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The paper illustrates a system for man‐machine interaction in quasi‐natural language. The scope of the interaction is in the description of the sequence of tasks to be executed by an industrial robot for the assembly of mechanical systems.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss some considerations about the problem of Natural Language Understanding with respect to the particular semantic domain of Robotics. The goal that makes realistic this research direction is the programming of a robot in Natural Language. A system called DONAU (Domain Oriented NAtural Language Understanding system) written in LISP and in MICROPLANNER has been developed on the UNIVAC 1108 computer of the MP‐AI Project, and experimental results have been obtained. This system represents an advanced contribution in the domain of Robotics and it is also a base for developing a more general Natural Language Understanding System.

The research on supply chain risk management (SCRM) is visibly on the rise, although its literature still lacks the state of the art that critically analyzes its content. The SCRM literature seems to require studies that utilize risk typology, sources of risk, etc. for reviewing the topic. The purpose of this paper is to bridge the gap by synthesizing the information obtained from 343 articles across 85 journals. This study also presents a critical analysis of the content of SCRM in a structured manner to identify the directions for future research.

A systematic literature review (SLR) was devised and adopted, which involved the selection, classification, and evaluation of 343 research articles published over a period of 11 years (2004-2014). The content of extant SCRM literature was critically analyzed and synthesized from the perspective of the risk management process (RMP).

The analysis of extant literature shows that there is a marked rise in research in the SCRM area, especially after the year 2005. It was observed that not only risk but also different forms of uncertainties make supply chain (SC) operations difficult to manage. The SCRM actions yielded most benefits when their implementation was at chain or network level and managed strategically. The analysis also reveals that the manufacturing sector is most affected by risks and highly investigated by researchers.

A complete process for SCRM based on risk stratification, objectives of risk management, and RMP will be a guiding model for firms to manage risks. The research gaps identified and future directions provided here will encourage researchers and managers to devise new methods, tools, and techniques to address the risks in modern SC operations.

An SLR and risk-based content classification of SCRM literature were performed. To identify, locate, select, and analyze the SCRM literature, a structured and systematic process was adopted with some very rarely used methods such as two levels of search keywords, and strings were formulated to locate the most relevant articles in major academic databases.

The incredulity among Muslim consumers due to fake and doubtful halal logos has led to some querying the halal compliance and halal integrity among food small and medium enterprises (SMEs). By using the traceability systems consumers may track and trace the movement of food products available in the market. The purpose of this paper is to investigate factors that influence food SMEs’ intention to adopt a halal traceability system.

A structured questionnaire survey was developed and administered to a systematic random sampling of 260 food SMEs. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, Chi-square analysis, Pearson correlation analysis and logistic regression analysis.

The results revealed a strong correlation between the environmental aspect (EA) and perceived usefulness (PU) of a halal traceability system. Sales turnover, PU, perceived ease of use, technological aspect, organizational aspect and EA are the factors that influenced food SMEs’ intention to adopt a halal traceability system.

The context of this study is confined to the SMEs in the food industry in Peninsular Malaysia, thereby limiting the generalizability of the findings to other industries.

This study shows a halal traceability system facilitates food SMEs in enhancing their business and provides tremendous potential to further improve the halal industry in Malaysia.

The traceability system that is perceived to be easy and useful are the most influential factors toward the adoption of technology among food SMEs. Thus, this study confirms the growing importance of the halal traceability system in the food industry.

Variable density flows play an important role in many technological devices and natural phenomena. The purpose of this paper is to develop a robust and accurate method for low Mach number flows with large density and temperature variations.

Low Mach number approximation approach is used in the paper combined with a predictor-corrector method and accurate compact scheme of fourth and sixth order. A novel algorithm is formulated for the projection method in which the boundary conditions for the pressure are implemented in such a way that the continuity equation is fulfilled everywhere in the computational domain, including the boundary nodes.

It is shown that proposed implementation of the boundary conditions considerably improves a solution accuracy. Assessment of the accuracy was performed based on the constant density Burggraf flow and for two benchmark cases for the natural convection problems: steady flow in a square cavity and unsteady flow in a tall cavity. In all the cases the results agree very well with exemplary solutions.

