Sandor Ujvari

Deregulation of Railroads and Future Development Scenarios in Europe: Analysis of the Privatisation Process Taken Place in the USA, the UK and Sweden

A decade ago, the European Union decided that railways should be privatised and deregulated (effective from 2007 onwards). Due to the recent enlargements of the EU and the risk of failures in the decision-making process, it is important to examine early adopters of deregulation policies. We analyse literature and use second-hand quantitative material to thoroughly review this process concerning three different countries (USA, UK and Sweden). In all three cases, the deregulation process has brought positive performance improvements in the long-term perspective, but in the short to medium term, there are a number of problems and warning examples, especially arising from UK case.

Operating as a third-party logistics integrator without any distribution operations ownership

Third-Party Logistics (3PL) providers have usually developed themselves through transportation ownership (mainly road or sea), and/or warehousing/freight forwarding capability. However, among these actual operations, there exists a number of other routes, e.g. by offering administrative/indirect work of sales, purchasing, business control and inventory management. With increased service level expectations among OEMs, there is a clear need for these kinds of well-defined and performed non-tangible logistical services. In this paper three case studies are presented, which show that a 3PL integrator could arise from this new service context, and could operate all logistical issues, even without any distribution operations ownership.

Advanced manufacturing simulation: Minor system details can be major issues in the real world

Purpose – This paper aims to highlight the complex nature of automated guided vehicle (AGV) simulation model building, and especially how system modelling details affect the end results. This is an ...

Teaching ERP in logistics curriculum: a case experience from Sweden

The use of ERP systems in business is commonplace and often a requirement for rapid and efficient operations. The presence of ERP in higher education can be seen as a prerequisite for students to achieve necessary skills and knowledge, but how can the education be achieved in a better way? In this research, the use of ERP systems as a part of two courses of the logistics curriculum in higher education at a Swedish University are presented and analysed. The traditional approach of teaching logistics, where computer sessions are incorporated in ordinary courses, is being compared to a new intensive and flexible course format dedicated entirely to ERP education with a stronger focus on problem-oriented learning. The results show that both approaches offer opportunities, the traditional approach allows students to receive both theoretical and practical knowledge and skills, while the intensive approach provides them with significant practical knowledge and skills. This research results leaves us arguing that the best combination is to utilise both approaches to establish the needed basis for logistics curriculum.

From Northern Europe to Russia and Asia, and vice versa: traffic flow analysis - current situation and development trends

European manufacturers have enlarged their manufacturing networks to Asia. Also, the growing demand in Asia as well as in Russia creates challenge for supply chain solutions. This research presents survey research results, targeted on the largest manufacturers and retailers in Finland and Sweden. We estimate how transportation modal split (road, sea, railway and air) will evolve in the future, and how traffic flows will develop between Europe, Russia, and Asian countries. We also present an estimation of the future transportation costs development. In the analysis phase, it is also considered how large volumes could be shifted to favour railway connection.

From standard 3PL provider to service developer: a case study from the Swedish furniture industry

The strong competition between companies has resulted in an increased outsourcing of activities that are not considered core activities. This has created an emerging business opportunity in logistics, attracting several new actors and companies to enter the market and fill the demand for new services. These actors represent several types of providers who are often called Third-Party Logistics (3PL) providers. The purpose of this study is to investigate the environment of a 3PL provider that also develops services. The focus is particularly on how the provider has evolved and identifying the key issues on how to be successful in the 3PL industry. The primary research strategy is a descriptive embedded single case study. The findings reveal that the case company has evolved from being a standard 3PL provider to a service developer, since it, in addition to traditional services, nowadays also provides more value-added services. These services involve a set of more standardised activities that can be combined according to each customers wishes and requirements. The findings also reveal that the main requirements to be a successful service developer are a clear customer understanding and focus, value-added and customised services and reliable deliveries (both in terms of time and a low percentage of damaged goods), as well as the utilisation of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

Simulation of Automatic Guided Vehicle systems in manufacturing environment. Case: Volvo's Crankshaft Unit in Skovde

