Collaborate for what: a structural topic model analysis on CDP data

[EN] The aim of this paper is to understand why firms engage with their suppliers to collaborate for sustainability. To this purpose, we use the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Supply Chain dataset and apply the Structural Topic Model to 1) identify the topics discussed in an open-ended question related to climate-related supplier engagement and 2) estimate the differences in the discussion of such topics between CDP members and non-members, respectively focal firms and first-tier suppliers. The analysis highlights that the two most prevalent reasons firms engage with their suppliers relate to several aspects of the management of the supply chain, and the services and goods mobility efficiency. It is further noted how first-tier suppliers do not dispose of established capabilities and, therefore, are still in the course of improving their processes. On the contrary, focal firms have more structured capabilities so to manage supplier engagement for information collection. This study demonstrates how big data and machine learning methods can be applied to analyse unstructured textual data from traditional surveys.Salvatore, C.; Madonna, A.; Bianchi, A.; Boffelli, A.; Kalchschmidt, M. (2022). Collaborate for what: a structural topic model analysis on CDP data. En 4th International Conference on Advanced Research Methods and Analytics (CARMA 2022). Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 139-146. https://doi.org/10.4995/CARMA2022.2022.1507413914

Doing the right thing or doing things right: what is better for a successful manufacturing reshoring?

The article concerns the revision of earlier decisions to offshore production activities (so called “relocation of second degree”); more specifically it is focused on the “reshoring” (also referred as “relocation to the home country”, “back-reshoring” or “back-shoring”). The research aims are to investigate what types of mistakes occur along the decision-making and implementation process and how they affect the outcome, in terms of success or failure, of a relocation strategy. A multiple case study involving four companies in the fashion industry from Portugal and Italy was conducted. The cross-case analysis allowed to differentiate decision-making mistakes from implementation ones and to assess differences and similarities among the cases in terms of content of the relocation, drivers and outcomes. The research contributes to previous literature on reshoring by bringing evidence of different types of mistakes to be considered, thus requiring further conceptualization of the reshoring process. Managers and entrepreneurs should consider the importance of doing the things right also during the implementation, too often underestimated. The present article is the first one in the reshoring literature bringing evidence of cases of failure in the relocation decisions and discriminating among different kinds of mistakes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Численное моделирование турбулентного течения расплава в двухвалковом кристаллизаторе с щелевым питателем

Разработана трехмерная математическая модель и компьютерная методика по расчету турбулентного течения расплавленного металла в межвалковом канале двухвалкового кристаллизатора при вертикальной подаче металла через щелевой питатель. Компьютерные исследования проведены с использованием численного метода конечных элементов и программы Comsol. По результатам моделирования изучены особенности течения металла в объеме кристаллизатора с учетом краевых эффектов, формирования вихревых структур течения расплава в межвалковом зазоре, распределения характеристик турбулентности в объеме расплава.Розроблено тривимірну математичну модель та комп’ютерну методику з розрахунку турбулентної течії розплавленого металу в міжвалковому каналі двохвалкового кристалізатора при вертикальній подачі металу через щілину. Комп’ютерні дослідження проведено з використанням методу кінцевих елементів у програмі Comsol. За результатами моделювання вивчено особливості руху металу в об’ємі кристалізатора, з урахуванням крайових ефектів, замкнуті вихрові структури течії розплаву в міжвалковому зазорі, розподілення характеристик турбулентності в об’ємі розплаву.The three-dimensional mathematical model and computer technique are developed for computtions of turbulent molten metal flowing in the gap of twin-roll caster at vertical melt feeding through the slit nozzle. The computer modeling is carried out by finite-element method in Comsol. The features of metal flow in the caster including edge effects, closed vortex structures of the flow in the gap between rolls, distribution of turbulence characteristics are studied using the computational results

EXPLORING THE RESHORING PROCESS: ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE THROUGH PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CASE STUDIES

