This is the first book entirely devoted to analyzing the "bullwhip effect." It examines in depth all the problems associated with the bullwhip effect, its consequences, and known tools to design well-suited supply chain management systems that can cope with it. International supply chains are a central topic in this book and analytical tools that permit handling the Bullwhip Effect for global supply chains are of primary importance. The book compares the various approaches for dealing with the increased variability that is at the heart of the Bullwhip Effect, all illustrated by real case studies.

The e-business environment has brought about a new kind of competition. Instead of the traditional mode of firms competing against firms, we now have supply chains competing against supply chains. ""Supply Chain Management: Issues in the New Era of Collaboration and Competition"" examines this new business landscape in background, touching on major issues of the supply chain, and readers the assets to obtain that important competitive advantage. ""Supply Chain Management: Issues in the New Era of Collaboration and Competition"" contributes to this interesting global phenomenon by collecting well-researched works that illuminate in SCM issues in the e-business environment.

Global competition requires a global approach to sourcing activities and China now constitutes one of the most attractive sourcing regions. This book highlights the inducements, advantages and obstacles faced by the enterprises in the development of a sourcing channel in China. A taxonomy of the various sourcing typologies is proposed and a normative model is described that, on the basis of some discriminating variables, suggests the most suitable sourcing choice. The book examines the paths leading to an effective sourcing channel and International Purchasing Office in China, providing concrete examples of successful sourcing experiences.

Good operations and supply chain management practices are essential for the existence of both private and public organisations offering goods or rendering services. These practices are subject to volatile changes in markets due to global developments and hence it is important to understand the drivers of change to be able to respond adequately. Trends in operations and supply chain management covers a number of these drivers within the realm of operations and the supply chains serving businesses, so that the reader is equipped to respond with robustness in the changing environment.

The book covers the topics from a practical perspective and shares many case studies and examples to take the reader on a logical path of understanding the trends in operations and supply chain management and the importance of the drivers of change while sharing practical advice and solutions for the global industry.

The contents include the following:

• Green purchasing fundamentals
• Design for the environment
• Environmental accounting and environmental economics
• Sustainable operations and supply chain management
• Food security
• Digital technologies and operations in the fourth industrial revolution
• Maritime logistics
• Construction supply chain

Trends in operations and supply chain management is aimed at undergraduate students as well as professionals working in industry to support the sustainable business practices and goals of their organisations.

This book explores the essentials of RFID and the EPCglobal Network from the perspective of a practitioner that needs to make business decisions concerning the adoption of the technology. The perspective is from the supply chain management standpoint with emphasis on case studies and new thinking about the subject. The EPCglobal Network and RFID technology holds great promise for transforming business through the use of low-cost, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to improve information flow and productivity.

The leading academic authorities contributing to this book have been involved in major studies carried out for international organisations, individual governments, and national trades' union organisations; in Vulnerable Workers they consider the growth of job insecurity, the prevalence of flexible or temporary work, and the emergence of precarious forms of self-employment. They look at the new market economies of post-communist Eastern Europe and China, where economic development may occur at the expense of workers' lives and health; 'misclassification' by employers of workers as 'contractors', denying them access to rights; and the plight of migrant, transient and 'invisible' workers. The impact of supply chain business strategies on the most vulnerable workers; and on the complex relationships between levels of job security and the presence of different kinds of risks are similarly assessed. The contributors also propose responses to the challenges they highlight. The role of employee representatives is examined, together with the potential to enhance worker capability through organisational change. New legislative approaches, and changes to traditional compensation and social security systems are considered. Academics and researchers, policy makers, regulators, trades unionists and occupational health professionals - and wise employers - will all find a use for this book.

Business practices are constantly evolving in order to meet growing customer demands. By implementing fresh procedures through the use of new technologies, organizations are able to remain competitive and meet the expectations of their customers. Designing and Implementing Global Supply Chain Management examines how various organizations have re-engineered their business processes in an effort to accommodate new innovations and remain relevant in a highly competitive global marketplace. Highlighting the creation of integrated supply chains and the emergence of virtual business communities, this publication is an appropriate reference source for students, researchers, and practitioners interested in trending approaches to external business functions used to efficiently respond to growing customer demands.

