Measuring paper industry's ecological performance in an imprecise and vague scenario: a fuzzy DEA-based analytical framework

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunil Kumar Jauhar ◽  
Natthan Singh ◽  
A. Rajeev ◽  
Millie Pant
Keyword(s):  
Fuzzy Logic ◽  
Paper Industry ◽  
Paper Mill ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Efficiency Score ◽  
Comparative Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ecological Performance ◽  
Fuzzy Dea ◽  
Desirable And Undesirable Outputs

PurposeProductivity improvement is key to sustainability performance improvements of organizations. In a real-world scenario, the nature of inputs and outputs is likely to be imprecise and vague, leading to complexity in comparing firms' efficiency measurements. Implementation of fuzzy-logic based measurement systems is a method for dealing with such cases. This paper presents a fuzzy weight objective function to solve Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) CCR model for measuring paper mills' performance in India for 15 years.Design/methodology/approachAn integrated methodology is proposed to solve DEA models having fuzzy weights. The fuzzy DEA methodology is an extended version of the DEA approach that researchers have used for performance measurement purposes in imprecise and vague scenarios. The ecological performance of the paper industry is evaluated, considering some desirable and undesirable outputs. The effect of non-discretionary input on the performance of a paper mill is also analyzed.FindingsAnalysis suggests that the productivity of the paper industry is improving consistently throughout the period. The comparative evaluation of methods suggests that a diverse cluster of DMUs and integration of DEA with the fuzzy logic increases the diversity in the efficiency score while DEA-DE imitates the results of CCR DEA.Originality/valueProposed a fuzzy DEA-based analytical framework for measuring the paper industry's ecological performance in an imprecise and vague scenario. The model is tested on data from the paper industry in a developing country context and comparative performance analysis using DEA, fuzzy DEA and DE algorithm is done.

Paper mill's distribution efficiency to emerging East European markets

2014 ◽  
Vol 114 (8) ◽  
pp. 1144-1168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olli-Pekka Hilmola ◽  
Esa Hämäläinen ◽  
Maija Hujala
Keyword(s):  
Paper Industry ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Transportation Cost ◽  
Paper Mill ◽  
Transportation Costs ◽  
General Distribution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
East European ◽  
European Markets ◽  
Distribution Efficiency

Purpose – European paper industry has been struggling with margins and profitability for more than decade time period. At typical in markets of west, paper product demand is at long-term decline, mostly driven by continuously increasing internet use. However, in emerging markets demand still exists, and in Europe numerous small markets in east have even some growth available. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – The authors analyse in this research work with longitudinal data (period of 2002-2009) from one large Finnish paper mill and data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach, how distribution efficiency to selected eight East European markets has evolved. Findings – In general distribution efficiency has improved, but this has taken place in step-wise manner rather than being linear year-to-year development (year 2006 found to be the threshold). Reason is mostly in better management of transportation costs, and in particular lower monthly deviation of these costs. It is surprising that case paper mill has been able to manage transportation costs in rapidly increasing energy cost environment so efficiently. Maybe European Union enlargement of 2004 and 2007 has had its effects on distribution efficiency. Research limitations/implications – The research is limited to the deliveries of one paper mill located in Finland. Also East European markets in the early periods of this study were emerging papers markets, and distribution practices were clearly evolving. Practical implications – Based on the study East European paper market distribution should give more attention on transportation cost control, and trying to find solutions to minimize it with low monthly fluctuation. Originality/value – Very few studies exist from East European distribution issues, and particularly that of paper industry. Also used quantitative method of DEA is relatively new in this context and gives valuable insights for the distribution efficiency development.

