E-consulting of Small and Medium Agribusiness Enterprises: The case of eEurope Godigital application into the Peloponnese Region

This study describes the design and development of a web-based electronic training system aiming at business operations of small and medium-sized agribusiness enterprises (SMAEs). The proposed system will meet current and future needs of SMAEs for timely, accurate, and customised training removing the barriers of geographical solitude and economies of scale. The objectives of this system are: (a) to offer training and consultancy to SMAEs on how to use information and communication technologies as business tools in order to improve their operations and gain competitive advantage (b) to provide education material customised to the special needs of each SMAE, (c) to provide on-line training, advice and consultancy using special-trained operators, and (d) to provide on-line training, advice and consultancy by skilled operators who have been trained to offer those services. ETS will be an Internet-based system. The system will operate as a third-party trusted intermediate between SMAEs, consultants, and content providers. The system design will be extended to cover the needs of the programme "Training support for Go-Digital Project" funded by Greek Ministry of Development which aims to offer training and support in the usage of Internet services to 50.000 SMEs

Greening Supply Chains: Impact on Cost and Design

The consideration of environmental issues has emerged as a topic of critical importance for today’s globalized supply chains. The purpose of this paper is to develop a strategic-tactical decision-support methodology to assist managers in evaluating the impact of environmental issues, related to transportation emissions, on the transport geography of a region. Specifically we provide a tool that addresses: (i) supply chain network design, including port of entry and transportation mode, and (ii) decisions on leasing vs. outsourcing of transportation and distribution centers. The applicability of the proposed methodology is examined through the development of a sustainable supply chain network in the South-Eastern Europe region. The results indicate that in most cases outsourcing distribution centers to Third Party Logistics operators improves both the cost and the environmental performance of a company. In all cases outsourcing of transportation operations minimizes the amount of CO2 and PM emissions generated, while leasing minimizes costs.carbon footprint;supply chain design;supply chain sustainability

A Conceptual Framework of Reverse Logistics Impact on Firm Performance

This study aims to examine the reverse logistics factors that impact upon firm performance. We review reverse logistics factors under three research streams: (a) resource-based view of the firm, including: Firm strategy, Operations management, and Customer loyalty (b) relational theory, including: Supply chain efficiency, Supply chain collaboration, and institutional theory, including: Government support and Cultural alignment. We measured firm performance with 5 measures: profitability, cost, innovativeness, perceived competitive advantage, and perceived customer satisfaction. We discuss implications for research, policy and practice

The impact of private label foods on supply chain governance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of the introduction of private label (PL) foods upon the governance of the food supply chains. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted a multi-case study research examining the launch and development of PL cheeses in four large national-wide retail chains. The paper focused on the category of Products of Designated Origin (PDO) cheeses, including the popular feta cheese. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews and secondary sources of information. Data analysis involved single-case and within-case analyses. Findings – There is a strong motive to launch and develop PL cheeses due to increasing consumer demand. Retailers choose suppliers based on criteria such as: compliance to quality assurance standards, modernisation of processing facilities, implementation of legislation, credibility, experience, and reputation. Retailers use contracts and prefer small suppliers than medium-sized companies. Supply chain governance turns from market to hierarchy status, which performs better in terms of supply chain cost, food quality, and consumer satisfaction. The structure of food industry is also affected by pressure put on medium-sized food companies. Research limitations/implications – The paper is based on a multiple case study design that does not provide static generalisations, yet it offers a stepping stone to building new theory about supply chain governance, how it evolves and its effects on supply chain performance. Practical implications – The introduction of PL cheeses favours small and dynamic cheese processing units willing to adopt retailer standards and prices over larger units, which poses a real threat to the survival of regional-wide food companies. Originality/value – Few studies have examined how supply chain governance evolves and what triggers a change in governance structures

Managing upgrade to lean: an empirical investigation of work practices and organizational culture effects.

Although human capital has recognised as an important factor for the effective implementation of lean, current research lacks sufficient empirical evidence to support and identify direct linkages between certain work practices and lean production (LP). Using data from 126 managers employed at a global company, which recently upgraded to lean, this study contributes empirical evidence to examine the role of training, knowledge acquisition and organizational culture in upgrading to lean. Results indicated that from the aforementioned selected variables, only organizational culture might holistically affect LP in its multidimensional nature. Training and knowledge acquisition offer partially effects on LP with training to contribute mostly to predicting continuous improvements. Knowledge acquisition alone, however, has significant yet negative impact on LP. Even more, when training is combined with knowledge acquisition the results are different. The study findings provide useful implications for both theory and practice and discusses its limitations

