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BackgroundClimate change and the burden of noncommunicable diseases are major global challenges. Opportunities exist to investigate health and climate change co-benefits through a shift from motorized to active transport (walking and cycling) and a shift in dietary patterns away from a globalized diet to reduced consumption of meat and energy dense foods. Given the ubiquitous use and proliferation of smartphone apps, an opportunity exists to use this technology to capture individual travel and dietary behavior and the associated impact on the environment and health. ObjectiveThe objective of the study is to identify, describe the features, and rate the quality of existing smartphone apps which capture personal travel and dietary behavior and simultaneously estimate the carbon cost and potential health consequences of these actions. MethodsThe Google Play and Apple App Stores were searched between October 19 and November 6, 2015, and a secondary Google search using the apps filter was conducted between August 8 and September 18, 2016. Eligible apps were required to estimate the carbon cost of personal behaviors with the potential to include features to maximize health outcomes. The quality of included apps was assessed by 2 researchers using the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS). ResultsOut of 7213 results, 40 apps were identified and rated. Multiple travel-related apps were identified, however no apps solely focused on the carbon impact or health consequences of dietary behavior. None of the rated apps provided sufficient information on the health consequences of travel and dietary behavior. Some apps included features to maximize participant engagement and encourage behavior change towards reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Most apps were rated as acceptable quality as determined by the MARS; 1 was of poor quality and 10 apps were of good quality. Interrater reliability of the 2 evaluators was excellent (ICC=0.94, 95% CI 0.87-0.97). ConclusionsExisting apps capturing travel and dietary behavior and the associated health and environmental impact are of mixed quality. Most apps do not include all desirable features or provide sufficient health information. Further research is needed to determine the potential of smartphone apps to evoke behavior change resulting in climate change and health co-benefits.

Electronic waste is the fastest growing category of hazardous solid waste in the world. Addressing the problem will require international collaboration, economic incentives that protect labour, and management approaches that minimize adverse impacts on the environment and human health.

Blockchain - also known as I distributed ledger i - technology is set to revolutionise data and business process management and transactions. This position paper aligned with the I International Journal of Production Research i Special Issue on Blockchain in Transport and Logistics aims to provide a foundation for the cutting-edge leading cases of the adoption of blockchain in transport and logistics, and chart the next wave of blockchain's transformational role in transport and logistics. Research can include: how to design processes for blockchain execution; design blockchain smart contracts to help identify ways to improve inter-organisational business processes; and developing approaches for identifying, discovering, and analysing relevant processes that can work best using blockchain technology. Thus, not only do business processes get altered, but actual delivery scheduling based on flow information across the blockchain may source, store, and deliver goods differently over time - and even automatically - when blockchain information is linked to artificial intelligence and machine learning systems. [Extracted from the article]

From a theoretical perspective, a number of concepts, approaches and/or paradigms have been related to CE, such as cradle-to-cradle, sustainability, industrial ecology, blue economy, circular business models, closed loop value chain, green supply chain and closed loop supply chain to name a few. The paper by Batista et al. (2019) 'Circular supply chains in emerging economies - a comparative study of packaging recovery ecosystems in China and Brazil' proposes a circular supply chain framework to derive insights from specific packaging recovery supply chain ecosystems. In terms of scope circular supply chains extend the boundaries of closed-loop supply chains by taking into account post-production stewardship to include forward feeding flows (open loops) into alternative supply chains. We realise that the preferred approach to implementing circular economy principles on production systems is supply chain management-based models, in particular, closed-loop supply chain management. [Extracted from the article]

Byline: K.L. Choy, Steve Frankland, Lenny S.C. Koh, Dennis W.K. Leung For Small-and Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME) logistics service providers, delivery and transportation management is usually based on simple communication systems such as the use of fax, mobile phone, etc. This causes time delays to occur more frequently for SMEs than would be the case with an asset-based organisation. Moreover, the absence of well developed logistics management systems exacerbates the situation. In fact, the continuous increase in efficiency of delivery in Hong Kong and Pearl River Delta Region has driven many logistics service companies to integrate mobile technologies with their fleet management system for tracking orders in a real time situation. This paper describes an Intelligent Logistics Fleet Management System (ILFMS) for third party logistics providers using the integration of mobile technologies, the application of Global Positioning System (GPS) and a Rule-Based Expert System (RBES) for route optimisation. By applying ILFMS in Extrans International (HK) Limited, it is found that dispatching efficiency is greatly enhanced.

Byline: Gideon Azumah, Lenny Koh, Stuart Maguire The main focus of this paper is identifying e-strategies within SMEs in the logistics and tourism industries to provide competitive advantage via an insight into the current strategies employed by the SMEs. This paper uses triangulation research method to obtain data from 56 SMEs to explore some of the strategic issues in the Internet Cultural Era (ICE). An analysis of the data and the literature provides new evidence of emerging e-strategies. Also the data analysis and results in this research reveals significant gaps between theory and practice and leads to the development of a new understanding of business e-strategies.