Combined use of Data Envelopment Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment for operational and environmental benchmarking in the service sector: a case study of grocery stores

Ensuring sustainable production patterns doing more and better with less is a key sustainable development goal. In this sense, the joint use of Life Cycle Assessment and Data Envelopment Analysis (i.e., the LCA+DEA methodology) arises as a quantitative tool for the eco-efficiency assessment of multiple similar entities. To date, the LCA+DEA methodology has been widely applied to case studies within the primary and secondary sectors. However, the applicability of this combined methodology to case studies within the tertiary (service) sector is still unexplored, which constitutes a current knowledge gap in this field. This work contributes to filling this gap by benchmarking the operational and environmental performance of a sample of 30 groceries located in Spain. All the evaluated groceries were found to involve relative efficiency scores above 0.60, with one third of the groceries deemed fully efficient. Average reductions of 3-26% in the consumption of operational inputs were calculated, leading to average reductions of 9% in the carbon footprint and 10% in the energy footprint. Furthermore, economic savings of up to 3% of the annual turnover were estimated. These results were further enriched through the application of a super-efficiency DEA model for a refined identification of the best-performers, as well as through the novel use of a specific model for the gradual operational and environmental benchmarking of the sample. Overall, a high applicability of the LCA+DEA methodology for eco-efficiency assessment within the service sector is concluded, facilitating the identification and quantification of sustainable operational patterns.publishe

Sustainability-oriented management of retail stores through the combination of life cycle assessment and dynamic data envelopment analysis

A sound management of retail stores is a crucial aspect in the path towards a sustainable commercial sector, with a lack of research studies in the field of joint efficiency and sustainability assessment within this sector. In this sense, this work delves into the role of operational efficiency in the sustainability-oriented management of retail stores through the case study of 30 groceries in Spain over the period 2015-2017. With this purpose, and given the current knowledge gap in period-oriented sustainability benchmarking for management plans, for the first time a five-step methodological framework based on the combination of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and dynamic Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was proposed and applied to a case study within the service sector. The overall- and term-efficiency scores calculated through this method led to the general conclusion of a relatively good performance of the set of grocery stores over the evaluated period, which is associated with the centralised management strategy followed by the retail company. Furthermore, operational, socio-economic and environmental benchmarks were calculated as target values that could assist decision-makers at the retail company level in setting the path for a sustainable operation of the company's stores. Overall, the proposed period-oriented LCA + DEA method proved to be a feasible and valuable tool for sustainability management of retail stores, being preferred over the static (i.e., single term) alternative provided that time-series data are available at the company level.publishe

Sensitivity of operational and environmental benchmarks of retail stores to decision-makers' preferences through Data Envelopment Analysis

Within the framework of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), weighting methods are typically used to capture decision-makers' preferences. In this regard, the increasing use of the combined LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) + DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) methodology as an MCDA tool requires an in-depth analysis of how the preferences of decision-makers could affect the outcomes of LCA + DEA studies. This work revisits a case study of 30 retail stores/supply chains located in Spain by applying alternative weighted DEA approaches to evaluate the influence of decision-makers' preferences (weights) on the final outcomes, with a focus on efficiency scores and operational and environmental benchmarks. The ultimate goal is to effectively capture the view of stakeholders when applying LCA + DEA for the sound, sustainability-oriented management of multiple similar entities. Different weight vectors are separately applied to three types of DEA elements: operational inputs, time terms, and divisions. Besides, preferences from three alternative standpoints are considered: company manager through direct rating, and environmental policy-maker and local community through AHP (analytic hierarchy process). A significant influence on efficiency scores and sustainability benchmarks was found when weighting decision-makers' preferences on operational inputs. Additionally, a moderate influence was observed when weighting divisions according to a policy-maker or local community perspective. Although the results are case-specific, they lead to the general recommendation to enrich LCA + DEA studies by following not only an equal-weight approach but also approaches that include the preferences of the stakeholders effectively involved in the study.publishe

Sustainability-oriented efficiency of retail supply chains: a combination of Life Cycle Assessment and dynamic network Data Envelopment Analysis

