Vol. 9 Issue 1 pp. 000‐000 There is a growing need for integrating environmentally sound choices into supply-chain management research and practice. Perusal of the literature shows that a broad frame of reference for green supply-chain management (GrSCM) is not adequately developed. Regulatory bodies that formulate regulations to meet societal and ecological concerns to facilitate growth of business and economy also suffer from its absence. A succinct classification to help academicians, researchers and practitioners in understanding integrated GrSCM from a wider perspective is needed. Further, sufficient literature is available to warrant such classification. This paper takes an integrated and fresh look into the area of GrSCM. The literature on GrSCM is covered exhaustively from its conceptualization, primarily taking a ‘reverse logistics angle’. Using the rich body of available literature, including earlier reviews that had relatively limited perspectives, the literature on GrSCM is classified on the basis of the problem context in supply chain’s major influential areas. It is also classified on the basis of methodology and approach adopted. Various mathematical tools/techniques used in literature vis-a-vis the contexts of GrSCM are mapped. A timeline indicating relevant papers is also provided as a ready reference. Finally, the findings and interpretations are summarized, and the main research issues and opportunities are highlighted.

Green supply‐chain management: A state‐of‐the‐art literature review

Much has been written about theory and practice in the law, and the tension between practitioners and theorists. Judges do not cite theoretical articles often; they rarely "apply" theories to particular cases. These arguments are not revisited. Instead the Essay explores the working and interaction of theory and practice, practitioners and theorists. The Essay starts with a story about solving a legal issue using our intellectual tools - theory, practice, and their progenies: experience and "gut." Next the Essay elaborates on the nature of theory, practice, experience and "gut." The third part of the Essay discusses theories that are helpful to practitioners and those that are less helpful. The Essay concludes that practitioners theorize, and theorists practice. They use these intellectual tools differently because the goals and orientations of theorists and practitioners, and the constraints under which they act, differ. Theory, practice, experience and "gut" help us think, remember, decide and create. They complement each other like the two sides of the same coin: distinct but inseparable.

Of Theory and Practice

The increasing integration of the Internet of Everything into the industrial value chain has built the foundation for the next industrial revolution called Industrie 4.0. Although Industrie 4.0 is currently a top priority for many companies, research centers, and universities, a generally accepted understanding of the term does not exist. As a result, discussing the topic on an academic level is difficult, and so is implementing Industrie 4.0 scenarios. Based on a quantitative text analysis and a qualitative literature review, the paper identifies design principles of Industrie 4.0. Taking into account these principles, academics may be enabled to further investigate on the topic, while practitioners may find assistance in identifying appropriate scenarios. A case study illustrates how the identified design principles support practitioners in identifying Industrie 4.0 scenarios.

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Design Principles for Industrie 4.0 Scenarios

https://findresearcher.sdu.dk:8443/ws/files/116118561/reverse_logistics.pdf

Reverse logistics and closed-loop supply chain: A comprehensive review to explore the future

Internet evolution has affected all industrial and commercial activity and accelerated e-learning growth. Due to cost, time, or flexibility for designer courses and learners, e-learning has been adopted by corporations as an alternative training method. E-learning effectiveness evaluation is vital, and evaluation criteria are diverse. A large effort has been made regarding e-learning effectiveness evaluation; however, a generalized quantitative evaluation model, which considers both the interaffected relation between criteria and the fuzziness of subjective perception concurrently, is lacking. In this paper, the proposed new novel hybrid MCDM model addresses the independent relations of evaluation criteria with the aid of factor analysis and the dependent relations of evaluation criteria with the aid of DEMATEL. The AHP and the fuzzy integral methods are used for synthetic utility in accordance with subjective perception environment. Empirical experimental results show the proposed model is capable of producing effective evaluation of e-learning programs with adequate criteria that fit with respondent's perception patterns, especially when the evaluation criteria are numerous and intertwined.