The Management of Transshipment Terminals: Decision Support for Terminal Operations in Finished Vehicle Supply Chains is a unique treatment of the transshipment operation and processes on the shipment of automobiles from the Bremerhaven harbor, Germany. It is an analytical, theoretical, and practical work that incorporates Network Optimization, Logistics, Distribution, Transportation, and Supply Chain Management into a framework of Information Systems for a comprehensive understanding of the development of transshipment terminals in the global economy. More specifically, the book examines the function of transshipment terminals and how they can be made more effective and efficient. In sum, the book is a novel treatment of a developing area in the global supply chain economy; and as such, it is an illustrated example of the manifestation of elements within the field of Operations Management on the increasing integration of the transportation logistic system.

The rapid advancement of technology and of Internet commerce in a globalized market has brought change at an unprecedented rate. 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.

Compared to other main groups of procurement, capital equipment features numerous characteristics that significantly impact the purchasing process. The process of purchasing capital equipment therefore requires specific attention and above all a systematic approach. To overcome these challenges, a holistic process model and specific tools and methods for capital equipment purchasing are presented.

The following topics regarding capital equipment purchasing are presented:

Compliance management

Savings measurement

Life cycle costs and total cost of ownership

Determining the optimum useful life and replacement time

Real options approach for the evaluation of investment alternatives

Performance contracting

Readers are provided with a comprehensive and structured process model for capital equipment purchasing. The comprehensive set of methods including various instruments and methods presented in this book support the establishment of a professional capital equipment purchasing process.

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Reinvent your supply chain from the outside in - leverage customer insight, heuristics and digital tools to meet rising expectations and adapt in a volatile world. Customers have become increasingly demanding, and the operating environment has become more turbulent and complex. Mature companies wishing to survive and thrive in the coming decades must transform themselves to become flexible and market responsive. They need to reconsider their traditional supply chains and find ways to increase the clockspeed of their operation and their decision making without creating more complexity for their staff and partners. But where to start this transformation journey? Most of the world's largest corporations have logistics networks and supply chains that have evolved over time, many based around systems that drive a 'one-size-fits-all' philosophy, which does not fit anymore. And most have not kept up with the changing cadence of their markets. This book describes the path to a different paradigm; where a set of tailored supply chains are used for in-built flexibility and adaption as the world changes, and where internal capabilities and digital capabilities are consciously aligned with the customers and strategies they serve. Transforming Supply Chains builds on John Gattorna's seminal Dynamic Alignment framework; and he and his long-term collaborator Deborah Ellis review the analytics and decision-making tools needed to be effective in the digital age. Case Studies of organisations that excel using the 'outside-in' paradigm that they describe are scattered throughout the book; as are a series of prompts to help 'kick start your thinking' about your own transformation path. Transforming Supply Chains is your guide to designing supply chains that fit, and adapt, and bring competitive advantage - whatever your business and whoever your customers.

Over the past two decades, not only has supply chain analysis become a strategic focus of leading firms, it has also spawned an impressive array of research that brings together diverse research communities. Adding to this diversity and intellectual energy is the emergence of E-Business. E-Business creates new competitive dimensions that are fast-paced, ever-changing, and risk-prone, dimensions where innovation, speed, and technological savvy often define success. Most importantly, E-Business challenges the premises and expands the scope of supply chain analysis. The Handbook is a comprehensive research reference that is essential for anyone interested in conducting research in supply chain. Unique features include:

-A focus on the intersection of quantitative supply chain analysis and E-Business,
-Unlike other edited volumes in the supply chain area, this is a handbook rather than a collection of research papers. Each chapter was written by one or more leading researchers in the area. These authors were invited on the basis of their scholarly expertise and unique insights in a particular sub-area,
-As much attention is given to looking back as to looking forward. Most chapters discuss at length future research needs and research directions from both theoretical and practical perspectives,
-Most chapters describe in detail the quantitative models used for analysis and the theoretical underpinnings; many examples and case studies are provided to demonstrate how the models and the theoretical insights are relevant to real situations,
-Coverage of most state-of-the-art business practices in supply chain management.

