The future of manufacturing: A Delphi-based scenario analysis on Industry 4.0

Industry 4.0 is expected to impart profound changes to the configuration of manufacturing companies with regards to what their value proposition will be and how their production network, supplier base and customer interfaces will develop. The literature on the topic is still fragmented; the features of the emerging paradigm appear to be a contested territory among different academic disciplines. This study assumes a value chain perspective to analyze the evolutionary trajectories of manufacturing companies. We developed a Delphi-based scenario analysis involving 76 experts from academia and practice. The results highlight the most common expectations as well as controversial issues in terms of emerging business models, size, barriers to entry, vertical integration, rent distribution, and geographical location of activities. Eight scenarios provide a concise outlook on the range of possible futures. These scenarios are based on four main drivers which stem from the experts\u2019 comments: demand characteristics, transparency of data among value chain participants, maturity of additive manufacturing and advanced robotics, and penetration of smart products. Researchers can derive from our study a series of hypotheses and opportunities for future research on Industry 4.0. Managers and policymakers can leverage the scenarios in long-term strategic planning

Using supply chain databases in academic research: A methodological critique

This article outlines the main methodological implications of using Bloomberg SPLC, FactSet Supply Chain Relationships, and Mergent Supply Chain for academic purposes. These databases provide secondary data on buyer–supplier relationships that have been publicly disclosed. Despite the growing use of these databases in supply chain management (SCM) research, several potential validity and reliability issues have not been systematically and openly addressed. This article thus expounds on challenges of using these databases that are caused by (1) inconsistency between data, SCM constructs, and research questions (data fit); (2) errors caused by the databases' classifications and assumptions (data accuracy); and (3) limitations due to the inclusion of only publicly disclosed buyer–supplier relationships involving specific focal firms (data representativeness). The analysis is based on a review of previous studies using Bloomberg SPLC, FactSet Supply Chain Relationships, and Mergent Supply Chain, publicly available materials, interviews with information service providers, and the direct experience of the authors. Some solutions draw upon established methodological literature on the use of secondary data. The article concludes by providing summary guidelines and urging SCM researchers toward greater methodological transparency when using these databases

International purchasing offices in China

Creating an international purchasing office (IPO) is one of the most frequently adopted solutions by companies to manage their international sourcing activities. Despite the increasing importance of this solution for international supply management, the literature still offers limited studies on it. This research, which forms part of an EU project entitled 'International sourcing Strategies for China', tries to fill this gap. Starting from an analysis and systematisation of the existing literature, the study defines the main aspects characterising the creation and management of IPOs in China, which is actually one of the nations with the highest inflow of foreign direct investments and one of the most important sourcing basins in the world. In particular, taking into consideration the specificities of the Chinese normative/social/political context, the research tries to describe how to establish and manage an IPO in China and the main functions assigned to it

The structure of aliphatic amine adducts of uranyl acetylacetonate. II. Dioxobis(2,4-pentanedionato)mono (2-N,N-dimethylaminopentan-4-one)uranium(VI)

Introduction: In a previous analysis of a compound of this type, we have established that the adduct molecule is bonded through O and that the geometry about U is pentagonal bipyramidal (Haigh, Nassimbeni, Pauptit, Rodgers & Sheldrick, 1976). We have carried out the present analysis to study the conformational effects on the ligand brought about by substitution at N

The structure of aliphatic amine adducts of uranyl acetylacetonate. IV. Dioxobis(2,4-pentanedionato) mono(2-aminopentan-4-one)uranium(VI)

Introduction: We have shown in three earlier determinations of aliphatic amine adducts of U02(AA)2 (part I: Haigh, Nassimbeni, Pauptit, Rodgers & Sheldrick, 1976; part II: Nassimbeni, Orpen, Pauptit, Rodgers & Haigh, 1977; part III: Rodgers, Nassimbeni & Haigh, 1977) that the conformation of the adduct is dependent on its ability to form hydrogen bonds. The present compound has two H atoms available for hydrogen bonding and may be regarded as the parent of the series

The structure of aliphatic amine adducts of uranyl acetylacetonate. I. Dioxobis(2,4-pentanedionato)mono (2-N-methylaminopentan-4-one)uranium(VI)

Crystals of the title compound are monoclinic with a= 8.314 (5), b= 22.723 (9), c= 12.589 (6) A, /3= 123.0 (2t, Z=4, space group P2dc. The structure was determined by Patterson and Fourier methods and refined by full-matrix least squares to a final R of 0.030 for 2043 independent reflexions. The U atom has pentagonal bipyramidal coordination and the N-methylacetylacetoneamine is bonded to U via O. There are two intramolecular N-H. . .0 hydrogen bonds which govern the geometry of the adduct molecule

Il back-reshoring manifatturiero nei processi di internazionalizzazione: inquadramento teorico ed evidenze empiriche

Obiettivo del paper. Il paper si prefigge di inquadrare il fenomeno del back-reshoring manifatturiero - ovvero la rilocalizzazione nel paese di origine delle attivit\ue0 produttive precedentemente delocalizzate all\u2019estero -nell\u2019ambito dei processi di internazionalizzazione dell\u2019impresa. Metodologia. L\u2019approccio metodologico utilizzato \ue8 di tipo esplorativo, data la mancanza di una letteratura consolidata specifica. In particolare si \ue8 fatto ricorso a dati secondari raccolti in maniera originale attraverso una pluralit\ue0 di fonti. Risultati. \uc8 stata identificata una definizione operativa di back-reshoring inserendo tale fenomeno in un framework teorico rappresentativo del processo evolutivo di internazionalizzazione dell\u2019impresa. Sulla base delle evidenze empiriche, sono state proposte delle direttrici di sviluppo per future attivit\ue0 di ricerca. Implicazioni manageriali. Sono state evidenziate le conseguenze che il fenomeno pu\uf2 avere sulla competitivit\ue0 e le performance economica delle imprese che adottano strategie di reshoring. Originalit\ue0 e limiti della ricerca. Il principale elemento di originalit\ue0 del lavoro \ue8 rappresentato dall\u2019utilizzo di una metodologia di ricerca esplorativa che ha coniugato l\u2019analisi della letteratura di International business e quella di Supply chain management con l\u2019analisi di evidenze empiriche raccolte in maniera originaria. Le scelte metodologiche effettuate rappresentano anche il principale limite del contributo, le cui conclusioni non sono generalizzabili ma costituiscono la base per ulteriori approfondimenti del dibattito scientifico, per i quali si sono identificate delle specifiche direttrici