Novel measures for emission reduction in supply chains
International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management
ISSN: 1741-0401
Article publication date: 8 April 2014
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to look at how novel measures of supply chain performance can be used to identify unnecessary waste in terms of under-loaded vehicles and extended delivery times, along with their causes. In particular it focuses on problems that can be tackled without the need for capital expenditure. The measures go under the collective name of “turbulence”. This represents the chain deviating from its goals. Quantifying unnecessary waste then allows unnecessary carbon emissions to be estimated while pointing to what changes will have the biggest impact. The measures have been used by three companies and some early results are provided.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach was first to use evidence from the literature to show the value of having a new measure. Next the creation of one specific new measure, called relative turbulence, a relative measure for the more general concept of turbulence. Third testing it in the field with data from companies. Then showing how carbon emissions can be derived.
Findings
The first finding is that the analysis can pinpoint sources of unnecessary emissions. Second the results suggest excessive emissions arise both though poor planning and poor practice. Third that there is a need for two models – from the users’ viewpoint and the carriers’ viewpoint. Finally the approach can be used with field data that is currently available, thus avoiding expensive one-off studies.
Research limitations/implications
The main research implication is that entropic measures are useful and can provide fresh insights. Being generic they may be applicable in other contexts. However, they can be mathematically tricky to use.
Practical implications
The analysis has been tested in companies and findings are included in the paper. They provide an insight that is not available solely from current measures. Businesses cannot only measure emissions but start to pinpoint causes.
Originality/value
The main areas of original contributions are in the introduction of a new measure, based on entropic principles, particularly the one called relative turbulence. The second is juxtaposing this measure with standard measures to gain new insights. Finally the idea that supply networks can be built from, what is called the irreducible chain.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the help and support given by Martin Robinson of Transfaction Ltd throughout the research and during the writing of the paper. Also thanks are due to two unknown referees for their comments that have greatly improved the paper's focus and quality.
Citation
Frizelle, G. and Casali, I. (2014), "Novel measures for emission reduction in supply chains", International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. 63 No. 4, pp. 406-420. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPPM-03-2013-0045
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited