Paulina Golinska

Green Supplier Selection Criteria: From a Literature Review to a Flexible Framework for Determination of Suitable Criteria

Green supplier selection (GSS) criteria arise from an organization inclination to respond to any existing trends in environmental issues related to business management and processes, so GSS is integrating environmental thinking into conventional supplier selection. This research is designed to determine prevalent general and environmental supplier selection criteria and develop a framework which can help decision makers to determine and prioritize suitable green supplier selection criteria (general and environmental). In this research we considered several parameters (evaluation objectives) to establish suitable criteria for GSS such as their production type, requirements, policy and objectives instead of applying common criteria. At first a comprehensive and deep review on prevalent and green supplier selection literatures performed. Then several evaluation objectives defined to assess the green supplier selection criteria include: frequency, compatibility, quantifiable, easy to understand and assessment. By developed framework suitable criteria can be selected using multi attribute decision making methods. The main contribution of this research is developing a framework to help managers for creating their green supplier criteria list.

Multi-agent coordination mechanism of virtual supply chain

The improvement of transport processes gains a lot of interest from enterprises and governments. Configuration of supply chain should meet both economical and environmental goals. Companies participating in supply process more and more often prefer to create temporary relations and form virtual cooperation networks than to keep traditional long-term contracts. The aim of the paper is to present the potential of multiagents application for coordination of processes in virtual supply chain. The theoretical background of the project is presented. The main problems and requirements of the virtual supply chain coordination are identified. The reference model is described. Finally authors present a case study from pharmaceutical industry.

Cooperative Purchasing of Logistics Services among Manufacturing Companies Based on Semantic Web and Multi-agent System

The common access to the broadband Internet allows small and medium enterprises (SME) simpler participation in various supply chains [3]. However the main problem still is lack of consistency between processes which are undertaken by various supply chain participants. The aim of this paper is to propose the concept of broader cooperation between manufacturing companies based on semantic web and multi-agent system. The background of this paper refers to previous experiences of the authors by implementation of the CORELOG project. It promotes cooperation in logistics services among manufacturing companies located in the Bologna metropolitan area in order to increase companies’ competitiveness as well as environmental sustainability through the rationalization of the logistics processes. The application of semantic web and multi-agent system in the above mentioned project allows the efficient automatic data collection about logistics services providers and their resources, as presented in the Internet.

Standards for transport data exchange in the supply chain --- pilot studies

Cooperation in the supply chain requires a lot of information exchange between different companies. In order to achieve appropriate data exchange open communication standards are needed which are commonly agreed and approved. In the field of logistics a number of standards already defined. The aim of the paper is to compare existing communication standards to the market needs and expectations. Authors present conclusions from pilot survey conducted within selected group of transport users and logistics service providers regarding information exchange by planning and execution of transport services.

European Union Policy for Sustainable Transport System: Challenges and Limitations

Modern society is characterized by high mobility. Moreover globalization of trade stimulates growth of the international freight of goods between continents and countries. Changes in commerce and personal travel patterns have increased the importance of a reliable, efficient and environmental friendly transport system. The aim of this chapter is to provide the review of current issues in European Transport Policy. The emphasis is placed on the development of the sustainable transport system. Authors identify main barriers for the sustainability of transport operations. Authors describe main challenges for development of sustainable transport system, which are identified in the new 2011 White Paper on Transport Policy.

The Concept of Closed-loop Supply Chain Integration Through Agents-based System

Closed-loop supply chains CLSC) concept is response to a challenge that more and more supply chains meet namely need to include a return flow of materials in they planning and coordination structure. Following paper presents on-going project regarding the application of agent-based systems for supply-chain synchronized production planning including management of raw materials flow as well as flow of returned by customer obsolete products and defected semi-products and products that are refused by quality control within the factory. Authors discuss the main problems that appear by synchronized material flow planning in CLSC. The model for integration of closed-loop supply chain through an agent-based system is proposed.

Multiagent Approach for Supply Chain Integration by Distributed Production Planning, Scheduling and Control System

The changing business environment in which manufacturers are acting creates the need for more effective production processes planning, scheduling and control methods that are able to deal with uncertainties inherent in internal processes and external deliveries. The aim of the paper is to introduce the multiagent approach method for production planning, scheduling and control applicable in conditions of supply chain (SC) able to overcome the limitation of standard MRP/ERP systems in changing environment. Traditional approaches very often do not consider the influence of uncertainty inherent in production processes and supplies. Therefore, there is a need for the integration of manufacturing process planning, scheduling and control systems for generating more realistic and effective plans. Conceptual framework for the multiagent approach method involves the hybrid solutions combining the advantages of MRP simple logic and theory of constrains (TOC) ability to synchronize all production and material flow in supply chain. Authors discuss how application of TOC buffers monitoring procedures can help to improve the control of synchronized production and material flow in supply chain.

Agent-Based System for Planning and Coordination of Intermodal Transport

The common access to the broadband Internet allows small and medium enterprises (SME) to joindifferent cooperation network. For over decade European Commission in order to fulfill the obligations of sustainable policy promote intermodal transportation. Despite all these efforts the utilization rate of road transportation is still growing reaching last year 76,9%. Intermodal cargo may be carried out in one and the same loading unit or vehicle, on the whole route from the sender to the consignee using the different modes of transport. Planning and coordination of intermodal transportation requires participation of different companies. The main problem still is lack of consistency between processes which are undertaken by various supply chain participants. The aim of this paper is to propose the concept of broader cooperation between intermodal transport process participants based on semantic web and multi-agent system. The application of semantic web and multi-agent system allows to improve the information exchange among different companies and better intermodal transport planning and coordination.

Production flow control in the automotive industry – quick scan approach

The automotive industry is highly competitive. Manufacturers have to effectively control very complex production processes in order to fulfil customers’ orders for customised cars on time. The automobile assembly plants are highly stabilised production systems. However, uncertainty is still inherent in such systems. The aim of the paper is to propose a method that might be applied for a quick scan of the production flow in an assembly plant. The authors briefly present the theoretical background of the research and they discuss the main problems that have appeared by analyses of the uncertainty influence on the manufacturing operations performance. The classification of disturbance sources is provided as well as a detailed description of the case study and numerical example.

Environmental Friendly Practices in the Automotive Industry

The automotive industry is one of the most environmental aware sectors of an economy. Car is a very complex product not only due to thousands of components used in a production process and many people involved in this process but especially for the reason that, it creates threats for the environment at each stage of its life cycle. The aim of this chapter is to provide the review of current environmental friendly practices in the automotive industry regarding reducing strategy, reusing strategy and recycling strategy used by car makers.