International Journal of Business Performance and Supply Chain Modelling (7 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Drivers and barriers of digital transformation  
  by Nikoletta Kaszás, Ildikó Ernszt, Bálint Jakab 
  Abstract: Industry 4.0 has become an unavoidable concept in recent years, many refer to it as the fourth industrial revolution. Although the topic is widely covered in the international literature, empirical studies show that many companies have not started to adopt these new technologies, yet. Thus, in our research we focused on factors supporting and hindering the digital transformation, and this topic was examined through the example of Hungarian enterprises. Based on the responses of the 776 surveyed organisations, we found that there is a moderately strong correlation between barriers and digital maturity, which stems primarily from a lack of knowledge of technology and a lack of trust in human resources.
  Keywords: digital transformation; Industry 4.0; drivers; barriers; Hungary.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJBPSCM.2023.10051519
   
  
• Sustainability Studies Applied to Reverse Logistics: An Overview of the Literature  
  by Fatma Ersoy Duran, Emel Yontar 
  Abstract: Considered within the scope of sustainability, reverse logistics, which includes the recycling process and waste management, is the process of dealing with the current flow from the end consumer to the supplier in the logistics processes in the opposite direction. The aim of this study, which deals with these two important concepts, is to provide a different perspective to the studies to be done in this field by considering the sustainable reverse logistics studies that have been made in the literature over time. In this direction, 52 articles based on sustainable reverse logistics are examined and analyzed. With this study, it is aimed to detail the reverse logistics activities, which is one of the areas of use, by drawing attention to the concept of sustainability, and to contribute to the increase of sustainable reverse logistics studies by drawing attention to the gains and gaps in the literature.
  Keywords: sustainable reverse logistics; sustainability; reverse logistics; logistics.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJBPSCM.2023.10051528
   
  
• Supply chain flows of the assets in normal, conventional, and Islamic banking financing scenarios: a new perspective  
  by Zubair Ahmed, Mohd Adib Ismail, Lokhman Hakim Osman, Zizah Che Senik 
  Abstract: Purpose The assets are significant parts of the supply chains. On the other hand, Islamic banking is called asset-backed due to Islamic finance concepts so the supply chain flows of the assets in normal, conventional and Islamic finance scenarios are different. However, studies are scarce in this regard. Therefore, the study's purpose is to elaborate on the supply chain flows of the assets in normal, conventional, and Islamic financing scenarios. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper that uses the library research method and participant observation background of the principal researcher. Findings This study found three propositions that show Islamic banks have a unique stake in the Supply Chain flows of their financed assets. They are not only stakeholders in the financial and informational supply chain flows, but they must be considered the stakeholders in the ownership supply chain flow. This point makes them different from conventional financers as well as different from the normal supply chain flows of the assets. Originality/value This study will support making a win-win situation for supply chain entities.
  Keywords: Supply Chain Flows; Financed Assets; Ownership Supply Chain Flow; Physical Supply Chain Flow; Financial Supply Chain Flow.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJBPSCM.2023.10052658
   
  
• Design, Storage Location Allocation, and Routing: A Comprehensive Comparison  
  by Mohammadnaser Ansari, Mohsen Nikfar, Jeffrey Smith 
  Abstract: With the current disturbance in the supply chain and sudden shift towards e-commerce with the onset and continued impact of COVID-19, warehousing and warehouse efficiency is once again in the spotlight. Analyzing the performance of various methods and approaches in designing, planning, and operating a warehouse has been a subject of interest for researchers. This paper investigates the effect of four main factors in warehouse operations on order-picking total fulfillment time. The number of cross-aisles, storage location assigning approaches, location ranking methods, and routing methods have been examined using a real order data sample. Later, their effect on the order picking time in a traditional parallel aisle warehouse has been investigated. The authors also performed a full-ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) and sensitivity analysis to find the best combination of design, Storage Location Assigning Problem (SLAP), and routing, for a set of order data.
  Keywords: Warehouse; Routing; Design; SLAP; Performance.
  
