Sustainable seabed mining: guidelines and a new concept for Atlantis II Deep

The feasibility of exploiting seabed resources is subject to the engineering solutions, and economic prospects. Due to rising metal prices, predicted mineral scarcities and unequal allocations of resources in the world, vast research programmes on the exploration and exploitation of seabed minerals are presented in 1970s. Very few studies have been published after the 1980s, when predictions were not fulfilled. The attention grew back in the last decade with marine mineral mining being in research and commercial focus again and the first seabed mining license for massive sulphides being granted in Papua New Guinea’s Exclusive Economic Zone.Research on seabed exploitation and seabed mining is a complex transdisciplinary field that demands for further attention and development. Since the field links engineering, economics, environmental, legal and supply chain research, it demands for research from a systems point of view. This implies the application of a holistic sustainability framework of to analyse the feasibility of engineering systems. The research at hand aims to close this gap by developing such a framework and providing a review of seabed resources. Based on this review it identifies a significant potential for massive sulphides in inactive hydrothermal vents and sediments to solve global resource scarcities. The research aims to provide background on seabed exploitation and to apply a holistic systems engineering approach to develop general guidelines for sustainable seabed mining of polymetallic sulphides and a new concept and solutions for the Atlantis II Deep deposit in the Red Sea.The research methodology will start with acquiring a broader academic and industrial view on sustainable seabed mining through an online survey and expert interviews on seabed mining. In addition, the Nautilus Minerals case is reviewed for lessons learned and identification of challenges. Thereafter, a new concept for Atlantis II Deep is developed that based on a site specific assessment.The research undertaken in this study provides a new perspective regarding sustainable seabed mining. The main contributions of this research are the development of extensive guidelines for key issues in sustainable seabed mining as well as a new concept for seabed mining involving engineering systems, environmental risk mitigation, economic feasibility, logistics and legal aspects

Business opportunities in the Ethiopian fruit and vegetable sector

The horticultural sector in Ethiopia is growing strongly. Major part of this growth is created by investments in the floriculture sector. Recently more and more in terest from the Dutch private sector is shown in the Ethiopian fruits and vegeta ble sector. Export of fruit and vegetables has been limited but is now growing strongly with new investors coming in. Both in Europe and in the Middle East there is a growing interest for products from Ethiopia. Presently, the main export products are fresh beans, strawberries, tomatoes, courgettes, peppers and fresh herbs. A potential new crop is table grapes. The Government of Ethiopia gives high pri ority to the development of the horticulture sector and in 2008 the Horticultural Development Agency has been established with a specific focus to promote and support the further development of the horticulture sector. It is concluded that the further development of the fruit and vegetable sector in Ethiopia for export to Europe and the Middle East has good perspectives and provides interesting opportunities for foreign investors. The sector is however still in its infant stage. Facilitating conditions for doing business are not yet op timal, but are expected to improve in the near future. For growers who consider starting operations in Ethiopia it is important to carefully select a location and ensure getting the logistical and cool chain well organised beforehand. For companies considering sourcing from Ethiopia it is important to build good relations with the potential growers, provide hands on guidance and train ing and invest in organising the logistical supply chain well

Euro-Mediterranean Supply Chain Developments and Trends in Trade Structures, in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Sector

Supply chains for fresh fruit and vegetables, are going through considerable re-shaping phase worldwide. This study analyses the trends which impose those changes and focuses mainly at the wholesale and export trading of the Euro-Mediterranean supply chain (namely, on how fruit and vegetable producer, wholesale and export firms react to the market forces that direct them). Producer organizations and wholesale firms one the one hand of The Netherlands, Germany and other EU member countries, and of Non- EU Member Mediterranean countries, on the other hand, are the subject of this study. Two graphical representation of the Dutch and the German supply chains respectively are presented here as the main instrument to demonstrate the dynamics of the sectors structure, by describing the position, function size and development for the main chain partner in each of the aforementioned markets. The Euro-Med dimension of the fruit and vegetable supply chain, is analyzed by attempting an impact assessment and an estimation of the potential development of further supply chain integration or collaboration between firms in EU member countries and Mediterranean partner countries. The existing policy framework (the CMO for the fruit and vegetable sector of the CAP), is also taken into consideration as it particularly affects the relationships developed between producer organizations and wholesale firms and retail chains.Euro-Med Free Trade analysis, Supply chain restructure, supply chain efficiency, fresh fruit and vegetables trade, vertical coordination, Industrial Organization, International Relations/Trade,

Trade Policy and Export Performance in Morocco

Morocco’s trade policy is at a cross-roads. Historically, the country has had a very restrictive import regime that generated substantial transfers to domestic producers. In terms of the simple average of most-favored nation tariffs, Morocco is one of the ten most highly protected markets in the world. Yet, with the signing of the Euro-Med Agreement with the European Union and its implementation since 2000, a decision for the gradual opening of the domestic market through preferential trade liberalization was taken. This choice was subsequently reaffirmed through the conclusion of further free trade agreements with the United States and Turkey. The resulting shift in trade policy paradigms promises to create new opportunities for export-led economic growth and employment generation, while requiring adjustment of domestic producers to the new, more competitive economic environment and additional policy reforms to complement the market opening strategy.Trade, tariffs, services, logistics, export diversification, regional integration, world markets

Ouverture de 'Intangible Assets & Global Competition'

Since the early 80s, the global economy has radically changed companies, manufacturing system and products. Global managerial economics demands ramified, far-flung and strongly interconnected organisations (networks). These complex structures favour knowledge management skills, competitive alliances and outsourcing agreements (with co-makers and external partners). Market-space competition also emphasises global economies of scale, whose value does not depend on the level of exploitation of elementary manufacturing factors but on the 'intensity of sharing' of specific resources in a networking system. In highly competitive markets, therefore, lasting corporate development does not depend primarily on the volumes of individual products (easily imitated in their tangible characteristics). In fact, corporate success on global markets is conditioned more by the level of sophistication of the intangible assets, developed, maintained and even modified, with targeted spending and investment plans.Intangible Assets; Global Managerial Economics; Global Competition; Global Economies of Scale; Knowledge Management; Competitive Alliances

Closed-Loop Supply Chain Integration: Assessing Marketing Impacts and Customer Perceptions of Sustainable Brand Value in the Saudi Photovoltaic Industry

Purpose:  This investigation addresses the influence of closed-loop supply chain integration (CLSCI) on consumer perception of sustainable brand value, examining its effect on purchasing decisions, brand loyalty, and image.   Theoretical framework:  The study operates within a framework that posits CLSCI as a potential enhancer of sustainable brand value, mediated by demographic variables and consumer consciousness of sustainability practices.   Design/methodology/approach:  A cross-sectional analysis was performed with 240 Saudi participants using Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) to assess the hypotheses derived from the theoretical framework.   Findings:  Results indicate a direct correlation between CLSCI and brand image, strengthened by consumer awareness. Moreover, age and awareness significantly mediate the relationship between CLSCI and perceived brand value and purchasing decisions.   Research, Practical & Social implications:  Findings underscore the necessity for Saudi photovoltaic (PV) firms to elevate CLSCI awareness and its linkage to brand image. The study also prompts further examination of age-related influences and sustainable waste management practices.   Originality/value:  his study contributes to the limited research on CLSCI's role within the Saudi PV sector, providing empirical evidence and a conceptual model for CLSCI implementation, offering insights for enhanced consumer engagement and sustainable brand development

Impact of Trade Facilitation Measures and Regional Trade Agreements on Food and Agricultural Tarde in South Asia

The study assess the extent to which trade facilitation in South Asia help to improve trade flows in South Asian countries and their trading partners.Trade Facilitation, Regional Trade Agreements, Food and Agricultural Trade, South Asia

Qualitative research on critical issues in halal logistics / Mohamed Syazwan Ab Talib, Lim Rubin and Vincent Khor Zhengyi.

Halal is not only restricted to Muslims and is more than a religious matter. Halal is in the realm of business and trade, and is becoming a global symbol for quality assurance and lifestyle choice. Although Halal is booming and on an upward trend, there are very limited studies published on Halal logistics and academic research in this area is highly needed. This study is exploratory in nature and data are collected through series of focus groups interviews. Besides that, this study applies purposive sampling and judgement sampling as information are conveniently available from specific target groups. Results obtained from this study uncover the various issues faced by Halal logistics service providers and are categorized into five categories namely general Halal issues (BARRIER 1), integration issues among logistics service providers (BARRIER 2), integration issues between Halal authorities and logistics service providers (BARRIER 3), financial issues and perception of implementing Halal logistics (BARRIER 4) and issues pertaining to government’s support and promotion (BARRIER 5). The researcher managed to underline the research limitation such as the lack of empirical evidence, lack respondents from non-logistics companies and the study only focuses on Halal logistics thus ignoring other Halal businesses such as Halal pharmaceutical and Halal tourism. Plus, the issues uncovered open more doors for potential future research on barriers and critical success factors in adopting Halal into logistics management

A systematic literature review of hybrid approaches of lean, agile and six sigma philosophies in supply chain management

The purpose of this study is to critically review the current literature on hybrid approaches of lean, agile and six sigma applications in supply chain management. Lean, agile and six sigma are improvement philosophies; these are developed in the manufacturing industry. In the last two decades, the applications of these philosophies have received considerable attention in both the manufacturing and the service industries. This attention is evident in many published studies in different journals, showing challenges and limitations for adopting these philosophies, including the integrated lean six sigma (LSS) and lean-agile (legality or leagile) in the supply chain practices. However, studies on hybrid approaches of lean, agile and six sigma philosophies in the supply chain management using a systematic literature review are relatively lacking. With this motivation, this study aims to address such gaps in the supply chain management literature. More specifically, it focuses on exploring the challenges and limitations to identify the benefits of hybrid approaches in border supply chain management. In particular, to identify how those challenges and limitations impact on overall supply chain practices and performance. To this end, the final sample of 118 peer-reviewed articles was reviewed to constitute the knowledge base of the study. Therefore, this study critically reviewed and analysed previous theoretical and evidence-based literature on the key themes associated with the topic by using a systematic literature review. This study adopted a systematic literature review research methodology involving a three-stage review method. The three stages were (1) planning the review; (2) conducting the review; and (3) reporting and dissemination. This study presents the details of the literature search, outcomes of the search, subsequent analysis of 118 articles from 40 different journals, and contributions to knowledge, key findings and recommendations. This study is one of the first systematic literature reviews on hybrid approaches of lean, agile and six sigma philosophies, in particular reviewing the literature to explore to what extent hybrid approaches of these philosophies influence supply chain practices and performance in the context of various industries. None of the previous literature has critically reviewed the hybrid approach of lean, agile and six sigma philosophies in terms of challenges and limitations in the context of supply chain practices. This study adds to the existing literature by critically reviewing the literature on hybrid approaches of lean, agile, and six sigma philosophies, emphasizing challenges, limitations, and benefits of integrated approaches in the context of supply chain management for various industries. Based on a critical literature review, a conceptual framework is developed as the basis of integrated LASS philosophy for supply chain management