Security Framework for Supply-Chain Management

In recent times, cyber-attacks have been a significant problem in any organization. It can damage the brand name if confidential data is compromised. A robust cybersecurity framework should be an essential aspect of any organization. This chapter talks about the security framework for cyber threats in supply chain management and discusses in detail the implementation of a secure environment through various controls. Today, a systematic method is used for handling sensitive information in an organization. It includes processes, people, and IT systems by implementing a risk management method. Distinct controls dedicated to different levels of domains, namely human resources, access control, asset management, cryptography, physical security, operations security, supplier relations, acquisition, incident management, and security governance are provided. Companies, contractors, and any others who are part of the supply chain organization must follow this security framework to defend from any cyber-attacks.

RESSEARCH OF VARIANTS FOR ORGANIZING THE SUPPLY CHAIN OF AVIONIC EQUIPMENT TO MAINTAIN THE SERVICEABILITY OF AVIONICS OBJECTS

The presented study deals with the organization of supply chains for spare serviceable avionics equipment from the perspective of decision makers, heads of instrument-making enterprises. An extremely important issue is the determination of key parameters of avionics spares objects. On the basis of the conducted research, the element base of the serviceable avionics equipment facilities and conditions of operation, recovery of serviceability are considered. Due to the complexity of approaches to avionics objects, the article provides a fixation of key parameters, defines the distinctive features of exactly the avionics spare serviceable avionics equipment, which will determine new requirements and conditions of building the future supply chain. As a result of the conducted research, the article presents a classification of methods for calculating serviceable avionics equipment, based also on the theory of recovery processes. On the basis of the performed system approach to the objects of avionics inventory and spare parts management, examples of supply chain organization variants are given. The presented research is of practical significance both when designing a new chain of supply of spares, and when modernizing the existing supply chains for spare serviceable avionics equipment.

Discovery of an ancient MHC category with both class I and class II features

Two classes of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, MHC class I and class II, play important roles in our immune system, presenting antigens to functionally distinct T lymphocyte populations. However, the origin of this essential MHC class divergence is poorly understood. Here, we discovered a category of MHC molecules (W-category) in the most primitive jawed vertebrates, cartilaginous fish, and also in bony fish and tetrapods. W-category, surprisingly, possesses class II–type α- and β-chain organization together with class I–specific sequence motifs for interdomain binding, and the W-category α2 domain shows unprecedented, phylogenetic similarity with β2-microglobulin of class I. Based on the results, we propose a model in which the ancestral MHC class I molecule evolved from class II–type W-category. The discovery of the ancient MHC group, W-category, sheds a light on the long-standing critical question of the MHC class divergence and suggests that class II type came first.

Twalk Your Talk: On the (Non)-Formative Influence of Corporate Social Responsibility Communication on Supply Chain Sustainability Measures

Corporate Social Responsibility has multiple faces that contradict each other. On the one hand there is the communication of great aspirations and ambitions. On the other hand, there is the unruly practice that complicates living up to those ambitions. These contradictions are, without being exhaustive, caused by a focus on economic performance, organizational behavior, adherence to leading supply chain paradigms, and reputation management. In general, corporate communication about social responsibility is perceived as hypocritical. This research looks at how these communications initiate sustainability measures in the distribution and supply chain functions of a large multinational company. In a single embedded case study, data collection took place using semi-structured interviews complemented with document research. The empirical results show that the supply chain managers were positively critical of the communication about implemented sustainability measures and considered them as an invitation to act. However, they assessed the organization that surrounded them to be less lenient due to the different objectives of the various functions. The respondents diverged about which sustainability measures to apply and embed in the supply chain organization. It became clear that the knowledge base of the respondents was fragmented and incoherent. Reflecting on the research results, the role of top management seems crucial when it comes to coherent policy, knowledge development, and the prioritization of sustainability measures.

