Business Commons^™

Sustainable Supply Chain Packaging Increasing Density For High Cube Low Weight Textiles, Caryn Espy

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

This thesis explores techniques for efficient, sustainable packaging of high cube, low weight products. It is based on a project initiated at Macy’s Merchandising Group, a product development division of Macy’s Inc. The company challenged its interns to create an environmentally conscious business proposal that would also reduce expenses. This thesis is an extension of the original proposal.

As part of the production of soft goods at Macy’s, samples of each item are sent air freight from overseas manufacturers to theNew York Cityheadquarters. Sample shipping amounts to a significant expense because products are sent via air freight.

In the process …

Assessing Lameness In Cows Kept In Tie-Stalls, K. A. Leach, S. Dippel, J. Huber, S. March, C. Winckler, H. R. Whay

Housing and Confinement of Farm Animals Collection

Identifying lame cows and quantifying the prevalence of lameness are important elements of cattle welfare assessment that are generally achieved by methods involving observations of each animal walking. There is no published method for assessing lameness in cows confined in tie-stalls. The objective of this study (carried out within the European Commission’s Welfare Quality® project) was to develop a suitable method and validate it for lameness detection against a published locomotion score. A series of indicators of lameness visible in tied cows was formalized into a stall assessment protocol. This was validated against a traditional locomotion score and tested for …

Undergraduate Course On Business Intelligence At The Wright State University Raj Soin College Of Business, Anand Jeyaraj

Management Information Systems Faculty Publications

Business intelligence (BI) tools enable senior, middle, and line managers to better understand their current operations and determine future strategies. There is a growing recognition among business professionals that the practices relating to BI are crucial for evaluating organizational performance, charting new directions, and everyday decision-making. According to Ziff Davis Enterprise, BI experts are ranked as the #1 job in the information technology sector for 2009.

Tls Newsletter Volume 1, Edition 4. April, 2009, Unf Transportation And Logistics Society

Transportation & Logistics Society Newsletter

Inside this Newsletter: In the Know--a Graduate Poll. An overview of the school year. Upcoming events. For your Information-UNF Logistics Case competition held on February 13th. Professional Spotlight on TLS adviser Lynn Brown and get to know the TLS Vice President Lauren Parrish.

Classification Of Schedule Management Barriers Through Concept Mapping, Gregory W. Voth

Theses and Dissertations

Barriers to adoption of schedule management processes are a matter of serious concern to the acquisition community. Schedule management has been widely accepted to contribute to the successful execution of complicated system development processes since the 1950s. However, studies of recent acquisition failures illustrate that over the last 15 years, there has been significant internal resistance to the adoption of schedule management processes. This exploratory effort used concept mapping to identify and classify the types of barriers existing in the Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC). A series of open-ended questions were posed to four experienced program managers in ASC. Units of …

An Analysis Of Class Ii Supplies Requisitions In The Korean Army's Organizational Supply, Min Cheol Cho

Theses and Dissertations

Timely supply support is critical to sustaining military readiness and operations. In order to improve user satisfaction and to ensure supply support in a timely manner, the supply management paradigm is changing from supplier (supporting unit) focused management to customer (combat unit) focused management. This research focuses on improvements to the requisition process in Organizational Supply to reduce Customer Wait Time (CWT) in the Korean Army Supply Chain (KASC). The causes leading to requisition problems in seven key areas of Organizational Supply were examined, and seventeen solutions for the problems were suggested. Solutions that can be executed immediately without cost …

Tls Newsletter Volume 1, Edition 3. March 2, 2009, Unf Transportation And Logistics Society

Transportation & Logistics Society Newsletter

Inside the Newsletter: In the Know--Blutz about LITS. Professional Spotlight on Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. FYI: Relay for Life a Cure in Motion. Important Spring dates. Meet the Newsletter Committee. Gent to Know TLS Secretary Michael Bivins.

Document Sql (Dsql) - An Accessible Yet Comprehensive Ad-Hoc Querying Frontend For Xquery, Arijit Sengupta

Management Information Systems Faculty Publications

This article presents a declarative query language, Document SQL (DSQL) that has the same look and feel as SQL and was designed by updating the semantics of SQL operations in the structured document domain. At the same time, DSQL was designed such that all queries written in it have equivalent counterparts in XQuery. Thus, by using such a language, users can take advantage of their existing SQL knowledge when writing ad-hoc queries without losing the expressive power of XQuery.

