Selecting the right supply chain based on risks

Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively.Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a model that enables a company to select the supply chain strategy based on risk probability p (measure of how likely/often a detrimental event occurs) and risk impact i (expression of the significance of a loss when that event occurs). Design/methodology/approach – This paper discusses four supply chain strategies: agility, robustness, resilience and rigidity. Mathematical models are used for the strategies’ cost functions, which reveal optimal solutions and break-even points in dependence of p and i. Findings – This paper proposes that resilience is appropriate in the case of high supply chain risk probability and impact, and rigidity if both values are low. When only risk impact is low, robustness is optimal, whereas agility is optimal when only risk probability is low. Research limitations/implications – This research extends existing models for selecting the appropriate supply chain strategy. Practical implications – Knowledge of the interplay between the strategies’ cost functions and risk probability and risk impact is vital for companies. This may encourage managers to become more familiar with their strategy costs and supply chain risks. Originality/value – To the author’s knowledge, no corresponding model exists so far that links risk impact and risk probability to the four supply chain strategies

Transport Policy, Acceptance and the Media

The last two decades have seen a substantial change in the basic philosophy underlying European transportation policy. Due to the Commission's efforts and due to supporting jurisdiction by the European Court of Justice the dominant approach to transportation policy has become far more market oriented. This change of approach in transportation policy will only be successful and sustainable if the problem of acceptability will be solved. For researchers this entails that their perspective must change from the normative to the positive aspects of transportation policy-making. This paper reports work undertaken within research project TIPP (Transportation Institutions in the Policy Process) funded by the European Commission. In this work it has been attempted to develop a theoretical structure that merges the positive economic theory of regulation with cognitive psychology and traffic psychology. This theoretical structure offers a matrix of actors and factors that are seen to be essential for success or failure in the implementation of a certain measure of transport policy. Four case studies were carried out in order to check the plausibility of this approach. The case studies are the failure of the German Railway (Deutsche Bahn AG) to introduce a new tariff system in passenger transport in the period 2002-2003, the attempt to introduce a toll for HGVs in Germany, the failure to operate a private tolled motorway in Hungary (M1/M15), the failure to introduce a road-pricing system in the densely populated Randstad area in the Netherlands. --Transportation Policy,Europe,Common Transport Policy,Transport Regulation,Acceptability

Dealing with supply chain risks : Linking risk management practices and strategies to performance

Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively.Purpose – The effects of supply chain risk management (SCRM) on the performance of a supply chain remain unexplored. It is assumed that SCRM helps supply chains to cope with vulnerabilities both proactively by supporting robustness and reactively by supporting agility. Both dimensions are assumed to have an influence on the supply chain’s customer value and on business performance. The aim of this research is to provide clarity by empirically testing these hypotheses and scrutinizing the findings by the means of case studies. Design/methodology/approach – The research is empirical. Survey data were collected from 270 manufacturing companies for hypotheses testing via structural equation modeling. Additionally, qualitative data were collected to explore the nature of non-hypothesized findings. Findings – It is found that SCRM is important for agility and robustness of a company. Both agility and robustness show to be important in improving performance. While agility has a strong positive effect only on the supply chain’s customer value, but not directly on business performance, robustness has a strong positive effect on both performance dimensions. This important finding directs the strategic attention from agility-centered supply chains to ones that are both robust and agile. The case studies provide insights to the fact that robustness can be considered a basic prerequisite to deal with supplier-side risks, while agility is necessary to deal with customer-side risks. The amount of agility and robustness needs to fit to the competitive strategy. Practical implications – Since volatility has increasingly become a prevalent state of supply chains, companies need to consider robustness to be of primary importance to withstand everyday risks and exceptions. Originality/value – This is the first study to view the relationship between SCRM, agility/robustness, and performance

The influence of relational competencies on supply chain resilience : a relational view

Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively.Purpose – The purpose of this research is to explore the resilience domain, which is important in the field of supply chain management; it investigates the effects relational competencies have for resilience and the effect resilience, in turn, has on a supply chain’s customer value. Design/methodology/approach – The research is empirical in nature and employs a confirmatory approach that builds on the relational view as a primary theoretical foundation. It utilizes survey data collected from manufacturing firms from three countries, which is analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings – It is found that communicative and cooperative relationships have a positive effect on resilience, while integration does not have a significant effect. It is also found that improved resilience, obtained by investing in agility and robustness, enhances a supply chain’s customer value. Practical implications – Some findings contrast the expectations derived from theory. Particularly, practitioners can learn that integration has a limited role in enhancing resilience. Originality/value – The study distinguishes between a proactive and reactive dimension of resilience: robustness and agility. The relational view serves as the theoretical basis to explain the effects between three types of relational competencies (communication, cooperation, and integration) and the above-mentioned two dimensions of resilience. Keywords Relational competencies, Supply chain management, Risk management, Supply chain resilience, Supply chain agility, Supply chain robustnes

Identification and characterization of insulin-like growth factor receptors on adult rat cardiac myocytes: linkage to inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate formation.