Value chain organization models of Taiwanese electronic information enterprises in Mainland China and their spatiotemporal evolution processes

This study examines Taiwanese investment in Mainland China as it is an important part of cross-strait economic cooperation. Using sample data from Taiwanese-listed electronic information enterprises in Mainland China (1990–2016), this study combines ArcGIS spatial visualization and case analysis to investigate their value chain organization models and spatiotemporal evolution regularity. The results show that the value chain of the electronic information industry for Taiwanese investments in Mainland China has three models: vertical integration, modularization in production sharing, and production extension. Vertical integration is the main production organization model of these Taiwanese listed electronic information enterprises, expanding from single production to the entire manufacturing value chain, followed by sales, and finally R&D. This model is still in use in the Western Taiwan Straits Economic Zone, whereas the other four Taiwanese investment agglomerations, namely the Bohai Economic Rim, Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, and Western Delta Economic Circle, began to expand to both ends of the production link, particularly to the sales link. High-value -added enterprises adopting production sharing models began to show a trend of expansion to inland cities, and enterprises adopting the manufacturing–sales model (a production expansion model) had the widest distribution. Finally, at the city level, the value chain fragmentation structure of Taiwanese and developed countries’ cross-border (multinational) enterprises in Mainland China were consistent, that is, they matched the Chinese city hierarchy; at the regional level, however, the Western Delta Economic Circle pioneered to become a hub for Taiwanese electronic to information enterprises set up their R&D and sales links in Mainland China. Investigating chain-alike spatiotemporal expansion of Taiwanese investment in Mainland China is important for the integration and development of the value chain, production network, and enterprise spatial organization theories.

The Ecological Footprint of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines: Estimating Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Germany

Compared to the medical, economic and social implications of COVID-19 vaccinations, little attention has been paid to the ecological balance to date. This study is an attempt to estimate the environmental impact of two mRNA vaccines in terms of CO2 equivalents with respect to their different freezing strategies and supply chain organization. Although it is impossible to accurately calculate the actual environmental impact of the new biochemical synthesis technology, it becomes apparent that transport accounts for up to 99% of the total carbon footprint. The emissions for air freight, road transportation and last-mile delivery are nearly as 19 times the emissions generated from ultra-deep freeze technologies, the production of dry ice, glass and medical polymers for packaging. The carbon footprint of a single mRNA vaccine dose injected into a patient is about 0.01 to 0.2 kg CO2 equivalents, depending on the cooling technology and the logistic routes to the vaccination sites in Germany.

A Review on Block Chain Technology and Applications in Agriculture and Food Industry

Food holds a main role in human beings’ lives and in human civilization in universal across the globe. The food and agriculture division is careful to be a major manager at a worldwide level. The large number and heterogeneity of the stakeholders concerned from different sectors, such as farmers, distributors, retailers, consumers, etc., renders the undeveloped supply chain organization as one of the most composite and demanding tasks. It is the same vast difficulty of the agri products supply chain that limits the growth of global and efficient clearness and traceability solutions. The present paper provides an general idea of the application of block chain technologies for enabling traceability in the agri-food domain. Initially, the paper presents definitions, levels of acceptance, tools and advantages of traceability, accompanied with a brief impression of the functionality and advantages of blockchain technology. It then conducts an widespread literature re-examine on the addition of blockchain into traceability systems. It profits with discussing relevant existing for profit applications, importance the relevant challenges and future prediction of the application of block chain technologies in the agri-food supply chain.

A bacterial cytolinker couples positioning of magnetic organelles to cell shape control

Magnetotactic bacteria maneuver within the geomagnetic field by means of intracellular magnetic organelles, magnetosomes, which are aligned into a chain and positioned at midcell by a dedicated magnetosome-specific cytoskeleton, the “magnetoskeleton.” However, how magnetosome chain organization and resulting magnetotaxis is linked to cell shape has remained elusive. Here, we describe the cytoskeletal determinant CcfM (curvature-inducing coiled-coil filament interacting with the magnetoskeleton), which links the magnetoskeleton to cell morphology regulation in Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense. Membrane-anchored CcfM localizes in a filamentous pattern along regions of inner positive-cell curvature by its coiled-coil motifs, and independent of the magnetoskeleton. CcfM overexpression causes additional circumferential localization patterns, associated with a dramatic increase in cell curvature, and magnetosome chain mislocalization or complete chain disruption. In contrast, deletion of ccfM results in decreased cell curvature, impaired cell division, and predominant formation of shorter, doubled chains of magnetosomes. Pleiotropic effects of CcfM on magnetosome chain organization and cell morphology are supported by the finding that CcfM interacts with the magnetoskeleton-related MamY and the actin-like MamK via distinct motifs, and with the cell shape-related cytoskeleton via MreB. We further demonstrate that CcfM promotes motility and magnetic alignment in structured environments, and thus likely confers a selective advantage in natural habitats of magnetotactic bacteria, such as aquatic sediments. Overall, we unravel the function of a prokaryotic cytoskeletal constituent that is widespread in magnetic and nonmagnetic spirilla-shaped Alphaproteobacteria.