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The method of understanding and managing diversity within a business is at the heart of the reasoning behind the concept of „supply chain segmentation‟. The overarching principle is to find economic segments within the diverse product and customer mix and to match differentiated strategies accordingly. The aim is to prioritise resource to the products and customers which contribute the highest proportion of sales and to reduce operational costs to those that contribute the lowest proportion of sales, whilst matching service level requirements. In essence this strategy balances supply chain costs for individual products against their value to the business. As a result overall costs are reduced and subsequently profits are increased. This research study pulls together the extensive documentation which is available regarding many supply chain concepts and principles into a single approach. A critical evaluation of the current research is undertaken which concludes that the majority of supply chain segmentation is currently focused within the area of supply chain design and has parallels with the established lean and agile concepts. It is shown that supply chain segmentation can be considered a holistic supply chain strategy and by following a structured framework can be applied to all planning levels, strategic, tactical and operational. The drive of the research was to consider which factors can be used to segment both products and customers. This was tested within an operational environment and it is shown how different strategies can be applied accordingly to each segment. It is proposed by Smith and Slater (2001) that products can be assigned inventory strategies depending on which one of six segments they fall within. The results of a variability index and volume calculations are the determining factors for the segmentation process. It is proposed within this study that an added dimension of lead time variability and a coefficient correlation calculation to determine the level of variability will produce a more accurate inventory model. A segmentation strategy, which combines different supply chain and research methodologies, was applied to a company called Newey and Eyre, which operates within the electrical industry. This is presented within the case study chapter. The practical research programme was designed as three separate research projects and these represent the different planning levels of the business. The first and second research project was carried out within the South West region of the business, where changes were made to the design of the supply chain and to the design and layout of a regional distribution centre (RDC) based at Avonmouth respectively. The third research project is based upon analysis which was undertaken of the company‟s purchasing and inventory system. A discrete event simulation (DES) model of this system was created and this provided the platform to test a number of segmentation strategies against the current system of operation.

Ports compete through providing high quality services at the right price. Ports require reliable performance measurement systems so that their daily operations can be effectively managed, their port assets efficiently utilised, and cargo dwell and standing times minimised. Port performance studies have been approached from strategic, operational, functional, financial and managerial perspectives. Findings in the literature have concluded that the measurement systems currently used are limited because the focus is on measuring efficiency, especially for containerised cargo and terminals. Often, key variables have been ignored and there is focus on improving productivity rather than performance. This research addresses the issue of how current performance measurement systems can be developed to measure the performance of ports more effectively. The research has been designed to contribute to knowledge through conceptualising the needs of developing effective measurement systems in ports by using relevant measures and quantifying those key predictors that influence a port’s performance. Quantitative methods are traditionally used for assessing port performance. This research commences with a discussion of supply chain performance measurement systems in relation to ports. It investigates different supply chain measurement designs, categories and characteristics within each category and examines the effectiveness of the current measurement system applied in Damietta port, Egypt. Findings show that Damietta port currently has no formal measurement system and would benefit from the implementation of a performance measurement system. Data have been collected according to the four types of handled cargoes in Damietta port, namely general cargo, dry bulk, liquid bulk and containers. Data have been collected on a monthly basis. For each type of cargo, data have been edited and keyed and a categorisation scheme has been set up to cover those operations at terminals. The Damietta Port Performance Measurement System (DAPEMS) has been developed using three measures, including: time, revenue and flexibility measures. Initially the system was developed using time measures, where key determinants were discussed and multiple regression analyses applied. Relevant predictor variables were selected and incorporated into the regression models with varying degrees of significance. Following this, DAPEMS has been extended using revenue measures, where revenues resulted from operations time, clearance time and the time a ship stays in a port. The final measure considered was flexibility. This helps to cope with the complexity of operations and uncertainty at ports. DAPEMS has been tested for two months in Damietta Port. In addition, the system’s features, including: reliability, applicability and flexibility have been analysed. The system was tested for two months at Damietta port. The port managers reported the benefits of using DAPEMS as there is no system currently applied in the port. Using additional variables, understanding the relationship between variables, providing information about port revenue and providing managers with estimated future performance were appreciated by the port director and a top manager as this helps them and the port planners in a decision-making process. It is concluded that applying DAPEMS was highly appreciated for providing useful visibility about the port's performance. However, some limitations are addressed and suggestions are proposed to be carried out for future research.