Cultured cardiac myocytes from adult Sprague-Dawley rats express both insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) receptors and insulin-like growth factor-II/mannose 6-phosphate (IGF-II/Man6P) receptors and respond to IGF-I with a dose-dependent accumulation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] and inositol 1,4-bisphosphate [Ins(1,4)P2]. Specific binding of [125I]IGF-I to isolated membranes from cultured cardiac myocytes amounted to 1-1.2%. Binding of [125I]IGF-I was inhibited by unlabeled IGF-I at nanomolar concentrations and insulin at much higher concentrations. These data suggest that IGF-I binds to its own receptor on rat cardiac myocytes. Competitive binding studies using isolated membranes from cardiac myocytes and [125I]IGF-II showed 2-4% specific binding. Binding of [125I]IGF-II was inhibited by IGF-II and much less potently by IGF-I and insulin. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) 3637 (an IgG directed against the IGF-II/Man6P receptor) partially inhibited binding of [125I]IGF-II whereas nonimmune IgG did not. Affinity cross-linking studies with [125I]IGF-II and cardiac myocyte membranes and subsequent analysis of the ligand-receptor complex using SDS-PAGE and autoradiography showed a radiolabeled band of approximately 250 kilodalton (kDa). The formation of the [125I]IGF-II-receptor complex was inhibited by incubation with IGF-II and IgG 3637 but not by insulin or nonimmune IgG. Western blotting of protein extracts from cultured cardiac myocytes was performed using IgG 3637 and an immunoperoxidase technique for the visualization of the IGF-II/Man6P receptor protein. A specific band at 220 kDa under nonreducing conditions was detected on the blots, providing further evidence for the expression of the IGF-II/Man6P receptor by cardiac myocytes. The effect of IGFs on the accumulation of inositol phosphates was measured by HPLC analysis of perchloric acid extracts from myo-[3H]inositol-labeled cultured cardiac myocytes. IGF-I (50 ng/ml) stimulated the accumulation both of Ins(1,4,5)P3 and Ins(1,4)P2 after 30 sec by 43% and 63%. IGF-II (up to 500 ng/ml) had no significant effect on inositol phosphate accumulation under the same conditions. However, in the presence of millimolar concentrations of Man6P, IGF-II (500 ng/ml) also increased Ins(1,4,5)P3 accumulation by 59%. We conclude that cardiac myocytes from adult rats express IGF receptors and respond to IGFs with the accumulation of Ins(1,4,5)P3 and Ins(1,4)P2. This effect seems to be mediated by an IGF-I receptor-specific pathway

Der runde Tisch Österreich - ein missionsstrategisch effizientes Modell für Einheit unter Christen? = ,,Der runde Tisch Österreich" - a mission strategically efficient model for unity among Christians?

There is a great diversity of initiatives furthering unity among christians. Probably the most important ones are those of the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Roman Catholic Church as such and the Lausanne Movement of the Evangelicals. The "Runde Tisch" (=Round Table) brings together Austrian christians from all parts of the christian scenario as a new initiative towards unity. To find out, which of these initiatives is the most efficient, from a mission-strategical standpoint, this thesis develops the New Testament findings on the question of unity. Then, the 4 models are presented to finally be compared, to find out, where each one has its strengths and weaknesses. The Round Table Austria with its great width of christians involved, its theological profoundness and its leadership structure with proportional engagement of members from all present parts of the christian body is indeed quite close to the New Testament picture of unity.Initiativen, die die Einheit unter Christen fördern gibt es sehr viele. Mit zu den wichtigsten zählen die des Weltkirchenrates (WCC), die Römisch-katholische Kirche als solche und die Lausanner Bewegung der Evangelikalen. Der Runde Tisch bringt in Österreich Christen aus allen Richtungen der Christenheit in eine neue Einheitsinitiative zusammen. Um nun herauszufinden, welche dieser Initiativen missionsstrategisch effizient ist, entfaltet diese Arbeit zunächst den neutestamentlichen Befund zur Frage der Einheit unter Christen. Dann werden die vier Modelle dargestellt und abschließend mit dem Ziel verglichen, herauszuarbeiten, wo die Stärken und Schwächen eines jeden Ansatzes liegen. Hierbei dient als Maßstab der Befund der neutestamentlichen Analyse. Der Runde Tisch Österreich liegt mit seinem breiten Spektrum an vertretenen Christen, seiner theologischen Tiefe und richtungsparitätischen Leitungsstruktur sehr nahe bei den neutestamentlichen Vorgaben zur Einheit unter Christen.Christian Spirituality, Church History and MissiologyM. Th. (Missiology

Insulin-Like Growth Factor (IGF)-I and -11 and IGFBinding Proteins-l, -2, and -3 in Children and Adolescents with Diabetes Mellitus: Correlation with Metabolic Control and Height Attainment.

