Search results
1 – 10 of 15Eduardo Luiz Braun, Giancarlo Medeiros Pereira, Miguel Afonso Sellitto and Miriam Borchardt
The purpose of this paper is to analyze a contract-based relationship for value co-creation and gain-sharing between two companies for the purpose of industrial maintenance…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze a contract-based relationship for value co-creation and gain-sharing between two companies for the purpose of industrial maintenance services. After five years of good results for both parties, the relationship was terminated, thus raising questions regarding on the actual gains shared by both partners from joint actions.
Design/methodology/approach
The research method is the longitudinal case study. The research question is: why would a contractual relationship of co-creation of value be terminated given the fact that it yielded good financial results for both parts over the course of five years? The main research techniques were structured interviews with relevant actors and documental analysis from both parts involved in the contract.
Findings
Even valuable contracts can be terminated if the external scenario changes significantly: it matters very little the good job done together if the result became poor due to external reasons, as buyer’s sales drop in the period. In the inner scenario, mistruth can arise if the buyer maintains parallel structures for performing similar tasks to those of the service provider, showing some kind of independence from the supplier.
Research limitations/implications
The main limitation is that inherent to case studies: the lack of generalization.
Practical implications
When companies decide to contract regular long-term maintenance services, preventions to revenue reductions of the main activity the must be present, for the continuity of the contract.
Originality/value
To the date of this research, no similar study was found, regarding the influence of the external results in the internal relationships in co-creation value contracts.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to introduce and test a model for numerical evaluation of the effectiveness of green practices implemented in two industrial supply chains (SCs). Two…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to introduce and test a model for numerical evaluation of the effectiveness of green practices implemented in two industrial supply chains (SCs). Two real case applications were made: footwear and metal-mechanics industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The research method is quali-quantitative modeling. By literature review, a model based on three constructs was proposed (green strategy, green innovation, and green operations), organized in 16 categorical indicators, prioritized with analytic hierarchy process. Three practitioners of each focal companies assessed the indicators fulfilling scales (very good to very bad).
Findings
The overall performance reached 51 and 57 percent, respectively of the maximum possible. The indicators that most jeopardized the performance were complexity management and communication, barriers to green supply chain management, green products, and green market (first case) and innovation in processes, and green market (second case).
Research limitations/implications
The model cannot be generalized or extended to other SCs. Further refinement and testing are required.
Practical implications
Managers and practitioners can improve the eco-efficiency of SC, focusing on the green practices that should be prioritized in greening strategies for the entire chain.
Social implications
Improvement of eco-efficiency is positively correlated with corporate social responsibility.
Originality/value
The model can produce a numerical overall value that represents the level or degree of implementation of green practices in the context of a SC management.
Details
Keywords
Miguel Afonso Sellitto and Francieli Aparecida de Almeida
The purpose of this paper is to present possible strategic actions that aim to recover the value still remaining in industrial waste.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present possible strategic actions that aim to recover the value still remaining in industrial waste.
Design/methodology/approach
The research method is a multiple case study. The sample included six Brazilian companies of the footwear, metal-mechanics, pulp and paper, beverages, chemical and food industries. The study investigated the production process, waste generation, internal reuse, the destination of unused waste, difficulties and strategic challenges.
Findings
Possible strategies to recover the value remaining in industrial waste are increasing the internal reuse, developing new routes to other industries, reducing the waste generation, increasing the destination to cooperatives or recycling companies, which require studies to understand the legislation and agility in licensing and reducing the logistical cost of the destination.
Research limitations/implications
The study relies on six case studies. Further research shall encompass an entire industry, starting with hypotheses derived from the cases.
Practical implications
The main barriers observed for reuse and recycling are uncertainties and ambiguities in the interpretation of legislation, the difficulty for the environmental licensing for recycling operations, excessive logistics costs for exploration opportunities and the lack of research to reduce the waste generation and to increase the internal reuse.
Social implications
Waste managed by scavengers’ cooperatives can offer jobs to the people of vulnerable communities.
Originality/value
The study offers robust hypotheses to be tested in a survey on the capacity of a waste management strategy to create competitive advantage in the industry. The study establishes a relationship between waste management and three competitive enablers, compliance, corporate image and green market.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the after-sales strategy of an industrial equipment manufacturer.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the after-sales strategy of an industrial equipment manufacturer.
Design/methodology/approach
The research study’s object is the Brazilian operation of a company belonging to a multinational group that designs, manufactures and installs technology-based equipment. The research method is qualitative modeling with a quantitative analysis. A literature review and a focus group with managers organized the after-sales strategy of the company in four constructs measured by 24 indicators. The constructs are technical assistance (TA), reliability management (RM), customer relationships (CRs) and spare part logistics (SL). A total of seven managers evaluated the importance and performance of the indicators.