Assessing the efficiency of retail supply chains (RSCs) requires analytical tools that address the different activities involved in these chains. In this sense, dynamic network Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) arises as a suitable method to evaluate the operational performance of RSCs over a period of time. However, its use for sustainability-oriented efficiency assessment constitutes a knowledge gap that limits its applicability for thorough decision-making processes, e.g. at the retail company level. This article fills this gap through the combination of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and dynamic network DEA. A novel five-step LCA + DEA approach is proposed and applied to a case study of 30 RSCs in Spain for the period 2015-2017. In this case, the supply chain structure involves three divisions: central distribution, operation of retail stores, and home delivery. Both overall- and term-efficiency scores were found to widely range from 0.38 to 1.00, with only 1 RSC deemed efficient. Regarding divisional efficiency, store operation was found to generally show significantly higher efficiency scores than the distribution divisions. The link between long distribution distances and low efficiency stresses the relevance of integrating a network perspective into the efficiency assessment. In addition to efficiency scores, the LCA + DEA approach enriches the assessment by providing environmental, operational and socio-economic benchmarks to further support the management of RSCs from a sustainability perspective.publishe

Catalonia's energy metabolism : Using the MuSIASEM approach at different scales

This paper applies the so-called Multi-Scale Integrated Analysis of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism (MuSIASEM), based on Georgescu-Roegen's fund-flow model, to the Spanish region of Catalonia. It arrives to the conclusion that within the context of the end of cheap oil, the current development model of the Catalan economy, based on the growth of low-productivity sectors such as services and construction, must be changed. The change is needed not only because of the increasing scarcity of affordable energy and the increasing environmental impact of present development, but also because of the aging population. Moreover, the situation experienced by Catalonia is similar to that of other European countries and many other developed countries. This implies that we can expect a wave of major structural changes in the economy of developed countries worldwide. To make things more challenging, according to current trends, the energy intensity and exosomatic energy metabolism of Catalonia will keep increasing in the near future. To avoid a reduction in the standard of living of Catalans due to a reduction in the available energy it is important that the Government of Catalonia implement major adjustments and conservation efforts in both the household and paid-work sectors

Implementación de la metodología Lean Manufacturing para mejorar la productividad del proceso de envasado de la empresa AJEPER

El presente trabajo de investigación tiene como objetivo aplicar las herramientas de la metodología Lean Manufacturing, VSM, SMED y 5S para incrementar la productividad del proceso de envasado. Aplicando correctamente las herramientas de la metodología Lean se identifica la oportunidad de mejora en la línea 5 encargada de producir bebidas no alcohólicas. Asimismo, en este diagnóstico se puede observar cual el [sic] cambio de formato que presenta mayor tiempo de set-up, por tanto, se decide en primer lugar implementar la herramienta 5S para mejorar la eficiencia y eficacia de los operarios del proceso de envasado, fomentando una nueva área de trabajo, el cual debe ser ordenado y limpio. A su vez, se refuerza la aplicación de las 5S con la herramienta SMED, el cual permite cambiar, reducir o eliminar operaciones que no son explícitamente necesarias en los cambios de formato. A su vez, al aplicar el SMED permite desarrollar nuevos procedimientos de trabajo utilizando correctamente los recursos brindados por la organización. Finalmente, se obtiene como resultado un incremento de la productividad de 13.5%, reduciendo el tiempo de cambio de formato de 3 horas 23 minutos y 02 segundos a 1 hora 35 minutos y 56 segundos, lo cual permite tener mayor tiempo disponible para poder seguir produciendo y cumplir los diferentes objetivos de la organización.Campus Lima Centr

Propuesta de aplicación de la metodología SMED en una línea de envasado de bebidas carbonatadas

Actualmente, existe una gran demanda en la industria de bebidas, por ello las empresas buscan producir la mayor cantidad de bienes en el menor tiempo posible respetando las normas de salubridad establecidas. Con este trabajo de investigación se pretende elaborar una propuesta de aplicación de la metodología SMED para la reducción de tiempos de saneamiento en la línea de envasado de bebidas carbonatadas, con el propósito de mejorar los procesos, implementando una nueva propuesta de diagrama de operaciones. Luego de ello, reducir el número de paradas rutinarias en el área de producción aumentando su eficacia y eficiencia. Al término de la propuesta trabajo de investigación, se disminuyó los tiempos de saneamiento en un 10.29% es decir, 28 minutos con 7 segundos el cual equivale a 671,580 dólares americanos. A su vez, el número de paradas rutinarias disminuyo aumentando la eficiencia en la línea de producción.Trabajo de investigaciónCampus Lima Centr

Life cycle assessment of wood pellets and wood split logs for residential heating

