Browsing by Author "Choudhary, Sonal"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    Comparing the economic value of virtual water with volumetric and stress-weighted approaches: a case for the tea supply chain
    (Elsevier, 2020-03-30) Lowe, Benjamin H.; Oglethorpe, David R.; Choudhary, Sonal
    In this paper, we employ a new approach to assessing the impact and efficiency of virtual water use along the supply chain. This approach involves estimating the economic value of virtual water flows. A realistic tea supply chain case study is presented to test this new approach and compare it with alternative volumetric and stress-weighted methods. The case study is used to highlight the total value of the blue and grey water used to produce 1 tonne of tea as a finished good ($224). The case study also illustrates how variations in the relative unit value of water between geographies, in this case between multiple locations where crops are cultivated (India $0.08 m3, Indonesia $0.09 m3 and Kenya $0.27 m3), can be used to inform supply chain optimisation and allocative efficiency. Indeed, the case study suggests that taking into account the economic value of virtual water may provide differing prescriptions for the sustainable management of supply chains when compared to the traditional volumetric water footprint, and the stress-weighted water footprint used in LCA.
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    Dataset on the in-stream and off-stream economic value of water
    (Elsevier, 2020-03-16) Lowe, Benjamin H.; Oglethorpe, David R.; Choudhary, Sonal
    This dataset contains 706 estimates of the economic value of water; it has been compiled from published sources. Economic values are provided for three off-stream uses (agriculture/irrigation, industry, and municipal) and three in-stream ecosystem services (recreation, waste assimilation, and wildlife habitat). The dataset covers per period and capitalised asset values. All value estimates have been standardised in USD (2014) per acre-foot. The data accompany the research article entitled “Shifting from volume to economic value in virtual water allocation problems: a proposed new framework and methodology” [1]. The dataset can be used to facilitate benefits (or value) transfer.
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    Designing a research tool for sustainable aquaculture project
    (Springer, 2021-09-18) Yang, Miying; Luis, Martino; Hermawan, Dodi; Herlina, Lely; Nayak, Rakesh; Jensen, Jens; Choudhary, Sonal; Ball, Peter; Evans, Steve
    Many research projects require strong interactions between academics and practitioners. Academics often face the challenges of collecting sufficient, high-quality research data, while achieving the project aim and producing practical impact to industrial partners. This paper presents the design of a research tool for data collection that increases industrial engagement in a sustainable aquaculture project. The project aim was to explore digital solutions for improving sustainability of shrimp aquaculture industry in Indonesia. To better facilitate the data collection and industrial engagement, we adapt the life cycle thinking and multi-stakeholder concepts from an existing tool, known as Sustainable Value Analysis Tool, redesign the rationale, and develop a new research tool to meet the specific purposes of this project. The research tool is composed of three parts: mapping and clustering challenges, assessing challenges, and co-designing digital solutions. The research tool was used in a workshop with 12 industrial partners from various organizations across the aquaculture supply chains in Indonesia in August 2019. The findings show that the empirical data collected through this tool is richer and more comprehensive compared to semi-structured interviews, and that the use of the tool greatly improved the industrial engagement. The feedback from the industrial partners shows that the tool has effectively helped them engage in the research process and improved the communication between themselves. This paper therefore suggests that designing and using such research tools is an effective way for data collection and industrial engagement.
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    Implementing environmental practices within the Greek dairy supply chain: Drivers and barriers for SMEs
    (Emerald, 2017) Ghadge, Abhijeet; Kaklamanou, Merilena; Choudhary, Sonal; Bourlakis, Michael
    Purpose: Food supply chain in Greece is dominated by SMEs, who face several challenges in adopting green practices. This research attempts to identify the key drivers and barriers influencing the environmental performance of SMEs within the Greek dairy supply chain. Design/methodology/approach: Descriptive research methodology attempts to prioritize the drivers and barriers for improving the environmental sustainability performance. Analytical hierarchy process and sensitivity analysis are used to understand the complex nature of the influencing factors. Findings: The analysis identify five barriers and six drivers for the implementation of green practices within the dairy supply chain. While external drivers significantly influence the market structure and logistics network; Government, competitors and customers are the driving factors for improving environmental performance. Research implications: The study contributes to filling the literature gap on key factors influencing the implementation of green practices within the food supply chain. The identified influential factors will contribute towards building a framework for improving sustainability performance within the Greek dairy supply chain. Practical implications: The study is expected to benefit the Greek and European SMEs by driving their environmental practices within the perishable supply chain network. Originality/value: The paper provides directions for researchers, practitioners and policy makers in understanding the challenges for implementing green practices in the dairy supply chain. The holistic approach followed in this paper is a building block for a conceptual framework on implementing environmental sustainability within the food supply chain. Apart from contributing to the current literature by extending the research horizon to SMEs’ green adoption capability, this study also provides better understanding of the pivotal role of internal and external key factors in influencing sustainability performance.
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    Shifting from volume to economic value in virtual water allocation problems: a proposed new framework and methodology
    (Elsevier, 2020-04-08) Lowe, Benjamin H.; Oglethorpe, David R.; Choudhary, Sonal
    The water footprint provided a full methodology to operationalise the virtual water concept (the volume of water used along a supply chain to produce products and services). A key theme in the water footprint literature is the efficient allocation of water resources at the global scale given the feasibility of trading water intensive commodities from water rich to water poor areas: this is an economic problem of resource allocation between alternative and competing demands, albeit with a novel international component. Moreover, given that price signals indicating relative scarcity are usually either absent or distorted for water, it is also a problem that can be seen through the lens of environmental (or non-market) valuation. However, to date environmental valuation has not been used to inform the efficient use and allocation of water within and between the different locations encompassed by international supply chains.
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    Sustainability implementation challenges in food supply chains: a case of UK artisan cheese producers
    (Taylor and Francis, 2020-07-28) Ghadge, Abhijeet; Er Kara, Merve; Mogale, D. G.; Choudhary, Sonal; Dani, Samir
    Food supply chains are receiving increased attention due to rapid depletion of natural resources, increasing quality standards and rising food safety and security concerns. Implementing sustainability practices in food supply chains is believed to overcome such emerging challenges. However, limited studies address sustainability implementation concerns, particularly in cold food supply chains. Thus, this study attempts to identify factors hindering sustainability implementation in cold food chain networks by considering a case of UK artisan cheese producers. Survey data is utilised to identify and prioritise barriers for implementing sustainability following fuzzy analytic hierarchy process and sensitivity analysis. The analysis identified several key barriers, including initial investment cost, firm size and unawareness of government regulations. The internal barriers significantly dominate the implementation of sustainability practices in comparison to external barriers. Lack of consensus regarding the concept of sustainability by different stakeholders is observed to be an issue negatively affecting the level of integration in SMEs. Findings will help food and dairy SME's in gaining competitive advantage through the successful implementation of sustainability practices.