In light of the pressing sustainability challenges, new solutions are needed in all aspects ofsociety. Sustainable public procurement (SPP) plays a crucial role in aligning publicorganizations' own actions with political goals and ambitions. In this paper, we focus on thefirst stages of procurement processes in order to realize the potential of SSP to contribute to amore sustainable society. We also acknowledge the potential advantages of the StrategicSustainable Development (SSD) approach, including a common definition for sustainability,promoting a more holistic understanding and these together enabling organizations to actmore strategically. To realize these advantages in practice, we propose an applicable tool for analyzingprocurement needs through an SSD lens. The tool guides procurers to consider sustainabilityaspects and to apply strategic and systemic thinking early on in procurement projects. Weargue that this supports more efficient use of resources, including not only the benefits ofincreased sustainability considerations, but also use of public funds. We further argue thatdespite current challenges of insufficient resources allocation to proper SPP considerations, itis essential to include foundational considerations such as what the need is and what optionsexist to meet the given need in every procurement project.

Responsible arms control is an effective tool in international efforts to make sure that arms do not reach pariah states and terrorist groups. The aim of this study is to investigate the factors that are considered to affect the effectiveness of arms control at Armscor and its contractors with a view to identifying gaps and come up with ways to address those gaps.

published_or_final_version / Industrial Engineering / Master / Master of Science in Engineering

published_or_final_version / abstract / Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

abstract / Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

No description available.

The goal of this dissertation is to understand the market-based mechanisms that enable shippers to allocate lanes in an efficient way for truckload (TL) transportation procurement despite the self-interest of carriers. To understand the market-based mechanisms, we focus on proposing some novel models and mechanisms to enhance the use of combinatorial auction for TL transportation procurement. In this dissertation, our approach to gaining the understanding consists of three parts: 1. We develop a carrier optimal bid generation model for carriers (bidders) to discover the best sets of lanes to bid for at a given round. The optimal bid generation model simultaneously generates alternative tours and selects the most profitable package bid for the carrier under a myopic strategy, which has never been considered before. The simultaneous tour generation and selection significantly lessen the computational complexities of a carrier's optimization problem since it is unnecessary for the carrier to calculate the values for all possible packages. 2. We present an iterative combinatorial auction design that integrates the optimization problems for both the shipper and the bidders where the approximate dual prices derived from the result of a winner determination solution are used by the bidders in identifying profitable lanes. The auctions also allow the bidders to submit exclusive-OR (XOR) bids and are able to deal with some common business considerations. The extension of the concept of active bids enables this mechanism to effectively mitigate the exposure problem, the threshold problem, and the free-riding problem. Furthermore, both the shippers and the carriers are better off compared to multi-round auctions that do not integrate the shippers' and carriers' optimizations. 3. We extend a deterministic winner determination model to a two-stage stochastic winner determination model for TL transportation procurement under shipment volume uncertainty. We demonstrate that the value of the stochastic solution is always at least as good as one obtained by a deterministic model based on using expected shipment volumes. The sWDP model is to the best of our knowledge the first winner determination formulation of any kind that explicitly incorporates demand uncertainty.

English summary Public procurement, as a relatively young branch of law, emerging from the American internal army regulations of public contracts, has become one of the most significant instrument of outsourcing execution of work, supply of products and services. In this work I am dealing with construction works, as they are the basis of present and future economic growth. Public tenders for infrastructure, flood control measures, reconstruction of schools and hospitals etc. effectively allocates financial means, but also creates new jobs and opportunities for economic operators hit by the global financial recession. The purpose of this master degree thesis is to analyze the current Czech public procurement legislation with respect of the regulations and directives of the European Union. As it is not possible to give a comprehensive preview of every single problem and question relating public procurement, the focus is on the most problematic part of the Public Procurement Code. The first chapter describes purpose of this specific branch of law providing a short historical background. It also concentrates on the principles of awarding contracts: acting transparently, treating the economic operators equally and avoiding their discrimination. The second chapter explains the basic differences between the...

Responsible arms control is an effective tool in international efforts to make sure that arms do not reach pariah states and terrorist groups. The aim of this study is to investigate the factors that are considered to affect the effectiveness of arms control at Armscor and its contractors with a view to identifying gaps and come up with ways to address those gaps.

In Study 1, a taxonomy of SCI is developed based on three main types of SCI that are defined and measured in this study. Supply chain performance, operational performance and financial performance of the firms within the supply chain are investigated across five types of SCI patterns identified in the taxonomy. Study 1 also examines the factors influencing SCI pattern, such as competitive hostility, company size, and industry, among others. In Study 2, the impact of relationship commitment on SCI is investigated. We investigate two types of relationship commitment and their impact on integration and performance from both supplier and customer sides. In Study 3, five types of power used by suppliers or customers and their impacts on manufacturers' two types of relationship commitment, SCI, and supply chain performance are examined. / Keywords. Supply Chain Integration, Performance, Relationship Commitment, Power, China / Supply chain integration (SCI) has received increasing attention from academic researchers and practitioners in recent years. However, our knowledge of what influences SCI, and how SCI influences the performance of supply chains and companies within the supply chains, is still very limited. This research is an effort to remedy that deficiency by empirically examining power, relationship commitment, and their impact on SCI and performance based on the data collected from 617 manufacturing companies in China. This dissertation consists of three studies. / Theoretically, this research contributes to transaction cost theory, social exchange theory and power-relationship commitment theory. It extends RCM research and relationship marketing research from traditional dyadic relationships in two-level supply chains to triadic relationships in three-level supply chains. The managerial implications and guidelines developed from this study will help the companies enhance their global competitiveness by developing and managing relationships with their trading partners to achieve the more effective integration of the internal and external processes within the supply chain. / Huo, Baofeng. / "August 2007." / Adviser: Xiande Zhao. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-02, Section: A, page: 0667. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 243-261). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest dissertations and theses, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.