This book presents recent advances in the theory and application of the Best-Worst Method (BWM). It includes selected papers from the Second International Workshop on Best-Worst Method (BWM2021), held in Delft, The Netherlands from 10-11 June, 2021, and provides valuable insights on why and how to use BWM in a diverse range of applications including health, energy, supply chain management, and engineering. The book highlights the use of BWM in different settings including single decision-making vs group decision-making, and complete information vs incomplete and uncertain situations. The papers gathered here will benefit academics and practitioners who are involved in multi-criteria decision-making and decision analysis.

This book unravels the complexities of supply chain process transformation by explaining step-by-step, in simple terms, the requirements for success from the basics to the implementation of this complicated task. The book provides insights into how to lead the transformation project and how to manage the change internally and externally. The authors' hands-on experience in the field via applied research is clearly illustrated in the case studies, which provide the reader with practical examples of the challenges and benefits of implementing a supply chain transformation project. This is a must-have book for all supply chain and operations professionals.

This work considers the current nature of the UK construction industry and looks at the limitations of conventional procurement systems and the need for a new approach to procurement in the face of the recession and overseas competition. The book analyzes the use of supply chain management and other strategic procurement techniques and outlines generic approaches to better practice. It also demonstrates to the key players in the construction process how they can improve their own effectiveness and profitability. Using a number of case studies to demonstrate the process and practices described, this edition illustrates how they can work effectively in practice.

This book offers a systematic literature review and a set of empirical studies on supply chain integration. Supply chain management is recognized as an essential means for firms to achieve competitive advantages, in which supply chain integration is regarded as the core for operational excellence: shorter lead time, lower inventory, faster delivery, and higher product and service quality. Using data from an international survey of manufacturing firms, an interrelated set of studies that investigate supply chain integration from different perspectives at multiple levels are conducted. Intra-organizational factors such as products, production systems, and socio-technical systems are examined to understand their effects on supply chain integration, indicating that firms need to implement different types of supply chain integration for specific competitive priorities. Then, the outcomes of supply chain integration, including its impact on risk management and sustainability management, are investigated from an inter-organizational perspective. The firm is embedded in a manufacturing network, a global supply chain, or both, and it can use supply chain integration as a strategic action for risks. Sustainability has been a vital issue for manufacturers, and supply chain integration can enhance its success. This book makes significant contributions to the relevant literature on supply chain integration and offers insights to supply chain managers in manufacturing industries.

This innovative new core textbook, written by an experienced professor and practitioner in supply chain management, offers a business-focused overview of the applications of data analytics and machine learning to supply chain management. Accessible yet rigorous, this text introduces students to the relevant concepts and techniques needed for data analysis and decision making in modern supply chains and enables them to develop proficiency in a popular and powerful programming software. Suitable for use on upper-level undergraduate, postgraduate and MBA courses in supply chain management, it covers all of the major supply chain processes, including managing supply and demand, warehousing and inventory control, transportation and route optimization. Each chapter comes with practical real-world examples drawn from a range of business contexts, including Amazon and Starbucks, case study discussion questions, computer-assisted exercises and programming projects.

Agribusiness offers a unique introduction to the business of agriculture: what agribusiness is, why it matters, what the role of technology is, how trade fits into the picture, what its key risks are, who is lending and investing and why, and what returns they are getting. It is both practical in orientation - focusing on the role of managers in the industry as well as that of lenders and investors - and international in scope - drawing on case studies and interviews with key figures all over the world. The text ranges across various agricultural commodities to stress that there is no 'one size fits all' solution and successful management, lending or investment in agribusiness requires understanding specifics. Readers are introduced to the economics of the supply and demand of food, the role of agricultural trade, agricultural marketing and farm management along with key business aspects including: Main drivers of agribusiness value; Principal risks of agribusinesses; Agribusiness as an investment class; and Agribusiness lending: why, who and how. This engaging textbook offers a complete guide to the international business of agriculture which is ideal for all students, scholars and practitioners. A selection of eResources is also available to supplement this text, and instructors will find PowerPoint slides, discussion questions, case studies and further teaching materials available to them.

This book discusses the concepts, types, models, and patterns of Japan's Hometown Tax Donation Payment system, to provide a clear picture of this newly developed unique and innovative fund-raising tool used by municipalities. It also sheds light on the influences that reciprocal gifts provided by each municipality to donors have on local economies by reviewing empirical works and surveys targeting local business owners and local financial institutions. A distinguishing feature of the book is that it introduces a new social finance mechanism that is unique to the Japanese market and could provide policy implications for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as regional development. Furthermore, the book explores the efficacy of the demand-pull approach to support-strengthening SMEs, especially in rural areas. Finally, the book identifies some lessons learned from the system with a view toward advancing research on this phenomenon and making the system efficient and sustainable. As a whole, the book can provide ample benefits to novices, academics, researchers, and policymakers interested in Hometown Tax Donation Payment, an innovative social finance tool. This is an open access book.

Intelligence is wasted on problems that themselves have been caused by an excess of intelligence. Lean Brain Management strives toward uncompromising Lean Brain Quality. Lean Brain stands for consistent economization of intelligence in all realms of life: Intelligent systems will only be operated by unskilled workers. Education, universities, and schools would become obsolete. A week of training would be enough for virtually any job. ("You are now the physician for the measles in the State of Ohio. In response to phone calls, send this prescription.")

Lean Brain is not aimed at dumbing down Lean Brain can survive on just a very small amount of central intelligence. Potential savings amount to trillions This is demonstrated using Germany as an example.

With this book, Dueck presents a radical suggestion for world improvement. The desire to laugh infinitely about it will eventually segue into a collective rude awakening. The book contains concrete advice for managers to economize on intelligence, and is thus-in keeping with the theme-written in an easy-to-read fashion. It contains no self-doubt whatsoever.

Awarded the Business Book Prize from Financial Times Deutschland and getAbstract AG

This book presents the current causes and effects of implementing sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) as well as green supply chain management (GSCM) strategies in the automotive industry. The reader is provided a detailed scientific review on SSCM and GSCM and presented the advantages of sustainable development concepts as well as factors causing the implementation of SSCM such as buyers' behavior, governmental regulations, and competitiveness. The book then analyses the current situation of SSCM development, particularly in the automotive industry. It shows challenges, barriers, successes, and benefits that automotive companies obtain from implementing GSCM. Through case studies on leading German car manufacturers VW, BMW, and Daimler, the necessary activities of these companies to implement green development in the entire supply chain, including green supplier selection, green materials, green transportation, and reverse logistics, are defined. Moreover, a benchmark with companies from Asian markets such as Toyota from Japan and Geely from China is performed.

This book highlights the latest research on sub-supplier management while also discussing its current state and related managerial challenges. It provides a process framework for managing sub-suppliers and an overview of the various buyer / sub-supplier relationships and their key characteristics. Furthermore, the respective chapters address essential capabilities to successfully manage sub-suppliers and to discuss how to overcome barriers and challenges associated with sub-supplier management. Concrete examples and cases are also provided, and, in closing, potential research opportunities are outlined and demonstrated.

Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) are a massive subset of the healthcare industry that negotiate lower costs for healthcare supplies by buying for several hospitals at once. Group Purchasing Organizations provides an analysis and critique of this industry.

What is motivational dysfunction? You have seen it, you may even have experienced it, and you have certainly felt the effects of this dysfunction in your workplace. Often undiagnosed, employees suffering from motivational dysfunction have lowered motivation caused by a lack of excitement for their job. This serious issue can cost companies billions of dollars per year in lost productivity. How can you combat this in your organization? Simply put, leadership is the cure. Focusing on the people aspect of supply chains, Modeling and Benchmarking Supply Chain Leadership: Setting the Conditions for Excellence provides the framework for leading people to achieve new levels of excellence.

