Freight logistics services for rural economies : User needs and future challenges

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Solar hot water system installed at Anderson, South Carolina

A description is given of the solar energy hot water system installed in the Days Inns of America, Inc., at Anderson, South Carolina. The building is a low-rise, two-story 114-room motel. The solar system was designed to provide 40 percent of the total hot water demand. The collector is a flat plate, liquid with an area of 750 square feet. Operation of this system was begun in November 1977, and has performed flawlessly for one year

Addressing decision making for remanufacturing operations and design-for-remanufacture

Remanufacturing is a process of returning a used product to at least original equipment manufacturer original performance specification from the customers' perspective and giving the resultant product a warranty that is at least equal to that of a newly manufactured equivalent. This paper explains the need to combine ecological concerns and economic growth and the significance of remanufacturing in this. Using the experience of an international aero-engine manufacturer it discusses the impact of the need for sustainable manufacturing on organisational business models. It explains some key decision-making issues that hinder remanufacturing and suggests effective solutions. It presents a peer-validated, high-level design guideline to assist decision-making in design in order to support remanufacturing. The design guide was developed in the UK through the analysis of selections of products during case studies and workshops involving remanufacturing and conventional manufacturing practitioners as well as academics. It is one of the initial stages in the development of a robust design for remanufacture guideline

Medical Malpractice and Managed Care Organizations: The Implied Warranty of Quality

Managed care organizations (MCOs) have become prime targets in the new medical malpractice litigation, but getting a judgment against an MCO can be difficult. It is argued that courts should impose a tort-based implied warranty of quality on MCOs, under which they would be liable for selling physician services that are negligently rendered

Trader-supplier Coordination in the Agrifood Supply Chains in Northern Ethiopia

There exists a huge agrifood potential in Ethiopia. However, the country's agrifood supply chains are underdeveloped to deliver quality supply to traders and supplement household livelihoods from the sector. The key factors that determine the proper functioning of supplier-trader chains were not rigorously investigated, at least in the case study area. This paper aims at examining the key determinants in choosing vertical coordination for agrifood products in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Structured questionnaires were administered to 247 traders in 10 towns in Tigray. Probit model was employed to identify the key determinants of vertical coordination. Model results show that market information, product characteristics, firm characteristics, and product quality were found significant factors in determining the adoption of vertical coordination. An interesting finding is that traders tend to vertically coordinate so as to get credit from suppliers. Based on our findings we suggest that strengthening quality assurance and contract enforcement institutions appears to be an important intervention area to improve the agrifood chain in the study area. Moreover, providing financial support to encourage the private sector to operate in agro-processing is among the efforts that need to be focused so that it facilitates the rural development process in the region.vertical coordination, trader, supplier, agrifood, supply chain, Probit Model, Agribusiness,