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Understanding Complex Systems

Hassan Qudrat-Ullah Editor

Innovative
Solutions for
Sustainable
Supply Chains
Understanding Complex Systems

Series Editors:
Henry D. I. Abarbanel, Department of Physics, University of California,
La Jolla, CA, USA
Dan Braha, New England Complex Systems Institute and University of
Massachusetts, North Dartmouth, MA, USA
Péter Érdi, Center for Complex Systems Studies, Kalamazoo College,
Department of Physics, Kalamazoo, MI, USA
Karl J. Friston, Wellcome Department of Cognitive Neurology, National Hospital,
Institute of Neurology, London, UK
Hermann Haken, Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Stuttgart,
Stuttgart, Germany
Viktor Jirsa, Jules Marey UMR 6233, (CNRS), CP910, Inst des Sciences du
Mouvement, Eti, Marseille, France
Janusz Kacprzyk, Systems Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences,
Warsaw, Poland
Kunihiko Kaneko, Research Center for Complex System Biology,
The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Scott Kelso, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
Markus Kirkilionis, Mathematics Institute and Centre for Complex Systems,
University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
Jürgen Kurths, PIK, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany
Ronaldo Menezes, Department of Computer Science, Florida Institute of
Technology, Melbourne, FL, USA
Andrzej Nowak, International Center for Complexity and Conflict, Rm1,
SWPS School Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland
Hassan Qudrat-Ullah, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
Linda Reichl, Center for Complex Quantum Systems, University of Texas,
Austin, TX, USA
Peter Schuster, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Frank Schweitzer, Gebäude WEV G 212, ETH Zürich, Professur für Systemges,
Zürich, Switzerland
Didier Sornette, Professur f. Entrepreneurial Risks, ETH Zürich, SEC F 7,
Zurich, Switzerland
Stefan Thurner, Section for Science of Complex System, Medical University of
Vienna, Wien, Austria
Future scientific and technological developments in many fields will necessarily
depend upon coming to grips with complex systems. Such systems are complex in
both their composition – typically many different kinds of components interacting
simultaneously and nonlinearly with each other and their environments on multiple
levels – and in the rich diversity of behavior of which they are capable. The Springer
Series in Understanding Complex Systems series (UCS) promotes new strategies
and paradigms for understanding and realizing applications of complex systems
research in a wide variety of fields and endeavors. UCS is explicitly transdisciplinary.
It has three main goals: First, to elaborate the concepts, methods and tools of
complex systems at all levels of description and in all scientific fields, especially
newly emerging areas within the life, social, behavioral, economic, neuro- and
cognitive sciences (and derivatives thereof); second, to encourage novel applications
of these ideas in various fields of engineering and computation such as robotics,
nano-technology and informatics; third, to provide a single forum within which
commonalities and differences in the workings of complex systems may be
discerned, hence leading to deeper insight and understanding. UCS will publish
monographs, lecture notes and selected edited contributions aimed at communicating
new findings to a large multidisciplinary audience.

More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/5394


Hassan Qudrat-Ullah
Editor

Innovative Solutions for


Sustainable Supply Chains
Editor
Hassan Qudrat-Ullah
KFUPM
College of Industrial Management
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

ISSN 1860-0832     ISSN 1860-0840 (electronic)


Understanding Complex Systems
ISBN 978-3-319-94321-3    ISBN 978-3-319-94322-0 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94322-0

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018952483

© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018


This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of
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broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information
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The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication
does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant
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The publisher, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book
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in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland.
To my grandson
Abdurahman Hassan
-Hassan Qudrat-Ullah-
Preface

The purpose of this edited volume is to provide the reader with state-of-the-art
­perspectives and model-based applications to better understand the dynamics of
sustainable supply chains of the twenty-first century. This collection of innovative
contributions by the scholars of the field presents a paradigmatic shift in thinking
about sustainable supply chain complexity for the challenges of the twenty-first
century. The book is less about abstract possibilities and esoteric techniques and
more about understanding the dynamics of complex systems as they pertain to sus-
tainable supply chains. Through various perspectives such as agent-based modeling,
system dynamics modeling, and different methodologies, we believe we have
improved understanding in a wide range of supply chain settings at critical encoun-
ters with complexity. We are hopeful that this collection will provide a synergy that
can leverage a new level of understanding in order to theorize and empirically
explore the emergent and process nature of complexity across levels of analysis that
foster insights into the dynamics of supply chain systems. Furthermore, we hope to
encourage further theoretical and empirical research that perhaps may be interwo-
ven by the works presented herein and in advancing new methodological perspec-
tives to include multilevel and cross-level analysis to better understand the dynamics
of sustainability-focused supply chains.
In the quest for innovative solutions for the management of sustainable supply
chains, many challenges lie ahead. Specifically, as we move toward displacing tra-
ditional thinking, founded in “bottom-line”-focused decisions, to one where plural
logics of “triple bottom” coexist under conditions of uncertainty and ambiguity, the
need for systematic and integrated solutions for sustainable supply chains becomes
pronounced. Our aim here has been to focus our attention on the whole (supply
chain system) and its interrelationships. It is our hope that this book will stimulate
a new way of thinking as a proclamation of a new era of resource constraints and
renewed focus on “integrative” solutions.

vii
viii Preface

Content Overview

The integrating theme of this book is principle-based perspectives and


­modeling-­based solutions to deal with dynamics of sustainable supply chains. The
book contains four parts. Part I presents the introduction and preview of Innovative
Solutions for Sustainable Supply Chains. Part II of this book, “The Unique
Perspectives for the Sustainable Supply Chains,” examines the theoretical
approaches and perspectives that uniquely support decision-making in sustainable
supply chains including “Determinants of ITF R&D Technology Commercialization
in Logistics and Supply Chain Industries: R&D Technologist Perspective”; “A
Meta-analysis of Sustainable Supplier Selection Approaches”; “Green Supply
Chain Management, Green Innovations, and Green Practices”; “The Road Towards
a Circular Economy: The Role of Modular Product Designs in Supply Chains”;
“Policy Design for Sustainable Supply Chain Through Trainings”; and “The
Application of System Dynamics for a Sustainable Procurement Operation.” Part
III of this book, “The Innovative Solutions for Industry-Specific Supply Chains,”
provides empirical evidence for the applications of various modeling and simulation
approaches including system dynamics, agent-based modeling, and econometrics.
These innovative modeling-based solutions include “Alternative Energy Policy for
Mitigating the Asynchrony of the Wind-Power Industry’s Supply Chain in Brazil”;
“Resilience as Basis for Sustainability: Shortages in Production Supply Chains for
Essential Consumer Goods”; “Sustainable Food Supply Chain Management: An
Integrated Framework and Practical Perspectives”; “Designing a Sustainable
Tourism Supply Chain: A Case Study from Asia”; and “Risk Assessment of the
Timber Supply Chain in Southern Ontario Using Agent-Based Simulation.”
Finally, Part IV of this book provides an overview of key findings and future
research directions on thematic areas: (i) “The Unique Perspectives for the
Sustainable Supply Chain” and (ii) “The Innovative Solutions for Industry-Specific
Supply Chains.”

Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Hassan Qudrat-Ullah


Acknowledgments

I would like to thank everyone, mentioned herein or not, for their continued support
in helping to bring this book to completion. Most importantly, I am sincerely grate-
ful to the contributing authors of this book. Their support of this endeavor enabled
us to platform the collective lessons presented in the book. I also acknowledge the
work and knowledge of the members of our review panel. My appreciation also
goes to all the people at Springer, USA, especially Christopher and HoYing with
whom I corresponded for their advice and facilitation in the production of this book.
I would like to thank Taub Jeffrey and the production team from Springer, for their
help in the final production of this book. I am grateful to my family, Tahira Qudrat,
Anam Qudrat, Ali H. Qudrat, Umer K. Qudrat, and Umael H. Qudrat for their
encouragement and support throughout this endeavor. Special thanks and apprecia-
tion goes to my mother, Fazeelat Begum, and my mother-in-law, Saira Bano, whose
prayers and wishes provide unique strengths to me for such taxing tasks.
Finally, the editor would like to acknowledge the financial support provided by
the Deanship of Scientific Research (DSR) at King Fahd University of Petroleum
and Minerals (KFUPM) for funding this work through project No. BW171002.