Findings
TA, RM and CRs are lagging constructs (the importance is greater than the performance), whereas SL is a leading construct (the opposite). The study proposed four strategic actions that change the type of emphasis that the company poses to service: from in-house to field maintenance service, from correction to prevention reliability improvement, from technical- to customer-focused relationships and from direct to integrated logistics service.
Research limitations/implications
The study limits to the case of a technology-based manufacturing company.
Practical implications
The strategic movement reallocates resources from leading indicators to lagging indicators in a sharp, clear movement of forces in the company.
Originality/value
The main contribution is a structured method to evaluate and control the strategic performance of an industrial equipment manufacturer in after-sales activities.
Details
Keywords
João Eduardo Sampaio Brasil, Fabio Antonio Sartori Piran, Daniel Pacheco Lacerda, Maria Isabel Wolf Morandi, Debora Oliveira da Silva and Miguel Afonso Sellitto
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of a Brazilian steelmaking company’s reheating process of the hot rolling mill.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of a Brazilian steelmaking company’s reheating process of the hot rolling mill.
Design/methodology/approach
The research method is a quantitative modeling. The main research techniques are data envelopment analysis, TOBIT regression and simulation supported by artificial neural networks. The model’s input and output variables consist of the average billet weight, number of billets processed in a batch, gas consumption, thermal efficiency, backlog and production yield within a specific period. The analysis spans 20 months.
Findings
The key findings include an average current efficiency of 81%, identification of influential variables (average billet weight, billet count and gas consumption) and simulated analysis. Among the simulated scenarios, the most promising achieved an average efficiency of 95% through increased equipment availability and billet size.
Practical implications
Additional favorable simulated scenarios entail the utilization of higher pre-reheating temperatures for cold billets, representing a large amount of savings in gas consumption and a reduction in CO2 emissions.
Originality/value
This study’s primary innovation lies in providing steelmaking practitioners with a systematic approach to evaluating and enhancing the efficiency of reheating processes.
Details
Keywords
Miguel Afonso Sellitto, Maria Soares de Lima, Leandro Tomasin da Silva, Nelson Kadel Jr and Maria Angela Butturi
The purpose of the article is to identify relevant criteria for decision support in the implementation of waste-to-energy (WtE)-based systems.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the article is to identify relevant criteria for decision support in the implementation of waste-to-energy (WtE)-based systems.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology is a simple case study with a qualitative approach. Five experts involved in the project of a thermoelectric power plant qualitatively evaluated, on a Likert scale, a decision model with 15 indicators derived from recent studies. The research object was the first stage of a project to implement a thermoelectric plant employing municipal solid waste (MSW) in southern Brazil.
Findings
The study identified 15 criteria supporting the decision-making process regarding WtE implementation for MSW in a mid-sized city in southern Brazil. The study identified that compliance with MSW legislation, compliance with energy legislation, initial investment and public health impact are the most influential criteria. The study offered two models for decision processes: a simplified one and a complete one, with ten and fifteen indicators, respectively.
Research limitations/implications
The study concerns mid-sized municipalities in southern Brazil.
Practical implications
Municipal public managers have now a methodology based on qualitative evaluation that admits multiple perspectives, such as technical, economic, environmental and social, to support decision-making processes on WtE technologies for MSW.
Social implications
MSW management initiatives can yield jobs and revenues for vulnerable populations and provide a correct destination for MSW, mainly in developing countries.
Originality/value
The main originality is that now municipal public decision-makers have a structured model based on four constructs (technical, economic, environmental and social) deployed in 15 indicators to support decision-making processes involving WtE and MSW management.
Details
Keywords
Caroline Cipolatto Ferrão, Jorge André Ribas Moraes, Leandro Pinto Fava, João Carlos Furtado, Enio Machado, Adriane Rodrigues and Miguel Afonso Sellitto
The purpose of this study is to formulate an algorithm designed to discern the optimal routes for efficient municipal solid waste (MSW) collection.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to formulate an algorithm designed to discern the optimal routes for efficient municipal solid waste (MSW) collection.
Design/methodology/approach
The research method is simulation. The proposed algorithm combines heuristics derived from the constructive genetic algorithm (CGA) and tabu search (TS). The algorithm is applied in a municipality located at Southern Brazil, with 40,000 inhabitants, circa.
Findings
The implementation achieved a remarkable 25.44% reduction in daily mileage of the vehicles, resulting in savings of 150.80 km/month and 1,809.60 km/year. Additionally, it reduced greenhouse gas emissions (including fossil CO2, CH4, N2O, total CO2e and biogenic CO2) by an average of 26.15%. Moreover, it saved 39 min of daily working time.