Or Practice—Efficient Short-Term Allocation And Reallocation Of Patients To Floors Of A Hospital During Demand Surges, Steven M. Thompson, Manuel Nunez, Robert Garfinkel, Matthew D. Dean

Management Faculty Publications

Many hospitals face the problem of insufficient capacity to meet demand for inpatient beds, especially during demand surges. This results in quality degradation of patient care due to large delays from admission time to the hospital until arrival at a floor. In addition, there is loss of revenue because of the inability to provide service to potential patients. A solution to the problem is to proactively transfer patients between floors in anticipation of a demand surge. Optimal reallocation poses an extraordinarily complex problem that can be modeled as a finite-horizon Markov decision process. Based on the optimization model, a decision-support …

Tls Newsletter Volume 1, Edition 2. February 2, 2009, Unf Transportation And Logistics Society

Transportation & Logistics Society Newsletter

Inside this newsletter: In the Know dress for success--What to wear to Career day. Professional Spotlight on Jaxport Executive Director Rick Ferrin. FYI--Panel on How to Get Hired on February 11, 2009. Important Spring dates. New Organization Forming--Introduction APICS Student Chapter. Get to Know TLS President Randy Ancayan

Tls Newsletter Volume 1, Issue 1. January 14, 2009, Unf Transportation And Logistics Society

Transportation & Logistics Society Newsletter

Inside the Newsletter: In the Know--Students Raise $1,500. Professional Spotlight: The Propeller Club of Jacksonville. FYI--CTL Professional Certification. Important Spring Dates. Get to Know TLS Recruitment Director Maria Lugovets

Information Sharing With Suppliers To Improve Mass Customization Capability: A Trust Perspective, Kun Liao, Zhongming Ma, Cen-Tsong Lin

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Business

Trust is essential for business relationships within a supply chain. On the basis of over 200 responses from suppliers in the U.S. and China, this study empirically tests the relationship between trust and manufacturer-supplier information sharing. High trust can lead to frequent information sharing between suppliers and manufacturers. Frequent information sharing causes high mass customization capabilities. The moderating effect of country culture is also found for the relationship between trust and financial information sharing.

Trust-Driven Joint Operations Practices To Achieve Mass Customization: A Comparative Study For U.S., Chinese And Japanese Companies, Kun Liao, Thomas W. Sharkey, Mark A. Vonderembse, T. S. Ragu-Nathan

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Business

This study builds a model of trust, based on joint operational activities and mass customization using theories of social capital and the resource-based view of the firm. Based on 208 responses from suppliers in the U.S. and China, this study empirically supports the notion that trust positively drives manufacturer-supplier activities in operations. It also supports the claim that joint operations activities contribute to mass customization capabilities in a significant way. Moreover, the level of trust and the degree of joint activities are different for the four types of suppliers used in the study: U.S. brands produced in North America, Japanese …

Isscm Graduating Cohort, 2009, Raj Soin College Of Business, Wright State University

ISSCM Master Cohort Posters

Poster congratulating the 2009 Graduating Cohort from the Master of Information Systems and the Master of Science in Logistics and Supply Chain Management Programs.

Choosing And Using A Co-Packer, Pamela L. Brady, Steve Seideman, Justin R. Morris

AAES Research Reports and Research Bulletins

Co-packing, also known as contract packaging, is when a company contracts with another company to manufacture and package foods that the original company will sell. Products on the market that have been co-packed range from nationally known brands to those sold under private labels. The use of co-packers has become extremely popular with entrepreneurs who have a product idea but lack the $100,000 or more needed to set up a manufacturing facility to produce the product. In addition, many entrepreneurs starting a foods business find that, in today’s market conditions, greater profits are achieved through sales and marketing innovations than …

Supply Chain Management Practices As A Mediator Of The Relationship Between Operations Capability And Firm Performance, Chinchun Hsu, Keah Choon Tan, Vijay R. Kannan, G. Keong Leong

Management Faculty Publications

The current study uses mediated regression analysis and structural equation modeling to test the proposition that supply chain management practices mediate the relationship between operations capability and firm performance. Operations capability is defined in terms of a firm's new product design and development, total quality management and just-in-time capabilities. Results support the research model and also suggest the existence of a direct relationship between operations capability and performance.

