台灣伺服器代工產業位居全球第一的地位，長久以來都以服務歐美大廠的硬體品牌商為使命，已經身處在成熟期的產業發展階段。由於主機板規格日益標準化，加上目前台灣前五大ODM/OEM業者全部都主攻於代工製造中低階的x86架構伺服器，所以造成此市場區隔競爭激烈，毛利率逐年下降。 近年來「雲端運算」與「虛擬化技術」興起，替整個產業帶來破壞式創新的商機，不僅出現新的使用者族群（雲端資料中心）、產生較低階規格產品（雲端伺服器）的開發需求，不高度強調品牌忠誠度的雲端資料中心也讓整個產業的進入障礙得以降低。於是台灣伺服器代工產業價值鏈開始面臨破壞與重組。台灣伺服器代工業者與硬體品牌大廠、雲端資料中心業者或大型網路平台業者，以及其它中小型資料中心業者之間多重的動態競爭、合作或互補關係，來歸納出伺服器製造產業鏈逐漸形成的新網絡架構、代工廠商選擇轉型的策略意涵，並實際提出給伺服器代工業者的具體建議。 / Taiwan server OEM/ODM industry, in maturity stage of industry life cycle, has taken orders from European and American hardware brands for a long time and been ranked number one in the global market. Because the motherboard specifications are standardized increasingly and the top five ODM/OEM manufacturers all focus on the same mid to low-end x86-based servers, this market segment has faced fierce competition and low profit margin year by year. In recent years, cloud computing and virtualization technology bring destructive innovation and new business opportunities to the entire server OEM/ODM industry. This development not only created a new group of users (Cloud Data Center) and a new demand of lower-order need products (Cloud Server), but also reduced the entry barrier of unknown brands. As a result, Taiwan server OEM/ODM industry faced destruction and reconstruction of its value chain. By describing the mutual relationship between Taiwan server OEM/ODM vendors, i.e., European and American hardware brands, giant cloud data centers, and small to mid-sized cloud data centers, the research summarizes a new network architecture of the entire server industry. This research also provides strategic suggestions to potential owned-brand companies. At the end, the research proposed several specific recommendations to the Taiwan server OEM/ODM vendors.

The media has responded toward unethical behavior in rainforests during the ‘80’s, triggering the still upcoming trend of investigation of ethical considerations, as described by Macfarlane (1995). Many researchers are constantly improving the ethical theories and showing continued change in the perception of ethics (Svensson & Wood, 2007) The purpose of this research is to identify the effect of ethics on the proactive or reactive behavior of companies, with a downward tendency provided in the value chain. The theoretical framework consists out of a set of theories supporting the goal of identifying ethics within a company, applying a new business ethics model and measuring the pro-active and re-active behavior of the stakeholder in the value chain. Finally, all the theories used, are combined in an integrated theoretical model used to justify the collection of empirical data and to give structure to the analysis. The empirical data has been gathered through non structured and semi-structured interviews with customers, employees within the case company, and a supplier to the case company. These findings are complemented with secondary data gathered through websites, annual reports, codes of conduct, media articles and others sources. The findings of the study showed that the (in the theoretical framework) assumption of a downward effect in perception and change in ethical considerations is not as obvious as previously thought. Within this case study, the ethical influences come from the case company, situated in the middle of the value chain, influencing both the consumer and the supplier, in ethical considerations.

The production of soy in Brazil has been linked with serious ecological impacts. In order to curbenvironmental problems, there have been established public-private initiatives such as the “Round Tables”,focused on the creation of standards to make value chains of commodities products more sustainable. Thepresent study focuses on identifying the motives and challenges of the adoption of the Roundtable onResponsible Soy (RTRS) certification amongst Brazilian soy producers. The results show the adoption of the RTRS among large producer is mainly driven by potential higher pricesand access to new markets. Medium and small producer adopt the scheme in order to improve their technicalcapacity and ability to meet social and environmental regulation. On the other hand lack of demand for RTRS certified soy seems to be the main challenge for producers to adopt the certification. The gained insights willprovide practioners and academics a basis for exploring possible solutions to overcome such challenges and atthe same time, boost the adoption of the RTRS amongst Brazilian producers.

