scholarly journals Seaports during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Terminal Operators’ Tactical Responses to Disruptions in Maritime Supply Chains

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (14) ◽  
pp. 4339
Author(s):  
Marta Mańkowska ◽  
Michał Pluciński ◽  
Izabela Kotowska ◽  
Ludmiła Filina-Dawidowicz
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chains ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Inductive Reasoning ◽  
Main Function ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Tactical Decisions

The world-wide crisis caused by the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a significant impact on the global economy functioning and the sustainable development of supply chains. The changes also affected seaports being the key links of maritime supply chains. The purpose of the research study described in this article was to identify the sources and kinds of disruptions observed in various maritime supply chains as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and their impact on the operations of various types of seaport terminals, namely those serving bulk (universal, specialised) and general cargoes (universal, specialised). An additional purpose was to identify the dependencies between the type of terminal and its main function, and the tactical decisions adopted by the particular terminals. The research was carried out using the multiple-case study method. The study covered some selected port terminals functioning in Polish seaports (Gdańsk, Szczecin, Świnoujście), applying direct, semi-structured in-depth interviews. The analysis of the results was carried out using the inductive reasoning method. The research study has shown that as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic some maritime supply chains ceased to exist, some of them were operating with decreased cargo volumes, while in other cases the transshipment volumes actually rose during the pandemic. Among terminal operators’ tactical responses to disruptions in maritime supply chains, there were pro-active and adaptive measures. Pro-active (offensive) measures included actions taken by an enterprise in order to engage in new maritime supply chains, and even participating in establishing new maritime chains in response to limitations caused by the pandemic. Adaptive (defensive) measures covered actions taken by the port terminals as a consequence of changes in the existing maritime supply chains, caused by the pandemic in the port’s foreland or hinterland. The research study results revealed that the terminals extent of engagement and tactical decisions related to the pandemic were depended on the type of terminal (universal or specialised) and its main function played within a supply chain.

Adoption strategies of social media in B2B firms: a multiple case study approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 730-743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Lashgari ◽  
Catherine Sutton-Brady ◽  
Klaus Solberg Søilen ◽  
Pernilla Ulfvengren
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
Multiple Case Study ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Case Study Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Multiple Case

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to clarify business-to-business (B2B) firms’ strategies of social media marketing communication. The study aims to explore the factors contributing to the formation and adoption of integration strategies and identify who the B2B firms target.Design/methodology/approachA multiple case study approach is used to compare four multinational corporations and their practices. Face-to-face interviews with key managers, and extensive readings and observations of the firms’ websites and social media platforms have been conducted.FindingsThe study results in a model, illustrating different processes of selection, adoption and integration involved in the development of social media communication strategy for B2B firms. Major factors involved in determining the platform type, and strategies used within different phases and processes are identified.Research limitations/implicationsAs the chosen methodology may limit generalizability, further research is encouraged to test the model within a B2B context especially within small and medium enterprises as only large multinational corporations were investigated in this study.Practical implicationsThe paper provides insight into how B2B marketers can align social media with their firms’ goals through the strategic selection of platforms to reach the targeted audience and communicate their message.Originality/valueThe study uncovers the benefits gained by B2B firms’ through interaction with individuals on social media. This is a significant contribution as the value of such interaction was previously undefined and acted as a barrier for adopting social media in some B2B firms.

scholarly journals International Expansion of Social Enterprises as a Catalyst for Scaling up Social Impact across Borders

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 3262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignacio Bretos ◽  
Millán Díaz-Foncea ◽  
Carmen Marcuello
Keyword(s):  
Social Impact ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Local Context ◽  
International Expansion ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
International Scale ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
National Boundaries

Scaling social impact and solutions beyond the local context is argued to embody a key mechanism for social enterprises (SEs) to contribute to the achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and to generate welfare-enhancing systemic change. In light of this, this article explores the potential of SE international expansion as a catalyst for scaling social impact across borders. From our reading of the literature, we discern three major typologies of cross-border scaling: Control-based, altruism-based, and hybrid. Drawing on a multiple-case study of nine international SEs, we examine why and how SEs deploy these scaling strategies on an international scale; the challenges to maximize social impact across borders associated with each of the scaling strategies, and the resources and actions that SEs can mobilize to manage such challenges associated with international expansion. Contrary to conventional wisdom and mainstream theory depicting SEs as small-sized organizations that suffer from different limitations to expand beyond their traditional national boundaries, our findings illustrate how these organizations can successfully operate on an international scale and simultaneously generate financial, social, and environmental value.

