<p><strong>Purpose - </strong>The goal of this research is to demonstrate that financial performance of current year is dependent to the amount of maturity of the supply chain processes. This aim is achieved through considering current supply chain process maturities of the firm together with financial performance of prior years. <strong></strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Research question - </strong>How supply chain process maturities in relation to financial performance of prior years are related to current financial performance  <strong></strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Methodology - </strong>The deductive approach has been followed to use theories and literatures to build the hypothetical model in order to test it empirically.<strong></strong></p><p>This quantitative research is benefited from the primary data of Swedish steel SMEs including the secondary data from financial ratios from Scandinavian financial database</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Findings - </strong>The effect between supply chain process maturity and current year financial performance, the effect between prior year financial performance and current year financial performance, and also total effect of prior year financial performance and supply chain process maturity on current year financial performance proved empirically. <strong></strong></p>

Purpose - The goal of this research is to demonstrate that financial performance of current year is dependent to the amount of maturity of the supply chain processes. This aim is achieved through considering current supply chain process maturities of the firm together with financial performance of prior years.     Research question - How supply chain process maturities in relation to financial performance of prior years are related to current financial performance       Methodology - The deductive approach has been followed to use theories and literatures to build the hypothetical model in order to test it empirically. This quantitative research is benefited from the primary data of Swedish steel SMEs including the secondary data from financial ratios from Scandinavian financial database     Findings - The effect between supply chain process maturity and current year financial performance, the effect between prior year financial performance and current year financial performance, and also total effect of prior year financial performance and supply chain process maturity on current year financial performance proved empirically.

The Thesis is focused on non-traditional application of logistics on humanitarian aid, because it is inseperable part of the foreign policy of each country. The theoretical part is devoted to basic definitions of both sectors. The practical part of thesis presents schemes of supply chains of czech humanitarian aid. The aim is to characterize the process of supply chain in the sphere of humanitarian aid in the Czech republic and out of its territory with two case studies (the flood in Novojičínsko and disaster in Japan). Then the author can compare processes of giving humanitarian aid in the Czech republic and out of it, also the author can suggest recommendation fot better future and underline weaknesses, which this logistics system has.

Aim  This study has investigated the supply chain of shoe industry in Bangladesh those who does business internationally. The study concentrates on the supply chain of our selected industries and what are the difficulties they have faced during the time of pandemic. We have also discussed about the difficulties faced in general times but those has been mentioned to gain a better understanding and diversity of the difficulties faced during the time of pandemic.  Method The study has been done by using qualitative approach and Inductive method. Four shoe manufacturing organization were selected and among them twelve staff members has been interrogated in order to generate the primary data. The secondary data has been collected from the published literatures and the considered theories are based on the concept of supply chain process.   Result and Conclusion The study has been formulated on a platform where supply chain is influenced by supply chain process and the difficulties that we have discussed in regards to the process affects the whole supply chain and these difficulties has been classified into three areas for the purpose of our study. Our investigation regarding the supply chain difficulties in time of pandemic, also projects similar scenario and those difficulties has been also classified according to the three areas. As result of fact the pandemic affected the intensity of the difficulties but it does not arise any kind of new area of difficulties. Though we did not find any diversity in terms of the categorised areas but it has increased the severity of the difficulties among the factors. The most effected factors have been indicated by the end of the study and projected with the help of a framework.  Contribution  There have been many studies in regards to the supply chain and its challenges. There were also studies were environmental uncertainties were discussed and few recent studies also contributed towards the present situation of (COVID-19). Adding to those studies we have examined the situation further on challenges of supply chain process in shoe manufacturing industries of Bangladesh as this is a very rare area of investigation. In addition to these researchers, other studies discussed challenges in different forms. We have try to synchronize these scattered challenges into particular and precise areas, according to their category of activities. Previously the challenges were discussed with a general view and we have tried to discuss by relating them to the pandemic situation which can add more diversity to the previous researches done on the same situation. The study also contributes to the literature of supply chain in regards to the pandemic situation that the whole world is going through. It investigates the challenges faced due to the pandemic situation and these can contribute to develop managerial aspects of risk management in such diverse situation in future.  Future research suggestions This study mainly focuses on the effects of (COVID-19) on the supply chain process and how this pandemic situation all around the world has effected the shoe manufacturers of Bangladesh in terms of maintaining their operations in supply chain process. Similar kind of further research can be conducted in relation to other industries or even service industries. From managerial aspect new studies can be formulated in order to develop strategies that could manage this kind of pandemic situations more efficiently.

Title: Humanitarian Supply Chain: Improvement of lead time effectiveness and cost-efficiency. A multiple case study on the preparedness stage of humanitarian organizations with their partners. Authors: Ester Lisnati Jayadi, Hugo Richit, Najmus Sadat. Background: 315 natural disasters events were reported, causing 11,804 deaths, affecting 68 million people, and costing US$131.7 billion in economic losses worldwide. This fact emerges the importance of humanitarian organizations (HOs) to act in reducing suffering and improving peoples’ life. However, the greater donations and support to HOs still do not solve this enormous issue at all which forces HOs to pursue greater accountability by improving their effectiveness and efficiency in terms of time and cost in disaster activities, especially in preparedness activities. No single actors like HOs have sufficient resources to solve the disaster problem alone; thus, they need partners to work hand in hand to relieve the suffering. Performance measurement through integration called performance management process is the key to enabling HOs and their partners to achieve the lead time effectiveness and cost-efficiency. Purpose: The purposes of the study are to explore which performance measurements are needed between humanitarian organizations with their partners and to explore how to integrate their relationship to improve lead time effectiveness and cost-efficiency. Then, the suggestions can be made by fulfilling the purposes. Method: A multiple case study by utilizing qualitative data through semi-structured interviews. Findings and Conclusions: RQ 1. What HSC (humanitarian supply chain) performance measurements are needed in the HSC’s preparedness stage in order to achieve the lead time effectiveness and cost efficiency? The performance required measurements in HSC’s preparedness stage to achieve lead-time effectiveness, and cost-efficiency are organizational procedures, learning and evaluation, HO’s mission, feedback, budgeting, fund management, sourcing, human and resource management, IT utilization, infrastructure utilization, human resources utilization, delivery time, knowledge management, information sharing, and employee management. RQ 2. How to integrate the HSC performance management process in the HSC’s preparedness stage to improve the lead time effectiveness and cost efficiency? By implementing a proposed performance management process, aligning vision and mission, trusting each other, utilizing IT technologies, improving the language, and applying standardization in HSC. Keywords: Humanitarian Supply Chain Management. Humanitarian Supply Chain. Preparedness Stage. Natural Disasters. Humanitarian Organizations. Partners. Dyads. Multiple Case Studies. Performance Measurements. Performance Management Process. Supply Chain Process Integration