Purpose: The main research objective is to identify how an organization is using a CSRstrategy to gain a competitive advantage Method: The selected research method is a descriptive method followed by an inductive one.Secondary data has been collected from books at Halmstad University’s Library and academicjournals and other articles founded in the University’s Databases. Primary data has beenobtained through an interview carried out with the head manager of Coop Halmstad, JorgenWestman. Theoretical framework: We firstly define in details the concepts of Corporate SocialResponsibility and its three aspects which are Economic, Social and Environmental. Thedescription of the concept of competitive advantage and how to obtain a sustainablecompetitive advantage. Finally, food retailers are defined. Conclusion: A summary of the findings obtained from our study is posted. Another summaryto point out the bounds between corporate social responsibility and competitive advantage.The limitations of the study as well as some suggestions for further researches are added inthis section

The aim of this study is to find out the dynamics of rice supply chains and their impacts on the small-scale rice producer in Magugu village. The problem addressed in this study is the changes in the food trading paradigm and how it is shaping power relations at a local level. The empirical material in this study has been collected during a fieldtrip to the Babati district in Tanzania from the 25th of February to the 19th of March (2008). The First Mile Project (FMP) in Tanzania had the purpose to teach farmers how to build more equal and efficient supply chains and linking the producer to the consumer. A comparison between a regular rice supply chain and one involved in the FMP was made to explore how the two was forming in the changing food trade paradigm and how the farmers were adapting to this fact. Several methods were employed in this study. These include: case study method, qualitative methods, and secondary data. The results in this study was analysed with the use of the Global Value Chain (GVC) analysis and the Network theory. The conclusion was that depending on how the networks and the power relations within them, actors in the leading position in the GVC determines how the product is going to be: produced, processed, and marketed, at what time and to what price and establish requirements of the GVC. The rice farmers involved in the FMP were the once most able to adapt to the requirements of the GVC and food trading paradigm because of the cooperation among the group and good relations with other actors along the supply chain.

The transportation of heavy oil is a pressing problem. Various methods have been devised to mitigate the reluctance to flow of these highly dense and viscous oils. This study is focused on evaluating a case for post-production partial upgrading of heavy oil. Specifically, we analyze the impact of visbreaking, a mild thermal cracking method, on the economic and energy demands of the post-production process. Using conservative modeling techniques and principles we find significant cost and energy savings can potentially result out of visbreaking. Cost savings result as a consequence of reduced diluent usage. Even the most conservative modeling scenario under consideration exhibits significant cost savings in the form of reduced diluent usage; these savings not only offset operational costs but provide short payback periods on capital expenditures. Additionally, the lower gravity blend resulting from visbreaking can also bring about energy and cost savings in pipeline transportation and positively impact the heavy oil value chain from the producer to a refinery or regional upgrading facility. From this basic analysis of the potential of visbreaking, we can recommend investing resources to study its viability in the field. Using this analysis as a tipping off point and with a detailed look at the chemistry of the oil in question it is possible to make a very viable case for visbreaking. In a similar vein, this analysis can serve as a guide in making a case for other partial upgrading methods as well.

