Multi-Robot Warehouse Optimization: Leveraging Machine Learning for Improved Performance

Purpose The necessity to assess and manage supply chains to be free from social problems such as human and labour rights abuses has become particularly apparent since the introduction of conflict minerals regulations in the United States (Dodd-Frank Act) and the European Union. Similarly, stakeholders demand that products are free from social problems. Ever more companies are therefore challenged to assess and manage social issues in their supply chains. At the same time, the increasing literature on assessment and management of social issues is disperse and an overview missing. This paper aims to provide an overview of the existing literature on social assessment and management approaches relating to conflict minerals and connected to social issues in supply chains. Design/methodology/approach A review of the academic literature on social assessment and management of conflict minerals to provide an overview is currently missing. This paper addresses this gap by systematically reviewing the existing research literature on approaches for the social assessment and management of conflict minerals from a supply chain perspective. Findings The systematic literature review found 21 social assessment and 30 social management approaches with reference to conflict minerals, with the most referenced approach being the OECD guidelines. Overall, the conflict mineral related literature discusses rather general social assessment and management approaches, such as codes of conduct, while the effectiveness of the approaches is not analysed in depth. The paper finds that an analysis of the effectiveness and interlinkages of different approaches is missing. The large variety of social and human rights issues addressed in the academic literature ranges from corruption to violence, going beyond the scope of regulations focused on conflict minerals. This indicates that regulations on conflict minerals and the consequences for management are seen as a specific case with wider implications for future regulations and the necessity for management to solve social problems in supply chains in an effective way. Research limitations/implications The review paper is conceptual and develops a framework to classify social assessment and management approaches for conflict minerals, drawing on the supply chain management literature. Practical implications The overview reveals that research refers to broader social assessment and management approaches indicating wider implications for assessing and managing social issues in supply chains in general, irrespective of whether they are conflict mineral related. Research has, however, so far not addressed the effectiveness and interlinkages between social assessment and management approaches. The aim of the emerging regulations, however, is to foster more effective management of social issues in supply chains. Management is therefore challenged to develop and implement innovative approaches to effectively reduce social problems in supply chains beyond conflict minerals. Conclusions are drawn for management and research. Social implications The paper highlights the need for collaboration with NGOs, industry associations and suppliers, recommending to engage in supplier development. Originality/value The paper conducts the first systematic review of academic literature on conflict mineral related social assessment and management approaches. A framework is proposed to classify social assessment and management approaches based on supply chain management literature. While conflict minerals often represent a small fraction of components in a product, they can have huge and costly implications for companies, which require (potentially) large changes for the sourcing and supply strategy of a company. Conflict mineral regulations represent the first attempt to regulate social and human rights abuses in supply chains holding companies responsible for misconduct caused by suppliers abroad.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: In recent years, demand to improve child immunization coverage globally, and the development of the latest vaccines and technology has made the vaccine market very complex. The rise in such complexities often gives birth to numerous issues in the vaccine supply chain, which are the primary cause of its poor performance. Figuring out the cause of the performance problem can help you decide how to address it. The goal of the present study is to identify and analyze important issues in the supply chain of basic vaccines required for child immunization in the developing countries.Research Design & Methods: Twenty-five key issues as various factors of the vaccine supply chain have been presented in this paper. Fuzzy MICMAC analysis has been carried out to classify the factors based on their driving and dependence power and to develop a hierarchy based model. Further, the findings have been discussed with the field experts to identify the critical factors.Results & Conclusion: Three factors: better demand forecast, communication between the supply chain members, and proper planning and scheduling have been identified as the critical factors of vaccine supply chain. These factors should be given special care to improve vaccine supply chain performance.

