Hybrid production system: perspectives in supply chain risk management

Abstract Purpose – From the perspective of the supply chain risk management (SCRM), this paper addresses the effects of a hybrid production system (make-to-stock and make-to-order) in order to know which risks can impact the production planning process at a large automaker in Brazil. Through the correlation of these themes, the purpose of this paper is to understand the relevant risks to the supply chain (SC). Design/methodology/approach – Before the field research, a theoretical approach was made on two themes. After theoretical analysis of a case study on the automaker and data collection, the work used the Pearson’s product moment correlation (r) and χ 2 and Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests to assess the risk factors raised by the interviewed professionals, thus characterizing a mixed methodological approach (i.e. qualitative and quantitative). Findings – It was evidenced that many risks are the result of functional failures, such as input of incorrect information in the system, and many are inherent to managerial decisions when procedures and different paths of production are adopted. Additionally, it has been proven that the adoption of a hybrid production planning approach does not increase the risks to the SC and that the identified risks do not necessarily are included within the scope of SCRM. Originality/value – This study is characterized by an approach which combines SCRM and hybrid production syste

Districts Developing Leaders: Lessons on Consumer Actions and Program Approaches From Eight Urban Districts

Profiles eight Wallace-supported approaches to preparing future principals to succeed in improving troubled city schools, including establishing clear expectations so that university preparation programs can craft training accordingly

Green transition and voluntary planning: an integrated approach for a climate-responsive territorial governance

Large European cities, over the years have been the driving force for the development of tools and policies for reducing CO2 emissions and the promotion of climate adaptation and mitigation actions. Leading cities that are paving the way for this "green revolution" and that represent the best examples of integration of climate and energy policies into urban planning in Europe can be identified among some of the major cities of Northern Europe, such as Malmö, Stockholm, Antwerp, Amsterdam or Rotterdam. Additionally, the EU urban agenda specialized the climate and energy transition policies on the target of medium and large cities, which are considered as a major leverage to achieve climate targets. The main focus of this research is to identify the role and the contribution that smaller cities (i.e. with less than 5,000 inhabitants) can provide to the EU climate and energy commitments. The research hypothesis is that the current approach defines an imbalance between large cities and metropolitan areas, ignoring the larger part of the EU territory characterised by small and fragmented settlements. In this scenario, tools and monitoring campaign still not refer to clearly identify the relevant contribution coming from small municipalities, characterized by weaknesses in terms of technical capacity, capacity of attracting private investments for implementing actions. This class of municipalities, became the subject of this PhD project, considering that they account for 84% of all Local Administrative Units (LAUs) and cover 68% of the total area of LAUs among EU27 countries. The European Union (EU) policy framework on energy, climate, and environment, currently enshrined in the European Green Deal [5], and supported by the new Leipzig Charter on sustainable cities, sets a comprehensive reference for implementing interventions aimed at reducing carbon emissions and driving the "green" transition. Since 2008, the Covenant of Mayors initiative in Europe (CoM) has been supporting local authorities willing to take local action against climate change through a bottom-up voluntary approach. CoM signatories commit to developing and implementing a Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP) to meet their energy and climate targets, and to report key information and figures from SECAPs. The CoM played a pioneering role in dealing with energy and climate considerations at local level, which were neglected for long by urban planning. Analyzing the role of city networks within the climate-responsive processes, the CoM initiative was selected due to the voluntary approach and the relevant engagement of small municipalities (5653, as of December 2023). Specifically, the CoM among the other city networks, it is well defined to translate in practice the commitments of its signatories with a plan, the SECAP. Against this background, the aim of this research is to define, within the CoM initiative, a reference framework oriented to direct the implementation of sectoral policies (urban development, mitigation of natural risks, social inclusion, economic development and employment, etc.) through the “engineering of the complexity”, i.e. the principles of sustainable development posed on regional planning and the governance of territorial transformations. In particular, this framework has to refer to territorial and urban development policies (at EU and international level), understood as tools capable of directing and governing the transformations of the territory at the appropriate scales. The proposal aims to implement a holistic approach, enabling a context-based systemic view by providing robust decision support systems (DSS) for the implementation of sustainable and climate-responsive actions. In the development of the methodological framework, a fundamental role must be assigned to the monitoring phase, which represents the "weak bond" of territorial planning processes, as it is often ineffective in describing a system of actions that explicitly states coherence with the desired scenarios and is accompanied by indicators capable of describing progress and objectives achieved. Such a methodological framework also provides an operational perspective in order to address the issue of unsolved dualism between mitigation and adaptation measures, which are sometimes contradictory to each other. The organic approach to which this research looks at would make it possible to identify any conflict situations in order to resolve them at an operational level. This may be achieved through intervention strategies that ensure adequate complementarity since, on a theoretical level, it can be argued that the more effective the mitigation activities are, the less costly the adaptation measures will be. The PhD thesis is structured according to the model of a collection of four published papers, that detail the contents described above. Conclusions include the final discussion of the overall results achieved in the four studies described in the relevant chapters. The perspective of the main research objectives is highlighted, proposing a comprehensive overview of the specific findings of each published paper. The doctoral conclusions include the limitations and future perspectives emerging from this research experience

