Sebastian Twaróg

Inter-organizational proximity in the context of logistics - research challenges

Background: One of major areas of modern research econnected with management issues covers interorganizational networks (including supply chains) and cooperation processes aimed at improvement of the effectiveness of their performance to be found in such networks. The logistics is the main factor responsible for effectiveness of the supply chain. A possible and a quite new direction of research in the area of the performance of processes of the interorganizational cooperation is the proximity hypothesis that is considered in five dimensions (geographical, organizational, social, cognitive, and institutional). However, according to many authors, there is a lack of research on supply chains conducted from the logistics point of view. The proximity hypothesis in this area of research can be seen as a kind of novum. Therefore, this paper presents the proximity concept from the perspective of the management science, the overview of prior research covering the inter-organizational proximity with supply chain from the logistics point of view as well as the possible future directions of the empirical efforts. Methods: The aim of this paper is to present previous theoretical and empirical results of research covering interorganizational proximity in logistics and to show current and up-to-date research challenges in this area. The method of the critical analysis of literature is used to realize the goal constructed this way. Results: Knowledge about the influence of the inter-organizational proximity on the performance of supply chains is rather limited, and the research conducted so far, is rather fragmentary and not free of limitations of the conceptual and methodological nature. Additional rationales for further research in this area include knowledge and cognitive gaps indentified in this paper. According to authors the aim of future empirical research should be as follows: (1) unification and update of used conceptual and methodological approaches in research on the proximity in supply chains, (2) testing of theoretical hypotheses with attention paid to importance of the proximity for supply chains taking into account the significant heterogeneity of this form of inter-organizational cooperation, and (3) recognizing the role of the interorganizational proximity for the practice of supply chain management and for the realization of the integration function of the logistics. Conclusions: There is a shortage of scientific research (both in the theoretical and empirical dimension) explaining the importance of the proximity hypothesis for the performance of supply chains. Additionally, there are interesting gaps in existing scientific output, connecting the logistics output (effectiveness and performance of supply chains) and economic geography (the proximity hypothesis). Closing these gaps should increase our understanding of the supply chains performance and, therefore, this will be the area of further research of authors.

Usability of Spatial Analysis for Improving the Functioning of the Blood Donation System in Poland

The paper aims at understanding how blood resources are formed at the entrance to the blood donation in the spatial and age section and formulating on the basis of this assessment recommendations that help improve the health safety of the State in the area of self‑sufficiency of blood supplies. The success of the functioning of blood donation primarily depends on the resource management of blood and its components that seeks to equate supply and demand for blood and its components at any time. Such a situation is possible when a sufficient number of blood donors are available. The research employed a shift‑share analysis that is used to study structural changes in economic and social phenomena that may occur in a geographical area within a specified period of time. To account for the fact that each province does not exist as a separate geographic area but depends on its spatial interactions with neighbouring areas, the study also used a spatial shift‑share analysis. The results will be used to assess the dynamics of changes in the number of blood donors, resulting from the age structure of blood donors in a particular province (a structural effect) and from changes in the internal situation of the competitiveness of a given area (a geographic effect). Knowledge concerning the nature of these changes can be helpful in developing specific tools that would encourage donors (including the potential ones) to donate blood.

Social networks and the situation of blood donation in Poland: a logistics perspective / Sieci społeczne a sytuacja krwiodawstwa w Polsce w perspektywie logistycznej