Economics of a Nordic paper mill: case study

2010 ◽  
Vol 110 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-23
Author(s):  
Esa Hämäläinen ◽  
Ulla Tapaninen
Keyword(s):  
Financial Management ◽  
Paper Industry ◽  
Paper Mill ◽  
Statistical Correlation ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Process Data ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Paper Mills ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to reveal how the prices, costs, and logistics develop in the case mill and how these variables correlate with profits, and finally to give suggestions for improvements.Design/methodology/approachA typical Finnish paper mill is selected for the basis of the case study. The complete data for the mill for the years 2001 to 2007 at a monthly level are used. The data are obtained from the mill's financial management system and transferred to Excel. Statistica 4.1 software is used to run the statistical correlation analyses. The results can be generalized with certain limitations to paper manufacturing located at a long distance from its customers.FindingsThis paper gives an important insight into the economics of the Finnish paper industry. From theory‐building point of view, the empirical process data show that the variation in production lines is minimal, but there are important variations in paper deliveries. A lot can be gained in the logistics processes. Larger volumes delivered in tons also tend to increase profits. From the mill to the consignees, fluctuations in the process and paper sales grow substantially, which indicates longer storage times.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of the case study are based on the data of a single large integrated paper mill in Finland covering the years 2001‐2007, so the results cannot be directly generalized to concern all Nordic paper mills. In May 2005, there was an industrial blackout, which considerably affected the production and deliveries of all Finnish paper mills in that year.Practical implicationsThe competitive advantages of the Finnish paper industry are undermined by low paper prices and costly logistics. The mill managers should increasingly focus on overcapacity and cost issues and also deliver volumes, which all could contribute to higher profits.Originality/valueIn this paper, the Finnish paper industry is studied through a time series, economic geography, and statistical tools. This approach is a novel method and gives new insights into this research object. The mill's economic variables, such as paper prices, profits, and logistics and manufacturing costs, and the characteristics of these issues in a spatial context are studied.

Treatment of Different Wastewaters from Pulp and Paper Industry in Methane Reactors

1985 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 223-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
P K Latola
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Paper Industry ◽  
Granular Sludge ◽  
Paper Mill ◽  
Pulp And Paper Industry ◽  
Pulp And Paper ◽  
Plastic Foam ◽  
Loading Rates ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
Removal Efficiencies

A wastewater from an integrated paper mill with a COD of 1200 mg/dm3 was anaerobically treated in a multi-stage reactor. The BOD7 removal efficiencies of 60-75 % were achieved at maximal loading rates of 5-6 kg COD/m3d and HRT of 4-6 hours due to the granular sludge. Industrial sulphite evaporator condensates from Ca- and Na-processes were treated in anaerobic filters containing light gravel, plastic foam and power plant slag as filter media. The BOD7 removals of 78 % on average were achieved at loading rates of 1.8-3.3 kg COD/m3d with Ca-process evaporator condensates and 80 % BOD7 removals were achieved with Na-process condensates at loading rates of 3.5-4.1 kg COD/m3d.

The distributive knot: negotiators’ responsibility to untie complex demands

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 535-540 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alain Lempereur ◽  
Michele Pekar
Keyword(s):  
Demand Response ◽  
Automotive Industry ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business System ◽  
Response Dynamic ◽  
Managerial System ◽  
Deal Making ◽  
Different Levels

Purpose This article aims to explore the fundamental negotiation structure as a demand/response dynamic. It tests it in a complex business system, where a manager as a negotiator is confronted with multiple demands or pressures at different levels from a variety of stakeholders, both external and internal. Design/methodology/approach Based on concrete examples from the automotive industry, it presents an analytical framework to tackle all negotiation interactions. Findings This article suggests that it is possible to describe all negotiation interactions, whether they are simple or complex, through a demand/response framework. Originality/value This contribution examines a fundamental structure for negotiation responsibility – the demand/response dynamic – defining the mission of any negotiator in deal-making or dispute resolution as to try to supply a response to the expressed crossed demands. Second, the proposed theoretical model of demand/response is transposed and tested in a managerial system where a sales negotiator is confronted with demands from more sources, both external and internal, with the responsibility to satisfy as best as possible the various stakeholders and the capacity to address each of them with different moves.

