Supplier-retailer collaboration in food networks: a typology and examination of moderating factors

The aim of this study is to examine Supplier-Retailer Collaboration (SRC) in food networks. Based on an extensive literature on the structural characteristics of trade collaborations, we develop a three dimensional construct of SRC which includes trade marketing, supply chain coordination, and relationship quality. We surveyed a large sample of Greek food retailers and their supplier and found that all three variables are positively related to collaboration efficiency. The findings were verified by a qualitative follow-up study. The differences between retailers and suppliers regarding collaboration factors are also discussed

Manufacturer-retailer collaboration in the supply chain: Empirical evidence from the Greek food sector

The purpose of this study is to examine collaboration between food manufacturers and retailers and compare their motivation to collaborate the possible areas for collaboration and the preferred type of collaboration. Using a large quantitative sample of the Greek food sector, we compare and contrast what triggers retailers and manufacturers to get involved in long-term collaboration.We also compare the types of collaboration favoured by each group and illustrate the factors which influence the favoured type of collaboration for both manufacturers and retailers. Results show that the type of collaboration preferred is related strongly to specific factors, such as physical distribution management, trust and commitment to collaboration, and effective information management, with the last one commanding an increased role in the years to come. Another key finding is that transaction collaboration is the preferred collaboration type for these chain members

Using Personal Learning Environments before, during and after the Pandemic: The Case of “e-Me”

The rapid developments in early 2020 with the emergence of COVID-19 have led humanity into unexpected situations with significant implications at all levels. In trying to cope with the urgent need for distance education, the Greek educational community has incorporated various platforms and digital tools previously unknown to most teachers and students. This study uses a mixed research method to capture (a) the frequency of use of a Personal Learning Environment called ‘e-me’ by the teachers before, during, and after the quarantine, and (b) the reasons why some teachers did not use this environment during these three periods. A total of 902 Greek teachers from primary and secondary education participated in this research. The results showed an almost universal non-use of ‘e-me’ before the pandemic and universal usage during the pandemic. Moreover, about 40% of these teachers used this personal learning environment after the pandemic. The main reason for not using this learning environment in the three periods is teachers’ familiarity with the interface of another platform. Implications for educational policy and teacher development programs are discussed

Octreotide regulates CC but not CXC LPS-induced chemokine secretion in rat Kupffer cells

1. Kupffer cells (KC) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) interaction is the initial event leading to hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in many types of liver injury. We studied chemokine secretion by KC activated with LPS and the possible effect of the somatostatin analogue octreotide, in the regulation of this process. 2. KC isolated from Sprague–Dawley rats were cultured in the presence of LPS added alone or with different concentrations of octreotide for 24 and 48 h, and chemokine production was assessed in culture supernatants by ELISA. CC chemokine mRNA expression was assessed by semiquantitative RT–PCR. 3. Vehicle-stimulated KC produced a basal amount of CC and CXC chemokines. LPS-stimulated KC secreted significantly increased amounts of IL-8 (GRO/CINC-1) (P<0.001), MIP-2 (P<0.001), MCP-1 (P<0.001), and RANTES (P<0.01). 4. Octreotide inhibited LPS-induced secretion of the CC chemokines MCP-1 (P<0.05) and RANTES (P<0.05), but not the CXC chemokines IL-8 (GRO/CINC-1) and MIP-2, in a concentration-dependent manner. Downregulation of basal and LPS-induced mRNA expression of the CC chemokines was also observed in the presence of octreotide. 5. Pretreatment with phosphatidylinositol 3 (PI3)-kinase inhibitors reduced chemokine production by LPS-treated KC in both the mRNA and protein level. Furthermore, it prevented the octreotide inhibitory effect on LPS-induced chemokine secretion, indicating a possible involvement of the PI3-kinase pathway. 6. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that chemokine secretion by KC can be differentially regulated by octreotide, and suggest that this somatostatin analogue may have immunoregulatory effects on resident liver macrophages