The aim of the paper is to present the modeling approach using simulation tool to assess environmental issues in supply chain with remanufacturing. Remanufacturing is usually multi-optional and multi-operations process, not as transparent as the manufacturing process itself. The supply chain with remanufacturing has to take in consideration the reverse materials flow and additional activities like for example collection of used product, disassembly and reprocessing. The simulation tools seem to have a big potential to model such environmental indicators like for example energy consumption, water usage and sewages control. The paper examines the potential of application of simulation model in a field of remanufacturing. Authors elaborated generic simulation modeling approach which might be used in global and local level of a supply chain.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify and explain competition between buyers and sellers within the same supply chain network. It suggests that supply chain can be best described as an opportunistic coalition between the powerful and ambitious ones.Design/methodology/approachThis paper discusses the arguments and counter‐arguments on outsourcing and also supply chain management as presented in the academic literature. Then it analyses some of the prevailing practices in supply chain, and uses concepts of power, team and opportunistic alliance to suggest that supply chain could best be described as an opportunistic alliance.FindingsBuyers and suppliers are always engaged in power struggles, even though they may be cooperating to run the supply chain smoothly. The degree of one party's success in such a struggle is determined by the extent of the others' dependence on it. The dependence is reliant on one's control over the process of defining, designing and producing the goods and services required to fulfil the needs of the end customers.Research limitations/implicationsWhile success in the market is equally important, this paper elaborates on the supply chain issue only.Practical implicationsThe article is useful for managers, making “make‐or buy” decisions and entering into (supply chain) alliances. Similarly, students engaged in analysis and understanding of issues pertaining to supply chain management and strategy can find this article useful.Originality/valueCompetition within supply chain has been a missing link in the discussions of the supply chain strategy. The paper has conceptualized and elaborated this very important issue.

Today supply chain management has become one of the crucial factors for gaining and sustaining a competitive advantage. Enterprises that can more effectively manage their supply chain network have a higher likelihood of success in the marketplace. To this end, companies need not only make the “make” or “buy” decisions but also differentiate across potential suppliers in order to improve operational performance, and hence, supplier selection is one of the key decisions aiding effective supply chain management. Many studies have also pointed out that the integration of product and supply chain is a key factor for profitability and efficiency. However, prior studies mostly address supply chain performance after the creation of a new product; and only a few studies discuss when and how to incorporate supply chain decisions during product design. In the studies that cover product design, product family and product platform concepts are presented as enabling vehicles for mass customization, which require a considerable investment, and hence might be out of reach for small to medium size enterprises (SME). Accordingly, there is a need to develop a methodology that can consider manufacturability and supply chain issues at the product design stage. This paper presents a graph theory based optimization methodology to tackle this problem. The supplier selection issue is considered by evaluating its impact on both engineering (e.g., process planning) and operational performance (e.g., cost and time), which are then aggregated as the supply chain performance at the conceptual design stage. A case study in the bicycle industry demonstrates the advantages of this methodology. The synchronized structure of the supply chain and the product design results in simultaneous optimization of both design and supply chain decisions during the early design stages.

Supply chain management survey of Swedish manufacturing firms

PurposeThe vulnerability issue in supply chains is among the most pressing concerns that firms are currently facing. As a preliminary attempt to address the lack of empirical research, this paper aims to primarily explore the relationship between vulnerability mitigation strategies and supply chain effectiveness with security culture as a moderator.Design/methodology/approachData are gathered via a survey of 209 Indonesian manufacturing firms. The data are analyzed using partial least squares technique.FindingsResults indicate that supply chain visibility, supply chain flexibility and supplier development strategies positively affect supply chain effectiveness. Moreover, risk culture positively moderates the effects of supply chain visibility and supplier development on supply chain effectiveness.Practical implicationsThe findings may improve supply chain effectiveness by mitigating the effects of vulnerability causes.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the advancement of knowledge on the relationships between vulnerability mitigation strategies and supply chain effectiveness.

\nAdvances in information technology and increased social networking have increased health awareness among people in this era. The increased health awareness has prompted people to eat healthy and stay fit. In this regard, the food sector has seen tremendous demand in terms of good quality vegetables/fruits, cereals, with hygiene, nutrition, proteins etc. With the consumer willing to pay an extra premium for the quality expected, it has been observed that the producers are still offered low prices for a good quality produce whereas the intermediaries grab a huge share of the price paid by the consumer. This research tried to understand the supply chain with the farmers in focus and explored the influence of farmer demographics and the supply chain issues on the performance of the organized retail. Linear regression analysis was used to test the linear relationship of supply chain issues with organized retailer performance. The outcome of the study implies that independent variables like demographic characteristics and supply chain issues had no control over the retailer’s performance.\n