Hassan Qudrat-Ullah
Dammam, Saudi Arabia
April, 2018

ix
Contents

Part I Introduction: An Overview of Sustainable Supply Chains


  1 Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Supply Chains:
An Introduction����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������    3
Hassan Qudrat-Ullah

Part II The Unique Perspectives for the Sustainable Supply Chains


  2 Determinants of ITF R&D Technology Commercialization
in Logistics and Supply Chain Industries: R&D
Technologist Perspective��������������������������������������������������������������������������   17
Siu Cheung Ho and Kong Bieng Chuah
  3 A Meta-Analysis of Sustainable Supplier Selection Approaches��������   55
Felix Tuczek and Tina Wakolbinger
  4 Green Supply Chain Management, Green Innovations,
and Green Practices ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������   81
Umar Burki
  5 The Road Toward a Circular Economy: The Role of Modular
Product Designs in Supply Chains �������������������������������������������������������� 111
Thomas Nowak, Fuminori Toyasaki, and Tina Wakolbinger
  6 Policy Design for Sustainable Supply Chain Through Training���������� 135
Ijaz Yusuf and Tashfeen M. Azhar
  7 The Application of System Dynamics for a Sustainable
Procurement Operation�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 179
Sherif Barrad, Raul Valverde, and Stéphane Gagnon

Part III The Innovative Solutions for Industry-­Specific Supply Chains


  8 Alternative Energy Policy for Mitigating the Asynchrony
of the Wind-Power Industry’s Supply Chain in Brazil������������������������ 199
Milton M. Herrera, Isaac Dyner, and Federico Cosenz
xi
xii Contents

  9 Resilience as Basis for Sustainability: Shortages in


Production Supply Chains for Essential Consumer Goods ���������������� 223
Stefan N. Grosser and Lize Duminy
10 Designing a Sustainable Tourism Supply Chain:
A Case Study from Asia�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 263
Winai Wongsurawat and Vivek Shrestha
11 Sustainable Food Supply Chain Management:
An Integrated Framework and Practical Perspectives������������������������ 289
A. D. Nuwan Gunarathne, Deemantha G. Navaratne, Amanda E.
Pakianathan, and Yasasi T. Perera N.
12 Risk Assessment of the Timber Supply Chain in
Southern Ontario Using Agent-Based Simulation�������������������������������� 317
Marcin Lewandowski and Ali Asgary

Part IV Finale: Sustainable Supply Chains Continuum


13 Finale: Sustainable Supply Chain Continuum�������������������������������������� 335
Hassan Qudrat-Ullah

Endorsements �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 343

Index������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 345
Contributors

Ali Asgary York University, Toronto, Canada


Tashfeen M. Azhar School of Business and Economics, University of Management
and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan
Sherif Barrad Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
Kong Bieng Chuah Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering
Management, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Umar Burki School of Business, University of South-Eastern Norway, Kongsberg,
Norway
Siu Cheung Ho Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Manage­
ment, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
Federico Cosenz Department of European Studies and International Integration
(DEMS), Università Degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
Lize Duminy Bern University of Applied Sciences, School of Engineering,
Biel, Switzerland
Isaac Dyner Faculty of Natural Science and Engineering, Universidad Jorge Tadeo
Lozano, Bogotá, Colombia
Stéphane Gagnon Université du Québec en Outaouais, Gatineau, QC, Canada
Stefan N. Groesser Bern University of Applied Sciences, School of Engineering,
Biel, Switzerland
A. D. Nuwan Gunarathne University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia
Milton M. Herrera Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano, Bogotá, Colombia
Department of European Studies and International Integration (DEMS),
Università Degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy

xiii
xiv Contributors

Marcin Lewandowski Ecostrat Inc, Toronto, Canada


Deemantha G. Navaratne University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
Thomas Nowak WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business), Institute for
Production Management, Vienna, Austria
Amanda E. Pakianathan University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
Yasasi T. Perera N. University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
Hassan Qudrat-Ullah College of Industrial Management, King Fahd University
of Petroleum Engineering and Minerals, Dhahra, Saudi Arabia
Vivek Shrestha College of Management, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Fuminori Toyasaki York University, School of Administrative Studies, Toronto,
ON, Canada
Felix Tuczek Institute for Transport and Logistics Management, WU (Vienna
University of Economics and Business), Vienna, Austria
Raul Valverde Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
Tina Wakolbinger Institute for Transport and Logistics Management, WU (Vienna
University of Economics and Business), Vienna, Austria
Winai Wongsurawat College of Management, Mahidol University, Bangkok,
Thailand
Ijaz Yusuf School of Business and Economics, University of Management and
Technology, Lahore, Pakistan
Part I
Introduction: An Overview of Sustainable
Supply Chains
Chapter 1
Innovative Solutions for Sustainable
Supply Chains: An Introduction

Hassan Qudrat-Ullah

1.1 Introduction

Managing twenty-first-century supply chains in a sustainable manner, a multibil-


lion dollar industry, has become an ever-increasing challenge. Given the increasing
significance of socioeconomic and environmental aspects, the management of sus-
tainable supply chains has become a complex, dynamic task. Multiple and often
conflicting objectives of stakeholders including suppliers, manufacturers and ser-
vice providers, and retailers add to the complex nature of decisions that modern-
day managers of supply chains face. With unprecedented technological
developments and innovations at hand, sustainability can be maximized for all the
activities of a supply chain including service concept, product design, material
sourcing and procurement, manufacturing processes, delivery of the final product,
and end-of-life management of the product. Here are two topical issues pertaining
to the development and growth of sustainable supply chains across the domains (as
shown in Fig. 1.1):
(i) How do various perspectives (e.g., green supply chains, design modularity,
R&D, investments, and education and training) provide actionable insights and
decisions pertaining to the design, development, and growth of sustainable sup-
ply chains?
(ii) How do various modeling approaches (e.g., system dynamics, econometric, and
agent-based modeling) provide innovative solutions to the issues pertaining to
the design, development, and growth of sustainable supply chains?

H. Qudrat-Ullah (*)
College of Industrial Management, King Fahd University of Petroleum Engineering
and Minerals, Dhahra, Saudi Arabia
e-mail: hassan.qudratullah@kfupm.edu.sa

© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018 3


H. Qudrat-Ullah (ed.), Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Supply Chains,
Understanding Complex Systems, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94322-0_1
4 H. Qudrat-Ullah

Perspectives

Design and Development of Growth and Performance of


Sustainable Supply Chains Sustainable Supply Chains

Modeling
Approaches

Fig. 1.1 Perspectives and modeling approaches for sustainable supply chains

Consequently, the sustainable supply chain issues and problems require a sys-
tematic and integrated approach. Modeling and simulation in general and system
dynamics and agent-based modeling in particular have the capabilities to deal with
the complexity of sustainable supply chain-related problems. Therefore, the pri-
mary aim of this book is to present the latest decision-making perspectives, tools,
techniques, and insightful and innovative solutions that decision-makers can utilize
to overcome the challenges that their sustainable supply chains face.
In an attempt to provide some unique perspectives and innovative solutions for
sustainable supply chains in the twenty-first century, we issued the call for contribu-
tions in this volume. Specifically, we sought help from the system dynamics and
agent-based modeling community. Consequently, several different examples of per-
spectives and modeling approaches, with a common unifying goal of “improving
the performance of sustainable supply chains” are provided in this volume.

1.1.1 Methodology

In our call for contributions on “The Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Supply
Chains,” we went through various email lists of professional bodies. We also posted
the call for chapters on message boards of a few international conferences on the
related topics. Personal invitations were sent to target authors as well. We received
19 “two-to-three-page” abstracts as the expression of interest. Based on the initial
1 Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Supply Chains: An Introduction 5

screening by our review panel, the authors of 12 chapters were invited to submit the
complete chapter. All 12 chapters received from the contributors went through a
double-blind review process. The reports from the independent reviewers were sent
to the authors to address the issues and incorporate the suggestions made by the
reviewers. Only 11 chapters made it to final stage of acceptance. The final versions
of chapters have been edited and included in this volume.

1.1.2 Research Categories

We applied a thematic approach to classify our contributions for this book. The
chapters thus complied are classified into four categories following the structure of
the book. The first category, the current one, presents the introduction and preview
of “Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Supply Chains.” The second category
examines the unique perspectives for enhancing the performance of the sustainable
supply chains including Determinants of ITF R&D Technology Commercialization
in Logistics and Supply Chain Industries: R&D Technologist Perspective; A Meta-­
analysis of Sustainable Supplier Selection Approaches; Green Supply Chain
Management, Green Innovations, and Green Practices; The Road Towards a
Circular Economy: The Role of Modular Product Designs in Supply Chains; Policy
Design for Sustainable Supply Chain Through Trainings; and The Application of
System Dynamics for a Sustainable Procurement Operation.
Next, the third category showcases the state-of-the-art innovative solutions for
industry-specific supply chains including Alternative Energy Policy for Mitigating
the Asynchrony of the Wind-Power Industry’s Supply Chain in Brazil, Resilience as
Basis for Sustainability: Shortages in Production Supply Chainsfor Essential
Consumer Goods, Sustainable Food Supply Chain Management: An Integrated
Framework and Practical Perspectives, Designing a Sustainable Tourism Supply
Chain: A Case Study from Asia, and Risk Assessment of the Timber Supply Chain in
Southern Ontario Using Agent-Based Simulation. Finally, the last category dis-
cusses conclusions and future research directions in sustainable supply chains.

