scholarly journals To Green or Not to Green? Exploring the Adoption of Green Initiatives in Canadian Trucking

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Jovanovic
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Logistics Industry ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Scant Attention ◽  
Negative Environmental Impact ◽  
High Level ◽  
Trucking Companies

The topic of environmental sustainability has become a central theme in recent years. To-date, ample scholarly literature has focused on the application of environmental sustainability in manufacturing, with scant attention on the logistics industry – particularly in Canada. Given the lack of research on the topic in Canada and the significant negative environmental impact of trucking transportation in the country, I use case study methodology to uncover: (1) the types of green initiatives that have been adopted by Canadian trucking companies, and (2) the drivers and barriers that can affect trucking companies’ adoption of green initiatives. Moreover, I conduct semi-structured interviews with high-level employees from eight small-to-medium sized trucking companies in Ontario. The results illustrate that the implementation of green initiatives in trucking is at an early stage and that trucking companies in Ontario face a multitude of drivers and barriers when adopting green initiatives. Additionally, I reveal three new findings.

scholarly journals To Green or Not to Green? Exploring the Adoption of Green Initiatives in Canadian Trucking

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Jovanovic
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Logistics Industry ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Scant Attention ◽  
Negative Environmental Impact ◽  
High Level ◽  
Trucking Companies

The topic of environmental sustainability has become a central theme in recent years. To-date, ample scholarly literature has focused on the application of environmental sustainability in manufacturing, with scant attention on the logistics industry – particularly in Canada. Given the lack of research on the topic in Canada and the significant negative environmental impact of trucking transportation in the country, I use case study methodology to uncover: (1) the types of green initiatives that have been adopted by Canadian trucking companies, and (2) the drivers and barriers that can affect trucking companies’ adoption of green initiatives. Moreover, I conduct semi-structured interviews with high-level employees from eight small-to-medium sized trucking companies in Ontario. The results illustrate that the implementation of green initiatives in trucking is at an early stage and that trucking companies in Ontario face a multitude of drivers and barriers when adopting green initiatives. Additionally, I reveal three new findings.

Is guanxi important in a buyer-supplier relationship? Case of Chinese logistics industry

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atif Saleem Butt ◽  
Syed Hamad Hassan Shah ◽  
Abdullah Zafar Sheikh
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Business Culture ◽  
Negative Outcomes ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Logistics Industry ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Chinese Business ◽  
Communication Flow ◽  
Supplier Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to unveil negative outcomes associated with an absence of guanxi in a buyer–supplier relationship in Chinese logistics industry. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a case study methodology using 16 semi-structured interviews with managers engaged in the process of buying and selling logistics services in China. Findings Based on the qualitative interviews, managers experience lack of trust, lack of communication flow and reduced business volume when guanxi is absent in a buyer–supplier relationship in the Chinese logistics industry. Research limitations/implications This study has some limitations. First, the results of this study are not generalizable to a broader population. Second, this study explores behavioral patterns with respect to Chinese business culture only. Practical implications Firms can use the findings from this study to understand the consequence they can face when guanxi is absent in a buyer–supplier relationship. Originality/value This study attempts to offer a balanced perspective on the role of guanxi in a buyer–supplier relationship, particularly in the Chinese logistics industry, by considering how an absence of guanxi generates negative outcomes for firms.

Guanxi and intra-organizational conflicts: evidence from Chinese logistics industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 495-505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atif Saleem Butt
Keyword(s):  
Personal Relationship ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Business Culture ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Logistics Industry ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Chinese Business ◽  
Logistics Services ◽  
Organizational Conflicts

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand conflicts that develop between managers and their respective firms when a personal relationship is present between managers of buying and supplying firms in the Chinese logistics industry. Design/methodology/approach This research uses a case study methodology to allow for an assessment of the conflicts that emerge between managers and their respective firms when a personal relationship is present between them. Findings The findings reveal conflicts between managers and their respective firms as a result of personal relationship between managers buying and selling logistics services in China. Research limitations/implications This study uses semi-structured interviews with Chinese senior managers to explore intra-organizational conflicts, which develop as a result of personal relationships embedded within buyer–supplier relationships. The generalizability of the findings will have to be empirically examined in future research. Practical implications Chinese firms can use the findings to understand conflicts, which arise between managers and their respective firms when a personal relationship is present between managers engaged in the process of buying and selling logistics services. Originality/value A notable gap in buyer–supplier relationship literature, specifically in Chinese business culture, is an unfulfilled need for research examining intra-organizational conflicts, when a personal relationship is present between managers of buying and supplying firms in the logistics industry. This paper addresses this gap.