A staggered or half-staggered grid arrangement is usually used for the projection method for both constant and low Mach number flows. The staggered approach ensures stability and strong pressure-velocity coupling. In the paper a high-order compact method has been implemented in the framework of low Mach number approximation on collocated meshes. The resulting algorithm is accurate, robust for large density variations and is almost free from the pressure oscillations.

The adoption of traceability systems (TS) and sustainability programs responds to different objectives among which the companies need to be considered legitimate; hence, this study aims, first, to identify what is the relationship between traceability and sustainability in the food supply chain (SC) and, second, to characterize the legitimacy-seeking purposes, i.e. moral, cogniti60ve or pragmatic-driving companies to implement TS along with sustainability initiatives.

This study analyses the coffee SC, a globally dispersed commodity chain, where traceability initiatives usually respond to mandatory and voluntary quality standards and certifications of origin. The study involves nine cases at different stages of the coffee SC.

This study provides a taxonomy of the TS applied in the coffee SC. In addition, three main approaches to traceability for sustainability are found in the coffee SC: synergistic, complementary or disconnected. Findings also reveal how traceability responds to different legitimacy-seeking objectives while triggering or complementing sustainability practices. Five research propositions and related directions for further investigations are elaborated from the results of our study.

This study explores a rather limited studied area, investigating how companies in a food commodity chain address traceability and sustainability together while seeking legitimacy in the market. Moreover, the study is grounded on legitimacy theory, thus adding robustness to the analysis.

Sustainable supply chain management has become an increasingly important driver of business performance. Understanding the contingent nature of how performance is improved in this context is therefore a critical task for management. The purpose of this paper is to explore the moderating effects of two practices unique to sustainable supply chain – ecocentricity and supply chain traceability – on a firm’s environmental and operating cost performance.

Survey data were collected from 248 UK manufacturing firms and analyzed using moderated hierarchical regression.

The results suggest that green supply chain management (GSCM) practices are associated with improvements in both environmental and cost-based performance. Further, higher levels of ecocentricity and supply chain traceability are associated with stronger relationships between GSCM practices and cost performance. Contrary to expectations, high levels of supply chain traceability were found to negatively moderate the relationship between GSCM practices and environmental performance.

The research design was survey-based and cross-sectional. Future studies would benefit from longitudinal research designs that capture the effects of GSCM practices on performance over an extended period. The survey data is also perceptual; using secondary data to capture environmental performance outcomes, for example, would be another opportunity for future research.

The authors provide additional support to findings that GSCM practices benefit both environmental and cost performance dimensions. In this context, the authors show that investments by firms in working with a broader set of eco-system partners (ecocentricity) and building supply chain traceability and leads to improved environmental sustainability outcomes. The authors encourage managers to carefully consider how they conceptualize and monitor their supply chains.

This paper offers several contributions to the research in this area. First, the authors develop and validate a measurement scale for ecocentricity and supply chain traceability. Second, the authors show how these two variables – unique to sustainable supply chains – can positively influence firm and environmental performance.

Traceability is predicted to usher in a fundamental shift in the way transactions in supply chains (SCs) are carried out. By reducing the negative aspects of trust-related issues in a SC, traceability enables improved visibility and transparency.

We advance research on traceability adoption in the perishable products supply chain by developing and validating an integrated model that combines the technology acceptance model (TAM), the technology readiness index (TRI) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB). A quantitative approach was employed, collecting data through an online survey of 174 supply chain professionals in major Indian cities using a five-point Likert scale. Participants were selected via LinkedIn, each with at least two years of SCM experience. Nonresponse bias was assessed by comparing early and late respondents, revealing no significant differences. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test various research hypotheses derived from literature. Composite reliability and discriminant validity of constructs were verified before examining the relationships among the constructs within the structural model.

The study found that the TRI components of optimism and innovation did not impact perceived ease of use or perceived utility. Additionally, behavioral intention is shaped by perceived utility, attitude and perceived behavioral control.