https://ir.nctu.edu.tw:443/bitstream/11536/10843/1/000243797800008.pdf

Evaluating intertwined effects in e-learning programs: A novel hybrid MCDM model based on factor analysis and DEMATEL

The analytic network process (ANP) is presented as a potentially valuable method to support the selection of projects in a research and development (R&D) environment. This paper first discusses the requirements of the R&D project selection problem, which requires the allocation of resources to a set of competing and often disparate project proposals. Among the factors complicating this task is the need to make the decision within the framework of an enterprise's strategic objectives and organizational structure while considering and integrating financial and strategic benefits of each project. The paper discusses the use of the ANP, a general form of Saaty's analytic hierarchy process, as a model to evaluate the value of competing R&D project proposals. A generic ANP model developed by the authors, which includes in its decision levels the actors involved in the decision, the stages of research, categories of metrics, and individual metrics, is presented. The paper concludes with a case study describing the implementation of this model at a small high-tech company, including data based on the actual use of the decision making model.

R&D project selection using the analytic network process

The objective of this paper is to introduce a decision methodology and structure for manufacturing (and organizational) agility improvement. The methodology allows for the evaluation of alternatives (e.g. projects) to help organizations become more agile, with a specific objective of improving the manufacturing business processes. An agile enterprise is one whose processes are designed to respond effectively to unanticipated change. One of the difficulties in designing and analysing business processes, in general, is that they are operational designs that need to incorporate strategic attributes. In order to evaluate alternatives that impact the business processes, a networked hierarchical analysis model based on the various characteristics of agility, is proposed. This evaluation model will be based on the analytic network process methodology for solving complex and systemic decisions. An actual example of a small manufacturing enterprise provides some managerial insights into the methodology.

Analyzing organizational project alternatives for agile manufacturing processes: An analytical network approach

This paper explores and illustrates an analytical framework to assess an organization’s logistics strategy. The optimum logistical system is evaluated based on three primary levels: the organizational/supply chain relationship involved, the principles of logistics required, and the attributes of these principles. The principles of logistics are defined and developed as strategies for achieving coordination and integration of the logistics network and supply chain. The analytic network process, a systemic analytical model, will be utilized to evaluate logistics strategies for an organization that seeks to be adaptive to dynamic competitive environments.

Strategic analysis of logistics and supply chain management systems using the analytical network process

The selection of third‐party logistics providers is an intriguing practical and research question. With the development and advancement of reverse logistics concepts and practice, the selection of partners for the specific function of reverse logistics support becomes more important. This paper is one of the first to address this issue. The factors that play an important role in selecting a third‐party reverse logistics provider; such as a focus on end‐of‐life product organizational roles (e.g. recycling, reuse, etc.), differ from some traditional factors for supplier selection. How these new factors can be included for the selection of a partner is modeled within a decision‐making framework.

A conceptual model for selecting and evaluating third‐party reverse logistics providers

The concept of sustainability has become increasingly important for organizations and has permeated a number of managerial and organizational decisions. Sustainability, as defined by its ‘triple-bottom line’ factors of economic, environmental, and social dimensions, is the underlying framework we use to develop and apply a strategic justification tool for project evaluation with sustainability implications. An activity-based management methodological framework is used as a vehicle to frame decisions using corporate sustainability. An illustrative application of this technique demonstrates how an organization could select between two competing reverse logistics providers. This process requires that we introduce issues relevant to three major sustainability factors (and their sub factors) and how they are influenced by a reverse logistics provider decision. The dual contribution of this paper includes investigating the design and development of the strategic sustainability evaluation framework and introduci...

Laura Meade

Papers

R&D project selection using the analytic network process

Analyzing organizational project alternatives for agile manufacturing processes: An analytical network approach

Strategic analysis of logistics and supply chain management systems using the analytical network process

A conceptual model for selecting and evaluating third‐party reverse logistics providers

A strategic sustainability justification methodology for organizational decisions: a reverse logistics illustration