The Relationship between Supply Chain Coordination and Quality Assurance Systems: A Case Study Approach on the German Meat Sector

The German meat industry faces a high demand for food safety and traceability. After several meat scandals in the recent past, efforts have to be made to regain consumer trust and to assure access to export markets. Apart from a few niche markets, there is no focal company in the German pork supply chain which efficiently coordinates food chain information, harmonizes the multiplicity of different IT systems or takes on professional public relations in charge of the whole sector. In cases of food crises, essential up- and downstream information slowly flows across the supply chain which hinders both seamless traceability and the harmonization of production processes between the various stages of the supply chain. This contribution focuses on the opportunities for more efficient coordination based on spot market environments. With reference to the theory of organization economics, a case study of the QS Qualität und Sicherheit GmbH as the leading certification scheme that addresses the German meat industry was carried out. Several non-classical certification activities which fall within the scope of coordination were identified with QS. Based on the assumption that the company continuously improves the coordination of the supply chain, there are opportunities for the meat sector as a whole which are pointed out in the conclusion.Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Farm Management, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Status quo und Akzeptanz von Internet-basierten Informationssystemen: Ergebnisse einer empirischen Analyse in der deutschen Veredelungswirtschaft

Seit Mitte der 1990er Jahre werden verschiedene Internet-basierte Informationssysteme für den überbetrieblichen Austausch von produkt- und prozessbezogenen Daten zwischen Landwirten und den vor- und nachgelagerten Wertschöpfungsstufen entwickelt. Obwohl die meisten IT-Lösungen inzwischen relativ leistungsfähig sind, bevorzugen Landwirte nach wie vor die traditionellen Kommunikationskanäle (Post, Fax etc.). Dieser Beitrag thematisiert daher die mangelnde Akzeptanz für Internet-basierte interorganisationale Informationssysteme auf Basis einer Befragung von 873 Schweineproduzenten. Die Grundlage für die statistische Analyse bildet ein exploratives Modell, in dem sowohl die aus der Akzeptanzforschung bekannten Erklärungsgrößen berücksichtigt als auch speziell auf interorganisationale Informationssysteme zugeschnittene Konstrukte untersucht werden. Die Validierung erfolgte anhand einer binär-logistischen Regressionsanalyse. Die Untersuchungsergebnisse zeigen, dass die Anwendung Internet-basierter Informationssysteme maßgeblich von der Intensität der vertikalen Koordination der Geschäftsbeziehungen zwischen Landwirten und Schlachtunternehmen beeinflusst wird. --

Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease – a Prospective Follow-Up Study

BACKGROUND: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) mediate vascular repair and regeneration. Their number in peripheral blood is related to cardiovascular events in individuals with normal renal function. METHODS: We evaluated the association between functionally active EPCs (cell culture) and traditional cardiovascular risk factors in 265 patients with chronic kidney disease stage V receiving hemodialysis therapy. Thereafter, we prospectively assessed cardiovascular events, e.g. myocardial infarction, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (including stenting), aorto-coronary bypass, stroke and angiographically verified stenosis of peripheral arteries, and cardiovascular death in this cohort. RESULTS: In our patients EPCs were related only to age (r=0.154; p=0.01). During a median follow-up period of 36 months 109 (41%) patients experienced a cardiovascular event. In a multiple Cox regression analysis, we identified EPCs (p=0.03) and patient age (p=0.01) as the only independent variables associated with incident cardiovascular events. Moreover, a total of 70 patients died during follow-up, 45 of those due to cardiovascular causes. Log rank test confirmed statistical significance for EPCs concerning incident cardiovascular events (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: We found a significant association between the number of functionally active EPCs and cardiovascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease. Thus, defective vascular repair and regeneration may be responsible, at least in part, for the enormous cardiovascular morbidity in this population

Prevention of acute kidney injury and protection of renal function in the intensive care unit

