Cookies Policy
The website need some cookies and similar means to function. If you permit us, we will use those means to collect data on your visits for aggregated statistics to improve our service. Find out More
Accept Reject
  • Menu
Publications

Publications by CESE

2020

Accessibility as an indicator to estimate social exclusion in public transport

Authors
Ribeiro, J; Fontes, T; Soares, C; Borges, JL;

Publication
Transportation Research Procedia

Abstract
Accessibility is one of the key measures of urban transportation planning, which quantify how easy is the access to a facility. Public transport accessibility concerns of the access level of geographical locations to public transport. In this paper, accessibility is used as an indicator to estimate social exclusion based on the maximum distance that someone has to walk to reach the public transport. The concept of the 6-minute walking distance (6MWD) is applied to measure accurately the walking ability for different groups of the population. A real life case study is conducted to get insight into the transportation network of the Porto Metropolitan Area, Portugal. For this purpose, geographic, demographic and infrastructure data were collected and integrated. Also, webservices are used to measure walking distances between locations. The results of this study allowed to characterize regions by different levels of accessibility, providing insight into the social exclusion in public transport. This assessment is used not only to identify inequities but also to get an overview of the service quality of public transport. © 2020 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V.

2020

Do Supply Chain Management Practices Influence Firm Performance? A Meta-Analytical Approach

Authors
Silva, CD; Sousa, PSA; Moreira, MRA; Amaro, GM;

Publication
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

Abstract
Firms recognize that an assertive SCM could lead to an important competitive advantage in the business world. The purpose of this study is to capture the effect of supply chain management practices in the performance of firms, through a meta-analysis. It aims at highlighting which SCM practices that have a superior effect and their positive or negative impact on performance. Partnership with suppliers, process driven events, employee involvement, and customer satisfaction are the SCM practices that proved to have a positive impact in firm performance, according to the meta-analysis results. The findings from the research can help managers deciding on in which SCM practices concentrate their effort. It also allows making comparisons among different regions in terms of practices with a positive effect and how SCM practices evolves since first insights to now and if it changes throughout time. Concerning supply chain theories, this research sustains the hypotheses that SCM practices impact on some firm performance measures.

2020

Assessment of the Lean effect on business performance: the case of manufacturing SMEs

Authors
Valente, CM; Sousa, PSA; Moreira, MRA;

Publication
JOURNAL OF MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT

Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to research the way in which Lean practices are affecting the performance of manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs), analyzing the effects of Lean practices on companies' operational, financial and market performance. Design/methodology/approach An online questionnaire was distributed among Portuguese organizations that fitted the category of SMEs and belonged to the manufacturing sector. A sample of 329 enterprises was analyzed with partial least squares-structural equation modelling. Four hypotheses on the impact of Lean practices on company performance were tested. Findings The results show that the effects of Lean on performance are positive, which stresses the benefits attainable with the implementation of Lean practices. The aggregated implementation of Lean practices, namely, customer involvement, statistical process, continuous flow and total productive maintenance leads to improvements in company's global performance measured by market, financial and operational performance measures, and also improves each of these performance measures individually. It was also noticed that financial capability is one of the indispensable factors for the successful implementation of Lean practices. Originality/value This is the first study that examines the impact of the effect of Lean on operational, financial and market performance in a discriminated and simultaneous way.

2020

An empirical analysis of the relationship between supply chain strategies, product characteristics, environmental uncertainty and performance

Authors
Zimmermann, R; Ferreira, LMDF; Moreira, AC;

Publication
SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL

Abstract
Purpose This paper aims to investigate supply chain (SC) strategies, analyzing the adoption of lean, agile, leagile and traditional SC strategies with respect to product characteristics, environmental uncertainty, business performance and innovation performance. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents an empirical analysis carried out on a sample of 329 companies. Cluster analysis was applied, based on lean and agile SC characteristics, to identify patterns among different SC strategies. One-way analysis of variance of different constructs by types of SC clusters was conducted to test the research hypotheses. Findings Cluster analysis indicates that the companies studied adopt four types of SC strategies - lean, agile, leagile and traditional. The differences between the clusters are identified and discussed, highlighting that companies adopting a leagile SC strategy present the highest performance, while those that adopt a traditional SC present the lowest; companies adopting an agile SC compete in the most complex and dynamic environments, while companies with a lean SC present a clear predominance of functional rather than innovative products. Originality/value Based on the analysis of the relationship between constructs that have not been addressed previously, the paper adds to the knowledge regarding the role of SC strategies, as well as the antecedents and consequences of their adoption. The results may support managers in the difficult task of choosing the "right" SC strategy.

2020

How supply chain strategies moderate the relationship between innovation capabilities and business performance

Authors
Zimmermann, R; Ferreira, LMDF; Moreira, AC;

Publication
JOURNAL OF PURCHASING AND SUPPLY MANAGEMENT

Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to study how the fit between innovation capabilities and supply chain (SC) strategies affects business performance. An empirical study based on a sample of 329 companies from Portugal and Brazil was performed to test a theoretical model based on the resource-based view. Linear and hierarchical regression analyses are conducted to test the hypotheses. The different combinations of core and supplementary innovation capabilities and lean and agile SC strategies are empirically tested and discussed. Data reveal that core and supplementary innovation capabilities positively impact on business performance and that SC strategies moderate the relationship between innovation capabilities and business performance. The analysis also shows that the combination of an agile SC strategy and supplementary innovation capabilities offers the greatest opportunities to improve business performance. The results of this study could help managers to choose the most appropriate SC strategy, thus contributing to increasing the impact of innovation capabilities on business performance. This study contributes to the knowledge concerning the consequences of adopting different innovation capabilities and SC strategies on business performance.

2020

The effect of supply chain strategy on the relationship between innovation capabilities and business performance. A theoretical model

Authors
Zimmermann, R; Moreira, AC; Ferreira, LMDF;

Publication
International Journal of Business Performance and Supply Chain Modelling

Abstract
Although the relationship between supply chain (SC) and innovation has attracted attention from researchers in recent years, the relationship between innovation capabilities and SC strategies is a subject that has not yet been explored extensively. The main objective of this paper is to examine how SC strategies affect the relationship between innovation capabilities and business performance. The paper, characterised as a conceptual paper with the aim of contributing to theory building, is based on the concept of fit and on the principles of the contingency theory and the resource-based view. Further, a literature review and a theoretical discussion, a theoretical model and a set of research propositions are presented. The theoretical rationale shows the potential for improvement in performance through the relationship between innovation and SC and can be used to boost empirical research on the topic. Copyright © 2020 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

  • 80
  • 225