Multidimensionality evaluation of supply chain management integration

Integration is constantly reported in the literature as an essential feature of SCM. However, it is as difficult to define as to operationalize it, resulting in a lack of information on how to increase the level of integration among members. Thus, this research aims to evaluate the dimensionality of SCI, to check alignment with the features identified in the literature using multivariate statistical analysis. The methodology used was based on a questionnaire to assess the level of companies integration with suppliers of its supply chain. This instrument consisted of 21 items, with response options: yes, no or not applicable. The questions focused on evaluating the integration with suppliers, so each company consulted could answer a questionnaire for each supplier, since the intensity of relationships varies. Thus, 41 companies participated in the survey, resulting in 205 responses. Full-information item factor analysis and principal component analysis on the correlation matrix tetrachoric were used for the instrument dimensionality analysis. They are appropriate procedures for analysis of dichotomous variables. The results of this analysis enabled grouping the questionnaire items in the following underlying factors: trust, information sharing, partnership, collaboration or cooperation, and coordination. The identification of such factors such as dimensions of SCI enables greater understanding on how to raise the level of integration among the members of a supply chain

Avaliação das habilidades individuais como instrumento de integração da cadeia de suprimentos

Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Produção, Florianópolis, 2018.A integração da cadeia de suprimentos (SCI) tem sido vista como forma de desenvolver vantagem competitiva a partir da gestão dos relacionamentos, possibilitando a redução de custos com a racionalização dos processos, diminuição de falhas, incertezas e desperdícios ao longo da cadeia. Para tanto, os membros necessitam trabalhar em conjunto, alinhando as atividades intra e interorganizacionais com foco em um mesmo objetivo. Tradicionalmente este alinhamento vem sendo construído com base em fatores tecnológicos e estruturais (denominados fatores hard). No entanto, o nível de produtividade e o uso efetivo da tecnologia é determinado pelos aspectos humanos e de liderança das organizações (denominados de fatores soft). Através do maior envolvimento dos recursos humanos nos objetivos da cadeia de suprimentos seria possível obter vantagem competitiva mais consistente e duradoura, pois as mudanças tecnológicas podem ser rapidamente corroídas pelo constante desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias, enquanto as habilidades humanas são regenerativas. Assim, esta pesquisa tem como objetivo desenvolver um instrumento que permita avaliar o nível de habilidade dos indivíduos de uma organização de modo a contribuir com a elevação do nível de SCI, atribuindo um nível de dificuldade a cada item com base na Teoria de Resposta ao Item (TRI). As habilidades avaliadas na escala são: comprometimento, comunicação, confiança cooperação, coordenação, flexibilidade, gestão de conflitos, liderança e trabalho em equipe. Comportamentos relacionados a essas habilidades foram posicionados em 9 níveis da escala, divididos em 3 grandes grupos que representam nível de habilidade baixo, médio ou alto para contribuir com o aumento da SCI. Pessoas com baixo nível de contribuição indicam total falta de envolvimento com os objetivos da cadeia de suprimentos. No nível médio, as pessoas apresentam contribuição significativa para a melhoria da SCI. No nível mais alto da escala, encontra-se alto nível de contribuição para a integração. Com isso, é possível identificar o nível de dificuldade relacionado aos comportamentos de cada habilidade e avaliar as equipes de trabalho, desenvolvendo treinamentos direcionados a cada grupo, de modo a melhorar o alinhamento nas relações intra e interorganizacionais na cadeia de suprimentos.Abstract : Supply chain integration (SCI) has been seen as a way to develop a competitive advantage through the management of relationships. SCI allows cost reduction trough process rationalization, reduction of failures, uncertainties and waste along the chain. To do so, members of the chain need to work together, aligning intra and interorganizational activities with a focus on the same goal. Traditionally this alignment has been constructed based on technological and structural factors (called hard factors). However, the level of productivity and the effective use of technology is determined by the human and leadership aspects of organizations (called soft factors). Through the greater involvement of human resources in supply chain objectives, it would be possible to obtain a more consistent and lasting competitive advantage as technological changes can be quickly eroded by the constant development of new technologies while human skills are regenerative. Thus, this research aims to develop an instrument that allows to evaluate the level of ability of the individuals of an organization in order to contribute to the elevation of the SCI level, assigning a level of difficulty to each item based on the Item Response Theory (IRT). The skills assessed in the scale are: commitment, communication, trust, cooperation, coordination, flexibility, conflict management, leadership and teamwork. Behaviors related to these abilities were positioned in 9 levels of the scale, divided into 3 large groups that represent low, medium or high level of ability to contribute to the increase of SCI. People with a low level of contribution indicate a total lack of involvement with the objectives of the supply chain. At the average level, people make a significant contribution to the improvement of SCI. At the highest level of the scale, there is a high level of contribution to integration. With this developed scale, it is possible to identify the level of difficulty related to the behaviors of each skill and also it is possible to evaluate the work teams and develop specific training strategies to each group, in order to improve the alignment in the intra and interorganizational relations in the supply chain

Mensuração de níveis de integração entre membros de uma cadeia de suprimentos: proposta de uma escala para avaliar os relacionamentos a montante