1.2  he Unique Perspectives for the Sustainable Supply


T
Chains

Here we present six unique perspectives for enhancing the performance of twenty-­
first-­century supply chains. These perspectives shed light on important actionable
strategies and decisions pertaining to sustainable supply chains. For instance, why
“supplier selection” is so critical, why be “green,” what “training” of personnel
means, does a “modular design” matter, and what is the role of “procurement
operations” and “R&D” in improving the overall performance of a sustainable
supply chain.
6 H. Qudrat-Ullah

1.2.1 R&D Technologists’ Perspective

When it comes to the unique perspectives for the sustainable supply chains, R&D
technologists’ perspective presents some interesting insights. In Chap. 2, by S.C.Ho
and K.B.Chuah, the risks and challenges faced by companies in Hong Kong’s logis-
tics and supply chain industries are discussed (Ho & Chuah, 2018). Authors define
successful commercialization and adoption of research and development (R&D)
project deliverables as the whole R&D project completed, commercialized, and
adopted in the industry. In their chapter, they examine the R&D technologists’ per-
spective, the determinant factors of Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF) R&D
technology commercialization and adoption in Hong Kong’s logistics and supply
chain industries. R&D technologists face various challenges of developing technol-
ogy that matches industry needs. They investigate how R&D technologists think
their efforts can align with industry needs during the development process. They
consider this study as the first attempt of a multi-perspective study to bridge the
gaps from idea generation, R&D and subsequent technology implementation, and
adoption by industry. In this study, qualitative and quantitative data collected from
R&D technologists has been carried out using a proposed market-driven project
management model, market-science-technology-application-market (MSTAM); the
results will shed light on latter study from other perspectives.

1.2.2 A Meta-analysis-Based Perspective

A meta-analysis-based perspective provides some critical pathways for future


researchers in the domain of sustainable supply chains. In this context, in Chap. 3,
by Felix Tuczek and Tina Wakolbinger, the authors post that supplier selection is a
key factor in determining the sustainability performance of supply chains. In this
chapter, they conduct a meta-analysis of literature on supplier selection approaches
considering all three dimensions of sustainability. To close the gap in current
research, they enhance it with a review of recent papers. They present a classifica-
tion of methods and criteria applied to sustainable supplier selection. In terms of
methods, they see the use of combined methods as a trend. They argue that com-
bined methods allow for the integration of subjective judgment of decision-makers
with quantifiable parameters. Specifically, environmental and social criteria demand
methods to deal with qualitative as well as quantitative factors are suitable.
Analyzing mathematical approaches applied to specific industries, they identified
that literature is lagging in considering environmental issues in supplier selection
approaches in the automotive industry, an example of a high-polluting industry.
They also found that social criteria are hardly integrated into selection approaches
in the apparel industry, an example in labor-intensive industries. Thus, they suggest
that future research should focus on industry-related criteria tailored for the respec-
tive purposes. Again, future researchers on sustainable supply chains will certainly
cherish this chapter.
1 Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Supply Chains: An Introduction 7

1.2.3 Green Perspective on Supply Chain Management

Do green innovations and green practices have an impact on sustainable supply


chains? Umar Burki, in Chap. 4, attempts to address this topical question (Burki,
2018). In this chapter, his objective is to provide a broad understanding of the role
and impact of green innovations and green practices in green supply chains. The
author advances various assertions including (i) green supply chains are an exten-
sion of ordinary supply chains, (ii) green innovations and green practices function
as key antecedents in transforming an ordinary supply chain into a green supply
chain, and (iii) effective green supply chains apply a coordinated triple bottom-line
(TBL) approach to simultaneously realize environmental, economic, and social
goals in supply chain operations. He posits that external and internal factors play an
instrumental role in the adoption of green innovations and green practices in supply
chain operations. He identifies some of these factors as changing consumer demand,
government regulations and institutional pressures, technological innovations, and
stakeholders’ attitude toward long-term environment sustainability. Based on a
comprehensive review of green supply chain management literature, he finds that (i)
when businesses integrate green innovations and green practices in their supply
chains, they achieve encouraging triple bottom-line outcomes and (ii) transparency
and truthful compliance to green innovations and practices in supply chain opera-
tions are some of the biggest challenges in green supply chains. This research pro-
vides some actionable insights for the decision-makers in sustainable supply chains.

1.2.4  roduct Design Modularity Perspective on Sustainable


P
Supply Chains

How does product design modularity impact supply chains is an interesting ques-
tion that the authors of Chap. 5, Thomas Nowak, Fuminori Toyasaki, and Tina
Wakolbinger, investigate (Nowak et al., 2018). According to these authors, product
modularity has become a well-established concept for new product design that leads
to accelerated product development and increases a company’s abilities for mass
customization. Recently, product modularity also starts receiving attention as a
promising mechanism for circular economy because it is expected to mitigate nega-
tive product-related environmental effects. While effects of product modularity are
well investigated in forward supply chains, little attention has been paid to implica-
tions of modular designs for reverse logistics operations. This study explores the
links between anticipatory and reactive supply chain strategies, consumer prefer-
ences, as well as a company’s optimal product design decision by considering
reverse logistics operations. These relationships are explored by comparing two
optimization problems: one for a company following a reactive and one for a com-
pany following an anticipatory strategy. Based on the numerical analysis of the
mathematical models, the paper provides recommendations for policy-makers
8 H. Qudrat-Ullah

trying to encourage manufacturers to pursue the path toward a circular economy.


The recommendations highlight the important role that consumer behavior plays
and also show possible trade-offs between different sustainability goals. This chap-
ter provides some general recommendations for policy-makers to encourage suppli-
ers and producers to adapt sustainability practices.

1.2.5 Training Perspective on Sustainable Supply Chains

Both soft and hard skills training play a critical role in productivity and prosperity
of a business firm albeit a sustainable supply chain firm. In Chap. 6, Ijaz Yosuf and
Tafsheen M. Azhar provide a systematic analysis of the role of training in enhancing
the performance of supply chains (Yosuf & Azhar, 2018). They begin their chapter
with two assertions: (i) trainings imparted to the company employees are prerequi-
sites for organizational transformation, and (ii) impact of the training appears in the
form of changed behavior and attitude of the employees that contribute significantly
for the enhancement of the supply chain score of the focal firm. In this chapter the
authors discuss:
The types of trainings generally categorized in soft skills and hard skills. Training need
analysis is best proven method utilized to identify the competency gaps of current employ-
ees. Soft skills trainings and hard skills trainings are designed for capacity building in order
to reduce the gap and raising the employee productivity towards the sustainable supply
chain management. Soft skills trainings not only change the attitude and behavior of the
employee but as well enhance the motivational level of the employees that ultimately con-
tribute in terms of better product quality and waste reduction. Hard skills trainings improve
the technical capabilities of the workers. Reduced waste percentage, improved process
­settings, declining cost of quality, mistake proofing in product design and enhanced produc-
tivity are the contributing factors for sustained supply chain performance. Training need
analysis is most appropriate method in the case company for assessing the competency gap.
Training budget is allocated accordingly to reduce the competency gap.

According to the authors, the major objective of this chapter is to design the
plausible policies for enhanced supply chain performance conducting experimenta-
tion with the simulated system dynamics model; what type of training is required
more and how significantly this training impacts the supply chain score for enhanced
supply chain performance are the research questions being explored; experimenta-
tion with the model unveils the underlying symptoms and keeps on playing with the
model to make the system better behaved; and trainings usually considered as
expenditure can be a valuable asset if its effectiveness improves the supply chain
performance. They contribute with a system dynamics simulated model which
the users can apply to design the policy streams for improved supply chain
performance.
1 Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Supply Chains: An Introduction 9

1.2.6  ystem Dynamics Perspective on a Procurement


S
Function Within the Supply Chain

In the final chapter of this section, Chap. 7, the authors, Sherif Barrad, Raul Valverde,
and Stéphane Gagnon, present a system dynamics perspective on an important yet
often neglected functional area of any sustainable supply chain, the procurement
function (Barrad et al., 2018). First they introduce and describe the system dynam-
ics approach as (i) system dynamics is an approach to modeling complex systems
using feedback loops to explain relationships between variables and to reflect their
nonlinear interdependencies through time, along with their underlying driving
forces (Sterman, 2000), and (ii) systems are graphically represented by a set of
active nodes, with qualitative and quantitative attributes, along with passive nodes,
modeled as flows and stocks acting as buffers between active nodes. In the context
of this chapter, they use the system dynamics approach to model the operations of a
procurement function within the supply chain. In this chapter, they propose a sys-
tem dynamics interpretation of procurement drivers and a link to the operational and
strategic levels of decision-making.

1.3  he Innovative Solutions for Industry-Specific Supply


T
Chains

After the reader of this book has learned about six unique perspectives unified with
a common goal, improving the performance of sustainable supply chain, here in this
section, we present five state-of-the-art solutions, rich with actionable insights, for
industry-specific supply chains including the (i) wind-power industry, (ii) essential
consumer goods industry, (ii) food industry, (iv) tourism industry, and (v) timber
industry. Insights and lessons learned from these industry-specific supply chains,
however, are applicable equally well for other industries and jurisdictions.

