Operations and Supply Chain Management Commons^™

Crafting Sustainability: Fiber Artists And The Limits Of Sustainable Production, Hallie R. Cole

Senior Theses

This research examines the role of individual fiber artists in advancing sustainability within the slow fashion movement, with particular attention to the operational decisions that shape sustainable craft practices. Scholars and practitioners acknowledge that individual fiber artists are not only key agents in sustainable production but are foundational to the existence and persistence of the slow fashion movement; however, the existing literature mainly focuses on firms or consumer behavior. Motivated by the need to fill this important research gap, this research aims to understand the decision-making of fiber artists with the goal of enhancing the progress of the Slow Fashion …

Application Of A Fuzzy Multi-Objective Defuzzification Method To Solve A Multi-Modal Transportation Problem, Qusay H Khalaf, Khalid Zeghaiton Chaloob

Muthanna Journal of Administrative and Economics Sciences

Multi-modal transportation systems are the logistics networks for global economy. Transportation systems are fraught with uncertainties that hinder the traditional deterministic models reaching the optimal performance. The main obstacle for traditional deterministic models is the uncertainties (e.g., fuel prices volatility, inaccurate transit-times prediction, and evolving environmental regulations). This paper proposes a novel method of fuzzy multi-objective defuzzification. It integrates a modified center of gravity (COG) technique with multi-objective linear programming (MOLP) to address the uncertainty challenges. Triangular fuzzy numbers and partitioning to sud-intervals generated crisp solutions to balance conflicting objectives: cost, time, and environmental sustainability. A four transportation-mode used as …

Eliciting Supplier Cooperation For Value Chain Decarbonization: A Field Experiment With Smallholder Farmers In India, Sukti Ghosh, Jasjit Singh

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Many firms are pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across their value chains. However, this requires their suppliers to also adopt more climate-friendly practices for decarbonization. This can involve addressing gaps in not only the suppliers’ ability but also their willingness to adopt such practices, which can be challenging if the suppliers perceive the practices as risky or potentially detrimental to their economic well-being. We examine the effectiveness of relational investments to help mitigate this challenge, arguing that relational investments can serve as a signal of the firm’s commitment towards joint value creation. In a field experiment conducted with supplier …

Slow Fashion Behavior In Young Consumers, Melissa Clark

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The purpose of this research is to better understand the gap between Generation Z’s (Gen Z) knowingness and attitude toward sustainable clothing and their behavior including repair and disposal. A theoretical model was created based on the known relationships among Knowledge-Attitude-Behavior (KAB), specifically considering environmental sustainability knowingness (ESK), environmental sustainability attitude (ESA), and slow fashion behavior (SFB) while extending it with the addition of repair and disposal. The data were collected via online survey of consumers identifying as Gen Z and analyzed via regression analysis in SPSS. The findings suggest that the established construct relationships (ESK, ESA, and SFB) held …

Mitigating The Supply Chain Uncertainties And Risks In The Construction Projects: Case Studies Of Australian Construction Projects, Ming Juan Ding, Ferry Jie

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Mitigating the supply chain uncertainties and risks has become increasingly crucial for project managers to enhance construction project performance. This paper investigates how companies develop risk mitigation frameworks to address the challenges such as disruptive risks, project delays, cost overrun within construction supply chains. The risk mitigation framework developed is more significant compared with other frameworks as it considers further the unique characteristics of a temporary configuration of construction supply chains and the network is particularly vulnerable to some adverse events. Through multiple case studies, this research examines how various stakeholders in construction supply chains manage the risks during and …

Eliciting Supplier Cooperation For Value Chain Decarbonization: A Field Experiment With Smallholder Farmers In India, Sukti Ghosh, Jasjit Singh

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Many firms are attempting to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across their value chain. However, this requires convincing suppliers to adopt relevant decarbonization practices, which is challenging when the suppliers perceive such practices as risky or detrimental for their economic well-being. We employ a field experiment to examine relational investments (i.e., investments intended to promote mutual benefit for the exchange partners) as a tool for overcoming this challenge. In a research collaboration with a global firm pursuing decarbonization of its agricultural supply chain in India, we investigated the effectiveness of complementing training their supplier farmers on climate-friendly agricultural practices with also …

Circular Framework In The Design & Planning Phase Of Construction, Shreya Kanther

Full-Text Theses & Dissertations

Executive Summary

The transition towards circular economy in the design and construction industry represents a transformative opportunity to align economic growth with environmental sustainability. This dissertation delves deeply into how circular strategies can be implemented within the construction sector, examining their potential to mitigate resource depletion and waste generation, while fostering innovation and efficiency. By integrating theoretical frameworks with empirical research, the study provides a robust understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with circular models and offers actionable insights for stakeholders navigating the shift from linear to circular economic practices.