Competing in global markets creates pressure for manufacturers to rigidly use automation, and advanced manufacturing techniques to improve manufacturing plant productivity. Among productivity, manufacturers are also interested about other performance dimensions, namely time, flexibility and quality. With the wise use of automation, we could directly improve all of the other indicators, and indirectly quality. In this paper it is shown, how implementation and use of Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs) could benefit from the use of manufacturing simulation. AGVs have been available for practical use since the 1970s, but still in the investment and use processes it is rarely seen justified to a high detail, what eventually determines the number of vehicles used in the system. Our paper is able to show with two simulation cases (a hypothetical example and a real case study) that the number of AGVs is very sensitive with respect to production system output. Furthermore, some assumptions that are often made can overly simplify the problem (e.g. no recharging of batteries and constant speed). Therefore, in this paper, we propose that more research should be addressed to the AGV system simulation, and in practice tools for decisions makers should be developed further. Our research also shows that empty travelling and low utilisation is a norm in current AGV systems in order to assure production system functionality, and there is a need and potential for performance improvement here, as well.

Fiery Spirits in the context of institutional entrepreneurship in Swedish healthcare

PURPOSE Clinical governance and leadership concepts can lead to more or less successful implementations of new clinical practice. The purpose of this paper is to examine how Fiery Spirits, as institutional entrepreneurs can, working in a team, implement sustained change in hospital clinical practice. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH This paper describes two case studies, conducted at two Swedish hospitals over a period of two years, in which changes in clinical practice were implemented. In both cases, key-actors, termed Fiery Spirits, played critical roles in these changes. The authors use a qualitative approach and take an intra-organizational perspective with semi-structured in-depth interviews and document analysis. FINDINGS The new clinical practices were successfully implemented with a considerable influence of the Fiery Spirits who played a pivotal role in the change efforts. The Fiery Spirits persuasively, based on their structural and normative legitimacy and the adoption of learning processes, advocated, and supported change. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS Fiery Spirits, given flexibility and opportunity, can be powerful forces for change outside the trajectory of management-inspired and management-directed change. Team members, when inspired and encouraged by Fiery Spirits, are less resistant to change and more willing to test new clinical practices. ORIGINALITY/VALUE The paper complements literature on how the Fiery Spirit concept aligns with concepts of clinical governance and leadership and how change can be achieved. Additionally, the findings show the effects of legitimacy and learning processes on change in clinical practice.

Stochastic Elements in Transportation System Simulation - Unnecessary?

Abstract Discrete event system simulation is often seen as a genuine tool to investigate the performance of transportation systems. The complexity of real-world systems often prevents us from accurately describing these by a mathematical model that can be evaluated analytically, thus, simulation is often the only realistic alternative. Another advantage of the simulation is the ability to include statistical analysis for different simulation scenarios. Well-known approaches of incorporating uncertainty into models include trace driven simulations and sampling directly from gathered data. Another aspect to be taken into account is the economics of simulation modelling; a more detailed model requires additional building time, and proper treatment of stochastic models requires statistical analysis, which again usually implies several simulation runs. From this outset the following question arises: Should stochastic behaviour be included in transportation simulation models in the first place? We present real case examples including evaluation of the internal logistics of a beverage manufacturer, capacity analysis of an automatic guided vehicle system, cost benefit analysis (CBA) of a railway network investment and evaluation of different multipurpose railway wagons, where stochastic behaviour is dealt with in different ways. Based on the cases we make an initial attempt to formulate framework for deciding how to include stochastic behaviour in the simulation model. For further research topics we suggest formulating explicit guidelines to deal with stochastics to increase the efficiency of model building.

Using simulation for the design of semi-autonomous vehicle systems

Abstract The paper describes the development of Semi-Autonomous Vehicles (SAVS) in the context of Automated Guided Vehicle Systems (AGVS). During the design process of a complete material handling AGV-system many variables must be decided. A two-stage simulation approach of discrete event simulation and continuous path simulation, improves development and testing of SAVS. Decisions need to be made e. g. what main navigation sensor to use, how many vehicles are needed for the task. The interrelation of these parameters makes it difficult to find optimum or near-optimum values. Because of this, simulation is a very useful tool to design and evaluate AGV-systems.