Thesis: M. Eng. in Logistics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Supply Chain Management Program, 2016. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 72-73). / As supply chains become more global and complex, it increases the importance of end-to-end visibility into the material, information, and financial flows of a firm. This work covers various aspects of supply chain visibility such as current status, its benefits, and the benefit-enabling mechanisms, traced through multiple stages of research, including a survey, round- table, and detailed interviews. Specifically, we developed a multi-case study analysis of supply chain visibility solutions (SCVS) and analyzed its effect on key supply chain processes. A qualitative "with and without SCVS" framework was employed to understand the changes observed in key business processes at several companies that recently implemented SCVS. This was combined with a cross-case study analysis to evaluate the effect of SCVS on the efficiency and effectiveness dimensions of process performance. We found that SCVS has a direct positive effect on data management processes via benefit-enabling mechanisms such as automation, standardization, and better raw data. Key operational processes, such as shipment and inventory management, risk management, and procurement and partner collaboration, were affected positively by SCVS via the antecedent data management process. The strength of impact of SCVS on key operational processes varies by company characteristics and the stage of implementation of SCVS. This research is most useful to companies considering implementing an SCVS to understand the potential benefits of SCVS and the underlying mechanisms. Managers can increase the relevance and robustness of results by extending the case-study analysis to include more companies with similar operating characteristics. / by Anna Stanchik. / M. Eng. in Logistics

Thesis: M. Eng. in Logistics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Supply Chain Management Program, 2016. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 90-91). / Multi-stop truckload has been gaining importance in recent years as part of a shift away from Less-than-truckload freight. In our research, we sought to understand how the price and carrier behavior vary as the number of stops increases. Rational economic theory says that these shipments will be more expensive, and experience shows that in practice they also tend to get rejected more often. This thesis tested these two likely results together with other factors known for affecting price and rejection rates, such as lead time, clustering of the stops, etc. We used logistics regression to predict the acceptance ratio and ordinary least squares regression to model the price based on historical data. We found that there is an inherent cost associated with multi-stops, which depends on the number of stops and whether the stop is a pick or a drop. The proximity of these stops as well as the stop-off charge can also impact the price. Carrier acceptance and routing guide depth depends on the price structure and load characteristics. As the number of stops increases, it takes longer for a tender to be accepted and the shipment performance also deteriorates with an increased likelihood of late delivery especially if the initial pickup is late. Therefore, companies need to be aware of the hidden costs associated with multi-stop truckloads as they plan their transportation network. / by Xiaojia (Amy) Chen and Shang Lin (Peter) Tsai Yang. / M. Eng. in Logistics

Thesis: M. Eng. in Logistics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Supply Chain Management Program, 2016. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (page 50). / The United States has one of the safest drug supply chains in the world. However, its security is threatened by new challenges such as counterfeit, diverted, and illegally imported drugs. To counter the new challenges, the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) was signed into law by President Obama on November 27, 2013, with a 10-year implementation timeframe. As a result, companies in the U.S. pharmaceutical industry, including drug manufacturers, distributors, and dispensers, are challenged to fully comply with the DSCSA by 2023. The compliance with the DSCSA will enable companies to operate and manage the risks of their supply chains more efficiently. Industry consortiums, such as the Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA), and the industry leaders have recommended various interoperable data exchange models for the implementation of the compliance. However, domestic and international complexities make it difficult to pick the optimal model for the industry. In this research, we start with categorizing the known data exchange models that can be potentially used by the U.S. pharmaceutical industry. Second, we develop a scorecard methodology based on a framework that considers various factors across the entire supply chain. Next, we examine the categorized models using this scorecard methodology. Lastly, we conclude with recommendations on the data strategy decision for the U.S. pharmaceutical industry. / by Peter Wontae Chung and Tao Zhang. / M. Eng. in Logistics

Thesis: M. Eng. in Logistics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Supply Chain Management Program, 2016. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (page 40). / For many manufacturing facilities, process improvement efforts are a luxury when faced with heightened competitive pressures and a fast-paced work environment where fires are constantly being fought. This need for speed is even more important for startup companies who are racing against time to get their product to the market. Continuous improvement and Lean projects typically span from trial-and-error experiments to changes based on lengthy analyses. Biotech startup Company XYZ has felt the effects of these forces and launched a new effort to improve its operations via continuous improvement and Lean, ultimately reducing costs and improving productivity of operations. This thesis examines one example of a process improvement effort at Company XYZ's pre-clinical manufacturing facility. This project involved characterizing the cycle time and process flow, leading to targeted actions to increase the throughput and reduce the amount of time and effort to manufacture their drugs. Tools and ideas from Lean and Six Sigma were applied and a recommendation and next steps were presented to the company. This thesis also provides a broader demonstration of how such continuous improvement efforts can fit into the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. / by Mimi L. Tsai. / M. Eng. in Logistics