1.3.1 Wind-Power Industry’s Supply Chain in Brazil

This chapter deals with the asynchrony of the wind-power industry supply chain in
Brazil. The authors of this Chap. 8, Milton M. Herrera, Isaac Dyner, and Federico
Cosenz, present a systematic and model-based analysis of the climate-induced
dynamics of wind power in Brazil (Herrera et al., 2018). Here is how they describe
the issue:
High dependency on hydroelectricity has revealed drawbacks in the security of power sup-
plies as a consequence of the climate variability in South America. Under these conditions,
Brazil is starting to consider alternative renewable sources for energy production, seeking to
avoid periods of scarcity, while also promoting clean technologies in its electricity market.
Since 2004, wind power has shown a significant rise in terms of installed capacity in this
10 H. Qudrat-Ullah

country. Despite increases in wind power units, Brazil suffers from delays in setting up its
transmission infrastructure, which affects the performance of the wind-power supply chain.

In this chapter, they present a simulation model that helps assess the long-term
effects of an alternative sustainable energy policy, which may contribute to over-
coming the asynchrony between renewables generation policy and the insufficiency
of transmission infrastructure. Using lessons learned from simulations, they con-
clude that the transmission industry in Brazil requires appropriate investment incen-
tives for just-in-time synchrony with the expansion of the wind industry.

1.3.2  ssential Consumer Goods Industry Supply Chain


E
in Europe

The author, Stefan Grossor, of this Chap. 9, draws on multiple perspectives to


develop key indicators of a sustainable supply chain in this industry (Grossor, 2018).
He portrays the issue as follows:
Some consumer products, termed essential consumer goods, are crucial to sustaining health
or even life. A shortage in supply of essential consumer goods can have tangible negative
impacts on society. This study applies this topic to the case of inexpensive, generic, inject-
able oncological medication shortages in Europe. Cancer patient outcomes including sur-
vival rates, as well as treatment costs are significantly influenced by oncological medicines
shortages. Even though the problem is well documented and universally acknowledged, a
lack of data has deterred any quantitative solution-oriented studies. However, a structural
model can provide reliable insight in cases where data is unavailable or unreliable through
relying on structural validation.

In this study, he then proposes the first causal model showing the underlying
structure of the European inexpensive, generic, injectable oncological medications
supply chain. He identifies the most common causes of supply shortages and devel-
ops a quantitative supply chain model with the ability to simulate causes of identi-
fied shortages and proposes the key performance indicators to evaluate the
sustainability of the supply chains in question from several perspectives. He con-
cludes with two future research issues: “(i) our study calls for a quantitative com-
parison and robust sensitivity analysis of all primary and secondary causes of
medicines shortages using the proposed model, and (ii) both existing and new pol-
icy recommendations regarding oncological medicines shortages in Europe should
be studied quantitatively.”

1.3.3 Designing a Sustainable Tourism Supply Chain

The tourism industry encompasses a web of supply chains when multiple actors
play their role to the success of various new ventures especially in Asia. Relying on
a real case study, Wongsurawat et al., in Chap. 10, present an in-depth analysis of a
1 Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Supply Chains: An Introduction 11

start-up firm in the context of sustainability (Wongsurawat & Shrestha, 2018. In


their own words, this is the summary of their work in this chapter:
This chapter presents an in-depth look into a startup with the innovative idea of providing
authentic travel experience by matching tourists with locals who are willing to share their
native skills or traditional knowledge. With numerous offices offering services in cities
across South and Southeast Asia, the online social enterprise has proven to be financially
sustainable. Using the experience of this social venture as a case study, this chapter will
analyze the challenges involved in redesigning a new service supply chain that creates novel
value for customers, and at the same time shifts a greater share of benefits generated from
tourism to previously marginalized players.

1.3.4 Sustainable Management of Global Food Supply Chain

An integrated framework for sustainable food supply chain management is described


in Chap. 11, “Sustainable Food Supply Chain Management: An Integrated
Framework and Practical Perspectives” by Gunarathne, A D Nuwan, Navaratne,
Deemantha G, Pakianathan, Amanda E, and Perera N Yasasi T. They posit and
provide some an interesting conclusion by saying, “With the uncontrollable growth
of world population, in some parts of the world millions of people are at the risk of
hunger while in certain countries there is a significant waste of food. This imbalance
in the global food supply chain increasingly demands sustainable management to
“end hunger”, as envisaged in the sustainable development goals. Considering the
importance of food supply chains, the purpose of this chapter is to provide an over-
view of sustainable food supply chain management and to propose an integrated
framework. With this objective, the chapter provides an overview of sustainable
development and the importance of food supply chain management to address the
global food crisis (Gunarathne et al., 2018). It also provides an overview of the theo-
retical background of sustainable food supply chains. The chapter also presents an
integrated framework for sustainable food supply chain management by extending
prior work on the subject. In every section, carefully selected mini cases are
provided to bring in more insights into the points/arguments mentioned therein.”

1.3.5  isk Assessment of the Timber Supply Chain in Southern


R
Ontario

In the final chapter of this section, Chap. 12, “Risk Assessment of the Timber Supply
Chain in Southern Ontario Using Agent-Based Simulation,” Marcin Lewandowsk
and Ali Asgary demonstrate the utility of agent-based modeling approach in analyz-
ing the supply-demand dynamics in the timber industry (Lewandowsk & Asgary,
2018). According to the authors:
12 H. Qudrat-Ullah

The bioenergy sector has been experiencing significant growth in the last two decades. That
said, the industry faces many challenges, mainly focused around the understanding of feed-
stock supply risk. Developers and investors cannot properly price risk without raw material
supply chain risk understanding, making the development of the bioenergy industry slower
than it would otherwise be. Currently biofuel, or wood pellet, production in Ontario requires
wood chips supplied by existing sawmills. The supply of wood chips in turn depends on the
supply of timber. A model was developed here simulating the timber supply chain in
Southern Ontario. The objective of the simulation was to show the applicability of com-
puter simulation methods in determining the most resilient areas from a perspective of a
developer looking to build a new biofuel plant. The simulation presented here, developed in
Any Logic 7.3.5, is considered a base simulation. That is, it can be improved upon to simu-
late different disturbances, or add/change experiment assumptions. The simulation is there-
fore a first version of a useful tool that has a potential to improve the understanding of risk
among biofuel developers and investors.

Although this chapter applies an agent-based modeling to better understand the


dynamics of supply chains in the timber industry, the utility of such models is lim-
ited but can be applied to analyze the complex demand-supply dynamics present in
most of the supply chains of the twenty-first century.

1.4 Concluding Remarks

At the outset of this project, we set the objective of this edited volume as “to present
the latest decision making tools, techniques, and insightful and innovative solutions
that decision makers can utilize to overcome the challenges that their sustainable
supply chains face.” Both eminent and distinguished as well emerging scholars of
the supply chain domain responded to our call for contributions with their unique
solution-oriented research. We are successful in showcasing, here in this book, 11
chapters covering a range of perspectives and model-based solutions unified by a
common goal: to improve the performance of sustainable supply chains.
We have six leading contributions presenting unique perspectives including
R&D technologist’s perspective, a meta-analysis-based perspective, green’s per-
spective on supply chain management, product design modularity perspective on
sustainable supply chains, trainings’ perspective on sustainable supply chains, and
system dynamics’s perspective on a procurement function within the supply chain.
These perspectives provide insights and solid reasons as to what should be done and
why it should be done to build and sustain integrated supply chains for the twenty-­
first century.
With regard to the theme of the innovative solutions for the sustainable supply
chains, we have five state-of-the-art applications of system dynamics, econometric,
and agent-based models: wind-power industry’s supply chain in Brazil, essential
consumer goods industry’s supply chain in Europe, sustainable management of
global food supply chain, designing a sustainable tourism supply chain, and risk
assessment of the timber supply chain in Southern Ontario. These applications
address the critical question of “how to do” by demonstrating the design, develop-
ment, and application of model-based solutions aimed at improving the perfor-
mance of sustainable supply chains.
1 Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Supply Chains: An Introduction 13

It is worth noting that although the model-based contributions in this volume


have been applied to only five specific industry-related issues, the insights presented
and the model structure developed are generic enough to be applied to the supply
chains of other domains e.g., healthcare, energy, aviation, and retail industry.
Likewise, several chapters in this book have presented “future research opportuni-
ties” for the researchers in the domain of sustainable supply chains to avail.

