a robust alternative for advancing toward socially sustainable management of agri-food supply chains. Full article

Against the backdrop of heightened global economic uncertainty and increasingly frequent risks in agricultural supply chains, enhancing agricultural supply chain resilience has become a critical issue for safeguarding national food security and promoting high-quality agricultural development. As key actors within agricultural supply chains, the impact of financialization—defined as the shift of resources to non-core financial assets—among agricultural listed firms on supply chain resilience warrants systematic examination. Using panel data from 165 Chinese agricultural listed firms (2010–2022), this study empirically investigates the impact of corporate financialization on agricultural supply chain resilience and its underlying mechanisms. An entropy-weighted composite index based on 16 parameters is used to assess agricultural supply chain resilience. It is composed of three dimensions: resistance capability, recovery capacity, and renewal capacity. The results show that: Financialization significantly undermines supply chain resilience, with the most substantial negative effect on recovery capacity, followed by renewal capacity, and the weakest on resistance capacity. Heterogeneity analyses show more pronounced negative effects among non-state-owned enterprises, non-primary sector firms, and capital-intensive enterprises. Financing constraints and capital expenditures partially mediate the negative relationship between financialization and resilience, while profitability persistence exacerbates the crowding-out effect. These findings suggest that policymakers should strike a compromise between reducing excessive financialization and strengthening agricultural supply chains. While prudently guiding agricultural firms’ financial asset allocation, greater emphasis should be placed on developing a diverse and coordinated industrial support system, thereby diverting financial capital away from crowding out core operations and toward effectively serving the real economy, ultimately contributing to national food security and agricultural modernization. Full article

Origin warehouses, positioned at the critical “first mile” of the agri-food supply chain, profoundly influence supply chain power structures and profit allocation, as well as supply chain stability and sustainable development. To explore the role of origin warehouses in the agri-food supply chain, this study develops a three-level game model comprising a “planter–origin warehouse operator–seller” framework. Notably, this study conceptualizes the dual-functional “origin warehouse” as observed in practice, proposing two theoretical modes: the Logistics Center (LC) and the Supply Chain Center (SCC). By treating quality level, service level, and selling price decisions as endogenous variables, this study further reveals the interconnected decision-making mechanisms under different operational modes. Overall, the LC mode performs better in quality-driven markets, generating higher system profits and greater social welfare, whereas the SCC mode is superior when consumers are more price-sensitive or place greater value on service. Based on these findings, this study provides decision-making guidance for origin warehouse operators aiming to select the optimal mode under varying market conditions and proposes targeted coordination strategies to promote the high-quality development and economic sustainability of the agri-food supply chain. Full article

In the context of high renewable energy penetration and increasing supply–demand imbalances, power grid companies face complex challenges in load control due to multiple constraints. Based on the actual operational context of power grid companies in China, this study systematically analyzes the key constraints on load control from an industrial chain perspective. First, a systematic analytical framework is constructed from an industrial chain perspective to identify the factors constraining load control in power enterprises. Then, by integrating in-depth qualitative insights with a rigorous quantitative analysis, we propose an analytical method for identifying key constraining factors using a novel interactive group Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) approach. Finally, using Yunnan Power Grid Company in China as a case study, we identify specific constraining factors, including power generation costs, electricity pricing policies, distribution equipment capacity, and the level of grid intelligence. Based on the findings, this study proposes to establish a multi-dimensional coordination mechanism for Yunnan Power Grid, encompassing infrastructure-driven planning, policy–technology synergy, and cost-transmission optimization. This integrated approach will systematically enhance load control capabilities and support the transition toward a green, low-carbon power system. Full article

Background: Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are popular as sports supplements due to their ability to enhance performance and recovery. However, the full spectrum of metabolic alterations triggered by acute supplementation with BCAAs in conjunction with exercise remains incompletely understood. Methods: A randomized crossover trial was conducted in 8 healthy active young males, who received either BCAA or placebo supplementation for three consecutive days prior to a high-intensity cycling test. Plasma samples were collected pre- and post-exercise and analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, followed by correlation and enrichment analyses. Results: Acute BCAA supplementation was significantly associated with enhanced fat oxidation and attenuated post-exercise increases in plasma ammonia, creatine kinase, and lactate dehydrogenase, suggesting the potential improvements in energy supply and membrane stability. Metabolomics analysis identified differential metabolites primarily involved in lipid, amino acid, and glucose metabolism. Pathway enrichment revealed coordinated regulation of fatty acid oxidation (FAO) and tryptophan-related pathways. Correlation analysis further showed that changes in metabolite profiles were strongly associated with biochemical outcomes, particularly linking enhanced fat oxidation and ammonia clearance with BCAA intake. Conclusions: Short-term BCAA supplementation could enhance FAO and membrane stability via coordinated regulation of lipid and amino acid metabolism post exercise, supporting its potential role as a precision nutrition strategy. Full article

Growing climate concerns and rising consumer awareness of sustainability have reshaped strategic interactions in platform-based supply chains. This study examines how a manufacturer and an e-commerce platform make channel and fulfillment decisions under cap-and-trade regulation. The manufacturer chooses between non-encroachment and agency encroachment, while the platform decides between conventional and sustainable fulfillment. To capture the dynamic adaptation of boundedly rational agents, we develop an evolutionary game model (EGT) and characterize the evolutionary stable strategies. The findings indicate the following: (1) Platform investment in sustainable fulfillment exerts a strategic stabilizer effect, effectively protecting the reselling channel by reducing the manufacturer’s incentive to encroach even under moderate commission rates; (2) there exists a regulatory substitution effect between carbon pricing and commissions, where high carbon prices force manufacturers to encroach for survival, while low commissions encourage encroachment for profit; (3) consumer sensitivity exhibits a critical threshold behavior, where a synchronized transition to joint sustainability is impossible unless awareness exceeds a specific tipping point. Managerial insights suggest that platforms should view green logistics as a retention strategy to prevent channel fragmentation, while policymakers must coordinate carbon taxation with consumer awareness campaigns to avoid locking the system into non-green equilibria. Full article