The purpose of this research was to quantify what value could be gained from cutting solid wood products from old-growth western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) logs that are used to produce pulp in British Columbia. These logs represent a significant portion of the resource and increasing their value recovery would be beneficial to the forest industry. One hundred and sixteen logs were sampled from the coastal and interior regions of British Columbia. Dimension and quality attributes were measured to enable estimates of gross and merchantable volume. Logs deemed likely to yield lumber were sawn with the aim of maximizing value recovery. The nominal dimension and grade of all lumber recovered was recorded. Margins and breakpoints at which sawing became profitable were calculated. Models to predict the volume of lumber and proportion of Clear grade lumber recovered (“C Industrial” grade at the interior mill, “D Select” grade at the coastal mill) were developed. Lumber recovery, especially Clear grade lumber, was significantly higher from logs from the coastal site. At current market prices, cutting lumber from these logs was profitable, with the highest margins achieved when chips were produced from the milling residue. It was not profitable to recover lumber from the interior logs regardless of whether chips were produced. The disparity between locations was attributed to differences between the logs, the sawmilling equipment, the sawyers’ motivations and the lumber grades. Between 60% and 67% of coastal logs and 13% to 21% of interior logs returned a profit, depending on whether chips were produced. Models were developed to better identify these logs using observable attributes. A linear model described the total volume of lumber recovered. Significant predictor variables in the model were the gross log volume, the average width of the sound collar and the stage of butt/heart rot at the large end. A second model predicted the proportion of Clear grade lumber. Regional models were developed to account for different Clear lumber grades between sawmills. Significant predictor variables were knot frequency, diameter at the large end, volume, length, taper and the width of the sound collar at the large end.

The purpose of this research is to explore the business strategies of a firm seeking to develop and profitably market a mobile smartphone application to understand how small, digital entrepreneurships may build sustainable business models given substantial market barriers. Through a detailed examination of one firm’s process to try to commercialize their mobile app, we identify various business model decisions and marketing strategy approaches that hindered the company’s efforts. The case study describes two distinctly different business models adopted in succession, as well as the various adjustments the firm makes to its target market, distribution and pricing approach that led to their current strategy. This research looks closely at business-to-business-to-consumer distribution arrangement for mobile apps and in doing so challenges the rising positive bias that exists for the app store as the dominant actor in the mobile value chain. For practice, this paper suggests unanticipated hurdles small digital entrepreneurs may face if they rely heavily on mobile advertising and the app store to launch and sustain their business.

This research is based on the observation that people in the service industry is being replaced by technology.  This insight formed a foundation for the presentation of the problem this essay is based upon. We began to speculate over how tourist information bureaus handle the changes, regarding information technology, in their surroundings when their main task is to inform and communicate with their market. Information technology has created new possibilities for organizations to reach their consumers and it has influenced all kinds of industries. We decided to examine organizations in the tourism sector because it is one of the biggest and fastest growing industries in the world. The entering of information technology in the tourism industry has changed its structure and we want to examine how tourist information bureaus succeed to deal with this phenomenon. The aim with this essay is to examine how and to what extent tourist information bureaus integrate with changes in their surroundings caused by information technology and which values that slip away/ is added by the adaption. To accomplish this we have interviewed six persons representing the tourist information bureaus in Färjestaden, Kalmar, Tranemo, Visby and Norrköping. By applying the empirical material, which we gathered through interviews, on theory we wanted to create a deeper understanding in how an organization can handle changes in their surroundings, created by information technology. Both the theoretical and the empirical chapter are divided into two main parts, “Information technology” and “Organizational fit”. The conclusion of the research is described in the analyze and discussion chapter.

<p>Over the last thirty years successful national economic development is considered participation in global industries, particularly in global value chains. Frequently, however, inclusion in these chains brings forth varied socioeconomic benefits for chain actors, acutely different ethnic and racial groups. Costa Rican participation in the tourism global value chain while heralded as a success story shows varied impacts for ethnoracial groups who are incorporated, excluded, and stratified in various forms. By comparing two communities in Costa Rica, Tamarindo and Cahuita, three main practices are apparent in determining the position of foreigners from the global North, Costa Ricans from the Central Valley, Afro-Costa Ricans, and Guanacastecans in the industry as workers or entrepreneur suppliers: (1) the role of <italic>governance structures</italic>, i.e., power dynamics between firms along the value chain and the importance of standards, formal and subjective; (2) <italic>institutions</italic>, including global private travel fairs, national tourism boards, and specific development policies; and (3) the dominance of environmental imagery and rural democracy narratives to <italic>market</italic> Costa Rica. Concretely, the development of global tourism in Costa Rica and its impact upon different groups is nuanced and it is a testament to both opportunities for local economic and social empowerment and stratification and marginalization.</p> / Dissertation