Measuring the Success of Social Software Adoption in the Firm

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 34-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Steinhüser ◽  
Stefan Smolnik ◽  
Uwe Hoppe
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Study ◽  
Social Aspects ◽  
Social Software ◽  
Is Success ◽  
Software Adoption ◽  
The People ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Theoretic Foundations

Recently, the use of social software has gained enormous popularity in many organizations. However, despite its development from a trend topic to a well established technology, there is little theoretical study on how to measure the success of this kind of information system. Allowing for the unique characteristics of social software, the author assumes that existing IS success models are not applicable to social software without modifications. Therefore, this article aims to develop a model for measuring social software success, which is based on theoretic foundations and the findings of a multiple case study. Results show that existing models are not able to represent all dimensions which are relevant in this context. Especially social aspects related to the organization and the people within have to be taken into account.

Carbon emissions of bottled water sector supply chains: a multiple case-study approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 178-194
Author(s):  
Fotios Misopoulos ◽  
R. Argyropoulou ◽  
V. Manthou ◽  
M. Argyropoulou ◽  
I. Kelmendi
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chains ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Multiple Case Study ◽  
Bottled Water ◽  
Water Sector ◽  
Case Study Approach ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Multiple Case

scholarly journals What Drives Politicians to Run for Office: Money, Fame or Public Service?

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arpie G. Balian ◽  
Arman Gasparyan
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Sense Of Community ◽  
Inductive Reasoning ◽  
Conclusive Evidence ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Local Government Level ◽  
Depth Interviews

AbstractThis is a multiple case study that investigates the motivations and ambitions of politicians who run for elections. It uses a mixed research design that applies inductive reasoning in the collection and analysis of data from six communities of rural Armenia. Data-collection instruments include in-depth interviews, focus groups, field observations and community survey. Whereas the study considers various theories of motivation and ambition, the conclusive evidence shows that the attractiveness of office at the local-government level in smaller rural communities is not driven by financial considerations and is rather compelled by the desire to make a difference motivated primarily by personal interest in and dedication to bringing positive change in the quality of life in one’s own community. The study also shows that motivators oft en stem from several other factors, including one’s deep-rooted connection with the community, lineage, length of term in office, record of community satisfaction, resultant personal power built over the years in service and the need to be acclaimed by one’s own community. A derivative closely linked to the priority of building the personal reputation of an incumbent mayor is the resultant power of decision-making. These conclusions can be explained using the model offered by Besley and Ghatak (2005) where politicians view public service as a personal mission. This study connects personal drive to sense of community and ancestral presence. The study also explains why mission accomplishment is more attractive than personal profit-making and how the sense of community and ownership are linked to personal drive.

scholarly journals Principios Sustentables y Parámetros Legislativos en una mina subterránea en México. Caso de Estudio

2019 ◽  
pp. 31-34
Author(s):  
Rosa Elia MARTINEZ-TORRES ◽  
Mariusz BEDNAREK ◽  
Patricia RIVERA-ACOSTA ◽  
Maricela OJEDA-GUTIERREZ
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Legislative Framework ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Development Goals

The United Nations Organization is in favor of Sustainable Development through Objectives, of which four are studied for their relationship with the environment; for its part, the Legislative Framework of Mexico, provides to the agencies of the Ministry of Economy, power over the environmental parameters that must be met for companies operating in the mining-metallurgical sector. With a case study methodology, which is part of an integrated multiple case study (Yin, 2013), the environmental practices of an analysis unit (underground metal ore mine in Mexico) were investigated, obtaining information on instruments designed and, describing with a qualitative approach, the participation of the four sustainable principles selected, which obey the Sustainable Development Goals: (1) Industry, innovation and infrastructure, (2) Sustainable cities and communities, (3) Production and consumption responsible and, (4) Life and terrestrial ecosystems Therefore, the objective is: Articulate compliance with the principles of sustainability with the legislative parameters of an underground metal ore mine, to contribute to a comprehensive proposal of best practices for the Environmental Management of the miningmetallurgical sector of Mexico.

scholarly journals Analysis of Network Robustness in Weighted and Unweighted Approaches: A Case Study of the Air Transport Network in the Belt and Road Region