Applying his 30 years of supply chain experience and exemplary leadership, Joe Walden details the qualities considered benchmarks for measuring leadership success. He uses the LEADERSHIP(c) acronym to establish a framework. Each chapter examines a critical attribute, defining it and using examples of good and bad leadership from the military and a range of commercial industries. Just as the study of operations management used the House of Quality to describe how quality is designed into and built into a product; Walden looks at how the attributes of leadership form a House of Leadership.

More than a few business leaders have insinuated that the supply chain is where future competitions will be and winning those competitions will require leadership. While technical skills, automation of functions, and information systems are important, without the right people with the right training and skill set, supply chains will fail and motivational dysfunction will take hold. This book provides a model of leadership to motivate your team and empower them to make the decisions that set the conditions for supply chain victory.

Port Economics is the study of the economic decisions (and their consequences) of the users and providers of port services. A port works as an "engine" for economic development. This book provides a detailed discussion of port freight service users, such as freight water and land carriers, that have their ships and vehicles serviced and their cargoes unloaded by ports, as well as passenger services such as ferry carriers which are serviced by ferry passenger ports. This text continues to enhance our understanding of port economics by exploring the economic theories, supply and demand curves, and the actual and opportunity costs relating to the carriers, shippers and passengers who use ports. This new edition has been updated throughout. This includes: An expanded discussion of container, break-bulk, dry-bulk, liquid-bulk and neo-bulk ports; An introduction of port service chains, hinterland transport chains, maritime transport chains and port multi-service congestion; A discussion of seaborne trade, dry ports, port centrality and connectivity and free trade zones. This updated and comprehensive introduction to port economics will be of benefit to students and researchers in their study of port economics and management. It is also of great importance to professionals who manage and operate ports as well as freight and passenger carriers.

Vor dem Hintergrund der zunehmenden Komplexitat oft globaler, multimodaler Supply Chains einerseits, und der zu konstatierenden nur rudimentaren Umsetzung adaquater Risikomanagement-Konzepte in der Praxis andererseits, greift die Arbeit ein aktuelles Thema der Betriebswirtschaftslehre unter Berucksichtigung der Bereiche Logistik, Geschaftsprozessmodellierung und verteilte Produktion auf. Untersuchungsgegenstand sind Supply Chains, insbesondere Construction Supply Chains, welche derzeit etwa bei der Realisierung von Offshore-Windparks zum Tragen kommen. Im Rahmen des Risikomanagement-Ansatzes entsteht ein mehrkriterielles Entscheidungsproblem, welches in seinen Auswirkungen mittels der Simulationstechnik analysiert wird. Als ein Ergebnis wird ein Vorgehensmodell zum systematischen quantitativen Supply Chain Risikomanagement entwickelt.

The structure of this book follows the decision-making process of Original Equipment Manufacturers investigating the potential of closed loops, including fundamental questions managers must answer when planning a circular supply chain: Does a closed loop fit corporate objectives? Is it profitable? How should OEMs deal with free-rider competition? Which product/technology/location setup leads to a profit-maximizing supply chain? The book includes case studies from the tire and the computer industry.

The third-party logistics industry is a growing field. This is the first practical handbook to support managers in the creation and negotiation of logistics contracts from the legal and economic perspective. The book provides the general framework and an extensive analysis of the content, structure and best practices of logistics contracts.

Standards play crucial roles in many different aspects of today's economy. They can define meanings of semantics, product interfaces, process steps, or performance levels. Interorganisational standards are specifications that define business-related semantics and processes, which are made accessible to other organisations' information systems. While modular organisation forms such as supply chain networks demand such standards for higher flexibility, XML-based Web Services offer a relatively new technological platform to develop such standards. The development of comprehensive interorganisational standards, however, is far from being completed. This book thus answers the questions, how interorganisational standards are developed and how different actors should get involved in it. The author uses actor-network theory to conduct two in-depth case studies on ebXML and RosettaNet. While researchers will find new explanations for the development of interorganisational standards, managers and executives will benefit from the strategic implications this book discusses.