Acute renal failure on the intensive care unit is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. To determine recommendations for the prevention of acute kidney injury (AKI), focusing on the role of potential preventative maneuvers including volume expansion, diuretics, use of inotropes, vasopressors/vasodilators, hormonal interventions, nutrition, and extracorporeal techniques. A systematic search of the literature was performed for studies using these potential protective agents in adult patients at risk for acute renal failure/kidney injury between 1966 and 2009. The following clinical conditions were considered: major surgery, critical illness, sepsis, shock, and use of potentially nephrotoxic drugs and radiocontrast media. Where possible the following endpoints were extracted: creatinine clearance, glomerular filtration rate, increase in serum creatinine, urine output, and markers of tubular injury. Clinical endpoints included the need for renal replacement therapy, length of stay, and mortality. Studies are graded according to the international Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) group system Several measures are recommended, though none carries grade 1A. We recommend prompt resuscitation of the circulation with special attention to providing adequate hydration whilst avoiding high-molecular-weight hydroxy-ethyl starch (HES) preparations, maintaining adequate blood pressure using vasopressors in vasodilatory shock. We suggest using vasopressors in vasodilatory hypotension, specific vasodilators under strict hemodynamic control, sodium bicarbonate for emergency procedures administering contrast media, and periprocedural hemofiltration in severe chronic renal insufficiency undergoing coronary intervention

The Relationship between Supply Chain Coordination and Quality Assurance Systems: A Case Study Approach on the German Meat Sector

The German meat industry faces a high demand for food safety and traceability. After several meat scandals in the recent past, efforts have to be made to regain consumer trust and to assure access to export markets. Apart from a few niche markets, there is no focal company in the German pork supply chain which efficiently coordinates food chain information, harmonizes the multiplicity of different IT systems or takes on professional public relations in charge of the whole sector. In cases of food crises, essential up- and downstream information slowly flows across the supply chain which hinders both seamless traceability and the harmonization of production processes between the various stages of the supply chain. This contribution focuses on the opportunities for more efficient coordination based on spot market environments. With reference to the theory of organization economics, a case study of the QS Qualität und Sicherheit GmbH as the leading certification scheme that addresses the German meat industry was carried out. Several non-classical certification activities which fall within the scope of coordination were identified with QS. Based on the assumption that the company continuously improves the coordination of the supply chain, there are opportunities for the meat sector as a whole which are pointed out in the conclusion

VERTRAUEN ALS GOVERNANCEINSTRUMENT IN DER SUPPLY CHAIN AM BEISPIEL DER DEUTSCHEN FLEISCHWIRTSCHAFT

Die Koordination arbeitsteiliger Prozesse in der Wertschopfungskette kann marktlich, vertraglich oder durch vertikale Integration vollzogen werden. Im Rahmen des Markt-Hierarchie-Paradigmas der Transaktionskostentheorie ist diese Entscheidung zwischen verschiedenen Formen der contractual governance vielfach diskutiert und empirisch analysiert worden. Der vorliegende Beitrag rückt die Steuerung der Supply Chain durch Vertrauensaufbau und damit Fragen der relational governance in den Vordergrund. In einer empirischen Studie wurden 357 Schweinemaster zu ihrem Vertrauen in die abnehmenden Schlachtunternehmen befragt. Es zeigten sich deutliche Abweichungen hinsichtlich der verschiedenen Abnehmer. Überraschend ist auch, dass sich die Determinanten des Vertrauensaufbaus, die beispielhaft für zwei marktführende Schlachtunternehmen erhoben wurden, wesentlich unterscheiden

Unternehmerische Netzwerkpartizipation in der Nahrungsmittelproduktion: Ergebnisse einer empirischen Studie am Beispiel des Tiergesundheitsmanagements im Schweinefleischsektor

In der Netzwerkforschung werden Netzwerke als zentral für zwischenbetriebliche Interaktionen und den Zugang zu Informationen und Wissen gesehen. Von der Einbindung von Betrieben in Netzwerke werden daher erhebliche Auswirkungen auf ihre Wettbewerbsfähigkeit erwartet. In diesem Beitrag werden exemplarisch auf der Grundlage einer großzahligen empirischen Erhebung die Netzwerkbeziehungen deutscher Schweinemäster analysiert und die sich aus der Einbindung in Netzwerke ergebenden Wirkungen auf den Umfang und die Erfolge des betrieblichen Tiergesundheitsmanagements analysiert. Die Ergebnisse stehen nur in Teilen im Einklang mit den Vorhersagen der Netzwerktheorie und deuten auf weiteren Forschungsbedarf, namentlich eine differenziertere Erfassung des betrieblichen Informationsnutzungsverhaltens,hin