THE VALUE OF CLOUD COMPUTING TO INTERNET- BASED SMES: A MULTIPLE CASE STUDY FROM CHINA

Numerous benefits of cloud computing for middle and small-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been documented in the literature. However, existing research often focuses on cost saving, it is still not clear whether and how cloud computing creates value for SMEs. This study investigates the mechanism through which cloud computing creates value for SMEs based on multiple cases of Internet-based SMEs from China. More specifically, we suggest that three cloud computing related capabilities (i.e., flexibility, integration, and ubiquity capability) are most critical for SMEs to generate value from cloud computing and cloud computing enhances SMEs’ performance by facilitating their organizational agility

A Flexible Logistics Distribution Hub Model considering Cost Weighted Time

The delivery time of order has become an important fact for customers to evaluate logistics services. Due to the diverse and large quantities of orders in the background of electronic commerce, how to improve the flexibility of distribution hub and reduce the waiting time of customers becomes one of the most challenging questions for logistics companies. With this in mind, this paper proposes a new method of flexibility assessment in distribution hub by introducing cost weighted time (CWT). The advantages of supply hub operation mode in delivery flexibility are verified by the approach: the mode has pooling effects and uniform distribution characteristics; these traits can reduce overlapping delivery time to improve the flexibility in the case of two suppliers. Numerical examples show that the supply hub operation mode is more flexible than decentralized distribution operation mode in multidelivery cycles

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Theoretical Exploration of Supply Chain Viability Utilizing Blockchain Technology

As a disruptive and innovative technology, blockchain will significantly revolutionize how organizations produce and operate as global rivalry intensifies. The global COVID-19 outbreak, combined with the growing complexity of supply chain networks, has exposed supply chains’ vulnerability to disruption. Therefore, improving the supply chain viability is the primary way to deal with the risk of supply chain disruption. Using the method of literature research, this conceptual paper systematically reviewed and sorted out relevant literature, extracted corresponding capabilities, and put forward relevant research propositions. From the perspective of the resource-based view and resource-dependent theory, this study investigates specific dimensions of the blockchain-enabled supply chain capability: connectivity, network capability, and supply chain reconfiguration and the impact of external resource-dependent capability on the viability of the supply chain. The propositions show that the blockchain-enabled supply chain capability, and external resource-dependent capability will positively impact supply chain viability. It is expected to assist supply chain firms in implementing blockchain technology to increase supply chain viability and improve their capacity to achieve sustainable supply chain development during the crisis

Supply Chain Diversification, Digital Transformation, and Supply Chain Resilience: Configuration Analysis Based on fsQCA

To determine the influence of COVID-19 on supply chains, previous research has examined the impact of supply chain diversification and digital transformation on supply chain resilience, but few studies have integrated these two aspects to understand their impact on supply chain resilience. Given this, our study implements the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method to investigate the influence of supply chain diversification (supply base diversification and customer base diversification) and digital transformation (digital transformation depth and breadth) on supply chain resilience. Using data from 191 listed manufacturing firms, it is shown that the dimensions of supply chain diversification and digital transformation do not have the necessary conditions to achieve high supply chain resilience, while the analysis of sufficient conditions shows that three paths can achieve high supply chain resilience—namely, those driven by digital transformation, supply chain diversification, and supplier centralization and customer base diversification. This study demonstrates the numerous and complex linkages between antecedent and outcome, and firms can choose the path that is best for them to improve supply chain resilience based on their size, degree of digital transformation, and supply chain diversification

Low-Carbon Supply Chain Coordination Based on Carbon Tax and Government Subsidy Policy

To meet the demands of society’s transition to a low-carbon economy, this study analyzes and designs a coordination contract that is suitable for a low-carbon supply chain, under the circumstances of a carbon tax policy and government subsidies; this is to achieve a reduction in emissions and a growth in the total profits of the supply chain, while simultaneously improving the sustainable competitiveness and coordination of the supply chain. Manufacturers and retailers make up the two levels of the supply chain that are the focus of this study. Both centralized and decentralized decision-making models are created using the Stackelberg game method. By analyzing the supply chain decision-making and emission-reduction strategies in both cases, the revenue-sharing contract is designed to achieve the sustainable coordination of the y chain. The results of the numerical analysis show the following: first, that more orders are placed and emissions are reduced under centralized decision-making than under decentralized decision-making; second, that the total supply chain’s profits are higher when all parties comply with the revenue-sharing contract than when there are no contracts; third, that the revenue-sharing contract allows for the free allocation of supply chain gross margins in the enterprise for supply chain coordination

Analysis of the Vulnerability and Resilience of the Tourism Supply Chain under the Uncertain Environment of COVID-19: Case Study Based on Lijiang

The uncertainty environment brought about by COVID-19 has broken the original stable hierarchical network structure and the whole supply and demand system of the tourism supply chain (TSC), which has brought heavy losses to the tourism industry. Using the case research and consensual qualitative research (CQR) method, taking the real situation and perception of individual supply chain members as a window, supplemented by the narrative insertion of Lijiang Yulong Tourism Co., Ltd., Lijiang Old Town and Yulong Snow Mountain scenic areas, the general laws of the vulnerability and resilience of the TSC were glimpsed. The results show that there are vulnerability factors in the TSC including the supply side, demand side, government side, destination economic structure and supply chain attributes, which lead to the interruption and damage of the TSC after the outbreak of the pandemic. At the same time, China’s overall economic environment, tourism demand side, supply side, government side and market participants all have resilience elements. Behind the vulnerability, there is a power of recovery and opportunities for innovation and change. The TSC shows a trend of restorative growth. Theoretically, it helps to enrich theories of TSC and supply chain management under an emergency crisis. In practice, the response behavior of participants at different levels of the supply chain is also the basis for TSC risk management and formulation of optimization strategies in the future, which helps tourism sustainable development in the uncertain environment

Research on Supplier Collaboration of Daily Consumer Goods under Uncertainty of Supply and Demand

This paper establishes the decentralized decision-making model of consumer goods, the active collaboration model of consumer goods suppliers, and the decentralized decision-making model of customized consumer goods. Through formula derivation and simulation, the benefit and influence differences of the three modes are compared. This paper studies the influence of supplier’s active collaboration on the supply and demand instability of consumer goods and discusses the ideal value of supply chain inventory control. In China’s modern circular economy, the inventory control of the consumer goods supply chain is unscientific and nonstandard. We discuss a new inventory control method and study the ideal value of supply chain inventory control. It helps reduce the inventory shortage loss caused by the uncertainty of daily consumer goods, improve the efficiency of the supply chain, enhance the liquidity of supply chain inventory to achieve the purpose of increasing economic value. It has reference value for the inventory control of consumer goods in other countries and regions. The results show that under certain conditions, the horizontal collaboration between suppliers can improve the completeness of consumer goods. The collaboration between suppliers can reduce the hidden dangers caused by the uncertainty of supply and demand and significantly reduce the total inventory cost of manufacturers and improve profits