Nowadays, firms are increasingly recognizing the true value of customer satisfaction. In the major market, Mass Customization has emerged trend as firms started to recognize the value of their existing services. The main goal for the company of Mass Customization is to make a balance between matching the customized demands of major customers and acquiring as much benefits. For the sake of survival and growth, the SMEs need to optimize strategy, but it is really difficult to challenge the position of leading firms. Meanwhile, there are potential customers who are large amounts but small size for each individual, most of them have the strong willing to request the customized service because they have specific requirements, which the existing mass customization could not fulfill their needs. Therefore, start or enhance the customized service could be considered as a great way to seize the niche market customers. Purpose of this article is to find out the close contact between customized marketing and customer satisfaction. Depth analysis of a small shipping company is provided in this study. By studying the specific measures of customized marketing in the successful small shipping company, we attempt to find the answer to the following research question: How does customized marketing act on the improvement of customer satisfaction for SMEs? In methodology part we describe our research method: single case but we use mixed method research. Both interview and survey were practiced for data collection. The research results show that customized marketing has the significant positive impact on customer satisfaction, and the different services aspects of customized marketing are varying degrees of effect to customer satisfaction. As a result of studying, some customized marketing measures are indicated which SMEs could implement to effectively improve customer satisfaction.

O presente trabalho objetivou propor ações de melhoria de desempenho ambiental através da Avaliação do Ciclo de Vida na fabricação do Porta Pallets, para tanto tal pesquisa seguiu as diretrizes normativas das normas NBR ISO 14040 e 14044. Foi utilizado o Umberto® NXT Universal v. 7.1 como software para modelagem e procedimentos de cálculos. A base de dados de ICV utilizada foi a Ecoinvent v.3.2. Foram avaliados os impactos do ciclo de vida da produção do Porta Pallets através do método ReCiPe (2008). As categorias de impacto de midpoint abordadas foram: mudança climática, depleção do ozônio, depleção do metal, acidificação terrestre, eutrofização aquática (água doce), eutrofização aquática (marinha), toxicidade humana, formação de oxidantes fotoquímicos, formação de matéria particulada, ecotoxicidade terrestre. Os resultados apontaram 3 pontos potenciais de impactos ambientais (hotspots): produção da bobina de aço, transporte da bobina de aço e óleo vegetal refinado para lubrificação do aço. Os hotspots foram analisados sensitivamente e em diferentes cenários a fim de verificar a eficiência na redução dos impactos potenciais observados. As propostas de melhorias do desempenho ambiental compreenderam as seguintes ações: redução do consumo de bobinas de aço, minimização da distância dos fornecedores e da quantidade de fretes e redução no consumo do óleo vegetal. Desta forma este estudo fornece subsídios em pesquisas, e auxilia na formulação de propostas de melhorias no desempenho ambiental de produtos e processos em geral. / This study aimed to propose actions to improve environmental performance through the Life Cycle Assessment in manufacturing steel racks, therefore this research followed the regulatory guidelines of ISO 14040 and 14044 standards. Was used Umberto® NXT Universal v. 7.1 as software for modeling and calculation procedures. ICV database used was Ecoinvent v.3.2. We evaluated the impact of the life cycle of production through Racks recipe method (2008). The midpoint impact categories covered were: climate change, ozone depletion, metal depletion, terrestrial acidification, aquatic eutrophication (freshwater), aquatic eutrophication (marine), human toxicity, photochemical oxidant formation, formation of particulate matter, terrestrial ecotoxicity. The results showed three potential sources of environmental impacts (hotspots): Production of steel coil, steel coil transport and refined vegetable oil for steel lubrication. Hotspots were analyzed sensitively and in different scenarios in order to verify the effectiveness in reducing the potential impacts observed. Proposals for environmental performance improvements realized the following actions: reducing consumption of steel coils, minimizing the distance from suppliers and the amount of freight and reduction in vegetable oil consumption. Thus, this study provides grants for research, and assists in the formulation of proposals for improvements in the environmental performance of products and processes in general.

O presente trabalho objetivou propor ações de melhoria de desempenho ambiental através da Avaliação do Ciclo de Vida na fabricação do Porta Pallets, para tanto tal pesquisa seguiu as diretrizes normativas das normas NBR ISO 14040 e 14044. Foi utilizado o Umberto® NXT Universal v. 7.1 como software para modelagem e procedimentos de cálculos. A base de dados de ICV utilizada foi a Ecoinvent v.3.2. Foram avaliados os impactos do ciclo de vida da produção do Porta Pallets através do método ReCiPe (2008). As categorias de impacto de midpoint abordadas foram: mudança climática, depleção do ozônio, depleção do metal, acidificação terrestre, eutrofização aquática (água doce), eutrofização aquática (marinha), toxicidade humana, formação de oxidantes fotoquímicos, formação de matéria particulada, ecotoxicidade terrestre. Os resultados apontaram 3 pontos potenciais de impactos ambientais (hotspots): produção da bobina de aço, transporte da bobina de aço e óleo vegetal refinado para lubrificação do aço. Os hotspots foram analisados sensitivamente e em diferentes cenários a fim de verificar a eficiência na redução dos impactos potenciais observados. As propostas de melhorias do desempenho ambiental compreenderam as seguintes ações: redução do consumo de bobinas de aço, minimização da distância dos fornecedores e da quantidade de fretes e redução no consumo do óleo vegetal. Desta forma este estudo fornece subsídios em pesquisas, e auxilia na formulação de propostas de melhorias no desempenho ambiental de produtos e processos em geral. / This study aimed to propose actions to improve environmental performance through the Life Cycle Assessment in manufacturing steel racks, therefore this research followed the regulatory guidelines of ISO 14040 and 14044 standards. Was used Umberto® NXT Universal v. 7.1 as software for modeling and calculation procedures. ICV database used was Ecoinvent v.3.2. We evaluated the impact of the life cycle of production through Racks recipe method (2008). The midpoint impact categories covered were: climate change, ozone depletion, metal depletion, terrestrial acidification, aquatic eutrophication (freshwater), aquatic eutrophication (marine), human toxicity, photochemical oxidant formation, formation of particulate matter, terrestrial ecotoxicity. The results showed three potential sources of environmental impacts (hotspots): Production of steel coil, steel coil transport and refined vegetable oil for steel lubrication. Hotspots were analyzed sensitively and in different scenarios in order to verify the effectiveness in reducing the potential impacts observed. Proposals for environmental performance improvements realized the following actions: reducing consumption of steel coils, minimizing the distance from suppliers and the amount of freight and reduction in vegetable oil consumption. Thus, this study provides grants for research, and assists in the formulation of proposals for improvements in the environmental performance of products and processes in general.

När sjömän från olika länder arbetar tillsammans finns alltid risk för missförstånd. Detta påverkar säkerheten ombord på fartyg. Syftet med studien var att utreda om det finns någon ökad säkerhetsrisk på fartyg då den kulturella aspekten hög maktdistans hamnar i konflikt med högt säkerhetstänk. Detta gjordes med en systematisk litteraturstudie med inriktning på kvalitativ forskningsmetod. Resultateten visar att nationell kultur starkt påverkar till mänskliga fel, även däcksbefäls säkerhetsbeteenden. Vidare så visar studien att befälhavares ledarskap har en stor påverkan på däcksbefälens säkerhetsbeteende och säkerhetsattityder. Auktoritära, respektlöst och oärligt ledarskap är inget bra för däcksbefäl från länder med hög maktdistans, ej heller för multinationella däcksbefäl som arbetar tillsammans. Dessutom visar studien att Crew Resource Management inte alltid fungerar på däcksbefäl från länder med hög maktdistans. / When seamen from different countries work together there is always a risk of misunderstanding. This affects safety aboard ships. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there is any increased safety risk to ships where the cultural aspect high power distance conflicts with high safety approach. This was done with a systematic literature study with focus on qualitative research methodology. The result shows that national culture strongly influences human error, including safety behaviors. Furthermore, the study shows that masters leadership has a major impact on the deck officer's safety behavior and safety attitudes. Authoritarian, disrespectful and dishonest leadership is not beneficial for deck officers from countries with high power distances, nor for multinational deck officers working together. In addition, the study shows that Crew Resource Management does not always work on deck officers from countries with high power distances.

Orientador: Mauro Augusto Demarzo / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Civil / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-06T05:05:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Paixao_AntonioMedeirosda_M.pdf: 9672207 bytes, checksum: e011879d8aa4447d3e547b2abf30df2a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005 / Resumo: Este trabalho tem como objetivo o de mostrar experimentalmente a influência que os paletes de madeira podem exercer no comportamento das estruturas de armazenagem do tipo drive in com um nível de carregamento. Considerar o palete com apoios móveis em ambos os braços da estrutura, ou por outro lado, desconsiderá-lo totalmente na análise estrutural, pode resultar em análises irreais, pois o atrito entre o palete e os trilhos pode influenciar no comportamento deste tipo de estrutura. A fim de se verificar a existência desta influência em condições próximas à realidade, dois pórticos com características semelhantes às dos fornecidos pelas empresas fabricantes foram testados com a utilização de três tipos de paletes com características semelhantes às dos paletes encontrados no mercado, com inércias variadas, apoiados sobre trilhos pintados. Estes paletes foram testados sobre trilhos com mesas abrasivas a fim de se verificarem possíveis diferenças nos deslocamentos entre as estruturas carregadas com paletes sobre trilhos pintados e entre as estruturas carregadas com paletes sobre trilhos com mesas abrasivas. Além disso, os pórticos foram testados com um palete suspenso com o objetivo de simular o modelo teórico elaborado pelo Slope-deflection. Cada pórtico foi testado com as forças verticais de 245N, 490N, 735N e 980N aplicadas nos braços e com a força horizontal de 1,5% correspondente ao valor da força vertical aplicada neste pórtico para simular possíveis forças horizontais aplicadas pelas empilhadeiras na movimentação dos materiais. Dois relógios comparadores com sensibilidade de 1/1000mm e um com sensibilidade de um 1/100mm, todos com curso de 10mm, foram colocados, respectivamente, no topo e na base de cada uma das colunas de cada pórtico com o objetivo de se medirem os deslocamentos lineares e angulares destes pórticos. Os deslocamentos medidos nas extremidades de cada coluna foram úteis para se determinar os momentos fletores e as reações nas extremidades destas colunas. A influência dos paletes de madeira no comportamento das estruturas do tipo drivein foi verificada com nível de 5% de significância através da análise da variância / Abstract: This dissertation¿s intent is to investigate experimentally the influence the wood pallets exert on the behavior of the drive in storage racks with one level of loading. To consider the pallets as roller supported on both rails of the structure implies in not to consider the influence of the friction between the pallets and the rails in the behavior of the structure, and thus the results obtained by the theoretical model of analysis may lead to results that may differ from the observed in the real structure. With the aim of investigating this influence in conditions as close as possible to the reality, two frames resembling those supplied by manufacturers were tested with three sort of pallets, each one with characteristics and dimensions resembling the pallets utilized by users, but with different resistance and inertia in comparison with each other. The same pallets were tested in the same frames, but this time on rails with an abrasive surface to verify the possible differences in displacements between the structures loaded with pallets on smooth surfaces rails and between structures loaded with pallets on abrasive surfaces rails. Furthermore, the frames were subjected to a suspense load with the aim of simulating the theoretical model of analysis. Each arm were tested with vertical forces of 245N, 490N, 735N and 980N. It was considered also the horizontal force of 1,5% of the vertical force acting on the frame to take into consideration the lift truck operation. With the aim of measuring the linear and angular displacements of these frames, two dial gages were positioned at the top and one was positioned at the bottom of each column. The readings of all linear and angular displacements at the end of the columns were useful for evaluating the bending moments, the horizontal and vertical reactions acting in each one of the end of the columns of these frames. The 8 elements considered (3 pallets on smooth surface rails, 3 pallets on abrasive surface rails, 1 suspense load and 1 for the Slope-Deflection Method) were combined in groups of 3, so that the influence of the wood pallets in the behavior of drive in racks can be investigated through the variance analysis with 5% in the level of significance / Mestrado / Estruturas / Mestre em Engenharia Civil

The maritime sector plays an important role in economies across the globe. Ports in particular are the backbone of the economy of countries endowed with shorelines as they facilitate foreign trade through the importation and exportation of goods to and from their domestic markets. South Africa’s latest addition to its complimentary ports system, the Port of Ngqura, is positioned as a container transshipment hub and a gateway port to Africa with its world-class infrastructure and deep-water container berths at 18 metres, the deepest on the African continent. Ports, whose main mandate is the container commodity, struggle to retain customers as the container industry is a fickle one. As a result, the retention of transshipment container cargo customers remain a challenge for ports. In recent years, ports have to compete more aggressively for their participation in major logistics networks and these days, the ports of the same region are increasingly competing with each other. There are clusters of ports with the same type of supply located within a region competing with other clusters of ports in other regions. The main objective of this study was to propose a customer retention framework for the Port of Ngqura to be used as part of the marketing strategy to possibly retain customers, grow market share and to increase profits. The study focused on the effect of components such as value proposition, customer service quality, customer satisfaction, customer relationship management and customer loyalty on customer retention. After the exercise of testing statistical reliability, the researcher established that the measuring instrument for the component of value proposition was deemed unreliable and therefore, does not necessarily lead to customer retention for the Port of Ngqura. Nunnally (1978) recommends that instruments used in basic research have reliability of 0.70 or higher. The Cronbach Alpha score for the value proposition measuring scale was 0.41, which is below the recommended 0.70. The measuring instruments of the remaining four components of customer service quality, customer satisfaction, customer relationship management and customer loyalty as influencers of customer retention proved to be reliable due to the Cronbach Alpha score being above the recommended 0.70 for all four measuring instruments. In conclusion, this study showed the importance of customer retention and more importantly, how the mentioned reliable four components affect customer retention at the Port of Ngqura. Recommendations were presented by the author on how to integrate the components of customer retention into a retention framework that can contribute to the profitability of the port. The findings of this study led to the recommendation of the need for the Port of Ngqura to firstly, incorporate customer retention into overall marketing strategy and to thus be aggressive as customer relationship building is crucial in retaining customers and growing market share in today’s competitive port environment. Secondly, the port needs to segment its target customers, it is recommended that the target market be well defined, understood and segmented based on industry (shipping line, clearing and forwarding agency, fruit, automotive or wool) and amount of volumes and revenue brought to the Port of Ngqura. Thirdly, leadership involvement as at the strategic level of Transnet Group and Transnet National Ports Authority, executive leaders need to be involved in the implementation of customer retention for marketing of the port as they are the ones that have a high delegation of authority when it comes to decision making. It is also recommended that the measurement of success be clearly defined and linked to the objectives for the implementation of customer retention. The marketers and the Port of Ngqura, using customer relationship strategies, should devise ways of measuring loyalty to the port and the brand, the reputation of the port, service quality and customer satisfaction. Employee training is the most critical recommendation as they must be well trained and equipped to execute their duties, they must be knowledgeable about the maritime industry as well as the business of their customers, fully understand their customers’ needs and have customer empathy. Ports can also improve service quality by focusing on port and terminal efficiency by conducting benchmark studies with high ranked ports like the Port of Singapore as they are known for high levels of efficiency in the market. By improving service quality, the port will improve customer satisfaction and achieve customer loyalty and ultimately, retention.

The catastrophic accident of the ferry Herald of Free Enterprise made it clear that the development of accident prevention in the maritime domain must not only rely on negative events but rather on proactive measures.Near-miss reporting is becoming widespread as a proactive tool for accident prevention in various domains. This thesis aims to examine and identify barriers to near-miss reporting through studying the national reporting system INSJÖ and local company specific systems in the Swedish maritime domain.Interviews with representatives from Swedish shipping companies (designated persons responsible for safety work in each company and officers responsible for the reporting at sea) were conducted as a means of data collection. Based on the data two separate analyses were made; one in a naturalistic fashion and one using a framework of barriers and incentives derived from various social technical domains in which near-miss reporting has been institutionalized.The results of the two analyses highlight differences regarding how and with whom information should be shared. The therapeutic factor, to teach and learn from others was emphasized as important by the majority of the interviewees. Further, potential external influences, issues concerning anonymity and the risk of rehearsed benefits of reporting are also made visible. Finally, critique against the accident-ratio models, that introduced the near-miss concept, is presented and it is argued that these models might be too simplistic to explain why accidents occur.It is concluded that, in order to create effective reporting systems and to decrease the risk of creating a disparity between rehearsed benefits and how the system is used in reality, it is important to give the personnel ownership of their own reporting system and the knowledge of how and why to use it. Nevertheless, near-miss reporting might be used as a powerful tool and incentive for proactive work and accident prevention.

Främmande organismer i fartygs barlastvatten har med sjöfarten spridits runt världen med förödande konsekvenser. För att reglera denna spridning infördes Barlastvattenkonventionen av IMO, som innebär att fartyg inom en viss tid måste investera i godkända barlastreningssystem. Konventionens implementering har skapat ett visst huvudbry och rederier har ställts inför utmaningen att välja system som passar deras fartyg och fartområden. En kvalitativ intervjustudie genomfördes med representanter från svenska tankrederier för att få en bild av hur de har hanterat konventionen. Vidare undersöktes på vilka beslutsgrunder olika reningstekniker valdes samt hur eventuellt installerade system har levt upp till förväntningar. Intervjustudiens resultat visade att samtliga rederier har påverkats ekonomiskt och upplever problem med att hantera konventionens implementering samt att hitta tillförlitliga barlastreningssystem. En rapport kom även fram under intervjuerna där Saudiarabien hade gjort omfattande provtagningar på fartygs barlastvatten som visade att ett anmärkningsvärt stort antal fartyg med IMO-godkända barlastreningssystem inte klarade utsläppskraven. Intervjustudien indikerar påtagliga brister i barlastreningssystemen som Saudirapporten även bekräftar. / Aquatic invasive species have spread around the world in ships’ ballast water tanks with dire consequences. To regulate this spreading, the International Maritime Organization implemented the Ballast Water Management Convention which forces ships to, within a certain time frame, install approved ballast water treatment systems. The implimentation of the Convention has been complex and shipping companies have had to face challenges of choosing suitable treatment systems for their ships and trading areas. For this study, qualitative interviews were conducted with representatives from Swedish tanker shipping companies to examine how the Convention has affected them. On what grounds different treatment techniques were chosen was also examined, as well as if installed treatment systems have met expectations. Results from the study show that companies have suffered economical impacts, have had difficulties handling the implementation of the Convention as well as difficulties finding reliable treatment systems. Furthermore, one respondent referred to a report submitted by Saudi Arabia where extensive ballast water sampling had been conducted on ships calling their ports. The report showed that a considerable amount of ships with approved ballast water treatment systems did not meet the required levels of organisms in the treated ballast water. The interviews confirm the report’s description of the treatment systems’ fundamental flaws.

The aim of this thesis is to provide a reader with the most complex information possible about the field of freight forwarding specialized in maritime shipping and about all the processes which take place in this area. This information could serve for a better orientation for trade or manufacturing companies which need to use maritime transportation and which do not have any or have only little experience with it. My aim is also to show, how to communicate with freight forwarding companies and what prices can be expected.

Hul’qumi’num communities on south eastern Vancouver Island have concerns about the status and safety of marine foods potentially impacted by environmental change and the urbanization and industrialization of their territories. Collaborative research undertaken with the Hul’q’umi’num’ Lands and Resources Society is part of a broader effort to revitalize cultural practices, language, and food systems. Lhuq’us (the Hul’q’umi’num’ language term for pohrpyra/pyropia spp. (commonly known as red laver or black gold)) is a flavourful and nutritious intertidal seaweed that grows on rocky beaches across the Pacific Northwest. Hul’q’umi’num’ language, cultural values, teachings, and family histories are all interwoven into the harvesting and consumption of lhuq’us in Hul’qumi’num territories. Lhuq’us is one of the species that have been persistently mentioned in conversations with state regulatory agencies and though these concerns have been raised for at least two decades there has been no systematic monitoring of the species. There are two broad streams of inquiry taken by thesis thesis. The first, employing ethnographic methodology including interviews and observant participation, seeks to both document the cultural values, oral histories, lived experiences associated with lhuq’us as well as concerns for the future collaborators have for lhuq’us and lhuq’us beaches. The second stream, based in a geographic approach, asks whether Unoccupied Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technologies could be employed to record the status of lhuq’us as a baseline for monitoring. Two study sites in the Salish sea were surveyed using UAV techniques: ȾEL,IȽĆ and St’utl’qulus. The overall accuracies of the UAV imagery classifications and the particular accuracies of the class representing lhuq’us suggest that UAV technologies paired with Google Earth Engine (GEE) object based image analysis (OBIA) methodologies can effectively detect lhuq’us. There are serious concerns and cultural values and practices deeply interconnected with culturally important species like lhuq’us. Through holding these concerns and values side by side with systematic observation and analyses maps and materials were created which communities can use to assert their rights, enact their own monitoring of territories and re-prioritize environmental decision-making done by federal, provincial, and municipal management agencies. / Graduate