This thesis studies the factors that influence physical distribution structure design. Distribution Structure Design (DSD) concerns the spatial layout of the distribution channel as well as the location(s) of logistics facilities. Despite the frequent treatment of DSD in supply chain handbooks, an empirically validated conceptual framework of factors is still lacking. This thesis studies DSD in multiple industry sectors (Fashion, Consumer Electronics, Online Retail) and proposes a conceptual framework.
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Distribution structures and distribution centre (DC) locations are essential for logistics companies to optimise logistics costs and service levels. This paper reviews Supply Chain Management (SCM), Geography and Economic Geographic literature on distribution structure and DC locations decision-making. Two central decision-making elements are discussed: process steps and decision-making factors. Added value of our paper is 1) A literature review 2) Conclusions on the state of current scientific knowledge in three research streams 3) A research agenda. Reviewing literature shows decision-making factors are renowned, however, importance of factors in each process step is unknown. Results also show literature diverges on which process steps logistics companies take (descriptive) or should optimally take (prescriptive) in distribution structure and DC location decision-making. Thus, more research is needed. Developing a descriptive conceptual model and testing on several industry sectors will be valuable to understand differences on distribution structure and DC location decision-making.
The World Health Organization engages cities and communities all over the world in becoming age-friendly. There is a need for assessing the age-friendliness of cities and communities by means of a transparently constructed and validated tool which measures the construct as a whole. The aim of this study was to develop a questionnaire measuring age-friendliness, providing full transparency and reproducibility. The development and validation of the Age Friendly Cities and Communities Questionnaire (AFCCQ) followed the criteria of the COnsensus-based Standards for selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN). Four phases were followed: (1) development of the conceptual model, themes and items; (2) initial (qualitative) validation; (3) psychometric validation, and (4) translating the instrument using the forward-backward translation method. This rigorous process of development and validation resulted in a valid, psychometrically sound, comprehensive 23-item questionnaire. This questionnaire can be used to measure older people’s experiences regarding the eight domains of the WHO Age-Friendly Cities model, and an additional financial domain. The AFCCQ allows practitioners and researchers to capture the age-friendliness of a city or community in a numerical fashion, which helps monitor the age-friendliness and the potential impact of policies or social programmes. The AFCCQ was created in Dutch and translated into British-English. CC-BY Original article: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186867 (This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers "Age-Friendly Cities & Communities: State of the Art and Future Perspectives") https://www.dehaagsehogeschool.nl/onderzoek/lectoraten/details/urban-ageing#over-het-lectoraat Extra: Vragenlijst bijlage / Questionnaire attachement
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As electric loads in residential areas increase as a result of developments in the areas of electric vehicles, heat pumps and solar panels, among others, it is becoming increasingly likely that problems will develop in the electricity distribution grid. This research will analyse different solutions to such problems to determine Using a model developed as part of this project, we will simulate various cases to determine under which circumstances load balancing at a community-level is more (cost) effective than alternative solutions (e.g. grid reinforcement and/or household batteries).
The pipelines are buried structures. They move together with the soil during a seismic event. They are affected from ground motions. The project aims to find out the possible effects of Groningen earthquakes on pipelines of Loppersum and Slochteren.This project is devised for conducting an initial probe on the available data to see the possible actions that can be taken, initially on these two pilot villages, Loppersum and Slochteren, for detecting the potential relationship between the past damages and the seismic activity.Lifeline infrastructure, such as water mains and sewerage systems, covering our urbanised areas like a network, are most of the times, sensitive to seismic actions. This sensitivity can be in the form of extended damage during seismic events, or other collateral damages, such as what happened in Christchurch Earthquakes in 2011 in New Zealand when the sewerage system of the city was filled in with tonnes of sand due to liquefaction.Regular damage detection is one of key solutions for operational purposes. The earthquake mitigation, however, needs large scale risk studies with expected spatial distribution of damages for varying seismic hazard levels.
The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is a delicacy fish and an integral part of the Dutch culinary history. However, the stock of adult eel has decreased significantly due to a precipitous recruitment of glass eel fall. This relates to multiple factors including obstacles in migration pathways, loss of habitat and chemical pollution. Consequently, Anguilla anguilla has become a critically endangered species and is protected under European legislation. One possible solution, explored on laboratory scale, is the captive reproduction of eels and growth of glass eel in aquaculture. A big challenge of this technique is the limiting aspect of possible nutrients for the eels in the larval stage, as the diet must be delivered in micrometric capsules (< 20 µm) with a high protein content. Such diets are not yet available on the market. Electrohydrodynamic atomization (EHDA) is a novel option to prepare a micro-diet suitable for eel larvae. EHDA is especially interesting for its narrow size distribution capabilities and for applications which require submicrometric sizes. This project aims to evaluate the use of EHDA to produce high protein content micrometric size capsules for feeding larval eels. If successful, this would assist in the captivity production of glass eel and to make the eel culture independent of wild catches, restoring the culinary market. The project will be conducted in two phases. Firstly, tests will be conducted to evaluate the necessary conditions of the capsules using EHDA. Subsequently, the obtained capsules will be tested as feed for eel larvae. The main objective is to favour the development of a more sustainable eel culture, regarding the possibilities of investigating the current fish in natura option and exchanging it for a captivity one.