Thesis: M. Eng. in Logistics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Supply Chain Management Program, 2016. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references (pages 94-97). / The craft brewing industry in New York State has grown rapidly over the past five years helped in part by New York State legislation called the Farm Brewery Act of 2012. The act imposes agricultural stipulations for breweries desiring to file for a Farm Brewing license. The hop industry will have to grow in kind to meet the Farm Brewery Act requirements. The level of growth that needs to be achieved was determined through the use of system dynamics modeling. Production volumes were calculated based on survey results from brewers and farmers. Currently, the state's hop industry is producing a surplus of hops and will be able to supply short-term brewery growth over the horizon of the next three years. It was discovered, however, that the industry is vulnerable to demand shifts and prudent action should be taken to become resilient to changes in buyer regulations and preferences: increasing the economy of scale and building collaborative relationships through farm clustering will improve the longevity of New York's hop industry. / by Nathan D. Stempel. / M. Eng. in Logistics

Conventionally, the question of Egyptian water security focused on state-centric transboundary hydropolitics within the larger context of the Nile basin. The presented research explores 'water security' beyond this 'state-centric epistemology', typically focusing on a singular scale of hydropolitical analysis. This dissertation examines the water (hydro) politics of transnational land-water investments (LWI) within Egypt and the larger context of the Nile river basin. Adopting a multi-site case study methodology, it critically examines the changing role of the state and the engagement of non-state actors in the silent appropriation of land-water resources through investments in farmlands abroad. The research methodology contextualizes how land acquisitions take several shapes and forms within Egypt (Old-New Lands and New Lands/Mega Projects), as well as in other Nile basin countries (e.g. Sudan). They also manifest land-water-food nexus interdependencies for both; profit and larger strategic objectives, through the formation of 'State-Capital alliances'. Deploying a case study of an international Emirati investor in Egypt, it shows how land-water investments are rooted in a larger socio-political project as part of the state's vision of horizontal expansion and land reclamation, to address its ecological-demographic narrative of crisis. The research also draws linkages between Egyptian water security and transnational investments in other Nile basin countries with a particular focus on the case of Sudan as part of its larger vision of the 'breadbasket of the Arab World'. However, while these State-Capital alliances are rooted in narratives of state modernization, security, and profit, they entail various tensions and trade-offs amongst different resources nexi and actors, thus masking larger questions of social justice and equity. These tensions often reflect the manufacture of abundance and translate into water grabs transcending multiple hydropolitical scales. The thesis argues that the changing role of the "entrepreneurial state" and the engagement of non-state actors in transnational land-water investments manifest a transition from the hydraulic mission towards water security mercantilism. I argue that "water security mercantilism" denotes water grabbing, which overrides the conventional understanding of the hydraulic mission (water control by the state); towards a broader understanding of the role of non-state actors and international investors in accessing water, thus creating their own private resources security nexus. Hence, drawing on development studies, hydropolitics, and political economy scholarship, this dissertation broadens out the analysis of Egyptian water security beyond singular-scale state-centric hydropolitical debates; towards a multi-level polycentric analysis of water security, central to which are the farmers, the investors, and the state itself. This implies that transnational land-water investments not only influence small farmers through the reproduction of scarcity on the local level, but also influence the hydraulic mission of the state on the national level, and the larger Nile basin transboundary hydropolitics.