Over the last decade, reshoring has increasingly attracted the attention of practitioners, policy makers and scholars. Case studies have been popular in this research stream, given its still exploratory stage. Although no accumulation effort has been made, thus missing the opportunity to build new theory from the insights gained in previous disconnected research. Moreover, while a significant number of articles have analysed drivers, locations and activities involved in reshoring decisions, the decision-making and implementation processes (i.e., how to reshore) still lack empirical analyses. decision-making, that have proved to be relevant in the case of offshoring and reshoring decisions. Therefore, the main goal that represent the red thread connecting the three essays presented in this dissertation is overcoming the frontier reached in previous literature, as well as generating relevant practical advice, by offering new insights into the reshoring process; taking into account all its characterizing elements and phases, their connections and by shedding light on the most obscure ones, namely decision-making and implementation. Accordingly, the dissertation develops along three essays, each one taking the research one step further towards the goal achievement. The first essay What do we want to know about reshoring: developing a framework through a meta-synthesis reports an analysis of existing research adopting case studies about reshoring and the previous offshoring events, with the aim to advance the knowledge within the field, through an accumulation process. The selected methodology to achieve this purpose is meta-synthesis, a type of meta-analysis applied to the analysis of qualitative data. The analyzed data are retrieved from a sample of 14 articles including cases of offshoring and subsequent reshoring processes. The sample represents the total population of articles published in peer reviewed sources and retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science. By focusing on the findings generated by the original authors, the study allowed to build a comprehensive framework to lead future case study research, as well as to demonstrate the suitability of the meta-synthesis methodology in achieving knowledge accumulation, even if the articles have different characteristics in terms of theoretical perspectives, unit of analysis, number of cases and context. In doing so, this study contributes to the field of reshoring and more widely to the operations and supply chain management field. The second essay A meta-analysis of reshoring case studies: the influence of contingency factors on the relocation decision is built on a meta-analysis of already existing reshoring case studies. They usually provide rich insights through qualitative data, but in this study, they have been codified into quantitative data, thus allowing to make statistical inferences. In total, the 36 cases coming from the same 14 research papers retrieved for the first essay were analysed. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of contingency factors on the offshoring and reshoring drivers. The results show that many factors become contingencies for reshoring, namely company size, industry, market, home country, host country, as well as the previous offshoring decision. The research lays the foundation for the accumulation of results achieved from case studies. Finally, the third essay Reshoring decision-making and implementation: a behavioural perspective, through a multiple case study approach, seeks to gain a deeper knowledge into the how question by shedding light on the phases of the reshoring decision-making and implementation processes, the information collected, the stakeholders involved, and the criticalities faced. Based on the empirical analyses and the use of the behavioural perspective, four original propositions are developed to guide both future research and management practice in this field.Over the last decade, reshoring has increasingly attracted the attention of practitioners, policy makers and scholars. Case studies have been popular in this research stream, given its still exploratory stage. Although no accumulation effort has been made, thus missing the opportunity to build new theory from the insights gained in previous disconnected research. Moreover, while a significant number of articles have analysed drivers, locations and activities involved in reshoring decisions, the decision-making and implementation processes (i.e., how to reshore) still lack empirical analyses. decision-making, that have proved to be relevant in the case of offshoring and reshoring decisions. Therefore, the main goal that represent the red thread connecting the three essays presented in this dissertation is overcoming the frontier reached in previous literature, as well as generating relevant practical advice, by offering new insights into the reshoring process; taking into account all its characterizing elements and phases, their connections and by shedding light on the most obscure ones, namely decision-making and implementation. Accordingly, the dissertation develops along three essays, each one taking the research one step further towards the goal achievement. The first essay What do we want to know about reshoring: developing a framework through a meta-synthesis reports an analysis of existing research adopting case studies about reshoring and the previous offshoring events, with the aim to advance the knowledge within the field, through an accumulation process. The selected methodology to achieve this purpose is meta-synthesis, a type of meta-analysis applied to the analysis of qualitative data. The analyzed data are retrieved from a sample of 14 articles including cases of offshoring and subsequent reshoring processes. The sample represents the total population of articles published in peer reviewed sources and retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science. By focusing on the findings generated by the original authors, the study allowed to build a comprehensive framework to lead future case study research, as well as to demonstrate the suitability of the meta-synthesis methodology in achieving knowledge accumulation, even if the articles have different characteristics in terms of theoretical perspectives, unit of analysis, number of cases and context. In doing so, this study contributes to the field of reshoring and more widely to the operations and supply chain management field. The second essay A meta-analysis of reshoring case studies: the influence of contingency factors on the relocation decision is built on a meta-analysis of already existing reshoring case studies. They usually provide rich insights through qualitative data, but in this study, they have been codified into quantitative data, thus allowing to make statistical inferences. In total, the 36 cases coming from the same 14 research papers retrieved for the first essay were analysed. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of contingency factors on the offshoring and reshoring drivers. The results show that many factors become contingencies for reshoring, namely company size, industry, market, home country, host country, as well as the previous offshoring decision. The research lays the foundation for the accumulation of results achieved from case studies. Finally, the third essay Reshoring decision-making and implementation: a behavioural perspective, through a multiple case study approach, seeks to gain a deeper knowledge into the how question by shedding light on the phases of the reshoring decision-making and implementation processes, the information collected, the stakeholders involved, and the criticalities faced. Based on the empirical analyses and the use of the behavioural perspective, four original propositions are developed to guide both future research and management practice in this field

