1,720,959 research outputs found
A Performance Dashboard for a Logistics Service Company in the Fast Fashion Industry
No full textPurpose - This paper proposes a structured performance measurement system for the logistics activities carried out by a company operating in the fast fashion industry Design/methodology/approach - After a review of the logistics measurements models existing in literature, the Logistiqual has been selected because it considers both the inventory control and the transport service. Then the logistic process of the company is mapped and crucial Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are defined according each area of Logistiqual. The system has been validated by applying the indicators on past data. Originality/value - The effectiveness of Logistiqual to monitor the logistics process and the importance of measuring performances are reaffirmed. The proposed approach proves to be suitable for the updating of the measurement system, so that it can reflect the current needs of an organization
A Proposed Framework for Lean Warehousing
No full textLean warehouses can serve production or business systems and supply chains in general by contributing to the achievement of lower costs of operations and increased flexibility and efficiency. The work aims to present a 3-step framework for lean warehousing based on a conceptual analysis. The framework starts with 5Ws Analysis of 7 Wastes ("muda") for warehouse operations. The outcomes set a baseline for selection and effective implementation of lean tools. As the second step, the 5S lean tool is applied for waste control in warehouse operations for achieving an improved visibility, smoother material flows, work organization and standardization. As the third step, the Value Stream Map (VSM) technique is introduced as a mean to represent the material and information flows in warehouse operations. VSM shows the elements that control the time of warehouse activities and, thus, the lead time of the whole process. The proposed framework can help to control waste and increase efficiency in warehouse operations. Further research directions include an accurate validation of the developed approach by applying it to multiple warehouse settings, the analysis of human resources and information systems requirements as well as the development of design principles for lean warehousin
Analysing the Determinants of Logistics Service Provider Efficiency in Urban Distribution
Full text linkTraffic congestion, lack of parking spaces, and high levels of pollution in urban areas, together with an increased awareness of freight transportation impacts, stress the importance of City Logistics (CL) as a comprehensive approach aimed at mitigating the negative effects of distribution activities without penalizing social, cultural, and economic development. CL faces a relevant degree of complexity, which causes uncertainty about planning and managing urban logistics activities. Several models have been developed to optimize CL focusing on distribution warehouses, freight flows, the routing task, vehicle loading, the size and type of vehicles that can enter urban areas, and possible congestion charges. However, a successful implementation of such models requires a proper level of internal efficiency of the stakeholders involved. Among them, logistics service providers (LSPs) play a crucial role because they are expected to offer high quality services in urban areas. The paper proposes an empirical analysis on the operational factors determining the level of efficiency of a LSP, which is here assessed through productivity. Data about an Italian LSP involved in urban freight distribution are analyzed and a regression analysis is completed. Two managerial levers are found to affect the level of productivity: the organization of the distribution network, and the vehicle loading strategy. The first lever implies a more efficient location of warehouses, an extension of the area covered by each driver and a more effective routing structure. Furthermore, vehicles should not be excessively loaded, especially with big parcels, in order to ensure flexibility. This study represents an attempt to develop a comprehensive panel of operational variables affecting the efficiency of the urban distribution system of LSPs. The enhancement of LSP efficiency contributes to achieve a better quality of life in urban areas as well as the associated economic and environmental benefit
Logistics Performance Measurement for Sustainability in the Fast Fashion Industry
Full text linkThe fast fashion sector is characterized by a short time-to-market which adds to the fluctuating demand faced by this industry where competition requires to introduce a number of new designs in clothing each season. In such a context, some firms have started creating independent companies in charge of managing logistics operations. This strategy allows a direct control over logistics activities enabling to save time and costs and increase quality. However, in order to obtain the promised benefits, independent logistics companies need to be sustainable from both an operational and an economic point of view. To this end, an appropriate performance management appears to be essential. The paper develops a structured performance measurement system for an independent logistics organization part of an Italian fast fashion company. After reviewing the existing logistics performance measurement models, the LOGISTIQUAL model was selected because it balances all the perspectives of the logistics service. The company processes were mapped to identify the activities to be monitored. KPIs were defined and classified according to each performance area of LOGISTIQUAL. Prior to its implementation, the performance measurement system was validated by applying the indicators to past data. This work provides fast fashion firms with a methodology to design and implement logistics performance measurement dashboards that can be used to understand the current organizational behavior. Such knowledge assists in defining effective strategies to ensure competitive advantage and long term sustainability. Also, monitoring performances stimulates people to operate in order to achieve the company's goal
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Full text linkWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
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