Assessing the environmental impact of logistics sites through CO2eq footprint computation

The environmental sustainability of logistics facilities is widely acknowledged as an important issue, but a comprehensive standardised methodology for assessing their environmental impact is lacking. This study proposes a structured model for quantifying both consumptions and generated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, adopting a three-phase methodology that combines multiple methods. A literature-based conceptual framework was leveraged to design an analytical model, and in-depth interviews with 11 senior logistics managers were conducted. The study offers a replicable methodology that considers heterogeneous sources of consumption and related end-use types, further splitting consumptions and emissions by warehouses' functional areas. It offers a set of Environmental Performance Indicators (EPIs) that could bolster a clearer understanding of the warehouse environmental performance. A robust tool is offered to managers to support their decision-making processes, allowing for both internal assessments and benchmarking with competitors or other players along the supply chain, thus contributing to shape company's, or even supply chain, sustainability strategies

Coping with the postponement boundary problem: an empirical investigation in global food supply chains

Purpose – The postponement boundary problem entails that duties and cross-border trade complexity can lead companies to geographically postpone operations to downstream global facilities. The present study aims at investigating the problem to provide insights into the drivers behind the choice of different postponement strategies for global food supply chains. Design/methodology/approach – A single case study was conducted considering an Italian company exporting olive oil toward the United States. Two global postponement strategies, previously formalized in the literature, were tailored for food supply chains. A multi-methodological approach was adopted, combining data obtained through exploratory case research with empirically grounded analytical modeling. A sensitivity analysis was also performed, to investigate outcomes related to the considered problem when changing key parameters. Findings – Bulky and heavy packing materials account for a big percentage of finished products’ volume and weight, and this can deeply affect strategies’ cost-effectiveness. Postponing packaging operations could allow for taking advantage of lower tariffs levied on bulk goods, contributing to significantly lower duties to be paid. However, important trade-offs could arise related to the required investments, and the fiscal regulatory frameworks must be carefully examined. Originality/value – This study offers an empirical investigation of the postponement boundary problem, which is largely unexplored in the current literature. It also tackles an understudied empirical context as global food supply chains. It summarizes the drivers behind and explores the costs related to the implementation of different strategies, offering an original quantitative approach that could support practitioners’ decision making. Lastly, it formalizes five propositions that could pave the way for further research inquiries

Quantum correlation of an optically controlled quantum system

A precise time-dependent control of a quantum system relies on an accurate account of the quantum interference among the system, the control and the environment. A diagrammatic technique has been recently developed to precisely calculate this quantum correlation for a fast multimode coherent photon control against slow relaxation, valid for both Markovian and non-Markovian systems. We review this formalism in comparison with the existing approximate theories and extend it to cases with controls by photon state other than the coherent state.Comment: 23 pages, 8 figure

Optical bistability in sideband output modes induced by squeezed vacuum

We consider $N$ two-level atoms in a ring cavity interacting with a broadband squeezed vacuum centered at frequency $\omega_{s}$ and an input monochromatic driving field at frequency $\omega$. We show that, besides the central mode (at \o), many other {\em sideband modes} are produced at the output, with frequencies shifted from $\omega$ by multiples of $2(\omega -\omega_{s})$. Here we analyze the optical bistability of the two nearest sideband modes, one red-shifted and the other blue-shifted.Comment: Replaced with final published versio

Higher-order mutual coherence of optical and matter waves

We use an operational approach to discuss ways to measure the higher-order cross-correlations between optical and matter-wave fields. We pay particular attention to the fact that atomic fields actually consist of composite particles that can easily be separated into their basic constituents by a detection process such as photoionization. In the case of bosonic fields, that we specifically consider here, this leads to the appearance in the detection signal of exchange contributions due to both the composite bosonic field and its individual fermionic constituents. We also show how time-gated counting schemes allow to isolate specific contributions to the signal, in particular involving different orderings of the Schr\"odinger and Maxwell fields.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figure

Generation of atom-photon entangled states in atomic Bose-Einstein condensate via electromagnetically induced transparency

In this paper, we present a method to generate continuous-variable-type entangled states between photons and atoms in atomic Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). The proposed method involves an atomic BEC with three internal states, a weak quantized probe laser and a strong classical coupling laser, which form a three-level Lambda-shaped BEC system. We consider a situation where the BEC is in electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) with the coupling laser being much stronger than the probe laser. In this case, the upper and intermediate levels are unpopulated, so that their adiabatic elimination enables an effective two-mode model involving only the atomic field at the lowest internal level and the quantized probe laser field. Atom-photon quantum entanglement is created through laser-atom and inter-atomic interactions, and two-photon detuning. We show how to generate atom-photon entangled coherent states and entangled states between photon (atom) coherent states and atom-(photon-) macroscopic quantum superposition (MQS) states, and between photon-MQS and atom-MQS states.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figur

Global distribution network design: exploration of facility location driven by tax considerations and related cross-country implications

Multinational corporations (MNCs) are moving not only their headquarters but also their logistics operations to low-tax jurisdictions to minimise the tax burden. However, the logistics and fiscal domains are guided by different principles. This study aims to explore the cross-country implications of locating facilities in low-tax jurisdictions to take advantage of tax arbitrage. A single case study is developed, considering a fashion MNC that moved its European warehouse from Italy to Switzerland. The study offers theoretical insights about cross-country logistics network reconfiguration, formalising three possible scenarios and deepening the related implications. A quantitative evaluation of those scenarios is proposed, updating logistics cost items by including fiscal specifics and exploring the mutual interdependence between logistics and fiscal elements. To improve the study’s managerial contribution, the influence of contextual parameters is also investigated, showing that facility location for tax purposes does not necessarily lead to maximise net income after taxes