  
• Price transmission and integration between the Italian and Spanish seafood markets.  
  by Abdallah Djella, Luca Mulazzani, Andrea Forgione, Giulio Malorgio, Luca Camanzi 
  Abstract: The characteristics of seafood markets may be strongly affected by several aspects, firstly by the biological cycles and catch trends of every fish species and secondly by several institutional features; however, there are not empirical papers that clearly show how these factors can affect the market of different seafood products landed in the same geographical area. In this paper, we provide a progress in the knowledge of seafood markets evaluating how differences in catch patterns, wholesale organization, and trade needs may influence the transmission of prices along the supply chain, using Italian and Spanish markets as a case study. Five species (sardine, European anchovy, common cuttlefish, common octopus and clam) are analysed. Results support the assumption of market integration at international level between Italy and Spain in the case of small pelagics; for octopus, there is a transmission of price signals from the retail level to the first sale level, while for cuttlefish first sale prices seem to be independent and driven by local catches. These differences can be explained by the biological and institutional characteristics of these submarkets. The case of clam is controversial, since the analysis has not found any correlation among prices at national and international level. These results can be used by the weak agents (i.e., fishers) of the supply chains and by the public institutions to design better forms of horizontal (i.e., producer organizations) and vertical (i.e., interbranch organisations) coordination.
  Keywords: Price transmission; market integration; supply chain; VAR test; Causality test.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJBPSCM.2023.10057120
   
  
• Inventory Policies with Impact of Advertisement efforts and Static Rebate Versus Dynamic Rebate  
  by Nita Shah, Pratik Shah, Milan Patel 
  Abstract: In this paper, we have developed an inventory model for non-instantaneous deteriorating products. We have considered the use of preservation technology investments to reduce and control the deterioration rate. The retailer uses frequent advertisements to promote the product and to create awareness among target customers. Retailer implements advance booking strategy together with the production process. Product demand is influenced by product quality, selling price, and advertisement frequency in the phase when there is no deterioration. Once the deterioration of the product starts, the retailer offers a price rebate to clear stock, and hence the product demand gets affected by the rebate also in the deterioration phase. We proposed an iterative method to solve the mathematical problems and its applicability is validated through a numerical example. The study aims to check the impact of static/dynamic rebates and advertisements on sales revenue.
  Keywords: Advertisement; Advance booking; Preservation; Quality; Rebate; Selling price.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJBPSCM.2023.10053956
   
  
• Developing a framework of sustainable technology footprint enablers in inter & intraorganizational integrated Supply chain transparency and traceability: Using fuzzy ISM approach  
  by Mukesh Kumar 
  Abstract: The recent era of inter & intra-organizational are facing the challenges of lack of integrated SC transparency and traceability (ISCTAT) concerns in global Covid-19 pandemic situations. The readiness of inter organizational keen to gain the strategic competitive advantages through transparency and traceability aspects encompasses in inter & intra-organizational sustainability. Sustainable technology footprint enablers (STFEs) selection are based on transparency aspects needs in inter & intra-organizational adoption decisions. Sustainable SCM are governed through upstream integration of suppliers visibility and traceability by STF-enablers adaptations as well as downstream integration to decouple the techno-feasibility quality responsiveness for Efficient Consumer Response (ECR). The framework of STF-enablers selection decisions have based on integration SC transparency & traceability responsiveness in inter & intra- organizational sustainability by Fuzzy-ISM approach. Fuzzy MICMAC analysis are help to evaluate the autonomous, linkages, independent and dependent enablers relationship with sustainable technology-feasibility driven in inter & intra organizational relationship with ISCTAT. The objectives are subjected to identify the STF-enablers & transparency aspects into inter & intra-organizational from ISCTATA. The architecture design of structure matrix of STFEs in inter & intra-organizational transparency aspects in sustainable SCM. It explores the relationship among the driving & dependence power in STF- enablers potential inter & intra-organizational from ISCTAT
  Keywords: SC transparency & traceability; integrated SC; Blockchain; SCM,.