Audience: This volume is suitable for researchers, faculty, graduate students, and practitioners in the following areas: supply chain management, operations research, management science, decision science, industrial engineering, operations management, civil engineering/transportation, logistics management, risk management, applied mathematics, economics, computer science, industrial management, and other related areas.

The importance of supply chain management has increased over the last few decades. Today, entire supply chains are competing with each other instead of individual companies. As such, supply chain management has become a way for companies to set themselves apart from competing companies and their supply chains. Interestingly, supply chain management mainly focuses on efficiency-oriented topics rather than effectiveness-driven issues, in particular the design of supply chains from manufacturing sites downstream, instead of upstream from the customer.

The Supply Chain Differentiation Guide offers a modern approach to supply chain management. While for many years "one-size-fits-all" approaches to supply chain management were very common, the current efforts of managers and academics alike focus on the simultaneous management of multiple supply chains. Despite the interest of the business sector in the management of multiple supply chains, academia has largely neglected this topic to date. The Supply Chain Differentiation Guide addresses this shortcoming, introducing both established and cutting-edge management methods to the context of supply chain differentiation and providing inspirations for how to improve corporate operations.

Students of logistics, transportation, and supply chain management, as well as international managers will find International Logistics: Global Supply Chain Management an essential reference for understanding how cargo is moved around the world. A comprehensive guide that includes the theory and practice of global supply chain management, International Logistics: Global Supply Chain Management uses current, real-world issues to make the material as relevant as possible, notwithstanding the fast-paced nature of this industry. Yet, the author also includes the theory and history of global supply chain management to provide a deeper understanding of the intricacies involved.
Logistics and transportation are the key elements of business and international trade. Based upon his experience in over 120 countries, including private industry, the military, and the United Nations, the author challenges conventional wisdom by discussing the myth of supply chain management and offering penetrating questions on the role of information systems.
International Logistics: Global Supply Chain Management is distinct in the following ways: A balanced approach between theoretical research and real-world practice, Cutting-edge, original graphics help explain concepts better than any current book, Instructor's Manual provided by the author upon request. Combined with pedagogical features and real-world case studies, International Logistics: Global Supply Chain Management is a must-have textbook for students of logistics, transportation, and supply chain management students, as well as a reference for international managers.

The global supply chain expanded significantly in the last decades of the 20th century, especially in the automobile, food, and textile industries. This growth of the globalized business era brings both challenges and motivation for researchers and practitioners with interests in logistics and supply chain management. Logistics and Supply Chain Management in the Globalized Business Era provides an introduction as well as up-to-date information in the logistics and supply chain management fields. The book focuses on applying theory to practices and provides both quantitative and qualitative methods for decision makers; additionally, it details current information regarding digitalization, information technology, and optimization techniques. It is ideal for supply chain managers, executives, operations managers, business owners, suppliers, researchers, postgraduate students, laypersons, researchers, and professionals.

Since SAP is emphasizing recent developments in operations management in its SCM initiative, this book describes the methodological background from the viewpoint of a company using SAP systems. It describes order processing both in an intra- and interorganizational perspective, as well as describing future developments and system enhancements.

The physical distribution of products is an important element in the marketing operations of all productive enterprises, and in many cases efficient distribution is the most important single factor leading to success. With the emergence of post-industrial society the role of distribution has come to increasingly be viewed as a generator of wealth in the economy, attracting the interest of public policy makers anxious to influence investment, employment and efficiency in the sector.