From traditional to modern water management systems; reflection on the evolution of a ‘water ethic’ in semi-arid Morocco

The chapter focuses on water because of the crucial importance of that resource in a semiarid country and because the ways in which it has been managed throughout centuries illustrate the changes in socio-political structures in the society. The focus on water in a semi arid country is symbolic of how precious natural resources are in the development of economies and societies. Morocco provides a fascinating terrain to explore ingenuous traditional water management structures and processes both in urban and in rural environments

An Exploratory Case Study of Information-Sharing and Collaboration within Air Force Supply Chain Management

This research sought to identify key elements of the Air Force supply chain as it relates to industry, determine how techniques of information-sharing and collaboration are used to make Air Force Supply Chain decisions, and examine how the resulting impacts on operational readiness may be measured. A multiple case study research design was used to investigate the application of information-sharing and collaboration in two distinct Air Force supply chains. Cross-case comparative analysis of the supply chains supporting the PTO shafts on the F-15 engine and the T-38 engine evaluated each supply chain\u27s characteristics and levels of information-sharing and collaboration. The research highlighted one example of proactive sharing of information and collaborative decision-making to avoid supply chain inefficiencies, and one example of using information-sharing to recover from a decision made without using a collaborative approach. Specifically, the research identified that proactive sharing of information and collaborative decision-making for the T-38 avoided supply chain failures, while the F-15 supply chain was reactive, failing to collaborate or share information, resulting in a failure of the supply chain and an increase in the MICAP rate. The F-15 community used information-sharing to recover from this failure. The culmination of this effort provided insight into the interactions and complexities of the Air Force supply chain and highlighted a need for a more thorough evaluation of the impact of supply chain relationships, information-sharing, and collaborative decision-making on operational readiness

Discourse Framing Educational Policy in the Quasi-Public Sphere: The Case of the Atlanta Beltline Tax Allocation District

This qualitative case study considered discourse used to frame and advance neoliberal policies affecting education. The unit of analysis was the renegotiations for The Atlanta Beltline Tax Allocation District (TAD) during the years 2013-2016. In this arrangement, Atlanta Public Schools agreed to forgo their portion of increases in property taxes for 25 years to fund the BeltLine redevelopment in exchange for annual payments. The Beltline is a 22-mile loop around Atlanta to increase transportation, green-space, and neighborhood revitalization. A quasi-private corporation (Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.) manages this publicly funded project. When Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. failed to make the annual payments to Atlanta Public Schools in 2013, negotiations played out publicly, resulting in a new deal between the City of Atlanta, Invest Atlanta, and Atlanta Public Schools in 2016. Guided by critical discourse studies and critical policy analysis, I examined media articles and interviews with five policymakers to identify discursive frames used during the Beltline renegotiation. To situate discourse with actual policy outcomes, I used the State of Georgia’s Education Database to identify school demographic changes between 2012 and 2020. I considered what discourse revealed about (1) social practices around policy negotiation, (2) convergences, divergences, and tensions with accounts of policymakers involved, and (3) the extent that discursive representations aligned with policy outcomes. Findings included discursive frames representing feuding policymakers, highlighting the economic potential of the BeltLine as paramount, using education as a negotiation tactic, championing the power of partnership, and minimizing democratic participation in favor of behind-the-scenes negotiations. Policymaker discourse amplified the issues of unmet promises, displacement, and affordability within BeltLine neighborhoods, which was supported by evidence of increased gentrification in 3 schools along the BeltLine. However, discourse ultimately represented unwavering support for TADs. In all, findings indicated that increases in property tax revenue diverted from a generation of Atlanta Public Schools students will likely result in pricing low-income, primarily Black families out of several BeltLine neighborhoods. In considering whose odds the BeltLine TAD favored, I offer implications for policymakers, community members, and educational leaders, along with a proposed research agenda for critically examining TADs through an educational lens