Trends And Effects Of Third-Party Logisitics In Global Logistics Operations, Kai-Yu Ho

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this research is to determine how third party logistics is playing an essential role in global logistics operations. The development of third party logistics has become one of the main streams in the development of the global economy.

Relationship Between Pre-Slaughter Stress Responsiveness And Beef Quality In Three Cattle Breeds, V. Muchenje, K. Dzama, M. Chimonyo, P. E. Strydom, J. G. Raats

Slaughter and Slaughtering Practices Collection

The relationship between stress responsiveness and beef quality of 40 Nguni, 30 Bonsmara and 30 Angus steers was determined. The L* values, pHu, cooking loss (CL) and Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) were determined. Catecholamine levels were determined from urine samples collected at slaughter. Bonsmara steers had the highest (P < 0.05) levels of catecholamines with respective epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine concentrations of 10.8, 9.7 and 14.8 nmol/mmol. Nguni steers had the lowest (P < 0.05) levels of catecholamines, with respective catecholamine concentrations of 5.1, 4.3 and 4.0 nmol/mmol. In the Nguni steers, there were significant (P < 0.05) correlations between catecholamines and L* and between dopamine and tenderness in meat aged for two days (WBSF2). In the Bonsmara, dopamine was correlated (P < 0.05) pHu, WBSF2 and CL. No significant correlations were found in the Angus. Therefore the relationship between stress responsiveness and certain beef quality traits may not be similar in different breeds.

Effect Of Restricted Access Time To Pasture On Dairy Cow Milk Production, Grazing Behavior, And Dry Matter Intake, E. Kennedy, M. Mcevoy, J. P. Murphy, M. O'Donovan

Housing and Confinement of Farm Animals Collection

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effect of restricting pasture access time on milk production and composition, body weight and body condition score change, dry matter intake, and grazing behavior of autumn calving dairy cows in midlactation. Fifty-two (19 primiparous and 33 multiparous) Holstein-Friesian dairy cows (mean calving date, August 17 ± 91.2 d) were randomly assigned to a 4-treatment (n = 13) randomized block design grazing study. The 4 grazing treatments were: (i) full-time access to pasture (22H; control), (ii) 9-h access to pasture (9H), (iii) two 4.5-h periods of access to pasture after both milkings …

The Welfare Of Cows In The Dairy Industry

Agribusiness Reports

More than 9 million cows compose the U.S. dairy herd. Repeated reimpregnation, short calving intervals, overproduction of milk, restrictive housing systems, poor nutrition, and physical disorders impair the welfare of the animals in industrial dairy operations. Once their productivity wanes, the cows are often weak as a result of high metabolic output. Typically, these “spent” dairy cows are culled and processed as ground beef. In their fragile end-of-production state, handling, transport, and slaughter raise additional welfare concerns.

The Welfare Of Sows Used For Breeding In The Pig Industry

Agribusiness Reports

The conditions afforded sows (adult female pigs) used for breeding on industrial pig production operations present a number of welfare problems. Sows are routinely confined in gestation and farrowing crates barely larger than their own bodies, where they are unable to turn around during their pregnancy and lactation periods, often in excess of 128 consecutive days. Behavioral abnormalities such as stereotypic bar-biting and aggression arise due to environmental deficiencies and restricted feeding regimens. Sows in large, industrial operations are also affected by a number of production-related diseases and suffer from higher mortality rates. A reevaluation of current confinement systems and …

Welfare Issues With Conventional Manual Catching Of Broiler Chickens And Turkeys

Agribusiness Reports

Approximately 9 billion chickens and 270 million turkeys are raised for meat annually in the United States. When these farmed birds reach market weight, they must be caught and crated for transport from production facilities to slaughter plants. Conventional manual catching results in severely compromised welfare. Birds experience stress and fear, and can be physically harmed, suffering bruises, broken bones, dislocated joints, and other injuries. Alternatives to conventional manual catching practices that improve bird welfare exist, including mechanical harvesters, gentle manual catching, and, for turkeys, herding into specially designed transport crates.