What do we want to know about reshoring? Towards a comprehensive framework based on a meta-synthesis

This study aims to develop a framework for reshoring research, specifying the aspects encompassing a full case description. The article reports an analysis of existing case-based research focusing on manufacturing reshoring and the previous offshoring events, with the aim to advance the knowledge within the field through an accumulation process. The selected methodology to achieve this purpose is meta-synthesis, a type of meta-analysis applied to the analysis of qualitative data. The analyzed data are retrieved from a sample of 14 articles including cases of offshoring and subsequent reshoring processes. The sample represent the total population of articles published in peer-reviewed sources. By focusing on the analysis on the article level and the findings generated by the original authors, the study allowed to build a comprehensive framework to lead future reshoring research, as well as to demonstrate the suitability of the methodology in achieving knowledge accumulation even if the articles have different characteristics in terms of theoretical perspectives, unit of analysis, number of cases and context. In doing so, this study contributes to the field of reshoring and more widely to the operations and supply chain management field. Furthermore, this research generates many practical implications, by condensing all the evidences about manufacturing reshoring so far collected in one single study, thus providing examples of challenges and best-practices

A case survey of offshoring–backshoring cases : The influence of contingency factors

This study aims at investigating the influence of contingency factors on the drivers of offshoring and backshoring decision processes. A case survey of existing case studies on backshoring was performed with qualitative comparative analysis (QCA). In total, 43 cases from 16 research papers were analyzed. The results showed that many factors act as contingencies for the backshoring decision, namely, company size, industry, home region, host region, and governance modes for off- and backshoring. In addition, there are connections between the backshoring decision and the previous offshoring decision. The study revealed three main patterns, such that the offshoring decision can be linked to the following backshoring, in the sense that offshoring for specific purposes leads to backshoring because of other specific reasons. In the end, 15 different configurations, including clusters of offshoring drivers, as well as significant contingency factors, were identified to explain offshoring – backshoring patterns. Thus, this study provides the first attempt to shed light on the causality between offshoring and subsequent backshoring decisions and highlights the importance of researchers building on each other's efforts to make empirical evidence comparable and advance the knowledge within this emerging field

Entering the world behind the clothes that we wear: practical applications of blockchain technology

This paper investigates blockchain technology from a Triple Bottom Line (TBL) perspective. Transparency is vital for achieving accountability, improving the environmental footprint and ensuring that workers’ rights are respected. Blockchain-enabled capabilities provide opportunities to support improved information transparency to sub-suppliers and customers. Case study research is used within the complex multi-tier global fashion industry to explore the application of blockchain technology in enhancing TBL performance. This paper responds to calls from the literature to provide practice-based research on blockchain and supply chain management challenges. The research is based on three technology-based start-ups (at different Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)) and investigates their practical experiences to date, in transforming and advancing supply chain TBL. As this research focuses on the early adoption of blockchain technology within the fashion industry, it demonstrates the practicalities of implementation including its capabilities, operational improvements, challenges and limitations

Environmental Management Practices for the Textile Sector

Part 5: Sustainability and Production ManagementInternational audienceEnvironmental sustainability is gaining more and more relevance for textile companies. However, there are often problems with application, even in the most committed companies. In this paper, an empirical typology of Italian textile firms that discern the patterns of practices used in response to environmental issues and concerns that affect such industry is proposed. The resulting typology is composed by three types: Best practice, Good practice and Bad practice. Each type is then characterised in terms of firm’s characteristics and perceived environmental competitiveness benefits. The discussion of some open issues deriving from the empirical analysis precedes the final conclusion

Entering the world behind the clothes that we wear : practical applications of blockchain technology

This paper investigates blockchain technology from a Triple Bottom Line (TBL) perspective. Transparency is vital for achieving accountability, improving the environmental footprint and ensuring that workers’ rights are respected. Blockchain-enabled capabilities provide opportunities to support improved information transparency to sub-suppliers and customers. Case study research is used within the complex multi-tier global fashion industry to explore the application of blockchain technology in enhancing TBL performance. This paper responds to calls from the literature to provide practice-based research on blockchain and supply chain management challenges. The research is based on three technology-based start-ups (at different Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)) and investigates their practical experiences to date, in transforming and advancing supply chain TBL. As this research focuses on the early adoption of blockchain technology within the fashion industry, it demonstrates the practicalities of implementation including its capabilities, operational improvements, challenges and limitations