This thesis introduces and studies new classes of heterogeneous vehicle routing problems with or without location and pollution considerations. It develops powerful evolutionary and adaptive large neighborhood search based metaheuristics capable of solving a wide variety of such problems with suitable enhancements, and provides several important managerial insights. It is structured into five main chapters. After the introduction presented in Chapter 1, Chapter 2 classifies and reviews the relevant literature on heterogeneous vehicle routing problems, and presents a comparative analysis of the available metaheuristic algorithms for these problems. Chapter 3 describes a hybrid evolutionary algorithm for four variants of heterogeneous fleet vehicle routing problems with time windows. The algorithm successfully combines several metaheuristics and introduces a number of new advanced efficient procedures. Extensive computational experiments on benchmark instances show that the algorithm is highly competitive with state-of-the art methods for the three variants. New benchmark results on the fourth problem are also presented. In Chapter 4, the thesis introduces the eet size and mix location-routing problem with time windows (FSMLRPTW) which extends the classical location-routing problem by considering a heterogeneous fleet and time windows. The main objective of the FSMLRPTW is to minimize the sum of depot cost, vehicle fixed cost and routing cost. The thesis presents integer programming formulations for the FSMLRPTW, along with a family of valid inequalities and an algorithm based on adaptation of the hybrid evolutionary metaheuristic. The strengths of the formulations are evaluated with respect to their ability to yield optimal solutions. Extensive computational experiments on new benchmark instances show that the algorithm is highly effective. Chapter 5 introduces the fleet size and mix pollution-routing problem (FSMPRP) which extends the previously studied pollution-routing problem (PRP) by considering a heterogeneous vehicle fleet. The main objective is to minimize the sum of vehicle fixed costs and routing cost, where the latter can be defined with respect to the cost of fuel and CO2 emissions, and driver cost. An adaptation of the hybrid evolutionary algorithm is successfully applied to a large pool of realistic PRP and FSMPRP benchmark instances, where new best solutions are obtained for the former. Several analyses are conducted to shed light on the trade-offs between various performance indicators. The benefit of using a heterogeneous fleet over a homogeneous one is demonstrated. In Chapter 6, the thesis investigates the combined impact of depot location, fleet composition and routing decisions on vehicle emissions in urban freight distribution characterized by several speed limits, where goods need to be delivered from a depot to customers located in different speed zones. To solve the problem, an adaptive large neighborhood search algorithm is successfully applied to a large pool of new benchmark instances. Extensive analyses are conducted to quantify the effect of various problem parameters, such as depot cost and location, customer distribution and fleet composition on key performance indicators, including fuel consumption, emissions and operational costs. The results illustrate the benefits of locating depots located in suburban areas rather than in the city centre and of using a heterogeneous fleet over a homogeneous one. The conclusions, presented in Chapter 7, summarize the results of the thesis, provide limitations of this work, as well as future research directions.

The Accidental Audience considers how media organizations construct and respond to audience members that are not part of the intended audience for a particular media product. Focusing on public service and commercial children’s television, this thesis explores how the increasing reliance on audience research and audience profiling, generating ideas of a constructed intended audience, can often oversimplify the unpredictable, messy and complex reality of television audiences. This thesis draws on critical work about industry conceptions of media audiences, notably the work of Philip Napoli, to develop a framework for conceptualizing the accidental audience. This focuses on the discrepancy between intended and actual audiences in the form of unexpected viewerships for (children’s) television programmes. Examining the television industry’s conceptualisation of audiences through the development of the TV ratings system, this thesis considers a series of case studies which introduce and utilise the model of the accidental audience. Specifically this thesis examines adult audiences of programming created for children, including the Brony audience (men aged 18-45) of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (2010- ), the student audience of Teletubbies (1997-2001), and the non-parent audience of Sesame Street (1969- ). In critical terms, this thesis explores how the television industry has responded in different ways to accidental audiences and examines the strategies used by the television industry to manage these audiences. My focus is on the dynamic relation between studios/networks and accidental audiences and how media industries navigate unexpected audience constituencies, and the overall aim of the project is to advance knowledge of the negotiations that take place between screen industries and audiences.