Wood-fuelled systems are commonly used all over the world for residential heating, and recently wood pellets have been replacing traditional firewood. This article presents an environmental life cycle assessment of five wood-based combustion systems for residential heating: i) a pellet stove using maritime pine pellets; a wood stove using ii) eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus Labill.) and iii) maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) split logs; and a fireplace using iv) eucalyptus and v) maritime pine split logs. The functional unit is 1 MJ of thermal energy for residential heating. System boundaries include four stages: (1) forest management; (2) pellet and wood split log production; (3) distribution; and (4) thermal energy generation. Environmental impacts were calculated for seven impact categories from the ReCiPe 2016 midpoint method, and a sensitivity analysis was performed using the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) life cycle impact assessment method and modifying the distances travelled. Of the five heating systems analysed, the fireplace presents the worst performance for all the impact categories with the exception of freshwater eutrophication and marine eutrophication, when maritime pine split logs are burned in the fireplace. Comparing the pellet stove with the wood stove, neither system is better for all the impact categories analysed. Regarding sensitivity analysis, the use of an alternative characterisation method leads to similar trends in the results in comparison with those obtained from the ReCiPe method, while changes in transport distances do not affect the total impacts to a large extent.publishe

Efficiency assessment of diets in the Spanish regions: A multi-criteria cross-cutting approach

Food systems are one of the main drivers of the global greenhouse gases emissions from anthropogenic sources, which could be aggravated by the projected increase in world population. Hence, the adoption of sustainable diets that guarantee good and accessible nutrition and a low environmental impact is an increasingly important need. This goal is, by nature, a multi-dimensional and multi-criteria challenge that should take into account nutritional, environmental and socio-economic aspects. In this sense, this work proposes a novel methodological framework that involves the use of Data Envelopment Analysis for the efficiency assessment of dietary patterns integrating nutritional (Nutrient Rich Diet 9.3 index), environmental (carbon footprint) and socio-economic criteria (number of deaths due to tumours of the digestive system, obesity-related health expenditure, and number of persons with food shortages). The applicability of this methodology is proven through the case study of the dietary patterns of the 17 Spanish autonomous regions. The analysis reveals the existence of seven autonomous regions with sustainable dietary patterns. Furthermore, most regions have multi-criteria efficiency scores above 0.60, which suggests the presence of relatively good dietary habits in Spain. Overall, it is concluded that the proposed methodology is a viable and valuable tool for benchmarking dietary patterns under multiple cross-cutting criteriaThis research has been supported by a project granted by Xunta de Galicia (project ref. ED431F 2016/001). Dr. S.G-G. would like to express her gratitude to the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness for financial support (Grant reference RYC-2014-14984). The authors X. E-L. & S.G-G. belong to the Galician Competitive Research Group GRC 2013-032 as well as to CRETUS (AGRUP2015/02), co-funded by Xunta de Galicia and FEDER (EU). Dr. D.I. would like to thank the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness for financial support (ENE2015-74607-JIN AEI/FEDER/UE). Dr. M.M-G. states that thanks are due for the financial support to CESAM (UID/AMB/50017/2019), to FCT/MEC through national funds, and the co-funding by the FEDER, within the PT2020 Partnership Agreement and Compete 2020. This research was partially supported by the Spanish Government (CTQ2016-75136-P)S

Red de Evaluación de Cultivares de Soja para el noroeste argentino: Resultados de la campaña 2017/2018

La finalidad de este trabajo consiste en evaluar el comportamiento de las variedades de soja que se encuentran en el mercado, considerando aspectos agronómicos, fenológicos, sanitarios, etc. En la campaña 2017/2018 se evaluaron 39 variedades de soja , 11 de ellas por primera vez. La mayorparte de los materiales ensayados (67%) tuvieron la tecnología RR2Bt (IPRO), comercialmente conocida como ?Intacta?. A su vez, las variedades nuevas, que representaron el 28%, fueron principalmente variedades IPRO (82%).Fil: Devani, Mario Rodolfo. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Ledesma, Fernando Martín. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Sánchez, José Ramón. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Escobar, Marcela. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Tecnología Agroindustrial del Noroeste Argentino. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (p). Instituto de Tecnología Agroindustrial del Noroeste Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Sabaté, Sebastián. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Gamboa, Daniel. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Sanzano, Agustín. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Prado, Cinthya. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Coronel, Norma Beatriz. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); ArgentinaFil: Perez, Daniela Rossana. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (P); Argentin