The backdrop for this research lies in the unsustainable …

Unleaded Aviation Fuel: Assessing Stakeholder Perceptions And Preparing An Organization For Change, Ryan Guthridge, Nicholas D. Wilson, Brandon Wild

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

Since the Clean Air Act of 1996 banned the use of leaded fuel for automotive applications, leaded aviation gasoline (AVGAS) has become one of the leading sources of lead pollution in the nation due to the volume of AVGAS consumed in general aviation applications (GAMA, 2019). The Federal Aviation Administration has recently recognized this concern with the establishment of the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative, which was formally established in February 2022 to foster an important campaign to research and inform the general aviation community on the process for transitioning to unleaded AVGAS. This essay seeks to inform …

Combating Forced Labor In Global Supply Chains Through Modern Technology: A Case Study Of Uyghurs In Xinjiang, Samuel Donohue

Senior Theses

This thesis examines how modern traceability technologies can help combat forced labor in global supply chains, focusing on the case of Uyghur workers in Xinjiang, China. The research addresses the pressing challenge of verifying ethical labor practices in complex, multi-tiered supply networks, using the case study alongside an extensive literature review. It evaluates advanced technological solutions, including blockchain ledgers, isotope analysis, radio-frequency identification (RFID) tagging, and microbiome tracing as tools to improve supply chain transparency. Through qualitative case analysis and analysis of current research, the thesis assesses each technology’s capability to trace product origins and authenticate labor conditions. The findings …

Designing Pull-Based Energy System Rules For Public Buildings: An Application Of Modularity, Lei Wang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Building energy systems, particularly Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, play a pivotal role in global sustainability efforts. Yet, traditional centralized HVAC systems continue to face major challenges: high energy consumption, significant operational costs, and limited adaptability to dynamic energy demands. These inefficiencies are compounded by the difficulty of integrating renewable energy sources into outdated system designs. As a result, substantial energy waste persists, posing obstacles to cost-effective, environmentally sustainable building operations.

This dissertation proposes a modular, pull-based energy framework to address these critical challenges. By combining the principles of modularity theory with demand-driven energy distribution, the framework enables …

The Efficacy Of India's Electric Vehicle Market: Can Fame Deliver Results?, Douglas N. Hales, Gawon Yun, Devendra Kale

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

This commentary discusses the merits and demerits of India's FAME I II and III policy frameworks to promote the use of electric vehicles (EVs). FAME III is under consideration, and some suggestions are offered to improve its effectiveness.

A Metaheuristic Approach For The Multi-Objective Sustainable Vehicle Routing Problem, Reza Moghdani, Khodakaram Salimifard, Emrah Demir, Sasan Barak, Adel Aazami, Seyed Ashkan Hosseini Shekarabi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study introduces the Multi-Objective Sustainable Vehicle Routing Problem (MOSVRP) with time windows, designed for congested urban networks. The model simultaneously addresses economic, environmental, and social sustainability by minimizing costs and emissions while maximizing customer satisfaction through enhanced service at pickup nodes. To manage the complexity of large-scale urban routing, we propose a novel Voronoi diagram-based network shrinking procedure that significantly reduces computational effort. More specifically, the model incorporates time-dependent traffic patterns to capture realistic urban conditions. For the solution, we propose a tailored metaheuristic, the enhanced Multi-Objective Volleyball Premier League (MOVPL) algorithm, which incorporates reference point guidance, disruption operators, …

Corporate Disclosures For Green Supply Chains: Evidence From Scope 3 Emissions Disclosure, Young Jun Cho, Jungbae Kim, Holly I. Yang, Mengjie Yang

