Abstract This article reports on the mechanisms of business-to-business regulation as governance approach in an agricultural supply chain. The article explores the activities of NGOs, government and business in promoting sustainable production. It focuses on the requirements set for producers in agro-food chains and the effects of NGO perceptions on these issues. The subsequent business standards set by retailers and other market role-players and the responses of producers are reported and the responsibility for achieving desired outputs is discussed. The research methodology included open interviews with various stakeholders in the chain, as well as structured questionnaires to determine practices on farms. From the fi ndings it is clear that perceptions of European stakeholders differ substantially from the reality found in South Africa. This has consequences for producers, from both a social and a fi nancial perspective. Understanding the role and function of NGOs, market roleplayers and national government in the governance of sustainable development in the South African–European table grape supply chain contributes to identifying barriers and opportunities to achieving sustainable practices in global supply chains. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

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The thesis explores artificial intelligence (AI) in agricultural (Ag) supply chains (SCs) and presents a new typology to understand artificial intelligence-based solutions in agricultural SCs. The thesis was performed utilizing a research-based review to investigate the current uses of artificial intelligence-based solutions in agricultural SCs. The AI-based solutions were found in case studies that reviewed AI operations in different areas internationally. The typology was formed on the foundation of two dynamics, the location of AI applications in Ag SCs and the driving values to integrate the AI applications. In order to develop the typology, the AI applications were studied in a series of different analyses. The analyses helped to critique and scrutinize the AI applications to gain new perspectives. The series of analyses consists of exploring the AI applications’ location within the supply chain, the value additions to the supply chain from integrating the AI applications, and the resulting depth of the effect of AI application has on the supply chain. Each additional evaluation of the AI applications examining another parameter further exposed more insight and started to build a structured ideology of AI. The proposed typology aims to create a tool of measurement to infer AI technology’s relation in the SCs and create a new viewpoint that will lead investigation and provide insight for predictions of AI’s future in agricultural SCs. In addition, the new typology should aid agriculture firms in understanding and capturing the potential synergies stemming from the driving values of innovation. The study found that AI applications with a strong relationship in the supply chain provide the greatest beneficiary relationship between technology value creation and supply chain logistics. Furthermore, AI applications will have the strongest relationship and implementation when operating in collaboration with other supply chain locations and AI integrated firms. Concluding the thesis, relevant policy and business practice recommendations are proposed.

Yes / Objective: The adverse impact of supply chain disruptions on the operational performance of supply chains have been suggested to emanate from its existing vulnerabilities. However, empirical studies regarding this proposition remain limited. This study provides empirical evidence of vulnerabilities in the face of dynamic disruptions in the pharmaceutical supply chain. This is geared at developing resilience strategies capable of curbing these forms of disruptions. Research Approach: In seeking to achieve the objective of this study, the mixed method research design in a longitudinal framework was adopted. It involved a two-step procedure where the study began by conducting semi-structured interviews with the downstream stakeholders of the pharmaceutical supply chain. Here the sampling method adopted was both purposive and snowballing. Data collected from this process was analysed using thematic analysis where key variables were coded for further analysis. Findings from the interviews were employed to construct close ended questionnaires. The questionnaires were administered online, approximately nine months after the first data collection process ended and analysed using various statistical techniques. Findings: The themes that emerged from the first phase of the data generation process were classified into five main pillars which include: supply chain characteristics, regulatory framework (schemas), imbalance of market power, managerial decisions and supply chain structures. These themes were further confirmed by the findings from the survey. The study finds that imbalance of market power generates negative welfare such as time consumption and stress on the downstream stakeholders of the pharmaceutical supply chain. In the same vein, dependence on suppliers and consumers in designing the supply chain exacerbates the impact of a dynamic disruption. The findings from the survey complement these pillars by identifying other vulnerabilities: price manipulation, inadequate policies, inefficient manufacturing processes as well as available training in handling these vulnerabilities. Originality/Value: By providing empirical evidence of the vulnerabilities within the pharmaceutical supply chain in the face of a dynamic disruption, this study extends operations management literature by highlighting vulnerability benchmarks against which resilience strategies can be employed in dynamic disruptive scenarios. The innovative aspect of this research is the ability to identify the vulnerabilities peculiar to the pharmaceutical supply chain which is required in order to successfully develop strategies that are resilient to dynamic disruptions. Research Impact: This study extends existing debates on supply chain vulnerabilities as well as supply chain disruptions. Practical Impact: This study contributes to practical managerial decisions, as the identifications of vulnerabilities to dynamic disruptions will aid pharmaceutical and or operations managers in assessing supplier selection and design.

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The subject of illegal supply chains (ISCs) is all but absent from supply chain management research. However, there is much to be gained from investigating this enigmatic and complex topic. This thesis presents propositions that outline the fundamentals for ISCs as an area of study, and reviews relevant theories for ISCs from criminology and supply chain management literature. By exploring these propositions in relation to a case study of the Sinaloa Cartel, the largest drug syndicate in the world, the aim was to verify the accuracy of the propositions so that they could be used in future research. Based on this example, it is proposed that ISCs are similar to their legal counterparts in terms of motivations, structure, and certain key strategies including agility and supply chain integration. Certain strategies are also found to be commonly held, whereas relationships are defined by individualistic rather than truly collaborative behaviours. / October 2015