References

Barrad, S., Valverde, R., & Gagnon, S. (2018). The application of system dynamics for a sustain-
able procurement operation. In H. Qudrat-Ullah (Ed.), Innovative solutions for sustainable
supply chains. New York: Springer, USA (in press).
Burki, U. (2018). Green Supply Chain Management, Green Innovations, and Green Practices.
In H. Qudrat-Ullah (Ed.), Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Supply Chains. New York:
Springer, USA (in press).Tuczek, F., and Wakolbinger, T. (2018). A Meta-Analysis of
Sustainable Supplier Selection Approaches. In: Qudrat-Ullah, H. (ed.). Innovative solutions for
sustainable supply chains. Springer, USA: New York (in press).
Gunarathne, A., Nuwan, D., Navaratne, D. G., Pakianathan, A. E., Perera, N., & Yasasi, T. (2018).
Sustainable food supply chain management: An integrated framework and practical perspec-
tives. In H. Qudrat-Ullah (Ed.), Innovative solutions for sustainable supply chains. New York:
Springer, USA (in press).
Herrera, M., Dyner, I., & Cosenz, F. (2018). The wind-power industry’s supply chain in Brazil. In
H. Qudrat-Ullah (Ed.), Innovative solutions for sustainable supply chains. New York: Springer,
USA (in press).
Ho, S. C., & Chuah, K. B. (2018). Determinants of ITF R&D Technology Commercialization in
logistics and supply chain industries: R&D technologist perspective. In H. Qudrat-Ullah (Ed.),
Innovative solutions for sustainable supply chains. New York: Springer, USA (in press).
Lewandowsk, M., & Ali Asgary, A. (2018). Risk assessment of the timber supply chain in southern
Ontario using agent-based simulation. In H. Qudrat-Ullah (Ed.), Innovative solutions for sus-
tainable supply chains. New York: Springer, USA (in press).
Nowak, T., Toyasaki, T., & Wakolbinger, T. (2018). The road towards a circular economy: The role
of modular product designs in supply chains. In H. Qudrat-Ullah (Ed.), Innovative solutions for
sustainable supply chains. New York: Springer, USA (in press).
Stefan Grossor, S. (2018). Resilience as basis for sustainability: Shortages in production supply
chains for essential consumer goods. In H. Qudrat-Ullah (Ed.), Innovative solutions for sus-
tainable supply chains. New York: Springer, USA (in press).
Sterman, J. D. (2000). Business dynamics: Systems thinking and modeling for a complex world.
New York: McGraw-Hill.
Wongsurawat, W., & Shrestha, V. (2018). Designing a sustainable tourism supply chain-a case
study from Asia. In H. Qudrat-Ullah (Ed.), Innovative solutions for sustainable supply chains.
New York: Springer, USA (in press).
Yosuf, I., & Azhar, T. (2018). Policy Design for Sustainable Supply Chains through trainings. In
H. Qudrat-Ullah (Ed.), Innovative solutions for sustainable supply chains. New York: Springer,
USA (in press).
Part II
The Unique Perspectives for the
Sustainable Supply Chains
Chapter 2
Determinants of ITF R&D Technology
Commercialization in Logistics and Supply
Chain Industries: R&D Technologist
Perspective

Siu Cheung Ho and Kong Bieng Chuah

Abbreviations

AGV Autonomous-guided vehicles


A-M Application to market
API Application programming interface
CCTV Closed-circuit television
EMI Early manufacturing involvement
ESI Early supplier involvement
IOT Internet of Things
IP Intellectual property
IT Innovation and technology
ITB Information Technology Bureau
ITF Innovation and technology fund
KPI Key performance indicator
LBS Location-based service
M-S Market to science
MSTAM Market, science, technology, application, and market
NPD New product development
OM Organization manager
PC Project coordinator
PKI Public key infrastructure
PM Project management
PRD Pearl River Delta
R&D Research and development

S. C. Ho (*) · K. B. Chuah
Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management,
City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
e-mail: scho25-c@my.cityu.edu.hk; mebchuah@cityu.edu.hk

© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018 17


H. Qudrat-Ullah (ed.), Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Supply Chains,
Understanding Complex Systems, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94322-0_2
18 S. C. Ho and K. B. Chuah

RFID Radio-frequency identification


RO Research questions
ROI Return on investment
RT Requirements traceability
SD Standard deviation
SDC Sensor data cloud
SI System integrator
SME Small- and medium-sized enterprises
S-T Science to technology
STAM Science, technology, application, and market
T-A Technology to application
VR Virtual reality

2.1 Introductions

According to Research Report (2011), in Hong Kong, for at least the past 10 years,
more than 98% of enterprises in Hong Kong are small- and medium-sized enter-
prises (SMEs). They may be small individually, but together they employ 48% of
the total working population over 1.3 M employees, and their combined business
values was nearly 57% that of total business values in Hong Kong in 2009. SME
may not have enough resources to support and enable research and development
(R&D) technology in their company. They may have some concerns on the value of
R&D Technology such as cost, implementation time, extra manpower, actual value,
understanding of staff, etc. This study investigates how R&D Technologists think
their efforts can align with the industry needs during the development process. It
also examines from R&D Technologist’s perspective the determinant factors of
innovation and technology fund (ITF) and R&D Technology commercialization and
adoption in Hong Kong Logistics and Supply Chain Industries. This research aims
to find out which critical issues affect R&D project deliverables commercializing
and productizing to the industry. An R&D Technologist always faces challenges of
developing technology that matches industry needs. This research investigates how
R&D Technologists think their efforts can align with the industry needs during the
development process.
This is the first attempt of the multi-perspective study to bridge the gaps from
idea generation, R&D, and subsequent technology implementation and adoption by
industry. This research describes background of study, ITF R&D project in Logistics
and Supply Chain Industry in Hong Kong, literature review, theoretical background,
and research methodology, analysis of findings, and discussion and conclusions.
Qualitative and quantitative of the data collected from R&D Technologists have
been carried out using a proposed market-driven project management model,
MSTAM, which stands for market, science, technology, application, and market.
This study will address four distinct research questions (RQ) as follows:
2 Determinants of ITF R&D Technology Commercialization in Logistics and Supply… 19

RQ1: What are the main reason or major barriers why ITF’s R&D results commer-
cialization and adoption rate is not good in Hong Kong Logistics and Supply
Chain Industry?
RQ2: What are the appropriate actions or elements to motivate the industry users or
top management in the company to adopt or license the R&D results in their
company?
RQ3: What are the key considerations for them to adopt new technology or R&D
results in Hong Kong?
RQ4: How to facilitate, adopt, or integrate the R&D deliverables in the Logistics
and Supply Chain Industry in Hong Kong?

2.1.1 Challenge of ITF R&D Project in Hong Kong

According to the ITF (2013), the audit selected projects for ITF, the project com-
pleted in the period form May 2008 to December 2012. The report shown that 12
projects are with post-completion evaluation, and the results have no technology
breakthrough, limit adoption, and no successful commercialization. These projects
cost ranging from HKD 1 million to HKD 19 million. None of the 12 projects had
commercialized technology breakthrough to the industry. The report showed the
figure of project cost of new projects commenced in the period of 2011–2012 to
2014–2015. The total project cost cumulative in 9 years is HKD 238.6 million for
five research centers in Hong Kong. The total commercialization income in five
research centers was HKD 174.9 million. The commercialization income compared
with project cost of new projects ratio was 4.13%. As indicated above, industry
contribution was very low. In the current situation, R&D centers were facing two
key issues in the ITF R&D project, namely, R&D project development and com-
mercialization rate was low and low project turnover rate.

2.1.2  hallenge of ITF R&D Project in Logistics and Supply


C
Chain Industry in Hong Kong

In accordance with the HKTDC (2016) figure, the merchandise trade performance
index shows that the total exports, reexports, imports, and total trade figures con-
tinue to decrease from 2014 to the first quarter of 2016. The retail sales growth, visi-
tor arrival growth ratio, and service trade performance of total trade figure were
falling shapely, due to the Hong Kong immigration control of China visitor. Hong
Kong Logistics and Supply Chain companies are facing a big challenge in these
years. The major economic indicators indicate that the total HK exports in 2015 are
over HKD 2396.9 billion. This is a big figure for Hong Kong. Therefore, Logistics
and Supply Chain Industries are still one of the main pillar industries in Hong Kong.
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
XII.
In Peril of Indians.

The return journey was for the most part uneventful, but with
empty wagons we could travel more rapidly.
On our reaching the crossing of the Arkansas we found there a
company of dragoons, and the officers informed us that they had
been fighting and chasing the Cheyennes all summer, having just
halted there in following one band of these Indians to the Arkansas
river. They had been forced to abandon their provision wagons some
days before we saw them, and were almost entirely out of food. The
artillery had also been left behind two or three days’ march down the
Arkansas river. These troops, a part of Colonel Sumner’s regiment,
had had several brushes with the Cheyennes, and captured a lot of
horses from the Indians. The soldiers, their horses and equipments,
gave every evidence of having undergone a severe campaign, and
they came around our camp begging for something to eat, tobacco
and whisky, much as the Indians were in the habit of doing. But our
ability to relieve their wants was very limited, having with us only
supplies enough for our own party back to the settlements.
The officers said that it would be hazardous for us to proceed
further, advising our captain to remain until the trains in our rear
could get up, until they had accumulated to at least one hundred
wagons and men, when we would be strong enough to resist any
attack that we were likely to be subjected to.
Acting on this advice, we remained in camp several days, until
five or six trains had arrived and camped in our immediate vicinity.
The journey was then resumed, our train taking the lead, all our
weapons of defense being put in as good order as possible. After the
trains were under way the wagonmasters of those behind us, to the
number of ten or a dozen, mounted on horses and mules, would ride
ahead to join Captain Chiles, Reece and myself, thus forming a lively
and agreeable company of companionable men.
As we were thus riding along down the level bottom of the
Arkansas, some distance in advance of the trains away to our right a
mile or more, out near the bank of the river, where we could see
some scattering cottonwood trees, we observed a smoke rising from
a camp fire. Some one of the party suggested that it was the smoke
of the camp of the artillery company, of which we had been told, so
we rode forward, giving little more attention to the smoke of the
camp fire that went curling upward among the cottonwood. When we
had reached a point about opposite the smoke there suddenly
appeared in our view a company of some fifty horsemen, riding pell-
mell in a fast gallop towards us. They were yet too far off to be
distinctly seen or for us to tell what manner of men they were. In
another moment, Captain Chiles exclaimed:
“Men, they are Indians! Soldiers don’t ride in that disorderly
manner. Form a line and get out your guns. We are in for it!”
Instantly all hands obeyed his command, forming a line, facing
the enemy, each of us drawing a pistol. The lead wagons of our train
were just barely visible, probably two miles from us. When the
approaching horsemen saw that we had formed a line of battle, they
instantly drew rein, slackening their speed to a walk, but kept
steadily drawing nearer us.
“MEN, THEY ARE INDIANS!”