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

A firm's decision to initiate Scope 3 emissions disclosure not only reflects their sustainability efforts but also signals their commitment to decarbonizing its value chain, fostering collaboration among suppliers in promoting greener supply chains. Using a generalized difference-in-differences research design, we find that suppliers reduced greenhouse gas emissions following their customers’ initiation of Scope 3 emissions disclosures. This reduction in emissions is more pronounced when the supplier poses greater climate risk and when the customer has a greater need to restore public trust for its climate-related behavior. We also find that this effect varies with the strength of the customer-supplier …

Do Firms Follow Through On Environmental Commitments? An Empirical Examination, Rick Hardcopf, Kevin Linderman, Rachna Shah

Management Faculty Publications

In response to ever-increasing pressure from stakeholders to reduce the impact of their operations and supply chain on the natural environment, firms frequently make public commitments to improve environmental performance. However, the commitments are difficult to validate and thus of unknown quality. Understanding whether and when the commitments are valid proxies for action is essential because they are used by environmentally conscious stakeholders to assess firm environmental performance in anticipation of buying from, investing in, working for, or selling to a firm. Results from examining 442 U.S. manufacturing firms show that firms generally follow through on such commitments. Larger firms …

Integrating Environmental And Entrepreneurship Advocacy Into Enviropreneurship Through Green Supply Chain Management, Waste Management, And Green Innovation: A Study On Smes Of Us, Rizwana Rasheed, Aamir Rashid, Noor Aina Amirah, Rashid Hashmi

Publications and Research

Many entrepreneurs across the US are the key players in building a greener economy. Their agility and innovative spirit offer a source of potential solutions. This is especially true for small businesses, which can quickly adapt to sustainable practices. Therefore, this research investigated the direct and indirect (mediating) roles of waste management and green innovations in green supply chain management and enviropreneurship performance, which is a transition from environmental to enviropreneurship advocacy. This study used a deductive approach with a quantitative research method. A study of a survey for 835 supply chain professionals in US small and medium enterprises used …

The Social And Economic Dimensions Of One Of The World’S Longest-Operating Shark Fisheries, Matias Braccini, Maddison Watt, Clinton Syers, Nick Blay, Matthew Navarro, Michael Burton

Fisheries Research Articles

Context

Social and economic information is limited for coastal commercial and recreational fisheries, particularly shark fisheries, which are perceived as unsustainable and as targeting sharks for fins.

Aims

To characterise the social and economic dimensions of one of the world’s few long-standing sustainable shark fisheries.

Methods

We reviewed historic data and surveyed stakeholders to understand the economic and social dimensions of the shark fishery currently operating in Western Australia.

Key results

Since the fishery’s historic peak, there has been a substantial reduction in the number of operating vessels and ports due to management intervention. For the vessels that have remained, …

Reverse Flow Logistics In Manufacturing Operations, Jeffrey Wendt, Gary Holmes

AMTP Proceedings 2024

The purpose of this research is to examine the suggestion that reverse flow can play a positive role in sustainable impacts and in reducing forward logistics cost structures. The coupling of both forward and reverse product and component flow can be a challenging task because, depending on the returned products’ disposition, the forward flow inventory management can be affected. The need for an integrated reverse supply chain that mirrors the forward supply chain is essential and failure in having forward visibility negates the reverse flow. If successful, it will result in reduced manufacturing costs and increased profits throughout the chain.

Nonprofits Should Adopt A User-Centric Change Model To Scale Corporate Environmental Action Faster, Doug Miller

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Pollution levels and ecosystem degradation continue to worsen, suggesting the insufficiency of current approaches to reverse these problematic trends. For environmental nonprofits, the current theory of change revolves around developing techno-economic analysis about environmental problems and available solutions, building public awareness around this analysis, and motivating decision makers to set goals. Given present environmental realities and the limited success of their current theory of change, environmental nonprofits should transform how they execute their work, what they produce, and how they coordinate with each other. Instead, nonprofits should begin putting the user—business decision makers as well as policymakers—front and center as …

Traceability Technology Adoption In Supply Chain Networks, Philippe Blaettchen, Andre P. Calmon, Georgina Hall

