A Provisional Framework for Studying Information Connectivity in Food Networks

Through a discussion of peculiarities of food supply, involving focus on information connectivity, a preliminary framework is sought that underlines joint responsibility in a complete supply chain of actors working in network context to achieve safe, quality and economic provision of products to end-use.Food chains and networks, Complete chain and network approach, Information connectivity, Enterprise modelling, Product traceability, Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Farm Management, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Industrial Organization,

Developing exchange in short local foods supply chains

The supply chain management of foods is commonly associated with modernistic large-scale production. This involves long transport distances of foods to reach consumers. In the case of local foods, supply chains are shorter. Based on a case study of five local foods producer's supply of their products to a common retailer, the supply chain of local foods is modelled conceptually and modes of development are pointed out based on contingency theory and supply chain management literature. Findings reveal that since these chains are transparent, reciprocal interdependency is abundant mainly because human perception creates a sufficient understanding of the operations management issues pertinent within this simple inter-organisational structure. Local foods supply chains are similar to service supply chains. This includes that both are short in nature and associated with bi-directional interaction between the customer and supplier. Developing short supply chains in local foods supply is associated with improving the exchange economy found in short supply chains. This also implies that development of local foods supply is associated with two paths which may be complementary. First, the use of improved intensive technology associated with reciprocal interdependency to develop efficiencies in the bi-directional and somewhat complex interaction. Alternatively local foods suppliers may seek to reduce this form of reciprocal interdependency thereby increasing the impact of pooled interdependencies and enabling using mediating technology involving standardising interaction such as through increased standardised products and packaging as well as automation of information connectivity. Keywords: Local foods; Short supply chains; Logistics; Contingency theory; Interdependencies; Exchange economy.publishedVersio

Developing the service value : a case study of waste management in offshore petroleum logistics

This research concerns how waste can be perceived as a valued object from a supply chain prospective. The resource-based view of the firm supplemented by service-dominant logic in an overall frame of supply chain management is used to develop an analytic framework guiding this research. A single case study reveals how waste in petroleum logistics includes a role of waste as a traded product downstream in the supply chain. “Waste management” is discussed from a SCM perspective; an “afterlife” of the outbound product; a normal logistical flow. The flow from the supply base is reverse, but not the flow out of the supply base which also is associated with ownership and trading waste products. Waste management firms are specialised in creating logistics service through networking. In relation to petroleum logistics, waste management is a function associated with this overall logistics function in offshore petroleum production. Keywords: petroleum logistics, waste management, resource-based view, supply chain management, networkspublishedVersio

The Impact on Logistics when using Hydroponics Technology in a Value Network

Logistics of using hydroponics to support urban agriculture in a value network context is conceptualised through an empirically grounded model. This is developed employing a single case study that reveals hydroponics use in a value network, a local and transparent form of inter-organizational cooperation. Hydroponics use for urban farming in its networked context reveals this form of food supply as a local ecosystem, alternative to modernistic large scale geographically distant to consumption-type farming. The empirically grounded conceptual model reveals how this recent technology is only one of many factors that in combination provide understanding on how sustainable production of safe and quality foods may be achieved with focus on its impact on logistical operations. Hydroponics use as revealed in the case shortens logistics flows and greatly simplifies logistics operations since it is a local type of goods distribution. This model provides basis for further research on use of small-scale indoor urban farming technology from a logistics perspective highlighting features of using this technology economically to supply urban food consumption through loosely coupled food production

Developing Exchange in Short Local Foods Supply Chains

The supply chain management of foods is commonly associated with modernistic large-scale production. This involves long transport distances of foods to reach consumers. In the case of local foods, supply chains are shorter. Based on a case study of five local foods producer's supply of their products to a common retailer, the supply chain of local foods is modelled conceptually and modes of development are pointed out based on contingency theory and supply chain management literature. Findings reveal that since these chains are transparent, reciprocal interdependency is abundant mainly because human perception creates a sufficient understanding of the operations management issues pertinent within this simple inter-organisational structure. Local foods supply chains are similar to service supply chains. This includes that both are short in nature and associated with bi-directional interaction between the customer and supplier. Developing short supply chains in local foods supply is associated with improving the exchange economy found in short supply chains. This also implies that development of local foods supply is associated with two paths which may be complementary. First, the use of improved intensive technology associated with reciprocal interdependency to develop efficiencies in the bi-directional and somewhat complex interaction. Alternatively local foods suppliers may seek to reduce this form of reciprocal interdependency thereby increasing the impact of pooled interdependencies and enabling using mediating technology involving standardising interaction such as through increased standardised products and packaging as well as automation of information connectivity

Reverse logistics as a complex system : a case study of waste management in the Norwegian offshore petroleum industry

Waste management is usually considered just another form of reverse physical distribution. This case study points to uncertainties associated with operating a drill cuttings flow from offshore installations, through treatment on land, and onwards to its final form. The case description evokes a form of supply chain that is inherently complex. Contingency theory, focusing on interdependencies associated with interaction, is applied as approach to indicate how developing this waste flow as a complex system involves taking into account features of sequential, pooled and reciprocal interdependencies. Interaction should accordingly be tailored through analyzing these interdependencies found in the case. Keywords: case study, contingency theory, interdependencies, Norwegian petroleum industry, reverse logistics, supply chain managementpublishedVersio

Lean and complex systems : a case study of materials handling at an on-land warehouse facility supporting subsea gas operations

Commonly warehouse management is subject to deterministic planning procedures within the organizational scope of supply chain management. Lately lean principles have become more widespread and also adapted to develop materials handling within warehouses. Several facets of analysis are considered in this case study on outsourced warehousing in the Norwegian petroleum industry. This study reveals empirically how outsourced warehousing as service provision involves an organization problem with waste found both at the service management and at the process levels. Analysis points to how lean principles of process improvement may be combined with complex systems thinking. The case reveals examples of how warehouse management and its operations are full of complexities leading to waste. While lean usually is used hands on to manage these wastes through manual incremental development, another organisation of continuous innovation is suggested here. Lean is suggested be developed as organizational context of complex systems information warehouse management system software. Following lean principles evokes many types of process waste at the studied warehouse. Instead on following the manual stepwise and continuous process improvement approach of lean in all areas of organization, a more radical change to complex systems evident in information system design to support warehousing processes is proposed with lean as its organizational context. Keywords: case study, complex systems, lean, material handling, Norwegian petroleum industry, services industry, Warehouse managementpublishedVersio

Integrating in a Complex Networked Local Fresh Fish Supply System

The contemporary food market is experiencing an increased popularity of quality locally produced foods. These types of foods are produced and distributed in a different manner than foods subject to large-scale modernistic forms of production. The research question is posed as how to integrate this particular form of networked food production. The paper discusses what differentiates this form of food production focusing in its logistics and relationship features; features of interdependencies, information technology, traceability, complexity and local foods networks as complex ecosystems are applied to evoke these logistics and relationship particularities. This implies expand the supply chain view to accommodate for ecosystems thinking on local foods. The study provides accordingly, based on a single case study, a detailed description of the local foods network of a small Norwegian fresh seafood retailer and wholesaler. Based on this empirical evidence, a conceptual model that describes how food supply may be considered as an ecosystem. This model, which basically is a set of systemically interrelated propositions, represents basis for further investigation to better empirically ground the views presented in this paper on how to integrate in this form of local foods supply understood as complex systems encompassing ecosystems thinking

Innovation in healthcare services : creating a Combined Contingency Theory and Ecosystems Approach

The purpose of this conceptual paper is to develop an analytical framework used for process development in healthcare services. Healthcare services imply a form of operations management demanding an adapted research approach. This study therefore highlights first in the introduction challenges of healthcare services as a reasoning of this study. It is a type of service that has high societal and therefore ethical concern, but at the same time needs to be carried out efficiently to economise service production resource use. Combined business and ethics concerns need to be balanced in this service supply system. In the literature review that is the bulk of this paper, first, particularities of the service industry processes are considered. This is followed by considering literature on contingency theory to consider the nature of the supply chain context of the healthcare service processes highlighting interdependencies and appropriate technology use. This developed view is then expanded to consider an ecosystems approach to encompass the environment expanding analyses to considering in balanced manner features of business, society and nature. A research model for directing both further researches on the healthcare service industry an innovation of such services in practice is introduced.publishedVersio

Adapting Supply Chain Management for Local Foods Logistics

Supply chain management is adapted to the particularities of local foods production characterised by short chains and intensive horizontal and vertical networking in an integrated context. A case study of chain of local foods logistics to a common retailer in Norway empirically grounds what constitutes "supply chain management of local foods". Findings based on analysis applying contingency theory indicate that local foods chains not only are short in structure. They are differentiated grounded in a developed local reputation. They also resemble in structure as well as operations more service supply chains than modernistic supply chains due of heightened reciprocal interdependencies demanding quality networking. The exchange economy is therefore vital in managing local foods logistics