Summary This article aims to present the impact of social networks on the formation on the flow of blood and its components in the civilian blood donation system in Poland. The civilian blood donation system in Poland consists of 21 independently-functioning supply chains of blood and its components (Szołtysek, Twaróg 2009, p. 15). Today, logistics plays a secondary role in the management of blood supply chains, and the integration of flow is performed randomly and intuitively. The rapidly growing recognition of social logistics (T. Takahasi 1988, pp. 245 - 251; Tenhunen 2008, pp. 515-534; Szołtysek 2010, pp. 2-6; Szołtysek 2011, pp.13-18) provides tools to improve the efficiency of the blood donation system in terms of both the existing blood supply chains, and the potential offered by network structures. An unexpected change in demand for blood and its components probably induces a bullwhip effect, and the organizations that form the chains have to deal with supplies unreasonable in terms of their size and structure. A major role in this process is played by social networks, as a source of general mobilization among potential blood donors. Finding a way to change the relationship between social networks and the system of blood donation may minimize the disruptions occurring in the flow of blood and its components in Poland. Streszczenie Celem artykułu jest prezentacja wpływu sieci społecznych na kształtowanie przepływów krwi i jej składników w systemie cywilnego krwiodawstwa w Polsce. System cywilnego krwiodawstwa w Polsce składa się z 21 niezależnie funkcjonujących łańcuchów dostaw krwi i jej składników (Szołtysek, Twaróg 2009, s. 15). Współcześnie logistyka w zarządzaniu łańcuchami dostaw krwi odgrywa drugorzędną rolę i integracja przepływów dokonywana jest przypadkowo i intuicyjnie. Zdobywająca coraz większe uznanie logistyka społeczna (T. Takahasi 1988, pp. 245-251; Tenhunen 2008, pp. 515-534; Szołtysek 2010, pp. 2-6; Szołtysek 2011, pp. 13- 18) narzędzia zwiększające skuteczność funkcjonowania systemu krwiodawstwa zarówno w aspekcie istniejących łańcuchów dostaw krwi jak również potencjału oferowanego przez struktury sieciowe. Niespodziewana zmiana popytu na krew i jej składniki prawdopodobnie wywołuje efekt byczego bicza i jednostki wchodzące w skład tych łańcuchów muszą poradzić sobie z nieuzasadnionymi (wielkości oraz strukturze) tworzącymi się zapasami. Dużą rolę w tym procesie odgrywają sieci społeczne będące źródłem powszechnej mobilizacji wśród potencjalnych dawców krwi. Znalezienie sposobu na zmianę stosunków między sieciami społecznymi a systemem krwiodawstwa może być sposobem na łagodzenie zakłóceń występujących w przepływach krwi i jej składników w Polsce.

Dynamics of Change in Spatial Dependencies in Blood Donation System in Poland

Abstract Blood donation allows to obtain blood and its components from healthy people in a bid to help treatment of anonymous individuals, relying on timely and sufficient supplies of matching blood. Being a social initiative, it depends on multiple factors. Those factors are possible to be shaped and are subject to research. This paper aims to present the dynamics of change in spatial dependencies determining development of blood donation in Poland from 2005 to 2010. Spatial analysis of data enables identification of similarities and differences between voivodeships in a given period. Testing of hypothesis concerning spatial autocorrelation was carried out using tools of spatial statistics. This papers subject matter concentrates on pointing towards the direction and extent of changes illustrated with an example of analysis investigating the number of blood donations per hospital bed in wards with high demand on blood and its components. The number of blood donors per 1000 residents in 18 - 65 age was also analysed. Streszczenie Krwiodawstwo jest sposobem pozyskiwania krwi i jej składników od osób zdrowych na rzecz anonimowych osób, których leczenie jest uwarunkowane podaniem właściwej krwi w odpowiednim czasie oraz ilości. Jako akcja społeczna uwarunkowana jest od wielu czynników, będących przedmiotem kształtowania oraz badania. Celem niniejszego opracowania jest przedstawienie dynamiki zmian zależności przestrzennej w zakresie poziomu rozwoju krwiodawstwa w Polsce w latach 2005 - 2010. Analiza przestrzenna danych umożliwia określenie podobieństw i różnic między województwami w badanym okresie. Za pomocą narzędzi statystyki przestrzennej została zweryfikowana hipoteza o występowaniu autokorelacji przestrzennej. Przedmiotem opracowania jest wskazanie kierunku oraz zakresu zmian na przykładzie analizy zróżnicowania liczby donacji krwi przypadającej na łóżko szpitalne w oddziałach o wysokim zapotrzebowaniu na krew i jej składniki oraz liczby dawców przypadających na 1000 mieszkańców w wieku 18 -65.