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The purpose of this paper is to explore the functionality of multistage programming approach on network supply chain structure.

The general supply chain structure is considered and the supply chain planning model is developed using a two stage programming approach. The same model is extended to cover the applicability and advantages of a multi‐stage programming approach.

A multi‐period supply chain model for new product launches under uncertain demand for supply chain network structure has been developed. The model allows simultaneous determination of optimum procurement quantity, production quantity across the different plants, transportation routes and the outsourcing cost in case of shortages. The proposed multi‐stage model is compared with the standard two‐stage model by examining the difference between the objective values of two solutions. The research clearly shows the importance of the multi‐stage model as compared to the two‐stage programming model.

The models developed here are limited to covering demand uncertainty, whereas real supply chain exhibits different uncertainties like capacity, processing time, etc. This can be the future direction for extending the work.

The model is very useful in designing and planning the supply chain in an uncertain environment. The model allows the adjustment of the production plan as time progresses and uncertainties become resolved.

The model uses a scenario approach to address the supply chain planning problem for a supply chain network structure under an uncertain environment and compares the two‐solution approach for a set of problems. Generally supply chain costs are in millions of dollars and the saving using multi‐stage programming can be significant.

This study aims to explore how sustainable business models (SBM) can be developed within agri-innovation systems (AIS) and emphasize an integration of the two with a systemic understanding for reducing food loss and value loss in postharvest agri-food supply chain.

This study conducted longitudinal qualitative research in a developing country with food loss challenges in the postharvest supply chain. This study collected data through multiple rounds of fieldwork, interviews and focus groups over four years. Thematic analysis and “sensemaking” were used for inductive data analysis to generate rich contextual knowledge by drawing upon the lived realities of the agri-food supply chain actors.

First, this study finds that the value losses are varied in the supply chain, encompassing production value, intrinsic value, extrinsic value, market value, institutional value and future food value. This happens through two cumulative effects including multiplier losses, where losses in one model cascade into others, amplifying their impact and stacking losses, where the absence of data stacks or infrastructure pools hampers the realisation of food value. Thereafter, this study proposes four strategies for moving from the loss-incurring current business model to a networked SBM for mitigating losses. This emphasises the need to redefine ownership as stewardship, enable formal and informal beneficiary identification, strengthen value addition and build capacities for empowering communities to benefit from networked SBM with AIS initiatives. Finally, this study puts forth ten propositions for future research in aligning AIS with networked SBM.

This study contributes to understanding the interplay between AIS and SBM; emphasising the integration of the two to effectively address food loss challenges in the early stages of agri-food supply chains. The identified strategies and research propositions provide implications for researchers and practitioners seeking to accelerate sustainable practices for reducing food loss and waste in agri-food supply chains.

The current research has developed a novel method to update the decisions regarding real-time data, named the dynamic adjusted real-time decision-making (DARDEM), for updating the decisions of a grocery supply chain that avoids both frequent modifications of decisions and apathy. The DARDEM method is an integration of unsupervised machine learning and mathematical modeling. This study aims to propose a dynamic proposed a dynamic distribution structure and developed a bi-objective mixed-integer linear program to make distribution decisions along with supplier selection in the supply chain.

The constantly changing environment of the grocery supply chains shows the necessity for dynamic distribution systems. In addition, new disruptive technologies of Industry 4.0, such as the Internet of Things, provide real-time data availability. Under such conditions, updating decisions has a crucial impact on the continued success of the supply chains. Optimization models have traditionally relied on estimated average input parameters, making it challenging to incorporate real-time data into their framework.

The proposed dynamic distribution and DARDEM method are studied in an e-grocery supply chain to minimize the total cost and complexity of the supply chain simultaneously. The proposed dynamic structure outperforms traditional distribution structures in a grocery supply chain, particularly when there is higher demand dispersion. The study showed that the DARDEM solution, the online solution, achieved an average difference of 1.54% compared to the offline solution, the optimal solution obtained in the presence of complete information. Moreover, the proposed method reduced the number of changes in downstream and upstream decisions by 30.32% and 40%, respectively, compared to the shortsighted approach.

Introducing a dynamic distribution structure in the supply chain that can effectively manage the challenges posed by real-time demand data, providing a balance between distribution stability and flexibility. The research develops a bi-objective mixed-integer linear program to make distribution decisions and supplier selections in the supply chain simultaneously. This model helps minimize the total cost and complexity of the e-grocery supply chain, providing valuable insights into decision-making processes. Developing a novel method to determine the status of the supply chain and online decision-making in the supply chain based on real-time data, enhancing the adaptability of the system to changing conditions. Implementing and analyzing the proposed MILP model and the developed real-time decision-making method in a case study in a grocery supply chain.