Stetige Veranderungen des Umfeldes stellen neue Anforderungen an Supply Chains. Durch wachsenden Wettbewerbsdruck werden Fragen nach Differenzierungsmoeglichkeiten und/oder Kosteneinsparungspotenzialen laut. Aus einem anhaltenden Individualisierungstrend der Gesellschaft resultiert ein verandertes Nachfrageverhalten nach etwas "Einzigartigem". Die Arbeit eroertert die Gestaltung von Supply Chains zwischen Kostendruck und der Erfullung von kundenindividuellen Anforderungen aus logistischer Sicht. Das Ziel besteht darin, ein Gestaltungsmodell kundenindividueller Supply Chains zu entwickeln. Das Modell basiert auf einer Analyse von logistischen Planungsaufgaben in Abhangigkeit des Kundenauftragsentkopplungspunktes (KAEP), die sich mit unterschiedlichem Kundenindividualitatsgrad einer Supply Chain verandern.

Smart, strategic inventory management delivers competitive advantage, yet Inventory Turn trends suggest that little seems to change. Sustainable improvement through increasing control of systems and processes generates savings that can, in turn, be invested in growth initiatives. Inventory is not something that just concerns planning, production and finance. By working to better understand and control their inventory-related processes, everyone can drive improvements that will harness inventory's potential to become a source of sustainable competitive advantage. Unlike other guides to inventory management, this book is not only aimed at planners or inventory managers, but details the impact, both direct and indirect, that all functions have on inventory. It is rich in practical tools that can be clearly implemented, including a detailed purchasing strategy and guide to error management. It is also rich in best-practice cases that further show how to implement these methodologies in a real-world context. This book is essential reading for any manager or executive looking to boost their organisation's competitive advantage, as well as students of inventory management, production and operations management.

Your one-stop reference for entering the global logistics environment Global Logistics for Dummies is an operational-level reference and overview for those manufacturers, businesses, product distributors, providers of logistics services, humanitarian and disaster relief responders and logisticians on both ends of a global chain who are considering entry in or have recently embarked on entering the global logistics chain/market. Easy to follow and packed with tons of helpful information, it serves as a springboard to larger texts for more detailed information. Beginning with an introduction to both the "whats" and "whys" of global logistics, the book sheds light on how global logistics demands the involvement of not only all elements of the logistics enterprise - e.g., design, logistics engineering, supply, storage/distribution, maintenance, transportation, returns/re-manufacturing, etc. - but also all elements of the business enterprise. In no time, it'll get you up to speed on the whole-enterprise logistics elements that should be considered in the decision to enter and excel in providing logistics end-items, goods, and services to a global customer. Deliver global disaster and relief logistics support Explore global manufacturing and distribution logistics Provide logistics services for foreign customers Adapt domestic logistics to foreign operating environments Written by a team of SOLE - The International Society of Logistics credentialed practitioners and academicians, Global Logistics for Dummies makes it easier than ever to succeed in this ever-growing field.

Due to its societal and economic relevance, Project Management (PM) has become an important discipline and a concept critical to modern organizations, public and private. PM as an academic discipline is discussed both in Management Science and in Operations Research. Management Science tends to focus on quantitative tools and the soft skills necessary to manage projects successfully. Operations Research gives the essential scientific contribution to the success of project management through the development of models and algorithms. In Management Science, Operations Research and Project Management, Jose RamA(3)n San CristA(3)bal Mateo fills the gap between scientific research and the practical application of that research. Project managers need formal training in decision-making but sometimes, they do not have an in-depth knowledge of Operations Research or they lack the necessary theoretical background. This book, with its focus on the quantitative models of Operations Research and Management Science applied to Project Management, provides project managers with the tools and methods necessary to manage projects successfully. Project managers operate in a complex global environment, in which numerous factors need to be considered, such as minimizing total project costs, meeting contracted dates, and ensuring that activities achieve certain quality levels. The focus here on the application of quantitative models of Operations Research and Management Science applied to Project Management provides them with the tools and methods necessary to make sound decisions.