The integration is highlighted in the literature as essential characteristic to the supply chain management (SCM), once aligned to strategic decisions, it produces more effective results, increases sensitivity to customer needs, decreases the response time to market changes and other factors that lead to increased performance of the chain as a whole. However, although the importance of integration is widely recognized, there is still much disagreement regarding its definition and therefore, difficult to measure the level of integration among members of a supply chain, making it difficult to evaluate the current chain state as well as the possibility of improvement. Thus, this research aims at developing a scale to measure the level of integration among members of a supply chain, focusing on upstream relationships, using the Item Response Theory (IRT). For this purpose we sought to identify the characteristics of integration through situations that indicate their existence by the following steps: 1) development of a scale to measure the level of integration with among members upstream the chain, based on the characteristics of integration identified in the literature review: confidence, information sharing, partnership, cooperation, coordination and collaboration, 2) preparation of items with situations that indicate the existence of these aspects in the relationship among members, building a scale to measure the level of integration between company and supplier, 3) measuring the level of integration of the companies participating in the research. The definition of the level of integration indicated by each item allowed the confirmation of the existence of a cumulative relationship among features of integration, based on the confidence that enables the sharing of information, followed by partnership and cooperation, coordination and collaboration among members.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível SuperiorA integração é destacada na literatura como uma característica essencial à gestão de cadeia de suprimentos (SCM), uma vez que, alinhada às decisões estratégicas, produz resultados mais eficazes, aumenta a sensibilidade às necessidades dos clientes, diminui o tempo de resposta às variações de mercado, entre outros fatores que levam ao aumento do desempenho da cadeia como um todo. No entanto, embora a importância da integração seja amplamente reconhecida, ainda existe muita divergência em relação à sua definição e, com isso, dificuldade em mensurar o nível de integração entre os membros de uma cadeia de suprimentos, dificultando a avaliação do estado atual da cadeia, bem como a possibilidade de melhoria. Nesse sentido, esta pesquisa tem como objetivo desenvolver uma escala para mensurar o nível de integração entre os membros de uma cadeia de suprimentos, com foco nas relações à montante, utilizando a Teoria de Resposta ao Item (TRI). Com este propósito, buscou-se identificar as características de integração por meio de situações que denotam a existência destas, seguindo as etapas descritas: 1) desenvolvimento de uma escala para mensurar o nível de integração com os membros à montante na cadeia, baseada nas características de integração identificadas na revisão da literatura: confiança, compartilhamento de informações, parceria, cooperação, coordenação e colaboração; 2) elaboração de itens com situações que denotam a existência destes aspectos na relação entre os membros, construindo uma escala para mensurar o nível de integração entre empresa e fornecedor; 3) mensuração do nível de integração das empresas participantes da pesquisa. A definição do nível de integração indicado por cada item permitiu a comprovação da existência de uma relação cumulativa entre as características de integração, tendo a confiança como base que possibilita o compartilhamento de informações, em seguida a parceria e a cooperação, coordenação e colaboração entre os membros

Multidimensionality evaluation of supply chain management integration

Integration is constantly reported in the literature as an essential feature of SCM. However, it is as difficult to define as to operationalize it, resulting in a lack of information on how to increase the level of integration among members. Thus, this research aims to evaluate the dimensionality of SCI, to check alignment with the features identified in the literature using multivariate statistical analysis. The methodology used was based on a questionnaire to assess the level of companies integration with suppliers of its supply chain. This instrument consisted of 21 items, with response options: yes, no or not applicable. The questions focused on evaluating the integration with suppliers, so each company consulted could answer a questionnaire for each supplier, since the intensity of relationships varies. Thus, 41 companies participated in the survey, resulting in 205 responses. Full-information item factor analysis and principal component analysis on the correlation matrix tetrachoric were used for the instrument dimensionality analysis. They are appropriate procedures for analysis of dichotomous variables. The results of this analysis enabled grouping the questionnaire items in the following underlying factors: trust, information sharing, partnership, collaboration or cooperation, and coordination. The identification of such factors such as dimensions of SCI enables greater understanding on how to raise the level of integration among the members of a supply chain

Evaluation of impacts of climate change and local stressors on the biotechnological potential of marine macroalgae - a brief theoretical discussion of likely scenarios

Climate change can be associated with variations in the frequency and intensity of extreme temperatures and precipitation events on the local and regional scales. Along coastal areas, flooding associated with increased occupation has seriously impacted products and services generated by marine life, in particular the biotechnological potential that macroalgae hold. Therefore, this paper analyzes the available information on the taxonomy, ecology and physiology of macroalgae and discusses the impacts of climate change and local stress on the biotechnological potential of Brazilian macroalgae. Based on data compiled from a series of floristic and ecological works, we note the disappearance in some Brazilian regions of major groups of biotechnological interest. In some cases, the introduction of exotic species has been documented, as well as expansion of the distribution range of economically important species. We also verify an increase in the similarities between the Brazilian phycogeographic provinces, although they still remain different. It is possible that these changes have resulted from the warming of South Atlantic water, as observed for its surface in southeastern Brazilian, mainly during the winter. However, unplanned urbanization of coastal areas can also produce similar biodiversity losses, which requires efforts to generate long-term temporal data on the composition, community structure and physiology of macroalga