A review of methodologies to assess urban freight initiatives

Only few urban freight initiatives are expanding their scale of application beyond the initial pilot experimentation. To overcome existing barriers to larger scale optimization of urban freight distribution activities, it is necessary to develop and test proper methodologies that assess all aspects relevant to this context. In this paper we propose a classification of existing assessment methodologies, in order to underline their advantages and disadvantages, along with possible research gaps and future trends. For this review we adopt a framework constructed on two dimensions of an assessment methodology, namely method used and scope. As for the method used, methodologies can be either quantitative, if they aim at simulating or evaluating the outcomes in terms of vehicle flows, pollutant emissions, or monetary outcomes, or qualitative, if they are directed towards elucidating the subjective assessment of stakeholders. Concerning the scope, existing methodologies can cover three main aspects of urban freight distribution systems, such as measures to be assessed, stakeholders and impact areas

Assessing the readiness to implement lean in healthcare institutions – a case study

We develop a lean readiness framework and an assessment methodology to quantify the readiness of healthcare institutions for implementing lean. We use stakeholder theory and work with a lean implementation team responsible for process improvement in a healthcare group to develop the framework. The framework uses fuzzy based input derived from the stakeholders of the healthcare institution to generate an overall ranking through ideal solution technique. The assessment method derives input from the readiness scores shared by various stakeholders. The ranking suggests future improvement areas to prepare the healthcare institution for a lean implementation project. We provide an alternative perspective of assessing the lean readiness of healthcare institutions before beginning a lean implementation project for both researchers and practitioners. Our research is the first to develop a lean readiness framework for healthcare institutions and demonstrate it using an assessment technique

Dealing with water conflicts: a comprehensive review of mcdm approaches to manage freshwater ecosystem services

This paper presents a comprehensive review of the application of Multiple-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) approaches exclusively to water-related freshwater ecosystem services. MCDM analysis has been useful in solving conflicts and it works well in this framework, given the serious conflicts historically associated with water use and the protection of freshwater ecosystems around the world. In this study, we present a review of 150 papers that proposed the use of MCDM-based methods for the social, economic, or ecological planning and management of water ecosystem services over the period 2000–2020. The analysis accounts for six elements: ecosystem service type, method, participation, biogeographical realm, waterbody type, and problem to solve. A Chi-square test was used to identify dependence between these elements. Studies involving the participation of stakeholder groups adopted an integrated approach to analysing sustainable water management, considering provisioning, regulating, and cultural services. However, such studies have been in decline since 2015, in favour of non-participatory studies that were strictly focused on ecological and provisioning issues. Although this reflects greater concern for the health of freshwater ecosystems, it is a long way removed from the essence of ecosystem services, which entails an integrated approach to the interrelationships between hydrology, landscapes, ecology, and humans.The authors thanks the UNESCO UNED-URJC Chair in Water and Peace institutional coverage to the development of this study.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio