Ramesh Kolluru and Paul H. Meredith
The past decade in the area of supply chain management has been characterized by increased emphasis on collaboration between trading partners. The paradigm shift from competition…
Abstract
The past decade in the area of supply chain management has been characterized by increased emphasis on collaboration between trading partners. The paradigm shift from competition to collaboration has been enabled by the explosive growth of the Internet as the medium for exchange of information between a business and its supply chain partners. However, the information that is communicated between the supply chain partners is among the most critical of an organization’s assets and the Internet as a medium of communication is replete with security loopholes. Presents the design of a security architecture that supply chain practioners may implement for secure, scalable and interoperable communication of information with their trading partners. The security architecture recognizes the implicit diversity in the types of supply chain partnerships that requires different levels of security for the different types of data sharing needs between the supply chain partners.
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Looks at the eighth published year of the ITCRR and the research, from far and near, involved in this. Muses on the fact that, though all the usual processes are to the fore, the…
Abstract
Looks at the eighth published year of the ITCRR and the research, from far and near, involved in this. Muses on the fact that, though all the usual processes are to the fore, the downside part of the industry is garment making which is the least developed side. Posits that the manufacture of clothing needs to become more technologically advanced as does retailing. Closes by emphasising support for the community in all its efforts.
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Geoffrey T. Stewart, Ramesh Kolluru and Mark Smith
As noted in the Department of Homeland Security's National Response Framework, disasters are inherently local and ultimately the responsibility of the lowest jurisdictional level…
Abstract
Purpose
As noted in the Department of Homeland Security's National Response Framework, disasters are inherently local and ultimately the responsibility of the lowest jurisdictional level present within the impacted area. Given these parameters, this paper aims to sharpen the concept of national resilience by recommending a framework which positions community resilience as an integral variable in understanding the ability of impacted areas to effectively manage the consequences of disasters. Conceptualized as a dependent variable, community resilience is influenced by the relationships government (public) agencies develop with private sector partners and the resilience of relevant supply chains and critical infrastructures/key resources which exist in their communities.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors augment a topical literature review of academic and practitioner journals by synthesizing existing findings into a holistic framework of community resilience.
Findings
This paper argues that interdependent systems like social and economic networks will ultimately influence the ability of communities to adapt and respond to the consequences of disasters. In addressing the resilience of these systems, all levels of government must recognize and embrace the public‐private interfaces that can improve their ability to manage the response and recovery phases of disaster management. While 85 percent of critical infrastructure is owned by the private sector, 100 percent of it exists within communities and impacts the ability of the nation to recover from disasters. Resilience calls upon active management and relies upon assessment and a willingness to take action in the face of adversity.
Originality/value
Resilience is discussed within economics, behavioral sciences, supply chain management and critical infrastructure protection. This paper integrates these research streams to develop a framework for shaping national resilience.
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Discusses the 6th ITCRR, its breadth of textile and clothing research activity, plus the encouragement given to workers in this field and its related areas. States that, within…
Abstract
Discusses the 6th ITCRR, its breadth of textile and clothing research activity, plus the encouragement given to workers in this field and its related areas. States that, within the newer research areas under the microscope of the community involved, technical textiles focuses on new, ‘smart’ garments and the initiatives in this field in both the UK and the international community at large. Covers this subject at length.
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Examines the tenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects…
Abstract
Examines the tenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects discussed include cotton fabric processing, asbestos substitutes, textile adjuncts to cardiovascular surgery, wet textile processes, hand evaluation, nanotechnology, thermoplastic composites, robotic ironing, protective clothing (agricultural and industrial), ecological aspects of fibre properties – to name but a few! There would appear to be no limit to the future potential for textile applications.
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Examines the ninth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects…
Abstract
Examines the ninth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects discussed include cotton fabric processing, asbestos substitutes, textile adjuncts to cardiovascular surgery, wet textile processes, hand evaluation, nanotechnology, thermoplastic composites, robotic ironing, protective clothing (agricultural and industrial), ecological aspects of fibre properties – to name but a few! There would appear to be no limit to the future potential for textile applications.
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Mohammad Asif Salam and Sami A. Khan
The purpose of this study is to draw lessons for logistics management in humanitarian disasters, using the earthquake in Haiti as a case study. In Haiti, there were problems with…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to draw lessons for logistics management in humanitarian disasters, using the earthquake in Haiti as a case study. In Haiti, there were problems with the logistical response. This study investigates the humanitarian logistics challenges faced by various stakeholders in Haiti during the disaster-relief operations.
Design/methodology/approach
In this exploratory case study, the central methodology used was data triangulation. Data triangulation involved interviews with respondents grouped into three categories, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the military establishment and the governmental agencies. Prominence is given to the common themes expressed by each group. These common themes are then compared to the themes of other groups to identify opportunities and problems for future disaster relief operations.
Findings
The study indicates that there is a clear gap in terms of how the humanitarian efforts were coordinated between different actors. Lack of civil–military cooperation and coordination was one of the findings from the interviews, and many of the resources and initiatives were overlapping or redundant. Timeliness and efficiency need to be at the forefront of all planning and would result in more saved lives and reduced human suffering. The key goal of humanitarian logistics stipulates is to form connections and relationships, which was well illustrated through the informants' interviews. It was found that organizing different stakeholders/actors to work together by sharing processes and distribution channels demands a vision that goes beyond logistics management. Government agencies, the military establishment, NGOs, locals and victims need to collaborate to create a synergy in generating solutions that are tailored to the shock of the disaster in the first place.