Regularly consuming caloric beverages has been linked to obesity and weight gain and evidence suggests this is because beverages have a weak impact on satiety responses (behavioural and physiological). Using a series of experimental studies this thesis explored the cognitive and sensory features of caloric beverages that might enhance the anticipated and actual satiating power of their nutrients. Paper one characterised the sensory characteristics associated with expectations of hunger, fullness and thirst, finding that food and beverage products anticipated to be creamier and thicker were expected to be more satiating and less thirst-quenching. Paper two established that people can perceive subtle changes in beverage viscosity and manipulating thick and creamy textural cues strongly influenced the expectation that a beverage would be filling and supress hunger after consumption. This was extended in paper three, which reported evidence suggesting that a sensorially enhanced beverage is selected and consumed in smaller portions. Papers four and five investigated the satiating power of a caloric beverage consumed with satiety-relevant cognitive and sensory information. Paper four reported tentative evidence that a labelled satiety message influenced the satiating effect of caloric beverages when combined with thick and creamy sensory cues. Participants in Paper five reported greater satiety responses to a covert manipulation of beverage energy when consumed as a ‘snack' rather than a drink. However, consuming the same beverage in a subtly thicker sensory context (without extra information) generated the largest satiety response to the different nutrient loads, perhaps because textural characteristics are the most reliable cue for nutrients. Overall these studies suggest that caloric beverages may generate weak satiety responses because their nutrient-generated effects are not expected. Encouraging people to consider caloric beverages as a snack, or adding in nutrient-relevant sensory characteristics, may both help consumers regulate energy intake when consuming these products.

This thesis enhances our understanding of the British Kitchen Front through the examination of primary sources from Mass Observation Archive. It illuminates the everyday life of civilians, the impact of the war food restrictions on their eating habits and practices, but also on their perspectives and behaviours. Moreover, it argues that while the food practices of these civilians were modified by the wartime rationing and food scarcity, other factors of influence, namely social class, personal and familial circumstances and time were critical regarding eating habits, food choice and priorities. In order to conduct this research and respond to the difficulties presented by the sources examined, a tailor-made method of data extraction, categorisation and analysis has been designed. Using the advantages of quantitative and qualitative methodologies, this method allowed an unusual quantitative treatment of massive qualitative data, the creation of measurable and comparable figures as well as their qualitative contextualisation. It was found that scarcity of food effectively modified the diet of the diarists, but also their actions and perspective. The food difficulties generated new behaviours, some unlikely to have existed prior to the war, and modified relationships. The value of food changed as well, modifying its role in private and public sphere. However, as argued, the social class and the familial status of the diarists were a key dimension of the management and perception of the food situation, influencing their choice, decision and priorities as well as their response to it. The passing of time also proved to be influential regarding the adaptation and the evolution of the opinion and feelings of the diarists. Rather than drastically challenging the existent literature, the present research suggests that some interpretative differences concerning the Home Front experience could be the result of a variation of focus and of sources employed, indicating the need to enlarge the historical perspective, to include more in depth analysis of qualitative data, and to take into account the factors of influence presented into this work.

Lei, Tian. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-97). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgement --- p.v / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Background and Motivation --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Objectives and Contribution --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3 --- Thesis Organization --- p.6 / Chapter 2 --- Literature Review --- p.8 / Chapter 3 --- Mathematical Model --- p.15 / Chapter 3.1 --- Stock-out Based Substitution --- p.15 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Customer Response to Stock-out --- p.15 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Patterns of Substitution --- p.17 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Demand Models under Substitution --- p.18 / Chapter 3.2 --- Model Description and Formulation --- p.23 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Model Description --- p.23 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Customer Demand Model --- p.25 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Substitution Model Formulation --- p.27 / Chapter 3.3 --- Information Availability --- p.29 / Chapter 3.4 --- Summary and Discussion --- p.32 / Chapter 4 --- Parameter Estimation --- p.36 / Chapter 4.1 --- Preliminaries --- p.36 / Chapter 4.2 --- Estimation of Initial Probabilities --- p.38 / Chapter 4.3 --- Estimation of Substitution Probabilities --- p.41 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Case I: Only One Product Unavailable --- p.41 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Case II: Two Products Unavailable --- p.44 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Case III: More than Two Products Unavailable --- p.47 / Chapter 4.4 --- Summary --- p.51 / Chapter 5 --- Numerical Examples --- p.53 / Chapter 5.1 --- Examples Based on Simulated Data --- p.54 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Preliminary Numerical Example --- p.54 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Performance under Different Substitution Forms --- p.63 / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Effects of Service Level --- p.67 / Chapter 5.1.4 --- Effects of Data Volume --- p.70 / Chapter 5.2 --- Real Case from Retail Industry --- p.72 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Data --- p.72 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Estimation Results and Further Discussion .. --- p.74 / Chapter 6 --- Concluding Remarks --- p.79 / Chapter Appendix A --- Data Sets for the Retail Market Example --- p.83 / Chapter Appendix B --- Conference Presentations --- p.90 / References --- p.91

Thesis. 1979. M.S.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Alfred P. Sloan School of Management. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND DEWEY. / Includes bibliographical references. / M.S.