Improving fleet solution – a case study

Transportation management is a logistical activity with a high impact on a company’s ability to compete in the market. Although the focus on cost reduction is the most usual concern with this activity, lead times and the quality of the service provided should also be considered depending on the market to be served. The goal of this research was to compare different fleet alternatives for a specific construction materials company and discuss which scenario is the most suited to fulfil the company’s customer service policy. A case study approach was developed, and four alternative scenarios were considered. These were compared both regarding the costs they involve, which was analysed using a vehicle routing problem heuristic, and the quality of the customer service they allow, which was assessed based on their ability to provide flexibility in the fleet occupancy rate to respond to unexpected orders. Evidence showed that the current fleet solution is not adequate and investment should be made only if the demand level increases, otherwise outsourcing should be considered along with a minimum level of the self-owned fleet.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Methods for specifying the target difference in a randomised controlled trial : the Difference ELicitation in TriAls (DELTA) systematic review

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Biodiversity, traditional medicine and public health: where do they meet?

Given the increased use of traditional medicines, possibilities that would ensure its successful integration into a public health framework should be explored. This paper discusses some of the links between biodiversity and traditional medicine, and addresses their implications to public health. We explore the importance of biodiversity and ecosystem services to global and human health, the risks which human impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity present to human health and welfare

Megatrends and Trends Shaping Supply Chain Innovation

Companies operate in a macro-environment that is changing considerably due to large, transformative global forces namely megatrends and trends. The wave of these megatrends and trends generates new prospects as well as challenges for the future of supply chains. This chapter provides a review of 23 major megatrends and 72 trends identified in multiple dimensions along Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental (PESTLE) dimensions. The results are based on a systematic literature review and an experts’ workshop, and can be used to generate future supply chain scenarios