In a few minutes our anxiety was relieved when these horsemen


came near enough for us to see that they were white men, not
Indians, and, after all, they proved to be the company of artillery,
mounted on some Indian horses that had lately been captured from
the Cheyennes. Under the circumstances it was not at all strange
that we had mistaken them for hostile Indians.
The next morning after this the wagonmasters of these several
trains came forward as usual, and we set out to travel in advance of
the trains, hoping to find buffalo as we had again reached their
accustomed range.
I had the only real good buffalo horse in the company, but his
speed and strength we found considerably lessened and impaired by
the long journey. In discussing the prospects of finding buffalo, and
of killing one for a supply of fresh meat, which we were all very eager
again to get, Hines, an assistant wagonmaster of one of the trains,
suggested to me that I should use his pair of heavy Colt’s army
revolvers, which, he said, carried a heavier ball and were more
effective in killing buffalo than mine. Although I was somewhat
doubtful, I exchanged with him. We had ridden forward but a few
miles when we descried a herd of some twenty buffalo, in the
distance. The understanding being that I was to lead off in this
chase, I put spurs to my horse, the others following. There were
several young cows in the band, one of which I selected, and
pressed my horse forwards. In a few moments we were going at a
furious rate of speed, and my prospect of success was good, but just
as I was leaning forward, with pistol in my right hand, in the act of
shooting the cow, the stirrup leather of my saddle suddenly broke,
almost precipitating me headlong to the ground, but I escaped falling
by catching around the horse’s neck with my left arm; the heavy
pistol fell to the ground. While I was preparing to mend the stirrup
leather, having dismounted for that purpose, the other men of the
party rode up, the buffalo, meanwhile, having run entirely out of
sight.
When I had gotten the stirrup repaired, Captain Chiles, noticing
that I was a good deal shaken up and unnerved by the occurrence,
said that I would better let him have my horse and pistols, which I
readily gave up to him, knowing that there was no man on the plains
who excelled him in a buffalo chase or one more sure to provide
fresh meat. So he mounted my horse, and I got upon his mule, and
we all started off in the direction the buffalo had gone. We had by
that time reached a section of rolling country on the “cut-off” across
the bend of the Arkansas, lying in great ridges, with valleys
intervening. As we got to the top of one of these ridges Captain
Chiles, who was in front, exclaimed: “Look yonder at that band of
elk!”
There they were, perhaps two hundred of them, grazing in a
valley a mile distant. I immediately claimed my horse, for I did not
want to miss the opportunity of killing an elk, but the captain merely
laughed at me and started down toward the elk in a gallop. The elk,
seeing him, were soon all in motion, running in a great mass, stirring
up a cloud of dust, soon passing from our view around the point of
the ridge on the farther side of the valley, Captain Chiles following
them closely, the horse at full speed. After they had gotten out of
sight of us we heard the report of his pistol, two or three times, and
our entire party followed in his wake until we had reached the point,
where we thought the firing had occurred. Finding neither Chiles nor
any dead or wounded elk the men all, except Reece and I, refused to
go further, and turned about towards the road. Reece, who was
riding his big gray horse, and I, on the mule, continued riding in the
direction we supposed Chiles had gone, until we had ridden perhaps
four miles, when I began to feel a little uneasy, expressing a
disinclination to go further, as I was riding a worn-out, leg-weary
mule, with nothing but a belt pistol in the way of arms, and being in
the neighborhood of hostile Indians. Reece said to me: “You remain
here while I ride to the top of that high mound yonder,” pointing to a
hill a mile farther on. “When I get there,” he said, “if then I can neither
hear nor see anything of Chiles or the elk I will return here for you.”
Reece rode away. I remained alone for an hour or more—the
danger of the situation made it appear much longer than it really
was, no doubt—and finally I saw Reece and Chiles coming, greatly
to my relief. They were in good spirits, and as they rode up Chiles
said they had killed the biggest elk that ever ran on the plains, giving
me an account of his capture in detail as we rode back.
XIII.
Captain Chiles’ Chase.

When Reece had got to the top of the mound he saw Captain
Chiles, sitting on a horse, holding by a rope a huge bull elk. The elk
stood in the bottom of a deep, narrow ditch, ten feet deep, with
banks almost perpendicular, so steep that he was unable to get up
them or out of the ditch to assail his captor. Captain Chiles, when he
first caught up with the band of elk, had made an effort to kill one
with the pistols, but for some reason he could only get the pistols to
fire two of the charges, and with these two he only wounded a cow
slightly, not enough to stop her from running. He kept after the band,
all the while trying to get the revolver to fire, trying every chamber,
but with no success. After he had kept up the chase for two or three
miles the large bull elk, being very fat, got too tired to keep up with
the band, but trotted along behind, in fact, so far exhausted that
Chiles could keep up with him with his horse in a trot. The captain
despaired of being able to stop one with the pistols, and, finding a
small lariat I had brought from the Kiowas as we went out, on my
saddle, used for picketing my horse, resolved to try the plan of
lassoing the big fellow.
Being an expert in rope throwing, he had little difficulty in
preparing the noose or getting a fastening around the top prong of
one branch of the elk’s great antlers. As soon as the elk found he
was restrained by the rope he turned about and charged on Captain
Chiles with all the power and fury he could command, and twice or
thrice the captain was forced to cut loose from him in order to
escape his assaults. The rope was long enough to drag on the
ground some distance behind him, so that the captain could recover
hold of it without dismounting, reaching down and picking it up as the
bull trotted away from him. He kept on after him for some distance,
occasionally jerking him back, and worrying him until he could hardly
walk. Coming to the lower end of the ditch, washed out to a depth of
ten feet, at a point a few yards above, he managed to guide the
animal, bewildered as he was by the heat, together with the violent
and prolonged exercise, into it, leading or driving him along up the
ditch until he got him in between the high banks of it to a place
where the animal could not get at him however anxious he was to do
so.
When Reece arrived, as above related, he found Chiles sitting
there on the horse holding the end of the rope, but having nothing
with which to kill the animal, not even a pocket pistol. Reece had
with him a belt revolver, and, under the directions of Chiles, he
carefully crawled to the edge of the ditch to within a few feet of the
elk’s head and killed him with a couple of shots in the forehead.
The bull had not been wounded by Chiles, and no one but a
veritable daredevil as he was would have undertaken the job of
lassoing an elk under such circumstances as he did. But Chiles was
a stranger to fear.
Chiles, Reece and I got to the camp about 2 o’clock, near six
miles from where the elk was killed. After dinner we went out with
pack mules and the necessary hatchets and butcher knives, and two
of the drivers, to butcher the elk. The animal was a splendid
specimen of his kind, supporting a magnificent pair of antlers, fully
hardened and developed, and was fatter than any other animal of
the deer kind I have seen, before or since. We butchered and
brought to camp on the pack mules every part of his carcass,
including the antlers. The latter were brought home to Jackson
county. We feasted on the flesh of the fat elk for several days, and
my recollection is that I never tasted better meat.
The remaining part of the journey was uneventful, the entire
party remaining with the train until we were within eighty miles of the
state line of Missouri. Then, in company with Captain Chiles, I
started, before daylight, to make a forced march to Westport. We
rode forty miles before we halted for breakfast, obtaining it at a
settler’s cabin in the vicinity of Black Jack, arriving in Westport late in
the evening, in the latter part of September, feeling very willing to
rest once more in a comfortable house and bed.
I saw my friend Reece about a year after he had returned to his
home in Missouri still making a fight for life, but during the second
year he struck his flag and made a final surrender.
At Westport the drivers were paid off and disbanded, but I was
not present to witness the separation of the company that had
formed a companionship, offensive and defensive, during this long
and tiresome journey across the plains. Doubtless nearly all of them,
in the vernacular of the Western mountains, have “crossed over the
range.”
Lewis & Clark’s Route
Retraveled.

The Upper Missouri in 1858.