The purpose of this paper is to understand the concept of supply chain capital, which is formed through managing knowledge in supply chains on a long‐term basis.

The development of a conceptual model describing supply chain capital is achieved through extensive literature review, past research carried out by the authors, and past experiences of the authors within the construction industry.

The paper develops a conceptual model that provides a link between construction organisations and their learning activities as part of a project supply chain, resulting in creation of a learning organisation and a learning supply chain. The model shows that the learning supply chains consist of learning organisations which would create supply chain capital in order to promote innovation and creativity by managing knowledge in supply chains on a long‐term basis.

In addition to the establishment of the model, the paper suggests that the learning organisations would also establish a virtual knowledge transfer among themselves and the supply chains in which they are involved. The paper also suggests that, as unit of competition changes from organisation verses organisation to chain verses chain under supply chain management, supply chain capital will become increasingly important for sustaining competition within the construction industry. Therefore, supply chain capitals are to be created through managing knowledge in supply chains on a long‐term basis, using the proposed conceptual model. The model also facilitates innovation and creativity, essentially required to thrive in the downturned business environment of today in many countries in different parts of the world.

The paper's authors are the first to come up with the term “supply chain capital” in the research domain and to have developed the conceptual model for the construction industry.

A supply chain is two or more parties linked by a flow of goods, information, and funds. When one or more parties of the supply chain try to optimize their own profits, system performance may be hurt. Supply chain contract is a coordination mechanism that provides incentives to all of its members so that the decentralized supply chain behaves nearly or exactly the same as the integrated one. We have seen a vast literature on supply chain contracts recently. However, little work has been done on the relationships of those supply chain contract models. In this paper, we provide a general framework that synthesizes existing results for a variety of supply chain contract forms.

Contemporary literature reveals that, to date, the poultry livestock sector has not received sufficient research attention. This particular industry suffers from unstructured supply chain practices, lack of awareness of the implications of the sustainability concept and failure to recycle poultry wastes. The current research thus attempts to develop an integrated supply chain model in the context of poultry industry in Bangladesh. The study considers both sustainability and supply chain issues in order to incorporate them in the poultry supply chain. By placing the forward and reverse supply chains in a single framework, existing problems can be resolved to gain economic, social and environmental benefits, which will be more sustainable than the present practices.

The theoretical underpinning of this research is ‘sustainability’ and the ‘supply chain processes’ in order to examine possible improvements in the poultry production process along with waste management. The research adopts the positivist paradigm and ‘design science’ methods with the support of system dynamics (SD) and the case study methods. Initially, a mental model is developed followed by the causal loop diagram based on in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and observation techniques. The causal model helps to understand the linkages between the associated variables for each issue. Finally, the causal loop diagram is transformed into a stock and flow (quantitative) model, which is a prerequisite for SD-based simulation modelling. A decision support system (DSS) is then developed to analyse the complex decision-making process along the supply chains.

The findings reveal that integration of the supply chain can bring economic, social and environmental sustainability along with a structured production process. It is also observed that the poultry industry can apply the model outcomes in the real-life practices with minor adjustments. This present research has both theoretical and practical implications. The proposed model’s unique characteristics in mitigating the existing problems are supported by the sustainability and supply chain theories. As for practical implications, the poultry industry in Bangladesh can follow the proposed supply chain structure (as par the research model) and test various policies via simulation prior to its application. Positive outcomes of the simulation study may provide enough confidence to implement the desired changes within the industry and their supply chain networks.

The model and existing practice of the construction supply chain (CSC) in the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia was presented in this chapter. The policies and reports that support the practice of the CSC were examined in both countries. It was discovered from the review of literature that the UK has a more detailed report targeted at improving the CSC than Australia. However, both countries have a common factor affecting their CSC which originates from fragmentation experienced within their supply chain. Construction stakeholders in the UK and Australia believe that collaboration and integration are vital components for improving performance. The majority of the contractors in both countries embrace collaborative working for the sole purpose of risk sharing, access to innovation and response to market efficiency. However, most of the models developed for managing the CSC in the UK are built around building information modelling (BIM). Also, the reviewed studies show that supply chain management practice will be effective following the following principle: shared objectives, trust, reduction in a blame culture, joint working, enhanced communication and information-sharing. Finally, the UK has a more established framework and more CSC models compared to Australia.