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Lu Zhang ◽  
Yannan Zhao ◽  
Dongli Chen ◽  
Xinhuan Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Global Economy ◽  
Transport Network ◽  
Clustering Coefficient ◽  
Network Robustness ◽  
Air Transport ◽  
Degree Centrality ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
The Belt And Road

Aviation transport is one of the most important and critical infrastructures in today’s global economy. Failure in its proper operations can seriously impact regional economic development, which is why it is important to evaluate network robustness. Previous analyses of robustness have mainly been conducted with an unweighted approach. In the development of air transport, however, the demand for route configuration has gradually decreased, while the demand for flight adjustments has increased. Consequently, the aviation network has developed unevenly, so adhering to a uniform approach for evaluating network robustness may lead to inaccurate results. Therefore, we examined which centrality sequence is the most sensitive to network robustness in both unweighted and weighted approaches. The air transport network selected for the case study comprised the six subregions of the Eurasian landmass of the Belt and Road region. The study results showed the following: (a) in the network constructed as an unweighted one, betweenness, and degree centrality had higher priorities in preserving network functionalities than eigenvector and closeness centrality; (b) in the network constructed as a weighted one, recursive power had a higher priority in preserving network functionalities than recursive centrality; and (c) no particular centrality measurement had a significant advantage in representing the totality of robustness. The betweenness centrality sequence was sensitive to the average shortest path length and global efficiency; the recursive power sequence was sensitive to the clustering coefficient, while degree centrality was sensitive to graph diversity. The findings of this study support the decisions about managing air transportation in the Belt and Road region.

scholarly journals Intersectoral actions between health and education: notes on the Health at School Program

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Myriam Dantas Pereira ◽  
Ilana Moutian ◽  
Rafaela das Graças Santiago Faria ◽  
Darilene Rocha Cordeiro ◽  
Selma Maria da Fonseca Viegas
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Case Study ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
School Program ◽  
Education Professionals ◽  
Analytical Technique ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Cross Case Analysis

Abstract Objective: to understand the intersectoral actions between health and education and the Health at School Program context in three municipalities in different health regions in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Method: this is a holistic-qualitative multiple case study, based on Comprehensive Sociology of Everyday Life, with 91 participants, being 38 health professionals and 53 education professionals. Open-ended individual interview and records in operational field notes of the research development were used. Data were collected in 2016 and thematic content analysis was used, obeying the analytical technique of cross-case analysis, in line with the methodological framework of the holistic multiple case study. Results: low involvement between the health and education sectors is pointed out, leading to the practice of fragmented, punctual and limited actions and implying low improvement in health conditions. Conclusions: to modify this context, the involvement of health and education professionals is essential, in addition to the schoolchildren, parents, community and managers themselves. The union of these actors is necessary for the transformation of students’ health conditions. However, this will only be achieved if the actions developed are planned and carried out involving these actors and the school community.

scholarly journals How do industry 4.0 technologies influence organisational change? An empirical analysis of Italian SMEs

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Cimini ◽  
Albachiara Boffelli ◽  
Alexandra Lagorio ◽  
Matteo Kalchschmidt ◽  
Roberto Pinto
Keyword(s):  
Technology Implementation ◽  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
Multiple Case Study ◽  
Organisational Change ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Job Profile

PurposeThis article aims to investigate the organisational implications of adopting Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies, giving specific attention to operations. The paper addresses these implications in two directions: organisational prerequisites for, and consequences of, I4.0 technologies.Design/methodology/approachThe research is based on a multiple case study of Italian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in manufacturing. Ten case studies have been developed through interviews, company visits and secondary data collection.FindingsThe multiple case study results show that: (1) a lean organisational structure supports effective adoption of I4.0 technologies; (2) introducing such technologies is linked to developing a new kind of job profile (i.e. the “Autonomous Operative Job Profile”); and (3) higher levels of technology adoption create a higher need for non-technical competences.Research limitations/implicationsA limitation of this research relates to the highly heterogeneous maturity levels of the sampled companies, due to the relative newness of the I4.0 paradigm. Future research could, therefore, longitudinally analyse the technology integration process within organisations.Practical implicationsThis research provides preliminary evidence about how organisations and technologies co-evolve, thus suggesting that managers should co-design these areas. It also demonstrates the extreme importance of designing a structured process and a clear set of human resource management tools to favour SME organisational development.Originality/valueThe study is built upon a conceptual framework derived from the sociotechnical perspective that analyses the interconnections between technology implementation and organisational change. From the results, three research propositions are derived to be tested on a larger scale.

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