Abstract: Effects of climate change can already be observed in many regions of the world. The basin of the Paraná River, in South America, has been suffering an important drought since 2019 in the whole region. The extension of the crisis has increased the risks in the flora and fauna, losses in logistics of navigation, besides the problems of urban water cleansing. In this regard, the novel proposal presents a new mathematical model to study the impact of this crisis. Besides the traditional constraints of the literature for hydraulic systems, this paper enhances inventory constraints, connections with electric systems, and other considerations as the head effects in electricity generation. Because several equations related to electricity generation are nonlinear (which the subsequent computational effort impacts), this proposal applies linearization techniques to reduce CPU times. The core is related to hydropower production, and the consequences of the water crisis in the regional markets. The mathematical model analyzes the interrelationships between reservoirs and water flows of the basin. To study the effectiveness of the novel proposal, the reported situation of the basin of the Paraná River is studied by considering two scenarios (normal conditions of the river flow and the conditions related to the drought). Results show that the crisis implies daily net economic losses of about 7 million USD for the operators of the power plants. Other problems (different from the ones related to the energy field) are also mentioned and analyzed.

	© 2010 by the authors; licensee Growing Science, Canada. This is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the license. Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY)

Abstract: In this article, a multi-echelon supply chain for growing and deteriorating items, where the grower has a lot of live newborn items (growing) is discussed. The grower transfers the matured inventory to the processor in each shipment. The processor begins to process the stock as a ready-sale product in the market. The processor also delivers the processed inventory to the retailer in each shipment in the non-processing period of his cycle length. Then the processor offers trade credit to the retailer and makes the retailer agree to share a portion of his profit with him. The product’s life cycle when in the hand of the retailer is certain and it expires after some time t. Carbon emission during processing is considered while packing and preserving the livestock for sale. Depending on these assumptions, there are six possibilities to discuss profit values. Sensitivity analysis was also brought to verify the optimal determined values. The profit-sharing sharing method’s outcome benefits the processor and the retailer more.

	© 2010 by the authors; licensee Growing Science, Canada. This is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the license. Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY)

Abstract: This study sought to determine whether farm categories influence the key agro business supply chain metric of crop yield. The investigated farm categories are the communal farms, A1 farms, A2 farms, and commercial farms that reflect the agricultural structure that emerged from the post-fast-track land reform programme in Zimbabwe. Secondary data for crop yield was collected from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board publications of a five-year period spanning from 2014-2018. Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board is the regulatory authority of the Zimbabwean tobacco industry. The study used One-way ANOVA to test the specified hypotheses. A post hoc test was conducted using the Bonferroni procedure. The results indicated that crop yield is a function of the farm category. Communal farms had low crop yield, while A1 farm models proved to be very productive as evidenced by higher crop yield than any other farm category. A2 farms and commercial farms had unexpectedly low crop yield. The study recommended consolidation and transformation of communal areas into small-to-medium plots for the purposes of improving their agricultural viability, while at the same time downsizing the redundant A2 and commercial farms into small scale plots for the purposes of improving their efficiency. The study also recommended entering into resource-providing contract farming with A2 farmers whose current low yield might be due to lack of adequate input resources.

	© 2010 by the authors; licensee Growing Science, Canada. This is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the license. Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY)

Abstract: The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of supplier relationship management practices on organizational performance and competitive advantage of large manufacturing companies in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. The study employed an explanatory research design. A standardized five-point Likert scale questionnaire was administered to manufacturing companies' executives, top managers, and procurement managers. Structural equation modeling with the help of analysis of moment structure 23 is used to analyze the relationship between variables. The result reveals that supplier relationship management practices lead to enhancing organizational performance and competitive advantage. Also, competitive advantage significantly affects the performance of manufacturing companies. The study is limited by the effects of supplier relationship management practices on organization performance and competitive advantage over a quantitative research approach. Further, it only focused on large manufacturing companies in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. The study contributes evidence on the effects of supplier relationship management practices on organization performance and competitive advantage. Moreover, it helps the supply chain managers in large manufacturing companies to have a deeper understanding of supplier relationship management and its importance to organizational performance and competitive advantage.

	© 2010 by the authors; licensee Growing Science, Canada. This is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the license. Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY)

Abstract: To date, the use of three key aspects together has received little attention in studies on sustainable business models (SBMs). These aspects are a) the qualitative design of SBMs based on a valid sustainable business model canvas presented so far, b) the dynamic quantitative analysis of the designed SBMs, and c) the identification of appropriate business policies for different future scenarios, not just for one. Therefore, in this research, an attempt is made to study all three aspects by proposing a new practical framework based on one of the latest SBMs, called value triangular business model canvas (VTBMC), and system dynamics. To evaluate the proposed framework in the real world, it was implemented as a case study in Farassan Industrial and Manufacturing Company, one of the companies producing composite pipes. The results showed that the proposed framework helps business owners and managers identify the proper policies to achieve their key business objectives in the future under critical uncertainties and also create appropriate balanced values for a wide range of stakeholders, rather than just for shareholders.

	© 2010 by the authors; licensee Growing Science, Canada. This is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the license. Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY)

Abstract: The rapid expansion of Dubai and the United Arab United infrastructure in the Middle East over the past twenty years has resulted in a large accumulation of concrete waste in landfills and dumping sites. The subsequent hasty increase in the construction and demolition of the infrastructure has outstripped effective waste management facilities, posing a serious natural challenge. This concrete waste greatly endangers human health, property, and biological systems when buried. To find effective solutions to this issue, different waste management methods were researched and compared to find the most effective. This paper aims to differentiate the most appropriate waste management strategies and determine their impact on the environment. These methods included reducing the waste, reusing those wastes that can be reused, recycling, and disposal in landfills and government dumping sites. This paper opens the door for future studies to determine the impact indicators and specific waste management methods that substantially influence the environment and the cost of damage. In addition, a Life Cycle Cost Assessment (LCA) may be carried out to supplement this research and determine the financial benefits of the various specific waste management options and the cost of damages. The study predominantly assesses the different construction and demolition waste management strategies. It primarily adds valuable knowledge concerning these waste recycling management techniques and their environmental effect. This study also suggests directions for future exploration, such as identifying key impact indicators and management strategies that have a significant impact on the environment. Alternatively, LCA can complement the results by assessing the financial benefits of different physical waste management options. To sum up, the exponential growth of infrastructure in Dubai has led to a considerable challenge regarding concrete waste. The LCA-based comparison between landfill and recycling methods highlights the urgency of adopting sustainable waste management practices. This study not only broadens the understanding of damage cost models but also provides a comprehensive assessment of practical waste management options, contributing to informed decision-making to minimize environmental impact.

	© 2010 by the authors; licensee Growing Science, Canada. This is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the license. Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY)