Orientador: Leonardo Nepomuceno / Banca: Marcelo Augusto Cicogna / Banca: Edlaine Martins Soler / Resumo: Neste trabalho propõe-se um modelo de leilão multiperíodo para um mercado pool do dia seguinte de sistemas hidrotérmicos, que leve em consideração as restrições intertemporais do sistema termelétrico (e.g. potência máxima disponível e limites de rampa e período mínimo de operação e desligamento) e restrições hidráulicas (e.g. defluência, volume e balanço de água, altura de queda, alturas de montante e jusante do reservatório, limites de rampa de vazão defluente e função de produção). Também foram introduzidas no modelo as restrições de rede de transmissão, tais como o balanço e limites de fluxo de potência e representação das perdas. São descritas as técnicas de linearização das funções de altura de queda líquida, função de produção e função de perdas no sistema de transmissão. O modelo proposto é formulado como um problema de programação linear inteiro-misto, tendo sido resolvido utilizando as plataformas GAMS - CPLEX e IBM ILOG CPLEX Optimization Studio. Os resultados apresentados têm como foco principal a análise do impacto das restrições hidráulicas nos preços de equilíbrio de mercado e no despacho de geração de sistemas hidrotérmicos. Mostra-se que a operação de uma cascata hidráulica para o dia seguinte é orientada com base nas ofertas fornecidas pelas companhias geradoras no mercado de energia. / Abstract: This work presents a brief description of an energy market structure, as well as its agents, economic division and service and time horizon classification. The Brazilian mar-ket, single-period and multiperiod auction are also described, as much as a concise presen-tation of a hydroelectric generation system. It's proposed for a day-ahead pool market, a multiperiod auction for hydrothermal system which takes into account the intertempo-ral constraints from a thermoelectric system (e.g. maximum available power output and ramp rate limits, minimum up and down time) and hydraulic constraints (e.g. defluence, volume and water balance, net head, forebay and tailrace levels of reservoir, water release ramp rate limits and the unit performance curves). It was also associated to the problem the transmission constraints, such as balance and flow power limits and power loss. On account of being a problem with such features, the linearization techniques of the net head, unit performance curves and power loss function are described. The proposed mo-del is based on a mixed integer linear programming problem, which used the GAMS -CPLEX and IBM ILOG CPLEX Optimization Studio to its resolution. Finally there are two reported situations to analyze the impact of the hydraulic constrains on the bidding prices, as well as the in˛uence of the selling prices on the total spillage of the hydroelectric plants. The model is projected for a hydro predominance plant cascade. / Mestre

Hu, Yong. / Thesis submitted in: October 2007. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 127-129). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter Chapter 1. --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1. --- Background and Motivation --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2. --- Objectives of the Thesis --- p.3 / Chapter 1.3. --- Scope of the Thesis --- p.6 / Chapter 1.4. --- Structure of the Thesis --- p.6 / Chapter Chapter 2. --- Review of Related Technologies --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1. --- Scope and Requirements of the Supply Chain Traceability --- p.9 / Chapter 2.2. --- Automatic Identification and Data Collection Technologies --- p.14 / Chapter 2.2.1. --- Introduction to the AIDC Technologies --- p.14 / Chapter 2.2.1.1. --- The Barcode --- p.14 / Chapter 2.2.1.2. --- The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) --- p.17 / Chapter 2.2.1.3. --- The Sensors for Food --- p.19 / Chapter 2.2.1.4. --- The Global Positioning System (GPS) --- p.23 / Chapter 2.2.2. --- Frequencies of the RFID Systems --- p.25 / Chapter 2.2.3. --- Encoding Mechanisms for the RFID Tags and Barcode Labels --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3. --- Standards and Specifications of the EPCglobal --- p.34 / Chapter 2.3.1. --- The EPCglobal Architecture Framework --- p.34 / Chapter 2.3.2. --- The EPCglobal EPCIS Specification --- p.39 / Chapter 2.3.3. --- The EPCglobal Tag Data Standards --- p.42 / Chapter 2.4. --- RFID Applications in Food Supply Chain Management --- p.43 / Chapter 2.5. --- Anti-counterfeit Technologies and Solutions --- p.45 / Chapter 2.6. --- Data Compression Algorithms --- p.47 / Chapter 2.7. --- Shelf Life Prediction Models --- p.49 / Chapter Chapter 3. --- Architecture and Scope of the Application System --- p.54 / Chapter 3.1. --- Application System Architecture --- p.54 / Chapter 3.2. --- Application System Scope --- p.55 / Chapter Chapter 4. --- The Tracking and Tracing Management Module --- p.60 / Chapter 4.1. --- Overview --- p.60 / Chapter 4.2. --- AIDC Technologies Adopted for the Traceable Items --- p.62 / Chapter 4.3. --- Mechanism to Achieve the Nested Visibility --- p.70 / Chapter 4.4. --- Information Integration in the EPCIS --- p.75 / Chapter 4.5. --- Anti-counterfeit Mechanism --- p.82 / Chapter Chapter 5. --- The Storage and Transportation Monitoring Module --- p.90 / Chapter 5.1. --- Overview --- p.90 / Chapter 5.2. --- Compression of the Sensor Data --- p.93 / Chapter 5.3. --- Management of the Sensor Data --- p.95 / Chapter 5.4. --- Responsive Warning Mechanism --- p.102 / Chapter Chapter 6. --- The Sensor Networks Enabled Assessment Module --- p.108 / Chapter 6.1. --- Overview --- p.108 / Chapter 6.2. --- Management of the Sensor Network Data --- p.110 / Chapter 6.3. --- Active Warning Mechanism --- p.114 / Chapter Chapter 7. --- Conclusions --- p.122 / Chapter 7.1. --- Contributions --- p.122 / Chapter 7.2. --- Future Work --- p.124

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo analisar a cadeia de fornecimento de alimentos, especificamente os de origem animal, destinados ao atendimento dos alunos matriculados no ensino infantil no município de Piracicaba, estado de São Paulo (SP), de forma a identificar a existência de impasses que possam comprometer a qualidade desses produtos e a oferta aos alunos, durante as etapas de compra, armazenamento e transporte às unidades escolares. Para a coleta de dados foram utilizados questionários semiestruturados direcionados aos principais atores envolvidos na dinâmica da cadeia, além de informações referentes aos certames licitatórios para compra dos alimentos de origem animal entre os anos de 2014 a 2017, sendo estas informações obtidas a partir das análises documentais dos processos licitatórios. Participaram da pesquisa a gerente da alimentação escolar do município, a nutricionista responsável técnica, quatro fornecedores de alimentos de origem animal e 77 merendeiros(as). Os resultados apontaram dificuldades no descritivo dos produtos, no atendimento as regras dos procedimentos licitatórios e na elaboração dos padrões de qualidade. No que concerne aos editais licitatórios, verificou-se a subjetividade na descrição da ocorrência de análises sensoriais no momento das entregas dos produtos. Foram elencados problemas com os fornecedores referentes a troca ou reposição de produtos reprovados no momento das entregas, o não cumprimento das datas e das quantidades de produtos solicitadas, assim como a ocorrência de entrega de produtos com qualidade sensorial inadequada. Constatou-se a necessidade de munir as unidades escolares com termômetros do tipo infravermelho, para aferição e registro das temperaturas dos produtos. Além disso, os(as) merendeiros(as) devem ser responsáveis pela correta conferência dos alimentos, verificar a integridade das embalagens, bem como observar o asseio dos entregadores e dos veículos. A implantação de processos padronizados no momento em que ocorre a recusa dos alimentos de origem animal nas escolas é interessante, uma vez que foram verificadas algumas discrepâncias dos procedimentos realizados. Por fim, foram apurados problemas relativos ao armazenamento de alimentos de origem animal nas câmaras frias. Conclui-se que delinear e executar alguns processos tendem a contribuir para a otimização da cadeia de fornecimento de alimentos de origem animal, com vistas a manutenção de padrões de qualidade satisfatórios da alimentação escolar do município analisado. / The present study aimed to analyze the food supply chain, specifically those of animal origin, destined to the attendance of the students enrolled in the infantile education in the city of Piracicaba, state of SãoPaulo(SP), in order to identify the existence of deadlocks that could compromise the quality of these products and the supply to the students during the purchase, storage and transport stages to the school units. For the collection of data, semi-structured questionnaires were directed to the main actors involved in the dynamics of the chain, as well as information regarding the tenders for the purchase of food of animal origin between the years 2014 and 2017, and this information was obtained from the documentary analysis of the bidding processes. The researcher participated in the research to the municipality\'s school nutrition manager, the technical nutritionist responsible, four suppliers of animal foods and 77 picketers. The results pointed out difficulties in the descriptive of the products, in compliance with the rules of the bidding procedures and in the elaboration of quality standards. Regarding the bidding documents, the subjectivity was verified in the description of the occurrence of sensorial analyzes at the moment of the deliveries of the products. Problems with suppliers related to the exchange or replacement of products disapproved at the time of delivery, failure to meet the dates and quantities of products requested, as well as the occurrence of delivery of products with inadequate sensory quality were listed. It was verified the need to equip the school units with thermometers of the infrared type, for gauging and recording the temperatures of the products. In addition, shopkeepers should be responsible for proper food inspection, check the integrity of the packaging, and observe the cleanliness of delivery personnel and vehicles. The implementation of standardized processes at the time of refusal of food of animal origin in schools is interesting, since some discrepancies of the procedures were verified. Finally, problems were identified concerning the storage of animal foods in the cold rooms. It is concluded that the delineation and execution of some processes tend to contribute to the optimization of the food supply chain of animal origin, with a view to maintaining satisfactory quality standards of school feeding in the analyzed municipality.

The modern supply chain is long, complex, interconnected and global, and plays a fundamental role in business competitiveness. These conditions, along with various supply chain management trends in recent years have increased risks in supply chains which threaten supply chain performance. Greater impact, especially on cost, from an increased threat of supply disruptions is one area of particular concern. Companies today are struggling to find effective means to manage this increased risk and avoid adverse financial impacts. An approach to managing supply disruption risk in supply chains based on the minimization of the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the supply chain is explored in this thesis. Insights are provided into an appropriate view of supply chain risk and a general four step risk management process to guide the design and evaluation of a new risk management tool based on such an approach. A prototype of the new total cost-based, modeling and simulation tool was created in partnership with ProModel Corporation and a government contractor that requested to remain anonymous. A preliminary assessment of the effectiveness of this tool in minimizing TCO and providing an interface useable by non-modelers is provided. This study also reviews and compares a sample set of current supply chain risk management methods and tools and compares them with the new tool for relevance in aiding users in managing supply disruption risk. Based on literature findings and preliminary feedback from pilot contextual demonstrations of the tool, the total cost approach to risk modeling appears promising, although the execution needs to be improved with further enhancements made to the prototype tool. In this preliminary study and evaluation, sufficient evidence is not available to determine that the new prototype tool is any more effective than other currently available risk management tools to provide necessary information to make supply chain risk management decisions that minimize TCO of a supply chain. Suggestions for further development of the tool, especially for improvement of the total cost approach, are provided as well as a preliminary evaluation procedure and survey instruments for a more robust evaluation of the new tool.

Thesis (MBA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / Refer to document

This thesis analyses the food crisis in sub-Saharan Africa in the 1980s and 1990s, identifies roots of the problem, and proposes strategies of sustainable development based on self-sufficiency in food production for domestic needs. The main goal of this research has been to devise development strategies centered on development of the food production sector. The thesis strongly suggests that countries of the region should consider developing the food production sector to experience any meaningful development, and to escape a dark future of food shortages and food dependency on developed economies. Investigation into Development Economics, Dependency, Underdevelopment, and Modernization theories has provided a basis to justify that improvement of the food production sector is an urgent necessity for sub-Saharan African countries. The thesis uses a comparative analytical methodology based on a historical study of Kenya from the colonial period to the 1990s. The food crisis is identified as a common problem for many countries in sub-Saharan Africa and its general causes are investigated: ( 1) low output productivity of traditional methods and technology, (2) harsh ecological environment with frequent droughts and soil erosion, (3) neglect of food production in the policies and priorities of governments, ( 4) poor marketing and distribution of foodstuffs, (5) fast population growth. Kenya is then used as a model to confirm the hypothesis that roots of the crisis are strongly linked to the colonial setting of these economies as cash crop and raw material producers. Also, neglect of the food production sector in government policy is matched in the Kenyan case. Kenya's food crisis can be explained by two sets of factors. On the input side of the food production sector, reasons found were ( 1) government emphasis on cash crops to the neglect of food production, and (2) underdeveloped technology and agricultural methods used in food production. On the output side, food shortages are due to ( 1) an inefficient marketing and distribution system, (2) inefficient pricing policies, and (3) fast population growth. A model of five solutions is presented which puts emphasis, on the input side, on (1) a shift of policies from cash crop production to accommodate food crop production as a viable economic development policy, (2) curbing food imports, and (3) boosting domestic food production by empowering women, attracting men to the food production activity, reorganizing production, and improving agricultural technology and methods. On the output side the solutions call for ( 4) reorganizing and improving the distribution, and marketing, and pricing of foodstuffs, and (5) developing rural economies around the food production sector and the agribusiness industry.

Making good supply management decisions is essential to competing in the global market, as these decisions often account for more than 60% of the average company's total costs. The purpose for this single case study was to explore the strategy that a large manufacturing firm in northeast Ohio used to identify costs when making effective purchasing decisions. The total cost of ownership (TCO) theory was the conceptual framework for the study. The data collection included a semistructured interview with a senior level supply manager and a focus group consisting of mid-level supply managers. Member checking provided verification of the interpreted participants' responses. Methodological triangulation included 2 company documents pertinent to the supply management department that resulted in 4 emerging themes: identifying total costs, tools for implementing TCO, supplier rating and management, and detailed recordkeeping. The findings of this study revealed a simpler approach to capturing and organizing data than was acknowledged in the literature reviewed. The findings showed TCO supported purchasing decisions that often resulted in domestically or regionally purchased products rather than offshore buys. Therefore, reassessment of true total costs by senior manufacturing supply managers might impact social change as more procurement decisions forego sourcing offshore and bring manufacturing of products back to local communities.

This study is concerned with the analyses of modern electric power-grids designed to support large supply-demand considerations in metro areas of large cities. Hence proposed are methods to determine optimal performance of the associated distribution networks vis-á-vis power availability from multiple resources (such as hydroelectric, thermal, wind-mill, solar-cell etc.) and varying load-demands posed by distinct set of consumers of domestic, industrial and commercial sectors. Hence, developing the analytics on optimal power-distribution across pertinent power-grids are verified with the models proposed. Forecast algorithms and computational outcomes on supply-demand performance are indicated and illustratively explained using real-world data sets. This study on electric utility takes duly into considerations of both deterministic (technological factors) as well as stochastic variables associated with the available resource-capacity and demand-profile details. Thus, towards forecasting exercise as above, a representative load-curve (RLC) is defined; and, it is optimally determined using an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) method using the data availed on supply-demand characteristics of a practical power-grid. This RLC is subsequently considered as an input parametric profile on tariff policies associated with electric power product-cost. This research further focuses on developing an optimal/suboptimal electric-power distribution scheme across power-grids deployed between multiple resources and different sets of user demands. Again, the optimal/suboptimal decisions are enabled using ANN-based simulations performed on load sharing details. The underlying supply-demand forecasting on distribution service profile is essential to support predictive designs on the amount of power required (or to be generated from single and/or multiple resources) versus distributable shares to different consumers demanding distinct loads. Another topic addressed refers to a business model on a cost reflective tariff levied in an electric power service in terms of the associated hedonic heuristics of customers versus service products offered by the utility operators. This model is based on hedonic considerations and technoeconomic heuristics of incumbent systems In the ANN simulations as above, bootstrapping technique is adopted to generate pseudo-replicates of the available data set and they are used to train the ANN net towards convergence. A traditional, multilayer ANN architecture (implemented with feed-forward and backpropagation techniques) is designed and modified to support a fast convergence algorithm, used for forecasting and in load-sharing computations. Underlying simulations are carried out using case-study details on electric utility gathered from the literature. In all, ANN-based prediction of a representative load-curve to assess power-consumption and tariff details in electrical power systems supporting a smart-grid, analysis of load-sharing and distribution of electric power on smart grids using an ANN and evaluation of electric power system infrastructure in terms of tariff worthiness deduced via hedonic heuristics, constitute the major thematic efforts addressed in this research study. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2019. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Hops are one of the four main ingredients used to produce beer. Many studies have been done to analyze the science behind growing and harvesting hops, creating hop hybrids, and how to brew beer with hops. However, there has been little research done revolving around the economic demand and supply model of the hop market. The objectives of this study are to create an econometric model of supply and demand of hops in the United States from 1981 to 2012, and to identify important exogenous variables that explain the supply and demand of hops using the two-stage least squares (2SLS) method of analysis. Using the 2SLS method, the demand model yielded that the US beer production variable is significant at the 10 percent level. For every 1 percent change in US beer production, there will be a 6.25 percent change in quantity of hops demanded in the same direction. The supply model showed that US acreage is significant at the 1 percent level. For every 1 percent change in US acreage, there will be a 0.889 percent change in quantity of hops supplied in the same direction. The implications of this study are viewed in relation to both producers and consumers.

Indian pharmaceutical companies spend one-third of their revenue from supply chain management (SCM) activities due to inherently poor transportation infrastructure. SCM is a vital function for many companies, as it is usually employed to lower expenses and increase sales for the company. SCM costs are higher in India than they are in other areas of the world, amounting to 13% of India's GDP. The purpose of this study was to explore SCM strategies Indian business leaders in the pharmaceutical industry have used to reduce the high costs associated with SCM. This study used a single case study research design and semistructured interviews to collect data from 3 SCM business leaders working in Indian pharmaceutical organizations and possessing successful experience in using SCM strategies to reduce high costs. Goldratt's (1990) theory of constraints was used as the conceptual framework for this study to identify challenges associated with SCM strategies. Data from semistructured interviews, observations, and company documents were processed and analyzed using data source triangulation, grouping the raw data into key themes. The following 3 themes emerged: distribution and logistics challenges, impact of SCM processes, and best practices and solutions. The implications for positive social change include the potential to reduce supply chain risk, which could lead to lower product prices for consumers, increased stakeholder satisfaction, and a higher standard of living.