This research provides valuable insights for managers aiming to adopt traceability in supply chains (SCs). It helps identify critical factors for effective traceability adoption, showing that perceived ease of use (PEU) and perceived usefulness are pivotal in shaping practitioners’ intentions. Managers should prioritize developing intuitive, user-friendly traceability applications that demonstrate clear value in optimizing SC efficiency. The study also reveals that while practitioners are generally optimistic about traceability, they may feel indifferent or lack a sense of control over it. Therefore, companies should focus on marketing strategies that empower decision-makers, highlighting the ease of use and practical benefits of traceability. Additionally, the findings suggest that perceived behavioral control, combined with intention, can effectively predict traceability adoption. By understanding these dynamics, managers can better guide their firms in successfully implementing traceability, ensuring both technological acceptance and operational efficiency.

This research offers a novel and in-depth exploration of traceability as an emerging concept in supply chains, particularly in India, where adoption remains limited. It highlights that while SC practitioners recognize traceability’s potential, they lack practical expertise, often driven by curiosity about decentralized databases. It underscores the critical role of artificial intelligence, IoT devices and big data in ensuring precise data collection and analytics, essential for successful traceability. The research also introduces a predictive model combining TAM, TRI and TPB constructs, identifying perceived usefulness, attitude and perceived behavioral control as key factors influencing traceability adoption.

The aim of the paper is to investigate the determinants leading firms to choose among different voluntary standards within food supply chains. In specific, the authors explored the role of transaction risks, i.e. internal and exogenous risks, in the adoption of different traceability standards.

A survey was conducted within the Italian population of 216 food-processing firms that adopt voluntary traceability schemes. The identification of different transaction risks was based on the literature on supply chain management and transaction cost economics. An ordinal regression model was used in the analysis.

Empirical results highlight that the transaction risks perceived by food firms play a significant role on the kind of traceability schemes to adopt. There is a positive link between internal risks and the decision to implement complex schemes. Moreover, a negative relationship between the perceived exogenous risks and the complexity of the standard adopted is also observed. Exogenous transaction risk lead to the implementation of standards which do not imply strong co-ordination. On the contrary, internal risks imply complex schemes that lead to closer supply chain relationships.

The analysis is limited to cross-sectional data for a single country, and further investigation would help assess the generalisation of the findings.

The analysis can be considered a useful framework to orient firms strategic decisions towards the most appropriate voluntary standard to adopt for an efficient management of vertical relationships within food supply chains.

The present analysis is the first attempt to explain the determinants leading firms to choose among different kinds of voluntary standards within food supply chains. The approach used reveals that transaction risks can be considered a useful framework to explain firms’ strategic decisions related to the kind of schemes to adopt.

Short food supply chains (SFSCs) have been extensively researched for their environmental and economic implications. However, these are now confronted with shortcomings such as supply chain resilience (SLR) and societal livelihood (SL) hindering growth. The purpose of this study is to revisit and critically analyze existing SFSC literature, with a focus on SLR, SL, sustainability and human-centricity elements, to propose redesigning attributes for SFSCs in the era of Industry 5.0.

The systematic review scope is confined to the SFSC domain with an analysis of contemporary articles published in the British Food Journal (BFJ). The meta-data and research papers are sourced from the Scopus database and the VOSviewer software is used for the analysis. The thematic, diversified geographies and method-wise investigation bring theoretical insights toward building sustainable and resilient SFSCs.

The study findings could serve as a fitting theoretical framework to redesign the SFSCs for resiliency, sustainability and societal aspects of the economy, environment and human livelihood, respectively. The results also discuss the prior accomplishments and elaborate on avenues for future research.

Emphasizing recent trends, challenges, policy design, conceptual framework and future research directions for the SFSC domain, considering SLR and SL, has extended the literature in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

This study offers comprehensive guidelines to the concerned stakeholders for redesigning the SFSCs by linking sustainability, resilience and societal livelihood dimensions.

The study derives comprehensive insights into how redesigning SFSCs has contributed to more sustainable and resilient food systems worldwide over 2 decades. It extends the BFJ’s literature body by establishing the linkages between SLR and SL concerning human-centric SFSC.