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Modern traceability technologies promise to improve supply chain management by simplifying recalls, increasing visibility, and verifying sustainable supplier practices. Initiatives leading the implementation of traceability technologies must choose the least-costly set of firms—or seed set—to target for early adoption. Choosing this seed set is challenging because firms are part of supply chains interlinked in complex networks, yielding an inherent supply chain effect: benefits obtained from traceability are conditional on technology adoption by a subset of firms in a product’s supply chain. We prove that the problem of selecting the least-costly seed set in a supply chain network is hard to …

A Study On The Incentives And Barriers For The Adoption Of Electric Vehicles In South Alabama, Marianne Loes, Daniela Wolter Ferreira Touma, Jennifer C. Zoghby

AMTP Proceedings 2024

ABSTRACT

Through a series of public policy incentives and consumer demand, more electric vehicles are being sold nationwide than ever before. Although electric vehicles (EVs) are being adopted nationwide by many consumers in recent years, car-buyers across South Alabama have not followed the trend. This research considers different stakeholders in the complex consumer buying process of car purchases, and it uses the extant technology adoption models to assess the public policy incentives, as well as statewide roadblocks, to EV adoption.

Economic Feasibility Of Material Waste Management “Reduction, Reuse, Recycle And Repair’ Strategies In Egypt’S Footwear Industry, Amira Motawea

Theses and Dissertations

The study aims to provide a comprehensive examination of the feasibility of waste management strategies in the leather and footwear industry, both globally and within the specific context of Egypt. It explores the benefits and challenges associated with efficiently recycling, treating, or reusing material waste generated by the footwear industry, with a particular focus on Egypt. The study begins by discussing established waste management practices in the global fashion industry and focusing on footwear material waste.

The study examines successful waste management methods and systems employed globally, highlighting their potential applicability to the Egyptian fashion sector. A key aspect of …

The Prisma Statement In Enviropreneurship Study: A Systematic Literature And A Research Agenda, Muath Maqbool Albhirat, Aamir Rashid, Rizwana Rasheed, Shahid Rasool, Siti Nur Atikah Zulkiffli, Hafiz Muhammad Zia-Ul-Haq, Al Montaser Mohammad

Publications and Research

As environmental awareness takes centre stage in business, entrepreneurship research has established a dedicated subfield for sustainability-driven ventures. The growing emphasis on sustainable business practices has led entrepreneurship research to identify entrepreneurship-related sustainability as a critical subfield. However, the inconsistent terminology used, such as “green entrepreneurship,” “ecopreneurship”, and “entrepreneurship” (ENP), reflects the fragmented nature of research in this area. A Systematic Literature Review on entrepreneurship-related sustainability was conducted to address this, focusing on the term “enviropreneurship” and applying PRISMA guidelines for transparency and methodological standardization. A total of 67 research articles published between 2013 and 2022 were analyzed to identify …

Two Essays To Encourage Agritourism Cluster Development In The Appalachian Region: An Analysis Of Agritourism Operation Regarding Clustering And Toolkit Curriculum For Cluster Development, Oluwatoyin Adebisi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study focused on encouraging agritourism operators in the study area to engage in clustering. Collaboration within networks and clusters is strongly encouraged as a catalyst for accelerating industrial transformation, developing regional competitive advantages, and boosting company and job creation. All these factors ultimately contribute to economic progress and prosperity. A snowball sampling method was used to survey 192 agritourism operators, with 145 responses meeting the inclusion criteria for analysis. Exploratory factor analysis was employed to identify factors contributing to agritourism business development in the selected six states. Based on a linear regression model, the findings reveal that net income …

A Multi-Objective Stochastic Programming Model For Resilient And Sustainable Supply Chains Under Uncertainty, Mohammad H. Majdfaghihi

Dissertations

Supply chain resilience (SCRES) and sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) have garnered significant attention in the field of Supply Chain Management (SCM) science. This heightened interest is largely attributable to the increasing frequency and severity of uncertainty and disruptions in global supply chains. Resilience is a beneficial approach to managing uncertainties and preparing for and mitigating the adverse consequences of Supply Chain (SC) disruptions. Sustainability is a key concept in SCM, driven by governmental regulations and heightened stakeholder and customer concerns for environmental and societal well-being. Studies on SCRES have traditionally focused on preparing for and reacting to disruptions and …