A design contribution to the entrepreneurial experience

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan David ROLDAN ACEVEDO ◽  
Ida TELALBASIC
Keyword(s):  
Product Development ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activity ◽  
Value Proposition ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
User Centric ◽  
Constant Growth

In recent history, different design approaches have been entering fields like management and strategy to improve product development and service delivery. Specifically, entrepreneurship has adopted a user-centric mindset in methodologies like the business canvas model and the value proposition canvas which increases the awareness of the users’ needs when developing solutions. What happens when a service design approach is used to understand the entrepreneurs’ experience through the creation of their startups? Recent literature suggests that entrepreneurial activity and success is conditioned by their local entrepreneurship ecosystem. This study investigates the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem of Medellín, Colombia - an ecosystem in constant growth but that lacks qualitative analysis. The sample consists of 12 entrepreneurs in early-stage phase. The data was gathered with two design research methods: Cultural Probes and Semi-structured interviews. The analysis of the information collected facilitated the development of 4 insights about the entrepreneurs and an experience map to visualise and interpret their journey to create a startup. The results of this study reflected the implications of the ecosystem, the explanation of the users’ perceptions and awareness and propose a set of ideas to the local government to improve the experience of undertaking a startup in Medellín.

Care for delirium superimposed on dementia at an early stage

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Problems ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Good Care ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Appropriate Care ◽  
Adequate Care ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Delirium Superimposed On Dementia

Delirium is a common serious complication in dementia that is associated with poor prognosis and a high burden on caregivers and healthcare professionals. Appropriate care is therefore important at an early stage for patients with delirium superimposed on dementia To gain insight into the care of six patients with delirium superimposed on dementia, 19 semi-structured interviews were conducted focused on the experiences of caregivers and professionals. The interviews revealed four themes that appeared to play a role: 1. experiences with and views on behavioral problems of these patients, 2. recognition and diagnosis of delirium in dementia, 3. views on good care and 4. organizational aspects. Knowledge gaps about delirium in dementia, as well as ethical considerations, play an important role in organizing timely and adequate care for patients with delirium superimposed on dementia.

Procurement Analytics: Enabling Data Architectures in the Age of Big Data

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Goul ◽  
T. S. Raghu ◽  
Ziru Li
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Data Space ◽  
Prescriptive Analytics ◽  
Data Architecture ◽  
The Future ◽  
High Level ◽  
Area Data

As procurement organizations increasingly move from a cost-and-efficiency emphasis to a profit-and-growth emphasis, flexible data architecture will become an integral part of a procurement analytics strategy. It is therefore imperative for procurement leaders to understand and address digitization trends in supply chains and to develop strategies to create robust data architecture and analytics strategies for the future. This chapter assesses and examines the ways companies can organize their procurement data architectures in the big data space to mitigate current limitations and to lay foundations for the discovery of new insights. It sets out to understand and define the levels of maturity in procurement organizations as they pertain to the capture, curation, exploitation, and management of procurement data. The chapter then develops a framework for articulating the value proposition of moving between maturity levels and examines what the future entails for companies with mature data architectures. In addition to surveying the practitioner and academic research literature on procurement data analytics, the chapter presents detailed and structured interviews with over fifteen procurement experts from companies around the globe. The chapter finds several important and useful strategies that have helped procurement organizations design strategic roadmaps for the development of robust data architectures. It then further identifies four archetype procurement area data architecture contexts. In addition, this chapter details exemplary high-level mature data architecture for each archetype and examines the critical assumptions underlying each one. Data architectures built for the future need a design approach that supports both descriptive and real-time, prescriptive analytics.

scholarly journals Disability, Human Resources and Behavioral Economics: The Labour Inclusion Case of Ilunion Hotels of the Costa del Sol (Spain)

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (15) ◽  
pp. 7932
Author(s):  
Marco Antonio Cruz-Morato ◽  
Carmen Dueñas-Zambrana ◽  
Josefa García-Mestanza
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Economics ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Social Stigma ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Professional Activity ◽  
Specific Situation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
The Social