The objective of this study is to investigate how country risk, different political actions from the government and bureaucratic behavior influence the activities in industry supply chains (SCs) in emerging markets. The main objective of this study is to investigate the influence of these external stakeholders’ elements to the demand-side and supply-side drivers and barriers for improving competitiveness of Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry in the way of analyzing supply chain. Considering the phenomenon of recent change in the RMG business environment and the competitiveness issues this study uses the principles of stakeholder and resource dependence theory and aims to find out some factors which influence to make an efficient supply chain for improving competitiveness. The RMG industry of Bangladesh is the case application of this study. Following a positivist paradigm, this study adopts a two phase sequential mixed-method research design consisting of qualitative and quantitative approaches. A tentative research model is developed first based on extensive literature review. Qualitative field study is then carried out to fine tune the initial research model. Findings from the qualitative method are also used to develop measures and instruments for the next phase of quantitative method. A survey is carried out with sample of top and middle level executives of different garment companies of Dhaka city in Bangladesh and the collected quantitative data are analyzed by partial least square-based structural equation modeling. The findings support eight hypotheses. From the analysis the external stakeholders’ elements like bureaucratic behavior and country risk have significant influence to the barriers. From the internal stakeholders’ point of view the manufacturers’ and buyers’ drivers have significant influence on the competitiveness. Therefore, stakeholders need to take proper action to reduce the barriers and increase the drivers, as the drivers have positive influence to improve competitiveness.

This study has both theoretical and practical contributions. This study represents an important contribution to the theory by integrating two theoretical perceptions to identify factors of the RMG industry’s SC that affect the competitiveness of the RMG industry. This research study contributes to the understanding of both external and internal stakeholders of national and international perspectives in the RMG (textile and clothing) business. It combines the insights of stakeholder and resource dependence theories along with the concept of the SC in improving effectiveness. In a practical sense, this study certainly contributes to the Bangladeshi RMG industry. In accordance with the desire of the RMG manufacturers, the research has shown that some influential constructs of the RMG industry’s SC affect the competitiveness of the RMG industry. The outcome of the study is useful for various stakeholders of the Bangladeshi RMG industry sector ranging from the government to various private organizations. The applications of this study are extendable through further adaptation in other industries and various geographic contexts.

The opinion that the spiritual controls the physical gave rise to this chapter. The spiritual in this chapter was regarded as the philosophical and organisational theories controlling the practical aspect of construction supply chain management (CSCM). It was discovered that there is a significant omission in adopting theories to explain supply chain management's (SCM) adaptation and modelling in the construction industry. Therefore, this chapter reviews theories such as resource-based view theory (RBV), principal agency theory (PAT), resource dependency theory (RDT), transaction cost economics theory (TCE) and game theory. Each of the theories was analysed to uncover how they support the practice and variables for modelling the construction supply chain (CSC). The existing models of the CSC were also examined in this chapter. It was found that most models were developed drawing on the frameworks of the global supply chain forum (GSCF) and supply chain operations reference model (SCOR). Owing to the shortcoming of GSCF, this book adopted the framework and principles of SCOR for modelling the management of CSC in the era of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR). Also, most of the existing CSC models, such as the seamless CSCM model, maturity model and others, were developed using the SCOR framework.

The managerial questions of this paper are as follows, and the authors are trying to solve them: How revenue sharing contract (CSR) degree and government subsidy affect the agri-food quality? What kind of model (WPC, revenue-sharing contract [RSC] and cooperative) would be more effective in motivating manufacturers and retailer to increase effort and improve agri-food quality? What kind of model (WPC, RSC and cooperative) would make manufacturer and retailer better off?

Considering the jointing quality effort and contract decision in green agri-food supply chain, this paper proposes six models that consider CSR of manufacturer and retailer, and then the obtained optimal solutions are compared and analyzed. At the same time, the impact of government subsidies is analyzed, and corresponding conclusions are drawn.

The results show that, first of all, whether the increasing CSR of the manufacturer or the retailer can motivate both parties to improve the agri-food quality effort investment. Second, the WPC and RSC contract may play different role in different cases. Finally, under the model with government subsidies, regarding positive influence of government subsidies on efforts of manufacturer and retailer, quality and profits of members is investigated. Based on these conclusions, this study puts forward the following policy suggestions. Firstly, governments should formulate reasonable subsidy policies to support manufacturer and retailer to improve the agri-food quality, thereby promoting green industries' development. Secondly, manufacturer and retailer should actively improve CSR and strengthen the effort of agri-food so as to advance quality. Finally, manufacturer and retailer can choose cooperative model or WPC contract.

In this paper, one manufacturer and one retailer are considered. Since the agri-food supply chain structure in reality is more complicated, the future research direction can consider the supply chain structure with one manufacturer and multiple retailers. In addition, this paper only considers the subsidy, and future research can classify the subsidy into different types.

The study makes two substantive contributions to the body of knowledge in the field of sustainable operations:(1) incorporating quality-based demand function in supply chain and dynamic process of agri-food quality; (2) exploring the impact of CSR awareness of members and subsidy of government on agri-food quality, and comparing the influence in different models.