Research limitations/implications
The current study relies on a single case study approach as disaster scenarios are unique in terms of their impact, magnitude, timing and location. Despite these limitations, this study provides a detailed account of the logistical challenges in dealing with the disaster that took place in Haiti. The logistics-related lessons learned from this case study should be carefully applied in other settings, taken into consideration contextual differences.
Practical implications
One important aspect of measuring efficiency for any commercial logistics system is key performance indicators (KPIs) that indicate how well the firm is doing in managing its inbound and outbound operations. From a practical standpoint, the Haiti case raised a challenging concern with regard to how to measure the performance of humanitarian disaster logistics. This is a starting point to understand the dynamics of disaster system efficiency and logistics interplay and offers a few lessons to improve the resource availability in the case of future emergencies.
Originality/value
This study lays the groundwork for future researchers to explore and debrief on the topic once disaster relief draws to a close and time has allowed logisticians and relief workers to analyze the response mechanisms used in disasters.
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The purpose of this paper is to propose a model that enables a company to select the supply chain strategy based on risk probability p (measure of how likely/often a detrimental…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a model that enables a company to select the supply chain strategy based on risk probability p (measure of how likely/often a detrimental event occurs) and risk impact i (expression of the significance of a loss when that event occurs).
Design/methodology/approach
This paper discusses four supply chain strategies: agility, robustness, resilience and rigidity. Mathematical models are used for the strategies' cost functions, which reveal optimal solutions and break‐even points in dependence of p and i.
Findings
This paper proposes that resilience is appropriate in the case of high supply chain risk probability and impact, and rigidity if both values are low. When only risk impact is low, robustness is optimal, whereas agility is optimal when only risk probability is low.
Research limitations/implications
This research extends existing models for selecting the appropriate supply chain strategy.
Practical implications
Knowledge of the interplay between the strategies' cost functions and risk probability and risk impact is vital for companies. This may encourage managers to become more familiar with their strategy costs and supply chain risks.
Originality/value
To the author's knowledge, no corresponding model exists so far that links risk impact and risk probability to the four supply chain strategies.
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Somaye Fathalikhani, Ashkan Hafezalkotob and Roya Soltani
In the past two decades, the growth in the number and severity of disasters causes a rapid increase in the presence of NGOs for more effective response and efficient management of…
Abstract
Purpose
In the past two decades, the growth in the number and severity of disasters causes a rapid increase in the presence of NGOs for more effective response and efficient management of disasters. The NGOs must spend part of their resources on attracting funds to fulfill their humanitarian goals. However, limited number of donors and received contributions leads to a competition among NGOs for fundraising. Therefore, managing the relationship between these organizations and donors is very important. This paper aims to examine the competitive and coopetitive behavior of NGOs to model the interaction.
Design/methodology/approach
To achieve this purpose, by using game theory, two mathematical programing models are presented to examine the two inter-organizational interactions among NGOs.
Findings
The results show that if the NGOs work together, all the organizations, donors and affected people will benefit, and the accrued disaster will be managed more efficiently.
Practical implications
The expressed benefits of coopetition of NGOs can be an incentive for them to work together to manage disasters effectively.
Originality/value
To the best of authors’ knowledge, no research has considered the impact of the coopetition of NGOs in achieving their social mission successfully. Therefore, this paper can be seen as a valuable resource in this field.
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Sachin Agarwal, Ravi Kant and Ravi Shankar
The purpose of this paper is to examine and compare extant framework in humanitarian supply chain management (HSCM) and to propose a framework on humanitarian supply chain (HSC…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine and compare extant framework in humanitarian supply chain management (HSCM) and to propose a framework on humanitarian supply chain (HSC) performance measurement based on the content, context and process.
Design/methodology/approach
The structured keywords, namely humanitarian supply chain (HSC), humanitarian logistic (HL), humanitarian relief chain (HRC) and humanitarian chain (HC) as an exact phrase were searched in the title, abstract and keywords in the academic database. A total of 66 peer-reviewed articles were selected for analysis purpose that reports framework from the reviewed literature. These selected frameworks are categorized in dimensions, namely framework novelty, framework source, recognize elements/constructs of framework, comparative analysis of the framework and in-depth study of HSCM performance measurement.
Findings
The analysis reveals that the majority of these developed frameworks are novel and academic based. Case study is most prominent research methodology in the development of HSCM framework. Lack of coordination among humanitarian stakeholders is the major challenge in the empirical implementation of framework. This study proposes future research trend toward a unified HSCM framework that will facilitate to uncover the coherent set of elements/constructs in the field of HSCM.
Research limitations/implications
This study considers peer-reviewed articles published in English language, and excludes conference papers, working articles, technical data/reports and book chapters.
Practical implications
This study categorizes new dimension for framework analysis and proposed an HSC performance measurement framework which gives new insights to the academicians, practitioners and policy makers for future work.
Social implications
This examination gives the establishment to facilitate investigation of viable, efficient and effective HSCM, and detail opportunities for practices.
Originality/value
This study critically analyzes 66 frameworks under the different criteria to identify research gap and trends. Furthermore, this study proposes the HSC performance measurement framework.