Challenges and opportunities for the development of river logistics as a sustainable alternative: a systematic review

In the last decades there has been great concern about sustainability, especially in companies, where the concept of sustainable development is no longer a trend, but a reality. In the logistics field it should not be any different, since it´s importance to the movement of goods and people. This movement is carried out by four transportation modals, road, air, rail and river. The road transportation is widely used in relation to the others, bringing some problems in large urban centers like traffic jams, climate change, pollution, high CO2 emissions, among others. Thus, it is currently a great challenge to make the logistics greener, balancing logistic modals, reducing freight transport by road and shift to other modals. The inland waterway transport in this context stands out, since it is the most sustainable transportation in logistics, besides having lower costs. Based on this information, this study aims to discover the main challenges and opportunities for the development of river logistics as a sustainable alternative. Using a systemic approach the research analyzed articles of the river logistics field from the last five years. It was possible to identify the main challenges and opportunities in the articles, guide surveys to fill the main gaps, and shows a discussion to better understand the situation considering what actions are being taken and what are needed for the river logistics development

CAPITAL GOODS INDUSTRY IN BRAZIL UNDER A SYSTEMIC PERSPECTIVE: Challenges and Strategic Agenda

The capital goods industry is the great responsible for the technological diffusion in the industry in general. A well-developed capital goods sector means quicker access to new technologies and, consequently, a greater efficacy of the industry. Therefore, the capital goods industry acts like a propeller towards the national economic development. This sector is fundamental to boost the national industry and economy, thus being among the strategic sectors of the national policy for industry, technology and foreign trade (PITFT). The importance of this sector justifies a study of which challenges are being currently faced and which strategic agenda might be proposed to allow the national capital goods industry to overcome these challenges and to help strengthen the local industry. As a means of achieving the expected results, this work conducted a survey on the capital goods sector in Brazil by specifying its current situation. A macro-environmental analysis was performed based on a systemic approach by using the Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) to better understand the problem faced by the sector. As the main result, one can highlight that it is important for the sector to reduce its dependence on palliative measures by the government. To achieve this, it is necessary that the sector strengthens itself. This strengthening can be achieved by means of long-term governmental measures (that are beneficial to the sector) rather than the current short-term measures. These long-term measures would include improvement of the infrastructure to decrease the production costs as well as modernisation, innovation and technological improvement of the capital goods industry, enabling the sector to be more competitive by manufacturing cheaper and better quality products

MARKET ANALYSIS OF BRAZILIAN SUGARCANE BIOMASS ENERGY

The reorganization of the energy matrix is the aim of several countries that heavily invest in sources of renewable energy. The bioelectricity generated from sugarcane residues in Brazil can be considered as an alternative for the shortage of hydric resources that occurs during periods of drought due to its climate characteristics. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the Brazilian market of electrical energy co-generated from sugarcane biomass by analyzing its macro-environment and competitive forces, thus highlighting the system's main threats and opportunities in terms of political-legal (institutional), economic, environmental, socio-cultural and technological variables. The main result of this study demonstrated that there are important issues to be solved in order to develop this new market, highlighting the creation of a strategic agenda to overcome challenges and to take advantage of opportunities in the Brazilian sector

Biocomércio em comunidades tradicionais: uma revisão sistemática

As principais características do modo de vida das comunidades tradicionais garantem a conservação dos recursos naturais. Porém, as políticas públicas demonstram uma lógica oposta a esse comportamento ao tentar integrar as comunidades aos grandes centros urbanos do país. Esse pensamento, remete a ideia de que as comunidades são apenas fornecedoras de matérias-primas com potencial para ter valor adicionado. Assim, para analisar as relações comerciais das comunidades tradicionais de outra perspectiva, utilizou-se o conceito de biocomércio que compreende desde a coleta até a comercialização dos produtos da biodiversidade, considerando os critérios de sustentabilidade. Nesse sentido, o presente artigo teve como como objetivo apresentar um quadro conceitual sobre o biocomércio entre comunidades tradicionais e empresas privadas. Para tanto, recorreu-se a um estudo metodológico de revisão sistemática da literatura em teses e dissertações. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida em três fases e classificou 73 pesquisas em 6 categorias. Na última fase, foram identificados 11 trabalhos que estudaram o comércio de produtos da biodiversidade, porém, apenas uma pesquisa analisou um contrato de fornecimento de produto da biodiversidade. Os produtos estudados nas pesquisas confirmaram o potencial da biodiversidade brasileira, no entanto, há casos de biopirataria, redução da disponibilidade de recursos internos e disputas territoriais. O quadro conceitual proposto considera três abordagens interdependentes. É possível posicionar novos temas de pesquisa e utilizar critérios que até o momento receberam muita ou nenhuma atenção para dar relevância ao estudo. As diretrizes e princípios do biocomércio complementam a análise, posicionando adequadamente a pesquisa dentro dos critérios de sustentabilidade

Systems approach in dynamic capabilities

The ontology of dynamic capabilities (DCs) is grounded in a systemic perspective of organisational strategy. In a controversial move, DCs theory adopts systems thinking as a metaphorical reference, not a possible research method. Systemic methodologies can provide a holistic management perception and guide managers to develop DCs differently, considering the deliberate learning and design process as a non-linear dynamism of causal loops. Calling attention to the conceptual origins, this work proposes a framework based on systemic methodologies to manage and develop organisational DCs. Based on two different systemic methodologies, the viable system model (VSM) and soft systems methodology (SSM), we integrate the systems approach of learning and design into DCs management guidelines