The decline in global oil prices is considered an impetus for Nigeria to diversify into non-oil export as an additional means of generating growth. Horticultural products’ export (HPE) has been suggested as a means through which Nigeria could increase its foreign exchange earnings along similar lines as other African economies, such as Kenya and Ethiopia. However, to achieve competitive advantage in HPE necessitates participation in global horticulture value chains. Meanwhile, there are preconditions to gainful participation such as compliance with stringent food safety and quality standards, importing countries’ regulations, buyers’ specifications and other international trade regulatory standards, in addition to employing practices that can enhance market penetration. The aim of this study is to explore the potential for increasing horticultural products’ export from Nigeria. The study has employed a single-case embedded design and multiple perspectives of five stakeholder groups were explored through interviews (a focus group, in-depth and telephone interviews) in addition to direct observations and archival records. These multiple sources of evidence have enabled this study to provide valid evidence of the barriers inhibiting HPE from Nigeria. The empirical findings show that there are multi-layered issues which require that a deliberate resolution must be made to position Nigeria’s horticulture sub-sector to participate in global horticulture value chains. The main barriers identified are the existing institutional framework, infrastructure and logistics issues, market penetration issues, stakeholders' inadequacy, food safety and quality concerns, high cost of finance, export operational challenges, neglect of agriculture and the current airline market structure. While recognising there are a number of hurdles to overcome while participating in global horticulture value chains, the thesis concludes by outlining a number of recommendations to strategically improve HPE, emphasising that the onus for improvement lies on the Nigerian government and its institutions, private organisations and stakeholders who are seeking to increase the export of horticultural products from Nigeria.

This work aims to be part of the developing body of public law which seeks to combine empirical research with a theoretical framework. It uses the example of the privatisation of the rail network and the deregulation of the bus industry to this end. Each phenomenon is examined through both library research and direct interview. Throughout this reference is made to the overall framework of public law and the essential concept of accountability. The work concludes by drawing the two processes together and putting forward the thesis that in the sphere of public transport for public lawyers the question of public accountability cannot be separated from ownership. Chapter 1 is an examination of public law and the theoretical assumptions behind it. It explores how the subject has developed since Dicey and the competing frameworks which now exist amongst public law academics. Chapters 2 and 3 are general studies of nationalisation and privatisation in the twentieth century. They show how using different mechanisms the British State could claim to be enhancing accountability. Chapter 2 explores the public corporation in particular and how that phenomenon coincided with the general development of the state and a system of administrative law. Equally in the following chapter it is shown how privatisation coincided with a disenchantment as to the arrangements of the state especially on the right. The contradictory rationale behind each concept is also explored. Chapters 4 and 5 study bus deregulation. This includes a study of how bus transport was regulated, how deregulation came about and what the consequences of this were. It explores both the experience of public ownership and privatisation and how both were unsatisfactory in delivering accountability. Chapter 5 concludes with a case study of the Glasgow bus market which is seen as a microcosm for broader developments in the bus industry.

