Towards sustainable logistics and supply chain management

The 27th annual NOFOMA Conference in Molde, Norway, 3-5 June 2015, was hosted by Molde University College in Cooperation With NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology. The Post Conference Proceedings consists of papers from the conference proceedings for which the author(s) have granted the copyright to NOFOMA 2015 as a part of the Nordic Logistics Research Network

Supply chain risk management and the role of organisation culture : evidence from Libyan ports

Seaports are one of the main facilitators of economic growth as they create trade and jobs globally. Particularly in African countries, where they are considered as focal points for oil and gas exportation with both neighbouring and developed countries. As a result, Supply Chain Risk Management or SCRM has become increasingly significant. This research focuses on the context of North African countries, specifically Libya, which is currently suffering from a leadership crisis, violent and political conflict, armed groups and a risky geographical location. All of which relate to and help to build connections within the context of national and organisational culture and the impact of SCRMP on Libyan Ports (LPs). By understanding these connections, these ports could then improve their working conditions, whilst becoming aware of internal and external factors and their impact on survival. This research aims to develop and aid understanding of the impact of SCRM on LPs and how these risk management practices are linked with both national and organisational culture. The focus will be on both internal and external factors, which may influence either positively or negatively. In order to comprehensively understand the topic, this research considers; experience, background, opinions, suggestions, situations, context, culture, and the environment. A pilot study will be conducted with 32 supervisors from four major Libyan ports; Misurata, Khoms, Tripoli, and Benghazi, being interviewed. The main findings highlighting the negative influence of factors such as high-power distance, authority, uncertainty avoidance, political involvement, centralisation, nepotism and low levels of long-term decision making on the SCRMP operations of Libyan Ports (LPs). Ultimately, a conceptual framework will be developed to aid understanding of how the top management of ports in developing countries could be improved using SCRMP

Towards sustainable logistics and supply chain management

The 27th annual NOFOMA Conference in Molde, Norway, 3-5 June 2015, was hosted by Molde University College in Cooperation With NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology. The Post Conference Proceedings consists of papers from the conference proceedings for which the author(s) have granted the copyright to NOFOMA 2015 as a part of the Nordic Logistics Research Network

Lean thinking in healthcare services: learning from case studies

JEL: D22, I12Healthcare organisations, especially in public sector, have been adopting Lean management practices with increasing outcomes’ evidences in several parts of the world, since the beginning of this century. However, Lean deployment in Healthcare services has been addressed in the literature in a surgical way by an array of case reports addressing the “hard” side of Lean deployment, sometimes with no result’s consistency or even follow-up analysis. This thesis seek to add to the operational side of Lean deployment in Healthcare, a complementary understanding of Lean deployment approaches, addressing both “hard” and “soft” sides, identifying the real constraints of Lean in Healthcare sector and the sustainability factors. Supported by two main literature reviews and a multi-case approach, a deep research on the eligible Portuguese cases was conducted answering the questions: (i) What are the different outcomes from Lean deployment in Healthcare?; (ii) What are the barriers to Lean implementation in Healthcare?; (iii) What enables Lean implementation in Healthcare?; (iv) What are the risks of Lean in Healthcare?; (v) How to measure Lean achievements in Healthcare services?; and (vi) How to develop a sustainable Lean culture? This contribution to the academic debate on Lean deployment in Healthcare creates clarity on what can be called Lean practices in Healthcare settings under the light of the concept’s founders; what pattern of a Lean deployment journey was followed by Healthcare organisations; and how different cultural (organisational and national) contexts can influence the pace in pursuing that pattern.As organizações de saúde, nomeadamente públicas, têm vindo a adoptar práticas de gestão Lean com crescente evidência de resultados em várias partes do mundo, desde o início deste século. Contudo, a aplicação do Lean em serviços de saúde tem tido um tratamento cirúrgico na literatura, recaindo apenas nos aspectos “hard” e sem grande consistência ou seguimento de resultados . Esta tese pretende acrescentar aos aspectos “hard” do Lean, um entendimento complementar juntando os aspectos “hard” e “soft”, identificando as restrições e factores de sustentabilidade da aplicação do Lean no sector da saúde. Tendo por base duas revisões bibliográficas primordiais e uma abordagem empírica multi-caso a partir de casos portugueses elegíveis, esta tese fornece respostas às questões: (i) Quais os diferentes resultados da aplicação do Lean na Saúde?; (ii) Quais as barreiras à aplicação do Lean na Saúde?; (iii) Quais os facilitadores da implementação do Lean na Saúde?; (iv) Quais os riscos do Lean na Saúde?; (v) Como medir a implementação do Lean na Saúde; e (vi) como desenvolver uma cultura Lean sustentável? Este contributo para o debate académico sobre a aplicação do Lean na Saúde introduz clareza sobre o que pode ou não ser chamado de práticas Lean na Saúde tendo como referência os conceitos dos fundadores; que padrão de implementação é seguido pelas organizações; e de que forma diferentes contextos culturais (nacionais e organizacionais) influenciam o ritmo desse padrão de implementação