Models of Inter-Organizational Logistics Management in Slovenia

Throughout the history, the transportation of goods and related logistics have played an important role in human development and existence. This pertains to numerous interlinked processes, whose management is often linked to social system, international linkages, development of industry, market and market specifics. In modern times, the management of these processes is increasingly bound to globalization of production and market, moving of production to countries with cheaper labour force, environmental protection. The present Slovenian economy depends to a large extent on economies and corporate relations of the European Union and the world. Such inter-connectedness demands frequent transportation of semi-finished and finished goods. By providing timely delivery of goods, transportation consequently enables inter-organizational linkages and individual production, economic, market and other processes. Organizational and inter-organizational management of transport logistics demands profound understanding of transport flows, freight forwarding expertise and knowledge of transport, tax, environmental and other related regulations. Adequate knowledge and mastering of cultural, linguistic, national and other differences is important as well. The presented analysis and evaluation form the basis of the construction of inter-organizational model of logistics management in Slovenia.</p

Assessing the impact of prices fluctuation on demand distortion within a multi-echelon supply chain

Price fluctuation is a practice commonly used by companies to stimulate demand and a main cause of the Bullwhip effect. Assuming a staggered step demand pattern that responds elastically to retailer’s price fluctuation, and by using a supply chain management dynamic model, we will analyse the impact of these fluctuations on the variability of the orders placed along a traditional multilevel supply chain. Subsequently, the results obtained will serve to propose a forecasting model enabling to calculate the potential variability of orders placed by each echelon on the basis of the price pattern used. Finally, under the hypothesis of an environment of collaboration between the different members of the chain, we propose a predictive model that makes it possible to quantify the distortion of the orders generated by each level.En este artículo se analiza la influencia de la fluctuacion de los precios en la variabilidad de las órdenes generadas a lo largo de una cadena de suministro tradicional multinivel. Para ello, se utiliza un modelo dinámico de gestión de ca- dena de suministro en el que se introduce un patrón de de- manda tipo escalón, que responde elásticamente a la fluc- tuación de los precios ofrecidos por el minorista al cliente final. Posteriormente, utilizando los resultados obtenidos, se propone un modelo de previsión para calcular esa posible variación de las órdenes generadas en cada nivel, a partir del patrón de precios utilizado

Inventory cost consequences of variability demand process within a multi-echelon supply chain

The bullwhip effect (Lee et al, 1997a) is a known supply chain phenomenon where small variations in end item demand create oscillations that amplify throughout the chain. Different price elasticity of demand influence different changes of demand when prices of items are changing on the time horizon. The variance of the orders at the end user placed on suppliers or on manufacturer increases with the orders flow upstream in the logistics chain. This creates harmful consequences in inventory levels and all kind of inventory costs that may affect added value of activities along the logistics chain and finally affect Net Present Value of all activities in the chain. Traditional model of dynamic supply chain structures is used for this particular study, based on the seminal work of Forrester Diagrams (Forrester 1961). Simulation platform for supply chain management at stochastic demand developed by Campuzano (2006) has been used. VENSIM Simulation Software was previously used for developing these supply chain dynamic models. In the development platform generalised supply chain models are constructed graphically and also analytically. Our study here is to get a dipper insight into the processes in a logistics chain, measuring the inventory cost consequences due to variability demand amplification

Lean and Green Paradigms in Logistics: Review of Published Research

The objective of this paper is to propose a systematic literature review on lean logistics, green logistics and the combination of both paradigms. Although prior literature reviews on lean, green and the combination of lean and green do exist, only a few of them focus on the field of logistics as such. The present analysis comprises an examination of 98 scientific articles from 35 international journals, published between the years 1994 and 2015. The articles are classified by next divisions: journal, paradigm, time distribution, research stream and sector-wise focus. Although key findings indicate that over the last couple of years research on all three topics has increased, a research gap regarding the studies of lean and green logistics when combined, has been identified. For all three topics domination in research typology has been extracted, furthermore the findings indicate that most of the papers examined on the topic lean logistics come from the manufacturing industries, whereas for the topic green logistics and a combination of green and lean topics we haven’t identified any specific sector.</p

Assessing the Impact of Prices Fluctuation on Demand Distortion Within a Multi-echelon Supply Chain

Price fluctuation is a practice commonly used by companies to stimulate demand and a main cause of the Bullwhip effect. Assuming a staggered step demand pattern that responds elastically to retailer’s price fluctuation, and by using a supply chain management dynamic model, we will analyse the impact of these fluctuations on the variability of the orders placed along a traditional multilevel supply chain. Subsequently, the results obtained will serve to propose a forecasting model enabling to calculate the potential variability of orders placed by each echelon on the basis of the price pattern used. Finally, under the hypothesis of an environment of collaboration between the different members of the chain, we propose a predictive model that makes it possible to quantify the distortion of the orders generated by each level. KEYWORDS: Bullwhip effect, systems dynamics, price fluctuation, supply chain managemen

Models for Life Cycle Assessment: Review of Technical Assumptions in Collection and Transportation Processes

Since the early 1990s, the life cycle assessment (LCA) has been used to quantify the environmental impacts. Due to substantial dissimilarities in results among different LCA waste models, the aim of this review is to analyse different LCA models. Technical assumptions in collection and transportation processes among the models in connection with lifecycle inventory (LCI) databases of inputs and outputs have been compared and reviewed. The most important inputs and outputs in LCI have been analysed. The mechanistic LCA models have been found to operate with more substantial and broader inputs and outputs than deterministic models; therefore, they represent a detailed presentation and a more suitable basis for further calculations, e.g., life cycle costing (LCC) of waste management. Nevertheless, the analysed mechanistic models do not include determined important time consumptions – this was exposed and missing data provided. The final findings are that future LCA models should: (1) include alternative fuels for transportation and bioplastic materials for collection equipment, (2) use mechanistic principles, (3) build detailer LCI data bases, (4) be linked with LCC modelling, (5) use bottom–up approach calculations and provide both environmental and economical point of view

The genetic architecture of branched-chain amino acid accumulation in tomato fruits

Previous studies of the genetic architecture of fruit metabolic composition have allowed us to identify four strongly conserved co-ordinate quantitative trait loci (QTL) for the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). This study has been extended here to encompass the other 23 enzymes described to be involved in the pathways of BCAA synthesis and degradation. On coarse mapping the chromosomal location of these enzymes, it was possible to define the map position of 24 genes. Of these genes eight co-localized, or mapped close to BCAA QTL including those encoding ketol-acid reductoisomerase (KARI), dihydroxy-acid dehydratase (DHAD), and isopropylmalate dehydratase (IPMD). Quantitative evaluation of the expression levels of these genes revealed that the S. pennellii allele of IPMD demonstrated changes in the expression level of this gene, whereas those of KARI and DHAD were invariant across the genotypes. Whilst the antisense inhibition of IPMD resulted in increased BCAA, the antisense inhibition of neither KARI nor DHAD produced a clear effect in fruit BCAA contents. The results are discussed both with respect to the roles of these specific enzymes within plant amino acid metabolism and within the context of current understanding of the regulation of plant branched-chain amino acid metabolism