The rapid advancement of technology and of Internet commerce in a globalized market has brought change at an unprecedented rate. Credit institutions, manufacturing, merchandising and service companies are finding that their traditional methods and tools for accounting and logistics no longer suffice. They must develop more efficient processes, able to assure management control in real-time, promote transparency in accounts, and make immediate corrective action possible. The earlier they prepare to take advantage of the Internet supply chain, the greater the benefits will be. This book focuses on the most significant developments taking place in the market, their impact on the accounting and finance function, the new efficient logistics solutions, and how new technology effects commerce. Based on an extensive research project in the US, Britain, Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland and Sweden, The Internet Supply Chain explains what can be expected in business opportunities and in cost savings from selling and purchasing through the internet. The author goes on to suggest how accounting and logistics will need to be restructured to cope with, and make the most of the challenges and benefits presented by the Internet supply chain.

You don't have to outrun the bear ... you just have to outrun the other guy. Often in business we only have to run a bit faster than our competitors to be successful. The same is true in risk management. While we would always like to anticipate and prevent risk from happening, when risk events do occur being faster, flexible, and more responsive than others can make a world of difference. Supply Chain Risk Management: An Emerging Discipline gives you the tools and expertise to do just that. While the focus of the book is on how you can react better and faster than the others, the text also helps you understand how to prevent certain risks from happening in the first place. The authors detail a risk management framework that helps you reduce the costs associated with risk, protect your brand and reputation, ensure positive financial outcomes, and develop visible, predictable, resilient, and sustainable supply chains. They provide access to a cloud-based, end-to-end supply chain risk assessment "Heat Map" that illustrates the maturity of the chain through the various stages. It should not come as a surprise to anyone that the world is a riskier place than it was just 15 years ago. A survey used to calculate the Allianz Risk Barometer recently concluded for the first time that supply chain risk is now the top concern of global insurance providers. For most organizations this new reality requires major adjustments, some of which will not be easy. This book helps you understand the emerging discipline called supply chain risk management. It explains the relevant concepts, supplies a wide variety of tools and approaches to help your organization stay ahead of its competitors, and takes a look at future directions in risk management-all in a clear, concise presentation that gives you practical advice and helps you develop actionable strategies.

The Contracting Organization offers a clear and accessible guide to the theory and practice of contracting. Well supported by numerous case studies and examples, it is ideal for academics, students and practitioners wanting to understand `make or buy' decisions. Domberger looks at the way in which organizations throughout the world are increasingly contracting out - `outsourcing' - many activities traditionally done in-house. Deregulation, cost reduction, a focus on core activities, and the growth of the service economy all drive this process and are examined within this enlightening text.

This book provides an overview of the key transportation management processes from a shipper's perspective. It enables managers to gain quick insight in the added value of transportation as a strategic differentiator, its key drivers, and guidelines on how to use them in an effective and efficient decision-making process. It explains how to identify and eliminate waste using basic Lean tools and proven concepts. The reader is guided on how to start implementing the Lean methodology and best practices in the industry to realize significant savings. Companies such as Adidas and Amazon are using transportation to increase sales by delivering purchased products faster than the competition. These companies do not treat transportation as a cost center. They are not focusing on reducing transportation spending. They allow customers to buy any product that is available in any store or warehouse and have it delivered to their homes. By delivering faster than the competition, they increase sales. At the same time, they lower their total supply chain costs as faster deliveries lead to fewer returns. Reduction of returns means higher sales and lower transportation costs for returns. The result is higher profits while creating more value for the customer. Transportation is moving from a cost center towards a profit center. The traditional logistics service providers are perceived to not innovate fast enough. Top management must understand the transportation management basics and use it in their strategic decision-making. They should be involved in discussions on how to organize the transport management function in the best way and how to use it as a service differentiator. Transportation is more than the efficient movement of supplies, sub-assemblies and final products. In addition, it is more than the key performance indicators on the business-balanced scorecard. Transportation management professionals fail to catch top management's attention due to the use of technical language. It is more difficult to understand transportation key performance indicators such as loading degree, net and gross pick-up and delivery reliability. It is easier to get top management attention when talking about lost sales due to stock-outs, lost tenders due to long delivery times, high inventory holding and scrap costs.