This thesis investigates the effects of simulation through the use of a distribution planning system (DPS) on distribution costs in the setting of unique make-to-order manufacturers (UMTO). In doing so, the German kitchen furniture industry (GKFI) serves as an example and supplier of primary data. On the basis of a detailed market analysis this thesis will demonstrate that this industry, which mostly works with its own vehicles for transport, is in urgent need of innovative logistics strategies. Within the scope of an investigation into the current practical and theoretical use of DPS, it will become apparent that most known DPS are based on the application of given or set delivery tour constraints. Those constraints are often not questioned in practice and in theory nor even attempted to be omitted, but are accepted in day-to-day operation. This paper applies a different approach. In the context of this research, a practically applied DPS is used supportively for the removal of time window constraints (TWC) in UMTO delivery. The same DPS is used in ceteris paribus condition for the re-routing of deliveries and hereby supports the findings regarding the costliness of TWC. From this experiment emerges an overall cost saving of 50.9% and a 43.5% reduction of kilometres travelled. The applied experimental research methodology and the significance of the resulting savings deliver the opportunity to analyse the removal of delivery time window restrictions as one of many constraints in distribution logistics. The economic results of this thesis may become the basis of discussion for further research based on the applied methodology. From a practical point of view, the contributions to new knowledge are the cost savings versus the change of demand for the setting of TWC between the receiver of goods and the UMTO supplier. On the side of theoretical knowledge, this thesis contributes to filling the gap on the production – distribution problem from a UMTO perspective. Further contributions to knowledge are delivered through the experimental methodology with the application of a DPS for research in logistics simulation.

The period between the two World Wars, 1919 to 1939, saw a major expansion in the use of motor vehicles on the roads of Britain and a consequent increase in road accidents and fatalities. Studies of road transport in this period have concentrated largely on the expanding urban areas. Little detailed work has been completed in rural areas. This study goes some way to fill this gap in our knowledge. It will examine the rural county of Herefordshire where the use of motor vehicles did increase greatly, although not to the extent of the country as a whole. This thesis will address the management of the safety of road traffic which was exercised by the County Council in the inter war years. The heart of the study is the evaluation of the size of the problem and the efforts of the County Surveyor to improve the safety of the county road network. Increasing use of the road network was encouraged by the decline in use of the rail network. The A40 trunk road in the south of the county saw traffic increases of approximately one and a half times over the two decades. However the secondary roads such as the B4214 north of Bromyard saw much greater increase. Cars increased by six and three quarter times whilst lorries by the even larger margin of nine times over the two decades. The improvements carried out to the county road network consisted of road widening, rather than major road realignments. The County Council members were strongly resistant to the loss of agricultural land. However significant new improvements to the road surface were effected throughout the county albeit in short lengths. Four different types of road surface were tried. In fact the county was at the forefront of road surface development in this period. The County Surveyor’s preferred choice was a bitumen/stone mix laid cold which became the accepted solution for the country as a whole in the 1930s. The attitude adopted by the police force, essentially reactive, in the management of road safety will be examined. Whilst traffic volumes increased in the inter-war years there was no corresponding increase in the 1930s in the recorded number of fatal road accidents. The thesis will conclude with an assessment of the degree of public satisfaction with the efforts of the County Surveyor and the Chief Constable in maintaining a safe county road network in the inter-war years. The public, through the medium of the press and the County Council minutes, indicated that they considered that the efforts of the Surveyor and Chief Constable were acceptable.

Purpose/objectives: The research deals with establishing a best practice model in SRM for manufacturing companies in the European transportation industry. The objective of the thesis is to identify schools of thought in SRM, to highlight the causal factors for supply disruptions and to outline how supply disruptions can be anticipated, managed and prevented. The identified best practices shall be categorized and utilized to establish a best practice model for the respective sector. The purpose is to show how supply chain resilience can be accomplished in global and complex supply chains by means of proactive SRM. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical part of the research has been conducted with a qualitative and multiple approach over a period of more than two years. The paper examines best practice elements through a systematic literature review combined with semi-structured interviews involving senior managers in SRM in the European transportation industry. Two case studies have been included for confirming or disconfirming the best practice elements. The empirical part has been divided into four phases: (1) verifying or falsifying the appropriateness of the research questions, (2) best practice identification and categorization, (3) confirmation or disconfirmation of best practices in SRM, and (4) refining best practice elements. Findings: The findings represent a significant contribution on how to deal with complex and global supply networks. They will help researchers and practitioners faced with the task of setting up supplier relationships. Furthermore, the findings can be applied when establishing an overall best practice framework and SRM model. Research limitations/implications: The research focuses on establishing a best practice SRM model for multinational manufacturing companies in the European transportation industry. The model has not yet been implemented. Therefore, implementation and application to other industries will have to be the subject of further research.