Requirements for an IoT-lock enabling asynchronous physical handovers of temi-trailers in road freight relay-transport

In long-distance road freight transport, capacity utilization of semi-trailers is less than 30 % due to mandatory steering and rest periods. Truck parking spaces are overcrowded while resulting parking search traffic leads to additional emissions. At the same time, the acute driver shortage and customers' expectations of ever faster functioning supply chains force the highest efficiency in transport means and personnel. Multi-carrier relay-transport represents an approach to solving these problems and exploiting untapped efficiency potentials: Via a digital platform, long distances are intelligently divided into short route sections which are distributed among different carriers. At predefined switching points, the asynchronous handover of semi-trailers to rested drivers takes place. To enable a secure cross-company physical handover, IoT-locking mechanisms play a crucial role. This paper details the asynchronous handover process and introduces the technical design of an IoT-lock which provides effective theft protection while the trailer is parked and reliably connects tractor and semi-trailer during transport. Based on an analysis of stakeholder requirements, software functionalities and mechanical properties of the IoT-lock are derived, which ensure effective theft protection as well as real-time data transmission for relay transports. In addition, legal requirements for asynchronous transfers are investigated to determine liability in case of damage or loss. These form the basis for digital handover protocols that record the condition of the freight and trailer during the handover process

Invited perspectives: Thunderstorm Intensification from Mountains to Plains

Severe thunderstorms are among the most damaging and impactful weather phenomena. In Europe, notable clusters occur in the vicinity of complex terrain. These areas not only experience frequent thunderstorms but also show a strong climate change signal with an increasing storm frequency. Despite the relevance of the subject, our understanding of severe convection in complex terrain, particularly in a changing climate, remains incomplete. This review presents the current state of the research on thunderstorms in complex orography, covering storm severity, modification of pre-storm environments, convection initiation, storm-scale interactions with complex terrain, impactful hazards, numerical modeling and forecasting, climatologies and climate change signals, as well as innovative storm observations. Highlighting the gaps in our understanding, this review underscores the need for a coordinated European field campaign on Thunderstorm Intensification from Mountains to Plains (TIM). Initial plans for the TIM campaign built by participating authors and institutions of this article are briefly outlined. Obtaining coordinated and dense data on orographically driven storms is a key step toward improving warnings, forecasts, future climate projections, and adaptation measures

Exploring the antecedents of preferential customer treatment by suppliers: a mixed methods approach

Purpose – This paper aims to understand the factors that influence a supplier’s choice to treat selected customers more preferentially than others. Suppliers often lack the resources to treat all their customers equally, instead having to make choices to treat some customers as preferred. Empirical evidence indicates that preferential treatment by suppliers provides substantial benefits for the purchasing firm. Design/methodology/approach – This study applies a mixed-methods approach. First, a qualitative analysis of a sample of buyers from an automotive manufacturer was conducted. In the second step, the findings were triangulated via a quantitative survey among key account managers of the automotive firm’s suppliers. Findings – This paper is the first to provide quantitative data collected from a large sample of automotive suppliers about the drivers of preferential customer treatment. The authors were able to show that the growth opportunities for suppliers and customers’ operative excellence, reliability and relational behavior are factors that induce suppliers to award preferential customer treatment. In contrast, innovation potential for suppliers, customers’ support of suppliers, supplier involvement and contact accessibility do not show a significant effect on suppliers’ behavioral intentions toward preferential customer treatment. Originality/value – The mixed-methods approach is introduced as a form of academic enquiry in supply chain management. The factors influencing preferential customer treatment by suppliers are explored in discussions with purchasers and validated in a subsequent survey among suppliers. Recommendations for managerial practice and theory are drawn

Abschlussberichte Q-Tutorien HU Berlin, Sommersemester 2017

Das bologna.lab der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin fördert im Rahmen des Qualitätspakts Lehre (BMBF, 2012-2020) eine Reihe von Projekten mit dem Ziel, bereits ab dem Bachelorstudium Freiräume für forschendes Lernen zu schaffen und diese mit forschungsnahen Lehrangeboten zu füllen. Eines dieser Projekte sind die Q-Tutorien, deren Abschlussberichte in diesem Band versammelt sind. In diesen studentischen Veranstaltungen bearbeitet eine Gruppe Studierender ein selbst gewähltes Forschungsthema in eigenständiger, interdisziplinärer und möglichst innovativer Projektarbeit

Sichtweisen junger Menschen auf Schutz, Sexualität und Gewalt im Kontext von Jugendarbeit

Im Projekt "Schutz­Norm – Schutzkonzepte in der Kinder- und Jugendarbeit. Normalitätskonstruktionen von Sexualität und Gewalt unter Jugendlichen" wurde eine bundesweite Onlinebefragung unter Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen zu ihren Sichtweisen auf die Themen Sexualität, (sexualisierte) Peer-Gewalt und Schutz durchgeführt. Das Datenhandbuch erläutert die verwendete Methodik der Onlinebefragung und stellt deskriptiv und merkmalsbezogen Ergebnisse dar. Die Befragung gibt neue Einblicke in die Sichtweisen junger Menschen auf die Themen Sexualität und Gewalt, welche einen entscheidenden Ansatzpunkt für die Weiterentwicklung von Schutzkonzepten in den unterschiedlichen Feldern der Kinder- und Jugendarbeit darstellen