Does total factor productivity affect the energy efficiency

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salman Haider ◽  
Javed Ahmad Bhat
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Energy Intensity ◽  
Paper Industry ◽  
Labour Productivity ◽  
Efficient Technology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Efficiency Performance ◽  
Energy Efficient Technology

Purpose Because of growing energy consumption and increasing absolute CO2 emissions, the recent calibrations about the environmental sustainability across the globe have mandated to achieve the minimal energy consumption through employing energy-efficient technology. This study aims to estimate linkage between simple measure of energy efficiency indicator that is reciprocal of energy intensity and total factor productivity (TFP) in case of Indian paper industry for 21 major states. In addition, the study incorporates the other control variables like labour productivity, capital utilization and structure of paper industry to scrutinize their likely impact on energy efficiency performance of the industry. Design/methodology/approach To derive the plausible estimates of TFP, the study applies the much celebrated Levinsohn and Petrin (2003) methodology. Using the regional level data for the period 2001-2013, the study employs instrumental variable-generalized method of moments (GMM-IV) technique to examine the nature of relationship among the variables involved in the analysis. Findings An elementary examination of energy intensity shows that not all states are equally energy intensive. States like Goa, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu are less energy intensive, whereas Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Assam and Punjab are most energy-intensive states on the basis of their state averages over the whole study period. The results estimated through GMM-IV show that increasing level of TFP is associated with lower level of energy per unit of output. Along this better skills and capacity utilization are also found to have positive impact on energy efficiency performance of industry. However, the potential heterogeneity within the structure of industry itself is found responsible for its higher energy intensity. Practical implications States should ensure and undertake substantial investment projects in the research and development of energy-efficient technology and that targeted allocations could be reinforced for more fruitful results. Factors aiming at improving the labour productivity should be given extra emphasis together with capital deepening and widening, needed for energy conservation and environmental sustainability. Given the dependence of structure of paper industry on the multitude of factors like regional inequality, economic growth, industrial structure and the resource endowment together with the issues of fragmented sizes, poor infrastructure and availability and affordability of raw materials etc., states should actively promote the coordination and cooperation among themselves to reap the benefits of technological advancements through technological spill overs. In addition, owing to their respective state autonomies, state governments should set their own energy saving targets by taking into account the respective potentials and opportunities for the different industries. Despite the requirement of energy-efficient innovations, however, the cons of technological advancements and the legal frameworks on the employment structure and distributional status should be taken care of before their adoption and execution. Originality/value To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that empirically examines the linkage between energy efficiency and TFP in case of Indian paper industry. The application of improved methods like Levinsohn and Petrin (2003) to derive the TFP measure and the use of GMM-IV to account for potential econometric problems like that of endogeneity will again add to the novelty of study.

Internationalization of emerging multinationals: the Latin American case

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 588-602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauricio Losada-Otálora ◽  
Lourdes Casanova
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Emerging Multinationals ◽  
Internationalization Strategies ◽  
American Case ◽  
Key Resources

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop an analytical framework that challenges the condescending view of multinationals of emerging countries. In this paper, it is showed that emerging multinational companies (EMNCs) developed valuable resources that leveraged their internationalization strategies. Design/methodology/approach – An exploratory approach was used to investigate the internationalization strategies of EMNCs. A qualitative study was built on secondary data sources, particularly analysis of cases of the internationalization of Latin American companies. Findings – The internationalization strategies deployed by EMNCs are similar to the strategies of traditional multinationals (firms of developed countries). Similarly, EMNCs exploit, acquire or defend their resources in foreign markets. Additionally, the selection of each strategy depends on the availability, transferability and substitutability of the resources involved in the internationalization. Research limitations/implications – The traditional approaches that study the role of resources in the internationalization of the EMNCs have some shortcomings. It is worth conducting additional research including the approach developed here to advance in the comprehension of the behavior of EMNCs. Practical implications – Managers must identify and develop key resources to invest abroad. Additionally, managers need to take into account the characteristics of the resources of their firms to select an adequate strategy abroad. Originality/value – This paper shows that EMNCs are not resource laggards. Consequently, theoretical and empirical evidence is provided to advance the development of comprehensive theories of the internationalization of EMNCs. This paper offers academics and practitioners with a new focus to analyze the internationalization of EMNCs which are recognized as a driving force of the global economy.