First published in 1982, this book isolates the major trends affecting the main institutions in distribution and contrasts the processes of change amongst the countries and regions of the European Economic Community. Structural change in the industry is related to spatial change in the regions and comparisons made of the varied public policy responses in member countries. An interesting and relevant reissue, this title will be of particular value to economics and business students with an interest in the development of the European consumer and post-industrial Europe.

Introduction to Operations Management: A Supply Chain Process Approach details how firms buy, make, deliver, and return goods and services around the globe, providing students with a solid foundation of operations management concepts and techniques. The text offers a set of activities that guide the effectiveness of organizations and prepare operations managers and other employees to ensure their firms are competitive. The book is organized from a strategic to a tactical perspective, beginning with foundational concepts and ending with broader discussions of managing supply chains. Dedicated chapters address corporate strategy, services design, inventory management, aggregate planning, forecasting, lean systems, quality management, integrating processes along the supply chain, and more. Numerous real-world examples, cases, and engaging exercises allow students to place themselves in the shoes of working operations management professionals. The second edition features examples of real companies using analytical tools in decision-making situations, as well as extensive web-based content including flashcards, YouTube videos, and graded chapter quizzes. The textbook's coverage also includes emerging trends for most chapters, such as sustainability, customer relationships, and working in the global marketplace. Written for today's students and the exciting, ever-evolving marketplace, the second edition of Introduction to Operations Management is the text to bring operations management into the modern era.

Postponement strategy is one of the major supply chain management (SCM) pr- tices that has a discernible impact on rms' competitive advantage and organi- tional performance. Postponement is a mass customization strategy that captures the advantages of both mass production and mass customization. Recent research studies have identi ed four common postponement strategies, namely pull, logistics, form and price postponement. The former three postponement strategies are linked to production and manufacturing, while the last one is a pure pricing strategy. They aim at balancing the costs and bene ts of mass production and mass customization. Practical examples of postponement can be found in the high-tech industry, food industry and other industries that require high differentiation. However, empirical studies have found that postponement may not be an evident SCM practice compared to the other practices. In addition, postponement has both positive and negative impacts on a supply chain. The advantages include following the JIT principles, reducing end-product inventory, making forecasting easier and pooling risk. The high cost of designing and manufacturing generic components is the main drawback of postponement. Thus, the evaluation of postponement strategy is an important research issue and there have been many qualitative and quantitative models for analyzing postponement under different scenarios.

This book is the ninth volume in "Contemporary Logistics in China", authored by the researchers in Logistics Research Center at Nankai University. In the spirit of the eight preceding annual volumes, this book carries on the ideal of providing a systematic exposition on the logistics development in China for the English-speaking community at large. Specially, this volume captures China's logistics development at a crucial turning point. This present report consists of nine chapters, organized into three sections. The introductory section, consisting of two chapters, depicts the current development status of the China's logistics market and the logistics facilities and technology. The second section addresses the characteristics of logistics industries in China including the transportation logistics, the manufacturing logistics, the commerce logistics, and the agricultural products logistics. The final section, consisting of three chapters, discusses some hot logistics topics in China. Chapter 7 describes the emerging service models and innovation of China's highway freight platforms. The next chapter deals with the development and innovation of the Belt and Road cross-border logistics service system. The last chapter presents China's Logistics development and prospect under the context of sharing economy. As with the previous eight volumes, the ultimate aim of this book is to present a timely portrayal of the rapid pace of growth of China's logistics market and the status of its logistics industry's evolution. In so doing, the book offers an in-depth analysis of critical issues involved in the ongoing dynamic and multi-faceted development, and provides a valuable reference resource for interested readers in the academic and professional fields.