Les nouvelles technologies de l’information deviennent un moyen incontournable pour réaliser des transactions instantanées dont tirent profit certaines chaînes logistiques. De ce fait, de nouveaux moyens liés aux opérations d’approvisionnement se développent. Leur émergence est directement liée à l’environnement volatile où évoluent désormais de plus en plus de chaînes logistiques. Les opérations d’approvisionnement du type «e-Procurement» sont des exemples de ces nouvelles pratiques où les chaînes logistiques sont qualifiées d’agiles. L’objectif de cette thèse est d’aborder des problématiques d’approvisionnement où un décideur est confronté au problème de choix de fournisseurs ainsi que la quantité de produits commandée durant le temps. Ces systèmes évoluent dans un environnement changeant caractérisé par des variations asynchrones et répétitives des prix d’achat et de commande ainsi que des capacités des fournisseurs et où l’évolution de ces données est inconnue. L’exemple des systèmes d’achat sur Internet ainsi que les systèmes d’enchères inversées en ligne s’inscrivent parfaitement dans la problématique traitée ici. Dans ce cadre, les approches classiques d’optimisation peuvent s’avérer inadaptées pour ce problème. Les travaux récents sur l’optimisation dynamique peuvent répondre à ce type de questionnement mais n’ont pour l’instant pas été étudiées dans le contexte des chaînes logistiques. Nous proposons, dans cette thèse, une approche basée sur des algorithmes génétiques dynamiques que nous avons illustrée avec trois cas d’application dans le cadre de l’approvisionnement en ligne. / In a context of increased competition between enterprises, supply chains are struggling to respond to an increasingly volatile and complex environment. With technological advances, current practices to build efficient supply chains have changed. Indeed, the enthusiasms of companies with the use of internet have lead researchers to find adequate methods to cope with the dynamic nature of logistics networks. The purpose of this thesis is to address a dynamic procurement issue under asynchronous and repetitive variations over time. The supply chain considered is composed of two levels (buyer-suppliers) operating in highly agile environment. The questions facing the buyer is how many units of product should be purchased and from which supplier in response to variation in term of price and capacity. Because of this highly changing environment characterized by frequents changes in a short time, most of the classical optimization approaches seems inadequate to address these problems. Recently, dynamic optimization has been used successfully to deal with such problems. However, we have no knowledge of its application in a supply chain context. We propose a dynamic genetic approach which is applied to an e-procurement context in aim to optimize the procurement process during time.

This dissertation is the outcome of a study to map the economic structure and organisation of two selected mango export chains from South Africa by applying selected supply chain analysis tools. The study is part of an inventory on the export of fresh fruit and vegetables commissioned by the European Commission under the Veg-i-Trade Project Work Package 1. The two selected chains were the Bavaria fresh mango and the Blue Skies freshly cut mango export supply chains. The study sought to understand how food safety and quality standards are shaping the structure and relationships in the two export chains given the prevalence of food scares and scandals. An inventory of the activities and the various actors along the mango export supply chains was made in order to identify the structure and functioning of the chains and the issues and constraints faced with the various quality and safety standards. The objective of the study was to identify the actors and the role they play, determine the governance structure and relationships and identify the quality management programmes and standards employed in the two selected export chains. In addition, the study sought to identify and analyse the different information exchange categories and use of information between the different links along the chains. A qualitative research approach that incorporates case study methodology was used as the inquiry strategy. Through this methodology, the investigation untangled the complexity of the mango export supply chains which is faced with the challenge of maintaining a chain that guarantees adherence to customer specifications and client needs. The study’s findings established that food safety and quality management standards are shaping the structure and organisation of the chains and their stringency has increased with a widened and deepened scope. In addition, the ability to adopt a standard is directly affected by the scale of business operation and standards are technical barriers to entry for small scale mango producers and exporters mainly because of the high certification and operational costs. In reaction to the standards, it was noted that Bavaria and Blue Skies mango export chains are buyer-driven with a high degree of vertical coordination enforced by contracts. The two chains are modular with the use of and strategic positioning of category managers; a high degree of asset specificity and forward integration to reach their markets resulting in a shortened supply chain. Supply chain coordination is carried out on contracted logistics and cold chain services with regulatory functions provided by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) and the Perishable Product Export Control Board (PPECB) in South Africa and agricultural and health inspectors in the United Kingdom (UK). There is also product and process differentiation. It was also noted that compulsory certification of quality and food safety standards is the prerequisite to access export markets. The standards used in the Bavaria and Blue Skies mango export chains are the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) and Global Good Agricultural Practice (Global GAP). These are used in conjunction with the British Retail Consortium (BRC), Fairtrade, Ethical Trade Initiative (ETI), International Food Standard (IFS) and Linking Environment And Farming (LEAF). Quality audits and inspections are carried out at each supply chain level to ensure safety and adherence to quality requirements. The supply chain actors carry out continuous quality assessment and one way to achieve this was through the application of the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle. Quality and safety standards have also resulted in improved traceability in the Bavaria and Blue Skies Mango export chains. Traceability systems in the Bavaria and Blue Skies mango export chains are more automated though they are not harmonised, thus Paltrack, XsenseTM, Caretrace and TempTrip. Automated information systems used to share and exchange information are internet and email as well as barcodes which are used with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). Manual information systems in use are mainly telephones, facsimile and mobile phones. It was also established that major issues and challenges in the Bavaria and Blue Skies mango export chains are a result of factors that affect mango perishability, mainly post harvest handling procedures thus packaging, transportation, storage, ripening and distribution. If not managed well, poor safety and quality management result in economic losses due to product rejections, product recall and cessation of buyer-supplier relationships. / Dissertation (MSc(Agric))--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

Supply chain management has evolved over the course of history in order to provide faster and efficient service to those companies that follow its principles. As there have been advances in technology and changes in the way business is conducted across the globe, supply chains also have had to change in order to remain effective. With greater attention paid to resource depletion, environmental impact, and waste reduction; the concept of closed-loop supply chains has garnered the attention of managers who look to make their production processes more efficient. Finding ways to judge the performance of these supply chains is critical to managers. By identifying key performance measures, they are able to gauge how their closed-loop process is performing as well as identify areas for improvement.