BY
W. B. NAPTON.
CHAPTER I.
In 1858, under existing treaties with the western Indian tribes,
the national Government sent out to them annually large
consignments of merchandise. The superintendent of Indian affairs,
whose office was in St. Louis, chartered a steamboat to transport
these annuities to all the tribes in the country drained by the Missouri
—beginning with the Omahas and Winnebagoes in Nebraska and
ending with the Blackfoot, at the base of the Rocky Mountains,
around the sources of the Missouri. Nearly one-half of the cargo of
this boat, however, consisted of the trading merchandise of Frost,
Todd & Company, a fur-trading concern, whose headquarters were
at St. Louis, and whose trading posts were established along the
Missouri from Yankton to Fort Benton. The whole of the territory of
the United States then north of Nebraska was without any legal
name or designation; at least there were no such territories as
Dakota or Montana shown on the maps. At that time, and for many
years before, a steamboat load of merchandise was sent up as far
as Fort Benton by the American Fur Company, having its
headquarters also in St. Louis, and controlled mainly by the
Chouteaus, to replenish the stocks of their trading posts along the
river. The trade of these companies was exclusively with the Indians,
the exchange being for buffalo robes, furs of the beaver, otter, mink,
etc., used for making clothes, gloves, etc.
Colonel Redfield, of New York, was the agent for the Indian
tribes along the river from the Omahas in Nebraska to Fort Union at
the mouth of the Yellowstone. Colonel Vaughn, of St. Joseph, Mo.,
was agent for the Blackfoot tribe, and that year had special orders to
take up to his agency, on Sun River, forty miles above Fort Benton
(now Montana), farming implements, horses and oxen, and to make
an effort to teach the tribe the peaceful art of agriculture. These
Blackfoot Indians, however, regarded agriculture a good deal as it is
defined by our humorous friend, Josh Billings, who defined it as “an
honest way of making a d—md poor living.” The Indians fully
sanctioned and concurred in this definition. I had received at the
hands of Colonel Vaughn the appointment of attaché to his agency,
pretty nearly a sinecure, but affording transportation from St. Louis to
Fort Benton and back, if I choose to come back.
The boat was a medium-sized Missouri River packet, nearly
new, with side wheels and powerful engines. Steamboating on the
Missouri had then reached the highest stage of prosperity. A line of
splendidly furnished and equipped passenger boats ran from St.
Louis to St. Joseph, providing almost every comfort and luxury a
traveler could ask. The table was elegant and the cuisine excellent,
the cabin and state-rooms sumptuously furnished, and last but not
least, there was always a bar where any kind of liquor could be
found by those who preferred it to Missouri River water. There were
good facilities for card-playing either with or without money, and no
restraint in either case. There was usually a piano in the cabin, and
frequently a fair band of musicians among the waiters and cabin-
boys. These great passenger-boats ran all night, up and down the
most treacherous and changeable of all the navigable streams. To
be a first-class pilot on the Missouri River was equivalent to earning
the highest wages paid in the West at that time. The chief pilot of our
boat, R. B—, was of that class. Just before he took service on this
boat he had forfeited a contract for the season at $1,000 a month
with the “Morning Star,” a large passenger-packet, running from St.
Louis to St. Joseph, from the fact that he was on one of his
periodical sprees when she was ready to embark from St. Louis.
After the boat got under way, I spent a great deal of time in the
pilot-house with R. B—, who I found a man of fair education and
considerable culture, a devotee of Shakespeare, quoting or reciting
page after page of his “Tragedies” without interruption of his duties at
the helm of the boat, a position requiring great courage and steady
nerves. R. B— knew every twist and turn of the channel of the
Missouri from St. Louis to St. Joseph, knew every bar where the river
was either cutting out its bed or filling it up, knew precisely the
location of every snag protruding above water, and of many that
were invisible except at a low stage of water—in short, knew at all
times, night or day, exactly the position of the boat and its bearings.
The passengers formed a motley congregation. The two Indian
agents, their clerks and attachés, the agents, trappers and
voyageurs of the fur companies, mostly Canadian Frenchmen
intermixed with Indians; a few, however, were native Americans, a
young English sportsman, Lace, and his traveling companion from
Liverpool, going up to the mountains to kill big game. A young
gentleman, Mr. Holbrook from New England, who had just graduated
at Harvard and was traveling for health, Carl Wimar, an artist of St.
Louis whose object was to get pictures of the Indians, and a young
man of great genius and promise in his profession, a captain, two
pilots, two engineers, two cooks, cabin-boys, etc., twenty regular
deck hands and, in addition to these, about seventy-five stout
laboring men to cut wood to supply fuel for the boat’s furnaces after
we had gotten up above the settlements.
We commenced cutting wood soon after passing Omaha,
although we found occasional piles of wood already cut on the river
bank above Sioux City, Iowa.
There were no female passengers and the boat had been
stripped of carpets, mirrors, etc.
Colonel Redfield was a staid, straight-laced gentleman from the
East, while Colonel Vaughn was a jolly frolicsome fellow of sixty-five
years, who had been thoroughly enjoying western life among the
Indians on the upper Missouri for many years, and no matter how
late at night the bar was patronized, the following morning, when one
would enquire as to the state of his health, he would answer with
inimitable gusto, “Erect on my pasterns, bold and vigorous.”
The fur company men were nearly all Canadian Frenchmen,
some of them having a greater or less degree of Indian blood in their
veins. These people had come down from their trading posts,
starting just as soon as the ice broke up in the river, on keel or flat-
boats, bringing along some furs and peltries, and had reached St.
Louis in time to spend a week or two there. Having settled with the
fur companies at headquarters in the city, the remainder of their
limited contact with civilization would be spent in seeing the sights of
the city.
These fur traders, trappers and voyageurs formed a class now
extinct in the United States, a remnant of them yet remaining
perhaps in British America. The boat made no landings except for
fuel, until we reached the reservations of the Omahas and
Winnebagoes in Nebraska.
Not long after embarking from St. Louis, a game of poker was
arranged and started among these trappers and played on a good-
sized round table made especially for this purpose, such a one as
every passenger-boat on the Missouri River was then provided with.
The game was kept going a great part of the time, until we reached
Fort Union at the mouth of the Yellowstone, the players having then
been thinned out by departure from the boat at the different forts as
we passed up. These men were all friends or acquaintances of long
standing, and while they played with money, no one seemed to care
particularly about his losses or winnings, in other words, there were
no real gamblers in the party, the stakes being only such as they
could loose without repining, or which is still more difficult, such as
they could gain without undue exultation. The conversation between
them was really more interesting than the game. They could all
speak English and French and a half-dozen Indian tongues, making
their conversation and dialect in the poker game singularly
interesting.
Pappineau was one of the poker players, and his station was
Fort Berthold. He was a good-natured, vivacious, volatile Canadian
Frenchman, a general favorite, but not possessing the required level-
headedness to play a good game of poker. His finances were
running low even before he left St. Louis, and in consequence of
this, he found it necessary every few days to withdraw from the
game. His presence and talk were highly appreciated by the other
players, and on these occasions it was quite in keeping with the
existing state of good fellowship among them to notice someone
“stake” Pappineau with five or ten dollars, without any embarrassing
stipulations for its return, in order that he might resume his place in
the game. On reaching Fort Berthold Pappineau took pride in
bringing his squaw on board the boat, presenting her to those among
us who were strangers, and he had no reason to be ashamed of her,
as she was one of the best-looking and neatest Indian women we
saw on this journey.
Carl F. Wimar, the gifted St. Louis painter, was making his first
trip up the Missouri to get a look at the Indians. He was a tall, slim,
lithe man of thirty, a swarthy complexion resembling a Spaniard
rather than a German, quick, active and indefatigable in the
prosecution of his work. When we got to the Indians he was always
on the alert for the striking figures among them. On reaching the
Indians the agent would invite them to a council, held in the cabin of
the boat. On these occasions Wimar would make pencil sketches of
the assembled Indians, and he did this work with great rapidity and
dexterity. He was also equipped with a camera and ambrotype
materials, and could sometimes induce the Indians to let him get
pictures of this sort, but usually they were averse to being looked at
through the camera. On one occasion above Fort Pierre while the
boat was tied up swinging around against a bluff bank about the
same height with the guards of the boat, a great big Indian came
creeping up through the willows, squatting down on the bank within a
few yards of the boat. He was most ornately and elaborately
dressed, completely covered from head to foot with garments of
dressed skins, profusely ornamented with garniture of beads, fringe,
etc., and, as we afterwards ascertained, was a famous “medicine
man.” On his head an immense bonnet ornamented with feathers,
beads, etc., with a leather strap forming a sort of tail to the bonnet,
strung with circular plates of silver, reaching down behind almost to
the ground when standing erect. Wimar began preparations for
taking his ambrotype, thinking he might get it unobserved, but as
soon as he began looking through the camera at him the Indian
jumped up, evincing immediately his opposition to the process, at
once drawing an arrow from his quiver, and by his hostile
demonstrations and talk made Wimar understand that he would not
submit. Then Wimar undertook to show him that he meant no harm
whatever, exhibiting some pictures he had taken of other Indians, but
he seemed unable to understand him and soon disappeared from
view through the willow bushes lining the river bank.
Carl Frederick Wimar was born in Germany, but brought to this
country by his parents in infancy, and, at an early age, disclosed his
artistic temperament and talent. Returning to Germany, he studied
under the great painter Luetze, the painter of the celebrated picture
at Washington, of Washington crossing the Delaware, copies of
which are familiar to the public. Wimar afterwards painted the fresco
pictures in the dome of the rotunda of the St. Louis Court House. I
saw him paint a portrait of Captain Atkinson, a son of General
Atkinson, as we were ascending the river, in the cabin of the boat,
which I thought denoted marked artistic skill as well as being a
faithful likeness of the man. Poor Wimar died with consumption five
years later at the age of thirty-four, ending all hopes of his attaining
the highest eminence of fame as an artist, that I believe he must
surely have reached had he lived to mature age. He was naturally an
amiable gentleman as well as a great artist.
Along the Missouri above Omaha, the country is mostly prairie,
with extensive bottoms on one side or the other, beyond the bottoms
rising gradually as it recedes to the general altitude of perhaps a
hundred and fifty feet back a mile or two from the river, the absence
of timber and gently undulating topography affording a good
panoramic view from the deck of the boat as she battled upwards
against the strong current.
Just below Sioux City, a small town at that time, our pilot pointed
out Floyd’s Bluff, an oval-shaped hill lying at right angles to the river,
its base washed by it, and into which the river seemed to be cutting
and undermining. On the summit of this bluff we could see a post
and a pile of loose stones, as we supposed placed there to mark the
grave of Sergeant Floyd, the first American soldier to lose his life in
our then newly-acquired Louisiana Purchase. Sergeant Floyd was
one of the soldiers accompanying Lewis and Clark’s exploring
expedition, who died and was buried on this bluff as they passed up
in 1804, and here in this solitary grave he had rested more than half
a century. Even then, in 1858, there was no house or settlement in
sight, and I remember to this day the melancholy impression in my
youthful mind, from his dying and being buried in the wilderness so
far from friends and relatives. A late Congress did justice to his
memory, performing a graceful and becoming act in authorizing the
erection by the Secretary of War of a monument at the grave of
Sergeant Floyd, appropriating $5,000 for the purpose.
When the Indians were reached, the boat being landed, the
chiefs would assemble in the main cabin and a council be held with
their agent. The agent would first address them, his speech being
conveyed through an interpreter connected with the agency.
Following we would have many speeches from the Indians, many of
whom were great speakers, if not orators, forcible and fluent,
speaking without embarrassment. While these discussions were in
progress, the artist Wimar would avail himself of the opportunity to
make pencil sketches of the most prominent among them.
CHAPTER II.
Fort Randall was the extreme frontier post occupied by troops.
The fort was located on a beautiful site on the left bank. The boat
landing and remaining here awaited the preparations of an officer,
Captain Wessells, and a squad of soldiers to accompany the Indian
agents as a guard.
The officers’ quarters and barracks occupied two sides of a
quadrangle of about ten acres, forming a level parade ground of
prairie sod, in the center of which stood a flag-staff and bandstand.
In the afternoon a fine regimental band regaled us with delightful
music that seemed to be enjoyed even by the Indians loafing around
the fort. The officers were exceeding courteous, showing us
everything of interest to be seen about the post, and when Captain
Wessells and his squad of men, twenty soldiers, were ready to come
on board on our departure, we were heartily and boisterously
cheered by a multitude of officers and soldiers assembled on the
river bank. A lieutenant who had perhaps imbibed too freely at the
bar shouted at the top of his voice, throwing his hat into the river as
the boat floated away.
Our next prominent landing was Fort Pierre, the main trading
post of the great Sioux nation. Here we found them assembled in
force, the entire tribe being present except one band, that of “Big
Head,” awaiting the arrival of Colonel Redfield, their agent. The river
bottom above the fort was dotted with their lodges as far as we could
see from the hurricane deck of the boat. The cabin would not
accommodate even the chiefs of this vast assemblage, so the
council was held in the open plain a short distance from the landing.
The chiefs were splendid-looking fellows when they got together,
hardly one among them less than six feet high. The Sioux then
mustered a larger number of stalwart, fine-looking, bronze-colored
men than could be assembled elsewhere on the continent. They
were then subdivided into eight bands, all present on that occasion
except the band of “Big Head,” the most unfriendly and hostile of the
Sioux. The previous year when Colonel Vaughn was their agent, Big
Head got mad at him, and while he was speaking, jerked the
spectacles off his nose, declaring that he allowed no man “to look at
him with two pair of eyes.”
The council with the Sioux continued the greater part of the day
with a great flow of Indian eloquence. A large quantity of goods was
brought from the boats and piled in heaps—enough, it seemed, to
stock a large wholesale house, but, in accepting the goods, the
Indians did not seem to show any pleasure, much less gratitude; on
the contrary, they looked about with their usual indifference as if they
felt they were being put under obligations not easily discharged. But
in truth little of their talk was understood by me, and less of their
actions.
The fur trade at Fort Pierre was more extensive than at any other
point on the river, and both the trading companies had many
employees residing there, and kept large stocks of goods. Here I
made the acquaintance of two young gentlemen, natives of St.
Louis, members of the forty or four hundred porcelain of that town,
now, however, on duty at the fort directing the Indian trade, and each
supporting two squaws, the mothers of several children. They
seemed in fine health and spirits, and enjoying life in spite of
isolation from refined society.
As the boat was leaving Fort Pierre, we gained a passenger that
would be a conspicuous person in any crowd from his unusual good
looks. Soon after coming on board he joined in the poker game,
being well known to all the upper river men. A man of twenty-five
years, tall, well built and remarkably handsome, a quarter-blood
Sioux, his mother being a half-blood, his father a Frenchman long a
resident of the Indian country, and who had given this son all the
advantages of a good education at some eastern college. He was
affable, agreeable and gentlemanly in his conduct, and I shall never
forget the man although I do not recall his name. He remained with
us only a few days, stopping off at a trading post some distance
above Fort Pierre.
At Fort Pierre we had another addition to our passengers in the
person of Colonel Vaughn’s Indian wife and children. The colonel,
being a widower when appointed by President Pierce agent for the
Sioux, married (according to the custom of the Indians) a member of
that tribe, and in the early spring she had accompanied the colonel
from the Blackfoot Agency, down the river on a keel-boat, to Fort
Pierre, where she had remained with some relatives awaiting the
colonel’s return. Being thus identified, Colonel Vaughn’s influence
and popularity with the Indians was greatly increased, and in fact so
thoroughly established that he remained at the agency on Sun River,
Montana, surrounded by Indians, without a guard and with perfect
safety.
A day or two after leaving Fort Pierre the boat was signalled by
Big Head and his band who came approaching the river from the
northeast, across a vast bottom prairie, and who were conspicuous
on account of their absence at the council at Fort Pierre, and this fact
was construed by the agent and others connected with the Indians
as an indication of his continued unfriendliness or possible open
hostility. The boat was steaming along against a strong current, but
near the shore, when this band was seen approaching, giving
signals for the boat to land, which the agent immediately ordered.
While the landing was being made, the band, several hundred in
number, had approached within two hundred yards of the river bank,
when they formed an irregular line and halting, fired towards us a
number of guns, the bullets from which went whistling through the air
above us. For a while it was thought they had attacked us, but in a
few moments it was discovered that this demonstration of fire arms
was intended as a salute for the agent. The boat having landed, Big
Head and his sub-chiefs and warriors came on board, assembled in
the cabin, where a council was duly organized. Big Head made a
great speech, in which he gave some excuse for not attending the
general council at Fort Pierre, claiming to be altogether peaceful and
friendly, and anxious to accept the annuities from the great father at
Washington. Big Head was a heavy built ugly Indian unlike most of
his tribe, who were generally tall, well proportioned, fine-looking
fellows.
Singularly enough, no buffalo were seen by us while ascending
the river in 1858. Several years later, in 1865, going up the river to
the mines in Montana, we saw great herds of them along the river for
more than a thousand miles, and killed as many as were needful to
supply the boats with meat. They were frequently found crossing the
river in such numbers as to prevent navigation of the boat.
Occasionally we would approach them massed under a bluff-bank,
after swimming the river, too steep to allow exit from the water, and
here they would stand or swim around in the water (accumulated
here from the opposite side of the river) exhausted and apparently
bewildered.
Under these circumstances, if we were in need of meat, the
captain would land the boat below them, the yawl-boat would be
lowered, manned with oarsmen, and a man provided with a rope and
butcher-knife, and rowed up to the heads of the animals as they
swam around. The rope would be tied around the horns, the buffalo
killed with the butcher-knife, the carcass floated down to the boat,
when the hoisting tackle would be attached to it and lifted aboard,
where it was handily skinned and quartered.
After we passed above that part of the river with which the pilots
were thoroughly acquainted, it was necessary to tie up at night, and
much time was consumed in cutting wood. The boat was also
delayed some time at Cedar Island, an island covered with a dense
grove of cedar, growing so thick that the trees were void of branches
or knots, forming excellent smooth poles that were used for various
purposes at the trading posts, and a great quantity of these poles
were cut and brought on board. This was the only island in the river
on which the growth was entirely cedar, and on this island the
Indians procured their lodge-poles.
On this part of the river one could sit on the deck of the boat and
enjoy the vast expanse of country, gradually sloping from the river to
the hills, miles in extent, generally monotonous to be sure, but
sublime in its vastness and simplicity. Here and there herds of deer

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