The equipment supply industry to sugar mills, ethanol and energy in Brazil: an analysis based in leading companies and key-organizations of sector and of LPA of Sertãozinho

This study aims to analyze the profile, organization, efficiency and innovation in the supply industry equipment for sugar mills, ethanol and energy in Brazil, contributing to an important discussion on the competitiveness of this industry. Therefore, the study was based on analysis of information obtained from two surveys: the first held with representative organizations and two industry-leading companies located in the cities of Sertãozinho and Piracicaba; and the second, through interviews with companies in the Local Productive Arrangement (LPA) of Sertãozinho, known as the Silicon Valley Ethanol. The results suggest that the increasing modernization of the sector will require greater efforts from equipment industry to provide plants with the necessary technological innovations and potential efficiency gains and that the constituent companies of this industry, few invest in technology and professional training, in other words, are lacking in management training, which leads to loss of valuable opportunities, international market share is tiny, most companies turn to private sources of financing, and companies seem unaware of the real benefits of cooperation, although they appear in most companies in this industry

HUMAN RESOURCES IN THE NON-PROFIT SECTOR: VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT IN LA PLATA FOOD BANKING

This study investigates the processes for recruiting, training, and retaining volunteers in social non-governmental organisations (NGOs). This article presents the volunteer management practices adopted by an international NGO - The Global FoodBanking Network, an organisation present in more than 30 countries, and specifically focused on food collection and distribution, located in the Argentine city of La Plata (Greater Buenos Aires, Argentina). In this organisation, all the volunteer management processes follow guidelines by The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN), and there is also a person to exclusively manage the volunteers and their projects. The volunteer management is structured and there is a report on active recruitment, specific training and formalised performance assessment process. They also have policies for costs indemnification and work accident security. This structured volunteer management may be responsible for the lower labour turnover of volunteers in La Plata Food Banking

SUPPLY INDUSTRY DYNAMICS FOR BRAZILIAN SUGARCANE

Sugarcane industry in Brazil is highly competitive in the production of ethanol, sugar and energy. This industrial competitiveness was also achieved through the development of the equipment involved in the production processes. The industry that supplies the equipment plays an important role in the competitiveness of sugarcane sector. This study seeks to analyze the organization and configuration of the equipment supply industries for sugar, ethanol and energy mills in Brazil. The study seeks to evaluate how innovation occurs in this sector, contributing to an important discussion about maintaining competitiveness and proposing a typology for this industry. The study is based on an analysis of information obtained through a set of interviews with leaders and entrepreneurs in the industry. The results allow us to conclude that the growing modernization of the sector will require greater efforts from the equipment industry to provide plants with necessary technological innovations and possible efficiency gain

AÇÕES DE REDUÇÃO DE IMPACTO AMBIENTAL DAS EMPRESAS QUE COMPÕEM O ÍNDICE DE SUSTENTABILIDADE DA BM&FBOVESPA / ACTIONS TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF COMPANIES IN THE BM&FBOVESPA SUSTAINABILITY INDEX

A mudança de paradigmas enfrentada pelas empresas e as pressões feitas para que essas adotem os preceitos da sustentabilidade justificam a execução deste estudo. Dessa forma, o objetivo geral é verificar práticas de evidenciação e de gestão ambiental dos relatórios de sustentabilidade do conjunto de empresas listadas no índice de sustentabilidade empresarial (ISE) da BM&FBovespa do ano de 2014. Para isso, dois objetivos específicos foram criados: verificar se as empresas seguem as diretrizes do GRI para reportarem suas ações ambientais e identificar quais práticas de gestão ambiental são mais reportadas pelas empresas. A interpretação das informações se deu por meio da análise documental e da análise categórica temática, uma das técnicas da análise de conteúdo. Quanto à evidenciação das práticas, todas as empresas possuem sua própria maneira de reportar suas práticas de gestão ambiental, não encontrando a estrutura proposta pelo GRI em nenhum dos relatórios. Quanto às práticas de gestão ambiental mais evidenciadas, verificou-se que a preocupação está em adequar os processos produtivos aos preceitos da sustentabilidade por meio de seu redesenho e do uso eficiente dos recursos como água e energia elétrica. Contudo, nenhuma vez foi apresentada preocupação quanto ao o ciclo de vida do produto. Palavras-chave: Responsabilidade social corporativa. Gestão ambiental corporativa. GRI. Abstract The paradigm shift faced by companies, and the pressures on them to adopt the precepts of sustainability, justify the execution of this study. The overall objective is to verify disclosure and environmental management practices in the sustainability reports of the companies listed on the Corporate Sustainability Index (CSI) of BM&FBovespa in 2014. For this, two specific objectives were created: to determine whether these companies are following the GRI guidelines to report their environmental actions; and to identify which environmental management practices are most reported by the companies. The interpretation of the information was done through documentary analysis and thematic categorical analysis, one of the techniques of content analysis. In regard to the disclosure of practices, each company has its own way of reporting its environmental management practices, and the structure proposed by the GRI was not found in any of the reports. The most prevalent environmental management practices found were a concern to adapt the company’s industrial processes to the principles of sustainability, through their redesign and the efficient use of resources such as water and electricity. However, at no time was any concern presented in relation to the product life cycle. Keywords: Corporate social responsibility. Corporate environmental management. GRI