The "Great Trade War of 2025" has disrupted global supply chains, compelling Fortune 500 companies to rethink and reconstruct their operations amidst significant tariff adjustments initiated by the U.S. government under President Trump's administration. These changes have introduced a volatile environment where tariffs serve as unpredictable negotiation tools, challenging the stability and predictability essential for efficient supply chain management. In response, companies are adopting both immediate and long-term strategies to enhance resilience and adaptability in the face of ongoing trade uncertainties. Short-term strategies include establishing crisis management teams or "war rooms" to focus on supply chain issues, conducting comprehensive risk assessments, and diversifying supplier bases to mitigate risks associated with specific countries. Companies are also optimizing inventory management, reinforcing contractual agreements with flexible terms, maintaining transparent communication with customers, and forming strategic partnerships to navigate disruptions effectively. Additionally, businesses are closely reviewing financial strategies to assess the impact of tariff fluctuations. For long-term resilience, companies are investing in advanced data analytics tools for real-time operational visibility, adopting technology and automation to streamline supply chain efficiency, and enhancing supply chain agility through flexible manufacturing setups and contingency planning. Workforce training is prioritized to equip employees with the skills needed to navigate a more digital and automated supply chain landscape. Staying informed on evolving trade policies and engaging with trade experts are crucial for adapting strategies to ensure compliance and maintain competitiveness. By implementing these comprehensive strategies, companies aim to effectively manage the challenges posed by the current trade turmoil, positioning themselves for enhanced adaptability and sustainability in the face of future disruptions.

Since early 2020, critical infrastructure sectors have endured myriad conditions that have threatened their continuity of operations. Most business entities are not autonomous or self-sufficient; rather they depend on a complex and often global supply chain of essential goods and services—this is certainly true of drinking water and wastewater systems. Supply chain matters were a roller coaster last year, and several of those challenging supply chain conditions will persist into 2023 and beyond. The following is a high-level summary of supply chain challenges and their effects on operational continuity in the water sector. The February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine exacerbated existing COVID-19-related stress on commodity markets, triggering price shocks in food and fuel. The reduction in natural gas exports from Russia has caused significant increases in the cost and availability of anhydrous ammonia—prices have spiked over last year to roughly $1,400 per ton in late 2022. This has direct budgetary impacts on water treatment operations, especially systems that use chloramines as a disinfectant. Also, Russia is the world's largest producer of fertilizer, and reductions in fertilizer exports have had far-ranging effects. Shifts in fertilizer markets have caused China—the world's largest exporter of phosphorus—to restrict exports in 2023. In addition to escalating costs, water systems in several states have reported availability issues with phosphate corrosion inhibitors. In mid-2022, a long-term railroad labor dispute resulted in government intervention to negotiate a contract. An 11th-hour agreement in September averted a strike that came very close to cutting off the supply of chlorine and other critical treatment products that are transported by rail. Subsequent votes by the various labor unions to ratify terms had mixed results and again threatened a strike in early December. Water sector associations urged President Biden and Congress to intervene, and ultimately Congress passed legislation that prevented a nationwide rail strike; it should be noted that the contract will end in 2024. Policy factors have also complicated supply chain issues. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed new rules in 2022 that could have direct impacts on the water sector. The most concerning change was the proposal to ban the use of asbestos diaphragms in chlorine production, which would affect 50% of the retail market that supplies the water sector. This rule would require chlor-alkali plants to switch to an alternative method within two to three years, with an estimated cost burden that is 119,000–287,000 times greater than the expected health benefits. Water associations called on EPA to provide a more reasonable timeline for the transition to ensure the availability of chlorine for water sector operations. This request noted the statutory obligation that EPA has under Section 1441 of the Safe Drinking Water Act to ensure the reasonable availability of critical drinking water and wastewater treatment chemicals and materials. This regulatory pressure is amplified by external factors and basic economic principles. Overall demand for various materials slumped during the height of the pandemic. In late 2021, as economic activity returned, the demand for products quickly outpaced supply. Currently, pipe manufacturers are reporting delivery timelines of 15–24 months, and similar delays in other manufactured goods have been observed. If you factor in the massive infusion of federal infrastructure funds for projects of all types, including water-related improvements, the inflationary impacts are notable. The boost in funding for infrastructure programs is welcomed, but the reality is that current economic conditions mean utility customers will be paying more for less. Chemical supply is a prime example of recent challenges. Numerous systems throughout the nation experienced significant delivery disruptions and major spikes in the unit cost of chlorine. AWWA has found that the average cost for each ton of chlorine delivered has increased more than 120%. That alone has had significant budgetary impacts on many water systems and ultimately the rate payers. Last year, one southeastern utility reported that it recently spent an additional $1 million on chlorine—money that will not be spent on operations and maintenance needs. In some instances, chlorine production has been reduced because of disasters, equipment malfunctions, and facility closures. As a result, systems must adjust to chemical costs that are 10 times what systems budgeted. Rate payers will bear the burden of these economic changes. These supply chain issues will likely persist into 2024. Assessing supply chain dependencies will help utilities consider options to mitigate the impacts. Kevin M. Morley is manager of federal relations at the AWWA Government Affairs Office in Washington, D.C. He can be reached at [email protected].

