A framework for managing sustainable palm oil supply chain operations: a case of Indonesia

The challenges faced by the palm oil industry in Indonesia lie in the supply chain risk management, specifically in the integration of decision-making at the operational level. Problems at this level have become more apparent while the industry continues to face pressures as a consequence of the strict conditions imposed by, predominantly, international trading communities, and in some cases, by the environmental issues from domestic and overseas. As part of an effort to address the underlying problems, this paper aims to propose a conceptual framework that can be used to effectively manage the palm oil supply chain, by integrating risk assessment, performance measurement and supply chain optimisation, which will be compiled into a decision-making tool. The perceived benefits from the implementation of this framework include more realistic target planning, clearer prediction of risks and better visibility of the operating performance.     

Production and pricing problems in make-to-order supply chain with cap-and-trade regulation

This paper studies the production and pricing problems in MTO (make-to-order) supply chain containing an upstream manufacturer who produces two products based on MTO production and a downstream retailer. The manufacturer is regulated by cap-and-trade regulation and determines the wholesale prices of the two products. To comply with the regulation, the manufacturer can buy or sell emission permits through an outside market. The retailer determines its order quantities to meet the price-sensitive demands. We derive the optimal total emissions and production quantities of the two products, and based on them, we analyze the impact of emission trading price on the optimal production decisions and the two firms’ optimal profits. The emission trading decisions follow a two-threshold policy and the optimal total emissions are increasing in the cap. However, contrary to intuition, the optimal production quantities of the two products may be decreasing in the cap. The manufacturer׳s optimal profit is decreasing (increasing) in the buying (selling) price of emission permits, and that the retailer׳s optimal profit is decreasing in the buying (selling) price of emission permits. The optimal total emissions are decreasing in buying or selling price of emission permits, however, the optimal production quantities of the two products may be increasing (decreasing) in the buying (selling) price of emission permits. Numerical examples are conducted to illustrate our findings and some managerial insights are presented.     

The Value of Production Schedule Integration in Supply Chains

This study explores the value of integrated production schedules for reducing the negative effects of schedule revisions in supply chains involving buyer and supplier firms. A stochastic cost model is developed to evaluate the total supply chain cost with integrated purchasing and scheduling policies. The model minimizes the costs associated with assembly rate adjustment, safety stock, and schedule changes for all supply chain members. Through experimentation, the paper examines the impact of several environmental factors on the value of schedule integration. This study finds that schedule integration can lead to overall cost savings in a supply chain, but some firms may have to absorb costs in excess of those they would incur with independent scheduling. Environments with high inventory holding costs and long supplier lead times may not find it beneficial to adopt an integrated schedule. Forecast effectiveness plays a critical role in realizing the benefits of schedule integration. The paper concludes with suggestions for future research.     

Channel Strategies and Stocking Policies in Uncapacitated and Capacitated Supply Chains*

A supply chain consisting of a single supplier distributing two independent products through multiple retailers is analyzed in this paper. The supplier needs to incentivize its retailers to adopt stocking policies that are mutually advantageous and that result in the optimal level of market coverage. The focus is on determining the optimal stocking policies for retailers and the resulting distribution strategy given that the supplier has either unlimited or limited capacity. The results provide insights on the optimal distribution strategy and stocking policies for the supply chain. In general, the paper shows that it is optimal for the supplier to use an intensive distribution strategy (i.e., the products are stocked by all retailers). Selective or exclusive strategies are optimal only when retailers are risk averse, stocking synergies exist, and there are differences in demand or supply uncertainties across products. The analysis also shows that retailers hold larger stocks of a product which generates higher supplier margins but only when the supplier has unlimited capacity. If the supplier has limited capacity, then their margins have no effect on retailers' stocking decisions. Contrary to conventional wisdom, retailers hold larger stocks of a product that has less demand uncertainty as compared to one that has more demand uncertainty.     

Innovations in humanitarian supply chains: the case of cash transfer programmes

Abstract

Cash transfer programmes (CTPs) are revolutionizing humanitarian supply chains (HSCs), yet just how CTPs are to be understood as innovation, and how they impact on HSCs, remains unclear. Innovation in the humanitarian context more often than not stems from outside humanitarian organizations – that is innovation occurs in their supply chain. The aim of this study is to further the understanding of supply chain innovation (SCI) in the humanitarian context. Based on empirical evidence this article suggests a supply chain innovation model (SCIM). This SCIM is useful because it allows different processes to be understood and compared, by providing guidance on how innovations progress. The contribution of this research is threefold: First, the research presents a SCIM for the humanitarian context. Second, this is the first application of a SCIM to the humanitarian environment. Finally, the research is field based and grounded in empirical observations thus adding to the literature and offering insights to practice.     

分税制、政府博弈与制度创新——一个佃农理论的分析框架

通过把在分税制下中央政府与地方政府的制度供求博弈关系转换为佃农理论中的土地所有者与土地承租者之间的租金分成契约关系,并在过去研究制度变迁范式的基础上,提出"地方政府主导型诱致性制度变迁"的谈判博弈理论模型,认为,中国的市场化改革是在中央与地方政府之间的租金分成博弈过程中向市场体制的渐进性过渡。尤其是,分税制激励利益独立且追求剩余租金最大化的地方政府化解外生性交易成本与内生性交易成本之间的冲突,从而自发地主导这场规模空前巨大的制度转轨。     

家庭养老、父母健康与成年子女劳动供给的经济分析

本文的研究目标在于利用CHNS数据,将同一家庭内部子女样本和父母（大于55岁）样本进行配对．探讨老年父母健康对成年子女劳动供给的影响。首先建立理论框架,其次利用Heckman两阶段模型,在控制个人特征和家庭特征的基础上,分析老年父母健康对成年子女劳动供给的影响。研究结果表明,父母健康不良将导致子女劳动供给的减少,且这种影响存在性别差异和城乡差异,但均不显著。同时在存在兄弟姐妹的情况下,其影响程度减小。     

日本食品供应链管理模式的经验借鉴

日本食品供应链管理的重点放在发展食品安全追踪方面;而海外进口食品的安全,则主要依靠严格的进口检验检疫制度和综合商社通过供应链管理来控制。日本以农协体系为基础、以农产品流通模式和食品安全管理模式为特征的食品供应链管理模式,符合中国食品供应链管理的发展条件,对中国食品安全管理具有很强的借鉴意义。     

供应商管理库存的理论基础研究

分析、总结和归纳了供应商管理库存的理论基础,认为供应链管理的发展为供应商管理库存创造了发展的环境;合作竞争理论反映了供应商管理库存上下游企业关系,核心竞争力理论体现了供应商管理库存的核心,委托代理理论体现了供应商管理库存的本质,供应商管理库存的经济驱动力来源于交易费用理论,信息技术奠定供应商管理库存的技术平台,准时制生产和零库存理论助推供应商管理库存的发展,业务流程重组为供应商管理库存变革提供手段。并揭示了供应商管理库存产生和发展的必然性。     

“土地流转”政策下农产品供应链的重构

随着各地土地流转的推广普及,农业产业化水平不断提高,农业物流得到了前所未有的发展,但各物流经营主体之间仍保持着传统的竞争关系,缺乏适宜的利益衔接机制,物流运作成本居高不下。在前期研究中,课题组分析了土地流转对农业物流发展的机遇和挑战,在此基础之上,提出了构建新型农产品供应链的想法,用供应链管理的思想管理物流,力求为农产品物流的发展探寻一个新途径。