Una síntesis de las localidades ibéricas conocidas para Craspedacusta sowerbii Lankester, 1880 (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa): nuevo registro para España procedente de la vega del Guadalquivir

Alien invasive species are one of the major threats to biodiversity. Particularly, cnidarian species are frequently spread far from their native areas, through human activities. Indeed, many hydroids have been successfully transported as fouling on ship hulls, in ballast waters and as fauna associated with the commercial traffic of other aquatic species. Craspedacusta sowerbii Lankester, 1880 (Hydrozoa: Olindiidae) is the most widely distributed freshwater medusa around the world. This hydrozoan species is probably considered native to the Yangtze valley (China) and invasive in freshwater systems worldwide. In this note, we report the presence of an established population of C. sowerbii from the low Guadalquivir River (western Andalusia, southwestern Spain) and provide the environmental data associated with its occurrence. The spatial distribution of C. sowerbii in the Iberian Peninsula is still poorly studied and most information is derived from regional academic publications, technical reports of limited access, naturalists’ observations or press news on environmental issues. Therefore, all sparse Iberian records for this species have been revised and presented here. This note contributes to know its distribution in the Iberian Peninsula, an important preliminary step to later assess the impact of this invasive species on the Iberian ecosystems.Las especies exóticas invasoras son una de las mayores amenazas para la biodiversidad. Particularmente, las especies de cnidarios son frecuentemente dispersadas lejos de sus áreas de origen por mediación de actividades humanas. Así, muchos hidrozoos han sido exitosamente transportados en las aguas de lastre, fijadas en los cascos de los barcos y como fauna asociada al tráfico comercial de otras especies acuáticas. Craspedacusta sowerbii Lankester, 1880 (Hydrozoa: Olindiidae) es la medusa de agua dulce más ampliamente distribuida en el planeta. Esta especie de hidrozoo es considerada probablemente nativa del valle del Yangtze (China) e invasora en ambientes epicontinentales de prácticamente todo el mundo. En esta nota, señalamos la presencia de una población de C. sowerbii establecida en el bajo Guadalquivir (Andalucía Occidental, Suroeste de España) y proporcionamos los datos ambientales asociados con su ocurrencia. La distribución espacial de C. sowerbii en la Península Ibérica está aún poco estudiada y la mayoría de la información proviene de publicaciones académicas regionales, informes técnicos de limitado acceso, observaciones puntuales de naturalistas o noticias de prensa sobre cuestiones ambientales. Por tanto, se han revisado estas fuentes para presentar reunidos todos los registros conocidos sobre esta especie en la Península Ibérica. Esta nota contribuye al conocimiento de su distribución en la Península Ibérica, un importante paso previo para evaluar posteriormente el impacto de esta especie invasora en los ecosistemas ibéricos

On the convergence of multi-level Hermite-Pad\'e approximants

In the present paper we prove a Stieltjes type theorem on the convergence of a sequence of rational functions associated with a mixed type Hermite-Pad\'e approximation problem of a Nikishin system of functions and analyze the ratio asymptotic of the corresponding Hermite-Pad\'e polynomials.Comment: 24 page

How to Evaluate Supply Chain Risks, including Sustainable Aspects? A Case Study from the German Industry

Purpose: Outsourcing transactions have been arisen and evolved in the last years and purchase managers want to know if a Failure Mode Effects and Analysis (FMEA) is an effective qualitative technique to analyze supply chain risks (SCR) in a proper way. The aim of this study is to address this question developing a practicable risk management process based on the guidelines of the ISO 31000 for upstream Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) linking risk assessment, risk identification, risk analysis, risk evaluation, risk treatment and validate the process empirically through a case study. Design/methodology/approach: After a review of the literature on Sustainable Supply Chain Risk Management (SSCRM), a case study based on a leading manufacturer of electrical products, collects evidences of SSCRM implementation. Findings: Supply chain disruptions are one of the most critical issues which can negatively influence on firm’s performance. Avoiding and mitigating disruptions in the supply chain is one of the main challenges for supply chain managers. Originality/value: This paper identifies the ISO 31000, the ISO 9001 and the use of an FMEA to analyze supply chain risks in a structured manner and to outline future research opportunities in the field of SCRM

Strategic Sourcing: Developing a Progressive Framework for Make-Or-Buy Decisions

Purpose: Make-or-buy decisions represent a critical dilemma faced by many firms. The appropriate decision between designing and manufacturing parts or services in-house, buying them from external providers or combining both is a fundamental firm process. This paper seeks to address this question by updating the traditional make-or-buy literature with new academic insights, developing a make-or-buy framework with a tool for its operationalisation to help managers evaluate sourcing decisions. Design/methodology/approach: First, a literature review of the principal theories and approaches about make-or-buy decisions is discussed. Second, the development of the make-or-buy framework is described and explained based on the results of qualitative interviews with practitioners and a set of interviews of an in-firm case study. Third, the results and the implementation of the framework are outlined. Findings: Our study not only validates the proposed framework through a set of in-firm make-or-buy decisions, but also provides a structure for its implementation and design a decision matrix with a pairwise comparison tool for helping practitioners to put the framework into practice. Research limitations/implications: This paper aims to contribute to the study of the make-or-buy literature in supply chain management through the graphical representation of why and how make-or-buy decisions are made. Interestingly, the paper presents relevant dimensions and factors to be studied and evaluates possible outcomes when approaching make-or-buy decisions. Originality/value: Our results suggest that practitioners should combine this framework with a pairwise comparison matrix and a multi-criteria decision analysis based on the TOPSIS methodology to assess strategic sourcing decisions

Coronavirus (COVID-19): How to Secure the Supply Chain? – A Case Study

Supply chain global dependency has been arisen in the last years and supply chain managers want to know if the manufacturing purchasing managers’ index and export/import dependency rate data are effective qualitative key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor possible supply chain risk effects in a proper way. The aim of this study is to address this question performing an analysis of the current KPIs in the main affected countries in Europe (Italy) and Asia (China). After a review of the literature on Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) and published official statistics in China, Italy and Germany, a case study focused on a set of interviews with practitioners based on a firm located in Germany was used to generate uncaptured insights in previous research of the area. Official KPIs and firms’ supplier specific KPIs like delivery performance are key to monitor possible Supply chain disruptions. Moreover, increasing regular bidirectional communication with firms’ suppliers generates trust and it is one of the most critical issues which can positively influence on firm’s performance. A regular follow-up of authorities’ updates in terms of restrictions at local, national and international level should be considered too. This paper identifies manufacturing purchasing managers’ index and export/import dependency rate data as effective qualitative KPIs to monitor possible supply chain risk effects and disruptions in a structured manner and to outline future research opportunities in the field of SCRM

Do risk events increase supply chain uncertainty? A case study

Supply chain uncertainty has become an important area of research, and it is crucial for many firms, and especially so for global firms. Decision makers find it difficult to make decisions due to lack of transparency in the supply chain and the impact of possible risk events. This paper aims to approach this topic by developing a conceptual model to assist logistics and supply chain managers to improve supply chain effectiveness by analysing risk events. To this end we use a case study based on a set of interviews with agents of a German firm and some of its suppliers from India, China and Europe, which generates insights uncaptured in previous research in the area. The main findings answer questions such as: 1. How to build an agile supply chain strategy with rapid planning and integrated execution in different stages?; 2. How to identify and avoid risk events as they increase the supply chain uncertainty and are multiplied when interrelated risk events occur simultaneously; 3. Can supply chain uncertainty be reduced by determining the degree of flexibility required to mitigate risk effects, reducing supply chain uncertainty and increasing the firm’s dynamic capabilities?