Achieving Sustainability Through Multifaceted Green Functions In Manufacturing, Aamir Rashid, Rizwana Rasheed, Abdul Hafaz Nagah

Publications and Research

Purpose – Green practices are essential for sustainability. However, it is challenging due to the socioeconomic and environmental concerns. Similarly, after the induced SDG-12 and SDG-13 by United Nations, the pressure groups forced manufacturers to consider sustainability. Therefore, this research aims to examine the sustainability through multifaceted green functions in manufacturing is examined. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 293 supply chain professionals of manufacturers from a developing economy. Hypotheses were tested through a quantitative method using partial least squares-structural equationmodelingwith the help of SmartPLS version 4 to validate themeasurementmodel. Findings – The findings revealed that all six direct hypotheses …

Economic And Environmental Implications Of Biomass Commercialization In Agricultural Processing, Bin Li, Onur Boyabatli, Buket Avci

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Motivated by the agricultural industries, this paper studies the economic and environmental implications of biomass commercialization; that is, converting organic waste into a saleable product, from the perspective of a processor that uses a commodity input to produce both a commodity output and biomass. We characterize the economic value of biomass commercialization and examine how input and output spot price uncertainties affect this value. Using a model calibration, we find that lower input spot price variability or higher output spot price variability or correlation between the two spot prices increases this value for a typical palm oil mill. To measure …

Florensis: More Catholic Than The Pope?, Gerard Van Der Star, Arjen Van Klink, Florensis

Case Studies

The beauty of a family business is that it always keeps an eye on the continuity of the business. For a family business nothing is more important than long-term continuity and harmony. A good balance between family and business interests is essential24. In any case, the focus is on the long term25. How can Florensis ensure that the fifth and sixth generations and the numerous employees can still enjoy the benefits of this beautiful company. The Calvinist and Christian roots of Florensis ensured from the outset that the human factor was central and key. Without this people orientation quality production …

An Evaluation Of Ireland’S Sustainable Freight Transport Policy, Xu Zhang, Eoin Plant, Nikolaos Valantasis Kanellos

Articles

Background: The Irish government has put forth sustainable transport policy measures, yet the emphasis is mainly on the active travel and sustainable mobility for passenger transport. Contrariwise, freight transport has not received equal consideration in policy measures, regulatory frameworks, and support schemes towards the low-carbon transition. This study seeks to address this imbalance. Methods: The paper proposes an adaptation of the ASI framework for freight transport and assesses the applicability of a number of international sustainable transport measures based on their potential sustainability impact if adopted in Ireland. The research applied a Policy Delphi Method to a heterogeneous …

Capturing Sustainability Goals In City Logistics: A Delphi Approach To Develop Sustainability Indicators, Xu Zhang, Eoin Plant, Nikolaos Valantasis Kanellos

Conference Papers

Purpose of this paper: ‘Sustainability’ as a phenomenon is difficult to define and sense (Meadows,1998). Sustainable city logistics is a concept with many subjective interpretations by different actors in the urban freight transport ecosystem (Behrends et al., 2008). Developing useful metrics to measure sustainability performance and impact in city logistics is challenging as there are many uncertainties and multiple stakeholders’ interests to consider. Selecting the indicators is also a complicated task because of the numerous variables used in literature and the variety of KPIs reported by logistics companies in their sustainability reports.

Extant research studies have proposed different frameworks …

Determinants For The Uptake Of Alternatively Fuelled Hgvs: Towards A Maturity Framework, Nikolaos Valantasis Kanellos, Xu Zhang

Conference Papers

Purpose of this paper: Alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFVs) have received increasing attention from policy makers and industry practitioners because they are perceived as a silver bullet for decarbonising freight transport (Mohammed et al., 2020; ITF 2021). However, the uptake rate of AFVs by heavy goods vehicle (HGV) freight operators in Europe remains low. With 97.8% of all trucks in the EU running on diesel, only 0.04% of trucks are zero-emission vehicles (ACEA, 2021). Price, technology maturity, infrastructure, and government policy support are factors examined by freight transport operators who consider the switch to AFVs as a low-carbon option (Mohammed et …