Blockchain-enabled capabilities in transport operations: an overview of the literature

The blockchain was initially developed for use in the banking sector. However, over time, different areas of knowledge have adopted these technologies, including transportation operations. This use of blockchain in the transport sector is mainly due to the ability of this technology to enable the data generated by these activities to be reliable. In addition to aspects related to data immutability, blockchain enables greater data privacy, as well as making it possible for the data control process to be decentralized. In this sense, it was carried out a systematic literature review (RSL) to identify the general publications panorama on the topic, and to identify the capabilities enabled by the blockchain in the context of transportation operations. RSL has great potential to make it possible to deepen the literature on a given topic. The analysis of the RSL results included the realization of two stages. The first step consisted of a quantitative analysis of data from a sample of 50 articles, to identify this research field about the distribution by journal, year, and author. This first step enabled a general analysis of the field of study on the use of blockchain in transportation. The second stage consisted of a qualitative analysis of the ten most relevant articles in this field of study. In this way, it was possible to understand more about the use of blockchain in transport operations, as well as to identify seven capabilities enabled by the blockchain. These capabilities represent abilities that blockchain technology allows the transport sector today, demonstrating the importance of its use, as well as of study

Going Beyond Blockchain Adoption's Hype to Improve Supply Chain Sustainability: Evidence From Empirical and Modelling Studies

Potential solutions emerge with the fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, including the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain. The global supply chain requires greater traceability and transparency to ensure product security, efficient management and sustainable performance. However, traditional supply chains face several challenges related to traceability systems. This paper aims to analyse academic literature regarding Blockchain adoption in supply chains to improve traceability and transparency from a sustainable perspective. A systematic literature review was performed in order to provide verifiable evidence; we focused our investigation on empirical and modelling articles. Results suggest that Blockchain benefits occur through three levels: macro-level (overall supply chain network), meso-level (such as dyadic relationships) and micro-level (end consumers). However, we note that the contribution’s results have not yet reached a consensus. We have therefore proposed three research insights towards addressing the identified gaps

Going Beyond Blockchain Adoption\u27s Hype to Improve Supply Chain Sustainability: Evidence From Empirical and Modelling Studies

Potential solutions emerge with the fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, including the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain. The global supply chain requires greater traceability and transparency to ensure product security, efficient management and sustainable performance. However, traditional supply chains face several challenges related to traceability systems. This paper aims to analyse academic literature regarding Blockchain adoption in supply chains to improve traceability and transparency from a sustainable perspective. A systematic literature review was performed in order to provide verifiable evidence; we focused our investigation on empirical and modelling articles. Results suggest that Blockchain benefits occur through three levels: macro-level (overall supply chain network), meso-level (such as dyadic relationships) and micro-level (end consumers). However, we note that the contribution’s results have not yet reached a consensus. We have therefore proposed three research insights towards addressing the identified gaps

Lean manufacturing and business performance: testing the S-curve theory

This article makes a case for the importance of exploring patterns in the relationship between the adoption of lean manufacturing practices and business performance. This relationship has been described as ambiguous, because it has variously appeared to be positive, insignificant, and negative. Accordingly, this article tests this relationship for non-linearity and shows that it follows the S-Curve theory. A survey of manufacturing companies in an industrial cluster in Brazil was undertaken. This region faces infrastructural challenges, such as geographic distance between purchasers and suppliers and a shortage of skilled Labour. Despite the conditions, these companies have significantly improved their operational, financial, and environmental performance through the adoption of lean practices. Thus, this article contributes to the literature on lean manufacturing by: (a) furthering the debate on the relationship between lean practices and business performance, and testing its adherence to the S-curve theory by means of survey research; and (b) simultaneously testing operational, financial and environmental performance as a result of the adoption of lean manufacturing practices. As a consequence of the S-shaped relationship demonstrated, managers need to be aware of the presence of inertial and saturation points in the adoption of lean manufacturing practices, so they can correctly allocate resources for improving the adoption of lean practices

Logistics professional profile: a production engineering teacher\'s view

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi analisar a percepção dos docentes dos cursos de graduação em Engenharia de Produção para a formação do profissional de logística. A base para esta pesquisa consistiu em confrontar um modelo teórico de conhecimento em logística, denominado árvore do conhecimento, com o perfil dos docentes da Engenharia de Produção, identificando assim a influência destes na formação do profissional que atua em logística. Foi destacado também qual o perfil ideal para o profissional que atuará em logística, segundo a ótica destes mesmos docentes. O método utilizado foi a pesquisa de avaliação survey. Os resultados gerais da pesquisa apontam que os docentes dos cursos de graduação em engenharia de produção, têm uma contribuição bastante efetiva na formação do profissional que atua em logística. No entanto, é necessário ressaltar que estes exercem uma influência considerável na determinação do perfil do profissional a atuar em logística, devido à formação na área de engenharia.The objective of this work is to analyze the graduation Production Engineering teacher\'s view in a logistics professional profile. The base for this research is to compare a theoretical model in logistics knowledge - called knowledge tree - with the Production Engineering teacher\'s profile, identifying how is that influence in the logistics professional\'s formation. Besides, the ideal profile of the logistics professional is too emphasized according to the same teacher\'s view. The used method is the survey evaluation research. The general results pointed that the teachers of production engineering graduation courses have a quite effective contribution in the logistics professional\'s formation. However, it is necessary to emphasize that the teachers\'great influence in the logistics professional\'s profile is due the brazilian formation in the engineering area