Chapter 3 - Amplifying the value of blockchain in supply chains: combining with other technologies

The Effect of Facility Management in Supply Chain Security Operational Performance and Firm in Malaysia

Security of private information is a critical requirement for information sharing in supply chains. Security is measured on a variety of metrics: participating suppliers in a supply chain process need guarantees on confidentiality, anonymity, and privacy; the purchaser needs assurance on verifiability and non-repudiation. Given the mutually exclusive nature of security metrics such as anonymity vs. non-repudiation, and confidentiality vs. verifiability, the challenge is to design a process that satisfies all these metrics. In this paper, we propose three major processes that enable secure information sharing and secure computation of arbitrary supply chain functions. We evaluate and compare the secure processes using a ranking method and score function, which we propose for that purpose. We find that certain processes will be preferred over other processes, depending on the environmental characteristics and user preferences. Thus, our secure processes aim to solve major collaboration issues in supply chains.

In a Big Data environment, in order to study the decision-making problem of Big Data information investment and the effects of using Big Data information to improve industry cost on supply chain coordination, firstly the importance of Data Company in supply chain was analyzed, and the original supply chain model was built. Meanwhile, some changes of consumer behavior were analyzed in a Big Data environment. Based on these, the market demand function and the benefit model of stakeholder were built and analyzed. Findings:(1)The first finding is whether an enterprise was suitable for gaining Big Data to improve its costs, which was determined by the cost improvement coefficient; namely, it was related to the ability of excavating and using the value of Big Data.(2)Whether the supply chain was the decentralized decision-making and the centralized decision-making, the thresholds of acquisition costs on Big Data information were equal. Moreover, the maximum value that they could undertake was same.(3)Meanwhile the fact that the quantity discount contract could achieve a win-win outcome for supply chain members was proved. The discount coefficient was related to consumers’ behavior preference in a Big Data environment.

The performance of any construction project is highly influenced by the efficient planning of materials among construction supply chain players. The improper planning for the construction project has been discussed recently in the literature, with a special focus on the logistic and material aspects. Completing a construction project within time and cost constraints is highly affected by the inventory management system. Such evidence proves the big impact of the inventory management system on construction performance. Derived from these arguments, the critical impact of the inventory and procurement system used at the construction site is definite. This research aims to examine the main factors that need to be considered when developing an inventory and procurement management system and classify the most influential and impactful factors. This research adopted a two-steps methodology, which started with an interview with construction experts then followed by a questionnaire survey targeting project managers and engineers from MRT Line 2 Tunneling infrastructure project in Malaysia. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used for data analysis as well as the scatter plot of the mean and standard deviation analysis. The most critical factors affecting the inventory and procurement handling are related to the operation and management aspects. The top five impactful factors are communication between labor and management, information sharing, software usage on material tracking, purchasing plan, and construction progress. The research outcomes can be used to develop further mitigation plans in the early stages of infrastructure projects.