The situation of labour inclusion of people with disabilities in Spain is still too negative, in spite of the different efforts carried out by public and private sector. Previous research points to social discrimination as one of the main causes of the situation. Ilunion Hotels is one of the most important hotel companies in Spain focused on labour inclusion of people with disabilities. The objective of this paper is to explore the social inclusion case of Ilunion Hotels of the Costa del Sol, the actions that they have developed to improve the labour integration of this collective, based on a behavioral economics theoretical model (with a high relevance of the influence of social stigma, stress theories and coping to stress responses). We look into the specific situation of two of the three hotels developed as Special Employment Centres (sheltered employment contexts defined by Spanish legislation) and the possible impact of their Support Units for Professional Activity. Case study methodology is considered the most appropriate, according to the research objective, supported by semi-structured interviews with the hotel managers. The results show that, although Special Employment Centres are effective in improving labour integration in the short term and could contribute to change the long-term social perspectives about workers with disabilities, they could be also reinforcing the social stigma existing in the ordinary market.

scholarly journals Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation Challenges in Szekszárd Wine Region, Hungary

Climate ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 25
Author(s):  
Attila Buzási
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Evaluation Methodology ◽  
Intrinsic Factors ◽  
Vulnerability Assessments ◽  
The Future ◽  
Climate Vulnerability ◽  
High Level ◽  
Wine Region ◽  
Lock In

Wine producers face several challenges regarding climate change, which will affect this industry both in the present and the future. Vulnerability assessments are at the forefront of current climate research, therefore, the present paper has two main aims. First, to assess two components of climate vulnerability regarding the Szekszárd wine region, Hungary; second, to collect and analyze adaptation farming techniques in terms of environmental sustainability aspects. Exposure analyses revealed that the study area will face several challenges regarding intensive drought periods in the future. Sensitivity indicators show the climate-related characteristics of the most popular grapevines and their relatively high level of susceptibility regarding changing climatic patterns. Since both external and intrinsic factors of vulnerability show deteriorating trends, the development of adaptation actions is needed. Adaptation interventions often provide unsustainable solutions or entail maladaptation issues, therefore, an environmental-focused sustainability assessment of collected interventions was performed to avoid long-term negative path dependencies. The applied evaluation methodology pointed out that nature-based adaptation actions are preferred in comparison to using additional machines or resource-intensive solutions. This study can fill the scientific gap by analyzing this wine region for the first time, via performing an ex-ante lock-in analysis of available and widely used adaptation interventions in the viticulture sector.

Lung nodule classification using combination of CNN, second and higher order texture features

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Amrita Naik ◽  
Damodar Reddy Edla
Keyword(s):  
Malignant Tumors ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Lung Nodule ◽  
Texture Features ◽  
Svm Classifier ◽  
Softmax Classifier ◽  
Spatial Features ◽  
High Level ◽  
Learning Architectures ◽  
Nodule Classification

Lung cancer is the most common cancer throughout the world and identification of malignant tumors at an early stage is needed for diagnosis and treatment of patient thus avoiding the progression to a later stage. In recent times, deep learning architectures such as CNN have shown promising results in effectively identifying malignant tumors in CT scans. In this paper, we combine the CNN features with texture features such as Haralick and Gray level run length matrix features to gather benefits of high level and spatial features extracted from the lung nodules to improve the accuracy of classification. These features are further classified using SVM classifier instead of softmax classifier in order to reduce the overfitting problem. Our model was validated on LUNA dataset and achieved an accuracy of 93.53%, sensitivity of 86.62%, the specificity of 96.55%, and positive predictive value of 94.02%.

scholarly journals Zero Carbon Building Practices in Aotearoa New Zealand

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (15) ◽  
pp. 4455
Author(s):  
Thao Thi Phuong Bui ◽  
Suzanne Wilkinson ◽  
Niluka Domingo ◽  
Casimir MacGregor
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Building Projects ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Zero Carbon

In the light of climate change, the drive for zero carbon buildings is known as one response to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Within New Zealand, research on climate change mitigation and environmental impacts of buildings has received renewed attention. However, there has been no detailed investigation of zero carbon building practices. This paper undertakes an exploratory study through the use of semi-structured interviews with government representatives and construction industry experts to examine how the New Zealand construction industry plans and implements zero carbon buildings. The results show that New Zealand’s construction industry is in the early stage of transiting to a net-zero carbon built environment. Key actions to date are focused on devising a way for the industry to develop and deliver zero carbon building projects. Central and local governments play a leading role in driving zero carbon initiatives. Leading construction firms intend to maximise the carbon reduction in building projects by developing a roadmap to achieve the carbon target by 2050 and rethinking the way of designing and constructing buildings. The research results provide an insight into the initial practices and policy implications for the uptake of zero carbon buildings in Aotearoa New Zealand.

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