The putative effects of diabetes and metabolic control on circulating levels of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and their binding proteins (IGFBPs) remain controversial. In the present study, serum levels of IGF-I and IGF-II and IGFBP-1, -2, and -3 were measured in 58 patients (age, 0.8-17 yr) with treated (51 subjects) or untreated (7 subjects) insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and were compared with the levels in normal subjects. In the untreated patients IGF-I and IGF-II were decreased as compared with the healthy controls. In the treated diabetics IGF-I and IGF-II were reduced; IGFBP-2 (only in prepubertal subjects) and IGFBP-3 were increased. Furthermore, age-adjusted values of IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-3 were lower in prepubertal than in pubertal patients. Regression analysis revealed a negative correlation between hemoglobin (Hb)A1c and standard deviation scores (SDS) of IGF-I and a positive association between HbA1c and IGFBP-1 SDS or IGFBP-2 SDS. In the treated patients HbA1c was positively related to IGFBP-1 SDS and IGFBP-2 SDS when applying simple regression analysis and to IGFBP-2 SDS when using a multiple regression model. Strong correlations were observed between height SDS and IGF-I SDS, IGF-II SDS, and IGFBP-3 SDS in prepubertal subjects who had had IDDM for at least 2 yr, but not in adolescents. Such correlations have also been found in healthy children and adolescents. In conclusion; 1) IDDM is associated with alterations of the IGF-IGFBP system, which are partially accounted for by differences in metabolic control and pubertal status; 2) the lower plasma concentrations of serum IGF-I may play a role in the pathogenesis of growth impairment of poorly controlled prepubertal, but not pubertal, children and adolescents with IDDM; and 3) in addition, a potential role of the altered IGF-IGFBP system for the development of diabetic late complications is hypothesized

Influence of the redox state on the neptunium sorption under alkaline conditions: Batch sorption studies on titanium dioxide and calcium silicate hydrates

Wet chemistry experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of the redox state and aqueous speciation on the uptake of neptunium by titanium dioxide (TiO2) and by calcium silicate hydrates (C-S-H) under alkaline conditions. TiO2 was chosen as a reference sorbent to determine the surface complexation behaviour of neptunium under alkaline conditions. C-S-H phases are important constituents of cement and concrete. They may contribute significantly to radionuclide retention due to their high recrystallization rates making incorporation the dominating sorption mechanism for many radionuclides (e.g. the actinides) on these materials. The sorption of neptunium on both solids was found to depend strongly on the degree of hydrolysis. On TiO2 Rd values for Np(IV), Np(V) and Np(VI) are identical at pH = 10 and decrease with progressing hydrolysis in case of Np(V) and Np(VI). On C-S-H phases, Rd values for the three redox states are also identical at pH = 10. While the Rd values for Np(VI) sorption on C-S-H phases decrease with progressing hydrolysis, the Rd values for Np(IV) and Np(V) sorption are not affected by the pH. In addition to the effect of hydrolysis, the presence of Ca is found to promote Np(V) and Np(VI) sorption on TiO2 whereas on C-S-H phases, the present wet chemistry data do not give unambiguous evidence. Thus, the aqueous speciation appears to have a similar influence on the sorption of the actinides on both types of solids despite the different sorption mechanism. The similar Rd values for Np(IV,V,VI) sorption at pH = 10 can be explained qualitatively by invoking inter-ligand electrostatic repulsion between OH groups in the coordination sphere of Np(V) and Np(VI). This mechanism was proposed earlier in the literature for the prediction of actinide complexation constants with inorganic ligands. A limiting coordination number for each Np redox state, resulting from the inter-ligand electrostatic repulsion, allows the weaker sorption of the highest hydrolysed Np(V,VI) species to be explaine

Interaction Effects of Child Weight Status and Parental Feeding Practices on Children’s Eating Disorder Symptomatology

(1) Background: Research on parental feeding practices and non-normative eating behavior including loss of control (LOC) eating and eating disorder psychopathology indicated separate associations of these variables with child weight status, especially in early childhood. This study cross-sectionally examined interaction effects of restriction, monitoring, pressure to eat, and children’s weight status on disordered eating in children aged 8–13 years. (2) Methods: A population-based sample of N = 904 children and their mothers completed the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire for Children and the Child Feeding Questionnaire. Child anthropometrics were objectively measured. Hierarchical linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted for cross-sectionally predicting global eating disorder psychopathology and recurrent LOC eating by feeding practices and child weight status for younger (8–10 years) and older (11–13 years) ages. (3) Results: Restriction x Child weight status significantly predicted global eating disorder psychopathology in younger children and recurrent LOC eating in older children. Monitoring x Child weight status significantly predicted eating disorder psychopathology in older children. A higher versus lower child weight status was associated with adverse eating behaviors, particularly in children with mothers reporting high restriction and monitoring. (4) Conclusions: Detrimental associations between higher child weight status and child eating disorder symptomatology held especially true for children whose mothers strongly control child food intake