Research limitations/implications
Further research should thoroughly analyze the feasibility of decision-making regarding planning, scheduling and scaling municipal services using digital technology.
Practical implications
The municipality now has a tool to improve public management, mainly related with municipal solid waste. The municipality reduced the cost of public management of municipal solid waste, redirecting funds to other priorities, such as public health and education.
Originality/value
The study integrates MSW collection service with an online platform based on Google MapsTM. The advantages of employing geographical information systems are agility, low cost, adaptation to changes and accuracy.
Details
Keywords
Miguel Afonso Sellitto and Elisandro João de Vargas
The purpose of this paper is to align the implementation of the manufacturing execution systems (MES) functionalities with the manufacturing competitive dimensions of two…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to align the implementation of the manufacturing execution systems (MES) functionalities with the manufacturing competitive dimensions of two companies of the metal-mechanics industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The research object comprises two Brazilian manufacturers that use MES. The research method is quantitative modeling. A literature review organized 24 functionalities of MES. The study prioritized the functionalities and the manufacturing competitive dimensions, evaluated the contribution and the quality of the implementation and classified the functionalities.
Findings
Two functionalities in the first and five in the second case have high contribution and quality. Three functionalities in the first and six in the second case have low contribution and quality. The first group should be more explored and updated. The second should be discontinued. The rest has intermediate graduations and should be studied case-by-case. The main contribution of the paper is the method, which can be replicated in other applications in the same or in other industries.
Research limitations/implications
The study relies on two case studies of the same industry. Further research shall encompass the entire industry and cases in industries others than the metal-mechanics.
Practical implications
MES users and vendors may benefit from the study as they can apply the method to align the implementation with the manufacturing strategy and therefore enhance the effectivity of the system.
Originality/value
The authors did not find a study that associates the performance or the contribution of the MES functionalities to the competitive priorities with the quality, integrity or consistency of the implementation.
Details
Keywords
Vivian Sebben Adami, Jorge Renato Verschoore and Miguel Afonso Sellitto
The purpose of this article is to compare design choices and assess the structural complexity of six manufacturing supply chains (SCs) of the Brazilian wind turbine industry.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to compare design choices and assess the structural complexity of six manufacturing supply chains (SCs) of the Brazilian wind turbine industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The research method is quantitative modeling. This study adopts the social network perspective to provide a broad set of network metrics for comparative analysis and characterization of the structural configuration and complexity of SCs. Transaction costs and the risk of disruption supported the metrics employed in the study. Network size, network density, core-size and centralization metrics stem from transaction costs, whereas constraint and betweenness centrality stem from risk of disruption.
Findings
The main conclusion is that, in the Brazilian wind manufacturing industry, increasing the SC structural complexity by adding redundant ties to minimize disruption risks, even implying higher transaction costs, increases the capacity to win orders.
Research limitations/implications
Only the Brazilian wind turbine industry was studied. Therefore, findings are not general, but specific, to the case.
Practical implications
Managers and practitioners of the Brazilian wind turbine industry should focus on increasing the complexity of their SCs, even if it increases transaction costs, to ensure due dates compliance in orders.
Originality/value
To the best of the available knowledge, there is no commonly accepted or shared measurement for SC complexity, and this study proposed an alternative approach to bridge this research gap, the structural perspective of social networks. Traditional measures were complemented by new metrics, and the power of the application of social network analysis to SC investigations was empirically demonstrated in different levels of analysis.
Details
Keywords
Juliana Celestini, Lucas Schmidt Goecks, Francesco Lolli and Miguel Afonso Sellitto
The purpose of this study is to investigate empirically whether the presence of dependence influences the strength and direction of the relationship between social capital and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate empirically whether the presence of dependence influences the strength and direction of the relationship between social capital and operational performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors tested two effects, moderator and mediator, of the dependence between social capital and operational performance in the buyer–supplier relationship in the supply chain. The authors use dependence as a dichotomous variable and empirically test the hypotheses using hierarchical linear regression from data collected from 117 industrial companies in Brazil.
Findings
The results show that although dependence does not have a mediating effect on social capital shares in operational performance, it moderates the strength of trust actions in relation to cost, delivery, flexibility and innovativeness of the buyer.
Practical implications
As for the practical implications, in a buyer–supplier relationship, managers may not be fully capable of decreasing dependence and thus increasing the effect of trust actions on operational performance.
Originality/value
For management practices in the textile and clothing industry, social capital actions contribute to strategic objectives, increasing collaboration between supply chain partners, and for operations, offering more options in managing social ties.
Details