scholarly journals North European Export Industry and the Shadows of Sulphur Directive

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esa Hämäläinen ◽  
Olli-Pekka Hilmola ◽  
Andres Tolli
Keyword(s):  
Paper Industry ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Transportation Cost ◽  
Paper Mill ◽  
Export Industry ◽  
Eu Directive ◽  
Oil Markets ◽  
Regulation Change ◽  
European Export

Abstract EU Directive of MARPOL Annex VI and its economic impact on the Nordic paper industry is theme of this research work. Empirical data for analysis purposes was gained from a large Nordic paper mill that exports bulk products mainly to Europe (70 % of its volume). The study shows that in the end the industry’s location still has an economical effect, and that the location has a distinct impact on competition through rising transportation costs. Environmental regulation continues and fosters long-term upwards trajectory of transportation cost, which has been experienced by the paper mill earlier during years 2001-2009. Sulphur regulation change to cleaner grades of maritime diesel did not turn as heavy cost increase in the 2015, however, possibility to gain cost benefits in rapidly deteriorating oil markets were not reached either. Therefore, in depressed industrial product markets, like paper industry, implications were such that margins of export industry remained low.

The January effect anomaly: effect on the returns-earnings association

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 114-146
Author(s):  
Kathryn E. Easterday
Keyword(s):  
Firm Value ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
January Effect ◽  
Accounting Earnings ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quarterly Earnings ◽  
Market Inefficiency ◽  
Model Coefficient ◽  
Investor Trading ◽  
Pricing Anomaly

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the January effect, a well-documented capital markets pricing anomaly in which January return premiums are observed to be on average higher than in other months of the year. Extant literature focusses primarily on investor trading behaviors and incentives. This study is different in that it investigates the link between the unusually high returns characteristic of the January effect and accounting earnings, a popular measure that investors use to judge firm value. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical model used in this study is derived from the analytical framework of Ohlson (1995) and Feltham and Ohlson (1995), which explains returns as a function of current and future accounting earnings. Isolating firms that exhibit January effect return premiums from those that do not offers a deeper look at the characteristics of the anomaly. Regression analyses are carried out using a modified Fama-MacBeth (1973) methodology. Quarterly earnings and returns data are drawn from Compustat and CRSP. Findings – The main finding is that the association between January returns and first quarter earnings is unexpectedly and significantly negative, not positive as predicted by the model. Coefficient signs for the other three quarters behave as expected. Additional analyses highlight a difference in the returns-earnings association between firms affected by the anomaly and those that are not. Robustness checks indicate that the findings are not spurious. Originality/value – Rather than applying trading or multifactor economic models that rely on some level of market inefficiency or irrational investor behavior, this study uses an accounting valuation approach that relies on neither. The unexpected negative association between January effect returns and earnings suggests that other factor(s) besides earnings may play into valuation judgments for investors in such firms, and invites further research.

Finding beneficiaries: trade adjustment assistance system in South Korea

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joon-heon Song
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Policy Preferences ◽  
Trade Adjustment Assistance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
South Korean ◽  
Policy Failure ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Trade Adjustment ◽  
The Government

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the essential cause for the policy failure of Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) in South Korea. Design/methodology/approach To substantiate the claims made for the failure of the policy, this paper focuses on the differences in policy preferences among the government ministries and agencies involved in TAA. Findings The failure in the TAA policy, according to this study, was attributed to the conflicts and miscoordination arising from the differences in policy preferences among government ministries and agencies. To rectify this failure, the South Korean government had to revise its laws and regulations several times over a short period. Originality/value Drawing on the analytical framework of the literature on policy failure, this paper examines the causal relationships between outcomes of TAA policy and the conflicts or miscoordination among government bodies at each stage: initiatives and planning, implementation and operation of the policy.

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