Supply Chain Management (SCM) is not a buzzword like many others in management and IT - it is here to stay. "Megatrends" such as globalization and increasing specialization result in a complex division of labor at national and international levels. Lean and agile supply chains have become a major management target, and the interorganizational coordination of business processes has become highly relevant. The complexity of today's supply chains cannot be mastered without the support of powerful information systems. SAP has established itself as the market leader in this type of IT systems. The book describes SCM using a pyramidal framework and relates it to the SAP SCM Solution Map. Desired features of IT support for SCM are formulated, and the extent to which SAP systems provide these features is shown. We describe the functionalities of SAP APO in detail, present case studies on implementing and running SAP SCM systems, and discuss SCM aspects of the new SAP Business ByDesign approach. "

This book takes a process approach of identifying, evaluating, selecting, managing and developing suppliers to create more value for customers. It begins by outlining the mental shift necessary to build robust relationships with suppliers. Next, the book details strategic sourcing methodology: a step-by-step approach for creating productive relationships with key suppliers, providing illustrations and examples from the author's experience throughout. The third and final part of the book provides details of a comprehensive process developed to arm the negotiation team with all facts necessary to reach desired outcomes. This detailed step-by-step process consists of negotiation strategy and case building, supplier response and positioning, negotiation planning, discussions, and resolution, and supplier evaluation. In addition, the book highlights best practices in strategic sourcing representing tactics for buyers to leverage their buying power to ensure they attain full value. These best practices are drawn from several strategic sourcing projects carried out for leading companies in the USA over several years.

Licensing, Selling and Finance in the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Industries is an assessment of the turbulent state of pharmaceutical and biotechnology markets as we enter the second decade of the 21st Century. At the same time, the book offers a cautionary evaluation of the future financing of innovation in terms of what's gone wrong and how to succeed in the future. Martin Austin explores the challenge that the pharmaceutical (and related) industries face in terms of balancing short term, cost containment and expenditure control in areas such as internal research and development; whilst embracing in-licensing and the acquisition of innovative therapies to counteract their impending portfolio weaknesses in the mid to longer term. The first part of the book provides an engaging and convincing perspective on the context in which the industry currently finds itself; the second part is a pragmatic guide to commercialising your intellectual property; including how to recognise and value what you have as well as the new ways of working that you will need to adopt when negotiating, collaborating and contracting in partnership and alliance with others. Commentators have described in great detail the cocktail of commercial, clinical and social issues that threaten to overwhelm the pharmaceutical industry; Martin Austin's book offers a very distinctive perspective on these issues and their solution.

The scope of this book is limited to heuristics, metaheuristics, and approximate methods and algorithms as applied to planning and scheduling problems. While it is not possible to give a comprehensive treatment of this topic in one book, the aim of this work is to provide the reader with a diverse set of planning and scheduling problems and different heuristic approaches to solve them. The problems range from traditional single stage and parallel machine problems to more modern settings such as robotic cells and flexible job shop networks. Furthermore, some chapters deal with deterministic problems while some others treat stochastic versions of the problems. Unlike most of the literature that deals with planning and scheduling problems in the manufacturing and production environments, in this book the environments were extended to nontraditional applications such as spatial scheduling (optimizing space over time), runway scheduling, and surgical scheduling. The solution methods used in the different chapters of the book also spread from well-established heuristics and metaheuristics such as Genetic Algorithms and Ant Colony Optimization to more recent ones such as Meta-RaPS.

Effective Document and Data Management illustrates the operational and strategic significance of how documents and data are captured, managed and utilized. Without a coherent and consistent approach the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization may be undermined by less poor management and use of its information. The third edition of the book is restructured to take this broader view and to establish an organizational context in which information is management. Along the way Bob Wiggins clarifies the distinction between information management, data management and knowledge management; helps make sense of the concept of an information life cycle to present and describe the processes and techniques of information and data management, storage and retrieval; uses worked examples to illustrate the coordinated application of data and process analysis; and provides guidance on the application of appropriate project management techniques for document and records management projects. The book will benefit a range of organizations and people, from those senior managers who need to develop coherent and consistent business and IT strategies; to information professionals, such as records managers and librarians who will gain an appreciation of the impact of the technology and of how their particular areas of expertise can best be applied; to system designers, developers and implementers and finally to users. The author can be contacted at [email protected] for further information.