E-retailers' logistics management in China: A mixed methods empirical study

Electronic commerce (e-commerce), as a method of buying or selling via telecommunications and computer networks, has redefined and changed the ways how people live and how business is conducted (Bushry, 2005). Although popular in most developed countries, it exists only about 15 years in developing countries like China, although growing at a considerable rate (He, 2010). For example, during 2008-2012, Chinese online shopping market size ascended from £12.82 billion to £130.30 billion. (PRNewswire, 2014). In 2014, China B2C market soared 68.7% and C2C market increased 35.2% comparing to 2013 (iReserach, 2015). Despite the potential exponential growth of e-commerce market, the logistics sector develops at a slower pace and becomes a constraint to e-commerce growth. For instance, infrastructures in most areas in China remain undeveloped and insufficient for modern e-commerce (Zhou, 2013). During festive periods of high demand, express companies had to run a 24/7 operation for weeks, yet still remain unable to deliver all goods on time (Qian, 2012). Although e-commerce and logistics are two areas over-researched during the past decades in developed countries, there are still few empirical studies in developed countries that explore and how logistics services and infrastructure impact on the business-to-consumer (B2C) markets in China (Zhou, 2013). This study aims to fill this gap by providing empirical evidence on the e-commerce logistics operations in China and how they are integrated with consumer demand. The study is one of few empirical studies that employs mixed-methods with a large scale surveys. Research questions The objectives of this research are to investigate, analyze and evaluate the major e-retailers' logistics operation in China and customers' perceptions toward their logistics service. Specifically, research questions are developed as follows: • What are the main e-retailers' logistics operation modes in China? What are their relative strengths and weakness? • What are the current situation and main challenges of Chinese e-retailers regarding logistics operation? • What factors determine the service quality and customer satisfaction in -retailers' logistics service in China? • To what extent logistics models such as reverse logistics, crowdsourced shipping might, and delivery box can be applied for e-retailers' logistics? Methodology A critical literature review examined e-commerce and logistics management and identified key themes on e-retailers logistics operations comparing developed and developing countries. A conceptual framework of key variables is developed to guide the empirical part of this study. A mixed empirical method was followed. Qualitative methods included focus groups and in-depth, semi-structured interviews with key logistics managers in China using archival research to cross-validate interviews' results. A large-scale survey of logistics service satisfaction was followed with self-administered questionnaires. Data analysis involved correlation and regression analysis for the quantitative data and content analysis for the qualitative data. Findings Firstly, findings suggest that the main challenges for e-retailers in China are: (i) lack of reliable and nationwide 3PL providers, (ii)the high cost and low efficiency of last-mile logistics, and (iii)increased yet unfulfilled logistical needs from small cities that are excluded from e-commerce due to the lack of adequate logistics coverage. Reverse logistics was not prioritized by most e-retailers whereas leading e-retailers in China started to develop sustainable logistics operations to enhance their brand reputation. Regarding logistics modes in China, findings suggest that most retailers rely on own means of logistics operations, which offer them the advantage in raising the logistics service quality in China. However, in order to meet the logistics needs of small cities, e-retailers had to collaborate with regional third-party logistics providers and develop their capabilities to extend their delivery range and at the same time reduce logistics cost. Thirdly, the investigation on the customer's side reveals that 56% customers express a positive judgement toward e-retailers' logistics service in China. Besides safety, delivery dependability, promptness of returns and delivery speed are the most important factors which influence customers' satisfaction level in China. Correlation analysis showed that customers of different ages, occupations and incomes have various preferences on specific logistics service factors (like delivery speed, flexibility and cost). For instance, Chinese youths are easier to lose patience with slow deliveries while employees usually are more concerned with delivery flexibility. Therefore, e-retailers should differentiate their logistics service to meet various needs. Lastly, optimized strategies in the last-mile logistics, reverse logistics and green logistics were analyzed and evaluated. Findings suggest the CAM model (Lee and Whang, 2001), delivery box (Andrew, 2015; Punakivi et al., 2001) and crowdsourced shipping might be effective solutions in the last-mile logistics and reverse logistics. Contribution This research identified and analyzed the current situation and challenges faced by e-retailers in China. A representative sample to further analyze characteristics of Chinese consumer behavior regarding e-commerce logistics service was established. The relationships between various logistics service factors and different customer groups were also explored. Combining with literature arguments, this research also contributes to the choice of logistics modes and optimized strategies in the last-mile logistics and reverse logistics

Introducing Importance-Performance-Impact Analysis (IPIA): A method to strategically prioritize resources allocation

The importance–performance analysis (IPA) model has been widely used as a strategic resource allocation tool for improving customer satisfaction. There are several shortcomings associated with IPA which could lead to incorrect decisions. In this paper, we propose a novel analytical framework, the “Importance-Performance-Impact Analysis” (IPIA) to overcome those shortcomings so as to provide managers with a powerful decision making tool. The IPIA takes advantage of several advanced analytical techniques, such as Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN), Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and Analytic Network Process (ANP). We illustrate IPIA using the case of an airline company in China. Two primary data sources were used: A passenger survey to obtain the attribute importance and performance, and an expert panel survey to obtain attribute impact. Resources allocation recommendations for improving passenger satisfaction were then derived from the IPIA. We discuss limitations and provide recommendations for future research