Logistics professional profile: a production engineering teacher\'s view

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi analisar a percepção dos docentes dos cursos de graduação em Engenharia de Produção para a formação do profissional de logística. A base para esta pesquisa consistiu em confrontar um modelo teórico de conhecimento em logística, denominado árvore do conhecimento, com o perfil dos docentes da Engenharia de Produção, identificando assim a influência destes na formação do profissional que atua em logística. Foi destacado também qual o perfil ideal para o profissional que atuará em logística, segundo a ótica destes mesmos docentes. O método utilizado foi a pesquisa de avaliação survey. Os resultados gerais da pesquisa apontam que os docentes dos cursos de graduação em engenharia de produção, têm uma contribuição bastante efetiva na formação do profissional que atua em logística. No entanto, é necessário ressaltar que estes exercem uma influência considerável na determinação do perfil do profissional a atuar em logística, devido à formação na área de engenharia.The objective of this work is to analyze the graduation Production Engineering teacher\'s view in a logistics professional profile. The base for this research is to compare a theoretical model in logistics knowledge - called knowledge tree - with the Production Engineering teacher\'s profile, identifying how is that influence in the logistics professional\'s formation. Besides, the ideal profile of the logistics professional is too emphasized according to the same teacher\'s view. The used method is the survey evaluation research. The general results pointed that the teachers of production engineering graduation courses have a quite effective contribution in the logistics professional\'s formation. However, it is necessary to emphasize that the teachers\'great influence in the logistics professional\'s profile is due the brazilian formation in the engineering area

Proposal of a fuzzy logic simulation model to predict performance of focus company in supply chains

Este trabalho apresenta e discute uma proposta baseada na teoria dos conjuntos fuzzy para predizer o desempenho da empresa-foco em cadeia de suprimentos modelada de acordo com os relacionamentos causais entre medidas de desempenho propostas pelo SCOR (versão 8.0). O uso de sistemas de medição de desempenho para gerenciar o desempenho de cadeias de suprimentos apresenta algumas limitações tais como a dificuldade de interpretação de resultados de natureza qualitativa, assim como a complexidade de um sistema tradicional de medição de desempenho lidar adequadamente com os relacionamentos de causas e efeito entre métricas de desempenho de diferentes processos de negócios ao longo da cadeia de suprimentos. Por outro lado, a lógica fuzzy, uma técnica apropriada para lidar com situações de incerteza e subjetividade, configura-se como uma alternativa interessante. Utilizando uma abordagem de pesquisa quantitativa descritiva, assumiu-se a hipótese de que um modelo de simulação quantitativo poderia ser construído para explicar o comportamento de processos operacionais. Os resultados da simulação mostraram-se bastante consistentes à metodologia SCORmark, proposta pelo Supply Chain Council. Análises estatísticas dos resultados da simulação, baseados no Método de Superfície de Resposta, também confirmaram a relevância dos relacionamentos causais incorporados no modelo. Em geral, os resultados reforçam que a proposição da adoção de um modelo de simulação baseado em lógica fuzzy e nas métricas do SCOR parece ser uma abordagem possível para auxiliar os gerentes no processo de tomada de decisão do gerenciamento do desempenho em cadeias de suprimentos.This paper presents and discusses a proposal based on the theory of fuzzy sets to predict performance of focus company in a supply chain modeled according to causal relationships among performance metrics proposed by SCOR (version 8.0). The use of performance measurement systems to manage performance of supply chains presents some limitations such as difficulty of interpretation of results of qualitative nature as well as the complexity of having a conventional performance measuring system that can adequately handle cause-and-effect relationships of metrics of performance of different business processes of a supply chain. On the other hand, fuzzy logic, a technique suitable for dealing with uncertainty and subjectivity, becomes an interesting alternative approach. Using a descriptive quantitative approach, the research was based on the assumption that a quantitative simulation model can be built that explain (at least in part) the behavior of operational processes. Results of simulation were very much in line with those of the SCORmark methodology (SCC). Statistical analysis of the simulation results based on surface response method also confirmed the relevance of the causal relationships embedded in the model. In general, the findings reinforces the proposition that adoption of a simulation model based on fuzzy-logic and on metrics of the SCOR model seems to be a feasible approach to help managers in the decision making process of managing performance of supply chains

Predicting Success in Product Development: The Application of Principal Component Analysis to Categorical Data and Binomial Logistic Regression

Critical success factors in new product development (NPD) in the Brazilian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are identified and analyzed. Critical success factors are best practices that can be used to improve NPD management and performance in a company. However, the traditional method for identifying these factors is survey methods. Subsequently, the collected data are reduced through traditional multivariate analysis. The objective of this work is to develop a logistic regression model for predicting the success or failure of the new product development. This model allows for an evaluation and prioritization of resource commitments. The results will be helpful for guiding management actions, as one way to improve NPD performance in those industries

A fuzzy logic approach to supply chain performance management

The aim of this paper is to propose a supply chain performance model based on fuzzy logic to predict performance based on causal relationships between metrics of the Supply Council Operations Reference model (SCOR) model. The main contribution and originality of this proposal relates to the application of Fuzzy logic to predict performance based on performance metrics levels 1 and 2 of the SCOR model. Fuzzy logic is a technique suitable for dealing with uncertainty and subjectivity, which becomes an interesting auxiliary approach to manage performance of supply chains. A descriptive quantitative approach was adopted as research method, based on the prediction model. Statistical analysis of the prediction model results confirmed the relevance of the causal relationships embedded in the model. The findings reinforce the proposition that the adoption of a prediction model based on fuzzylogic and on metrics of the SCOR model seems to be a feasible technique to help managers in the decision making process of managing performance of supply chains.Supply chain management Fuzzy logic Performance measurement Decision processes