The Impact Of Industrialized Animal Agriculture On World Hunger

Agribusiness Reports

Of the world’s nearly 6.8 billion humans, almost 1 billion people are malnourished. Feeding half the world’s grain crop to animals raised for meat, eggs, and milk instead of directly to humans is a significant waste of natural resources, including fossil fuels, water, and land. Raising animals for food is also a major contributor to global warming, which is expected to further worsen food security globally. To meet the daily nutritional needs of a rapidly expanding population, the world’s human community, particularly in Western countries, must reduce its reliance on animal products and shift to a more plant-based diet.

The Implications Of Farm Animal-Based Bioenergy Production

Agribusiness Reports

As the current and potential impacts of climate change become more evident and increasingly urgent, entities such as governments, corporations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are seeking out non-fossil fuelbased sources of energy to mitigate those effects. In addition, many governments are investigating ways to promote their own domestic energy sources as a result of rising oil prices. Bioenergy—made from recently living organic matter, such as plants, agricultural waste and crop residue, meat processing wastes, or farmed animals’ fats and manure—has quickly become one of the fastest growing, and controversial, alternative energy sources. Globally, production of biofuels, generally used for transport, …

Food, Fibre And Flowers, Fuelling The Economy With Innovation And Science, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia

Horticulture published reports

The Department of Agriculture and Food is a world leader in the rapidly growing field of agri-food and fibre research and development, providing significant benefits for Westen Australian producers, the food industry sector and consumers.

The development of value-added products through innovation and science, which deliver real opportunities for the State's agri-food export capacity, is also important.

Seven examples of the Department's science and innovation.

Commonalities And Differences Between Service And Manufacturing Supply Chains: Combining Operations Management Studies With Supply Chain Management, Ming Zhou, Taeho Park, John Yi

Faculty Publications, School of Management

The service sector of the US economy has been gaining importance. As the service sector evolves, the study of service supply chain starts to gain attention. In this study, we conduct an exploratory review on the studies of manufacturing and service supply chains. We focus on the studies that explore the differences and commonalities between manufacturing and service supply chains. We combine operations management literature with supply chain studies in order to provide an interdisciplinary framework that brings up both the operational and strategic views on the management commonalities and differences between the two types of supply chains.

Diffusion Of Complex Information Systems Across Organizations, Anand Jeyaraj

Management Information Systems Faculty Publications

Organizations deal with complex information systems innovations such as enterprise resource planning systems to enable and support their operations. While there is considerable research on organizations’ adoption, implementation, and use of such complex information systems, prior literature has not dwelt as much on the diffusion or the spread of such complex information systems across a population of organizations. A limited number of studies have shown different information sources such as external, internal, and mixed influences to drive diffusion, and found variations in the diffusion patterns of different complex information systems. These findings, however, belong to different populations and do not …

Determinants Of The Probability Of Ship Injuries, Wayne K. Talley

Economics Faculty Publications

This study investigates determinants of the probability that an individual onboard a ship of a given shipping line will be injured (given that the ship is not involved in an accident). A Probit regression statistical model is used to investigate such determinants when ships are in port and on given types of containerships. Probit estimation results suggest that an individual is less likely to be injured in port onboard a ship that is larger in size and underway, but more likely to be injured if involved in a fall. An individual is less likely to be injured onboard a containership …

A Metaheuristic For The Pickup And Delivery Problem With Split-Loads And Its Extension, Dai Yao

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

In this dissertation, we study improvements in the Pickup and Delivery Problem that can be achieved by allowing multiple vehicle trips to serve a common load. We explore how costs can be reduced through the elimination of the constraint that a load must be served by only one vehicle trip. Specifically, we investigate the problem of routing vehicles to serve loads that have distinct origins and destinations, with no constraint on the amount of a load that a vehicle may serve at a time. We develop a metaheuristic to solve large scale practical size problems in this form and apply …

Plan To Support Grains Industry Development 2009-2012, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia

Grain and other field crops published reports

The Plan to Support Grains Industry Development (‘the Plan’) recognises that Western Australian agricultural industries are integral to the economic wellbeing of regional and rural communities. The Plan promotes a progressive and profitable grains industry through modern best practice services and research to enhance continuous improvement in farming and supply chain practices.

The Plan has been developed to align with the Government of Western Australia’s initiatives, strategies and tactics for ‘making every hectare count’ (see Appendix 1) and with grains industry needs as identified by industry stakeholders during a series of consultation forums. These industry needs will be addressed in …