Data resource sharing can guarantee the reliable and safe operation of distribution power grid. However, it faces the challenges of low security and high delay in the sharing process. Consortium ...blockchain can ensure the security and efficiency of data resource sharing, but it still faces problems such as arbitrary master node selection and high consensus delay. In this paper, we propose an improved practical Byzantine fault tolerance (PBFT) consensus algorithm based on intelligent consensus node selection to realize high-security and real-time data resource sharing for distribution power grid. Firstly, a blockchain-based data resource sharing model is constructed to realize secure data resource storage by combining the consortium blockchain and interplanetary file system (IPFS). Then, the improved PBFT consensus algorithm is proposed to optimize the consensus node selection based on the upper confidence bound of node performance. It prevents Byzantine nodes from participating in the consensus process, reduces the consensus delay, and improves the security of data resource sharing. The simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
•Proposing a novel collaborative humanitarian relief chain design model.•Utilizing information- and resource-sharing as coordination mechanisms.•Developing a Lagrangian relaxation algorithm for ...solving large-scale problems.•Dealing with disruption risks by a scenario-based robust optimization approach.•Presenting a case study to represent the applicability of the proposed model.
Pre- and post-disaster relief operations often involve several humanitarian organizations (HOs) working simultaneously. Balanced and systemic resource-sharing schemes may enable HOs to collaborate effectively and conduct efficient relief operations. In this study, a novel two-stage stochastic model is developed which depends on information- and resource-sharing as coordination mechanisms to ensure proper relief operations while multiple HOs exist in the relief chain. A collaborative humanitarian relief chain (CHRC) consisting of several HOs is designed to make the required decisions on the ways in which relief items are procured, pre-positioned, and distributed pre- and post-disaster. The model is also tweaked to handle potential risks of disruption by an efficient approach. Furthermore, a Lagrangian relaxation algorithm is developed to solve large-scale problems. The performance of the proposed model is tested by being applied to a real-world disaster, namely the 2017 Kermanshah earthquake, in Iran. Several sensitivity analyses are performed to evaluate the applicability of the model and compare the performance of the collaborative decision-making approach proposed in this study to decentralized approaches. Lastly, a number of managerial insights are drawn from the findings.
Recently, the sharing economy has made a disruptive incursion into the tourism industry. Companies like Airbnb or Wimdu have successfully developed platforms that grant access to accommodation in ...private homes. However, it seems that conflicts with locals have arisen in different destinations. This study provides an explanatory model to show how the perception of the impacts of the activity influences residents’ attitudes and support. The model was examined using a sample of 1,088 residents in Tenerife (Spain). Results confirm that resident support is directly and positively affected by their perception of the social and cultural impacts, and especially by the economic impacts. It has not been possible to prove the influence of their perception of environmental impacts. Evidence has been gained that perceptions strongly depend on whether locals benefit personally from the activity, and to a lesser extent on their attitude toward the sharing economy and on the state of the local economy.
Models describing the biotic drivers that create and maintain biological diversity within trophic levels have focused primarily on negative interactions (i.e. competition), leaving marginal room for ...positive interactions (i.e. facilitation). We show facilitation to be a ubiquitous driver of biodiversity by first noting that all species use resources and thus change the local biotic or abiotic conditions, altering the available multidimensional niches. This can cause a shift in local species composition, which can cause an increase in beta, and sometimes alpha, diversity.Weshow that these increases are ubiquitous across ecosystems. These positive effects on diversity occur via a broad host of disparate direct and indirect mechanisms. We identify and unify several of these facilitative mechanisms and discuss why it has been easy to underappreciate the importance of facilitation.Weshow that net positive effects have a long history of being considered ecologically or evolutionarily unstable, and we present recent evidence of its potential stability. Facilitation goes well beyond the common case of stress amelioration and it probably gains importance as community complexity increases. While biodiversity is, in part, created by species exploiting many niches, many niches are available to exploit only because species create them.
•We address resource sharing among competing suppliers under disruptions.•An evolutionary game formulates dynamics of interactions between suppliers.•A hybrid agent-based and system dynamics ...framework is built using AnyLogic.•Initial tendency of suppliers is a key driver for stable cooperation.•Suppliers are less willing to share valuable resources.
Resource sharing is a flexible recovery strategy that has attracted attention with the outbreak of global disruption. Horizontal cooperation could lead to mutual benefits and reduce the negative consequences during the recovery period. This paper emphasizes the advantages of sharing resources between two competing suppliers under disruption. Suppliers share a secure source of inventory to absorb the shocks of disruption. The stability of relationships between suppliers is sensitive to several factors. Accordingly, an evolutionary game model is developed followed by a replicator dynamic analysis to study the stability of strategies under disruption scenarios. A hybrid agent-based system dynamics framework is built using AnyLogic software to simulate the relationships, interactions, and the effect of parameters in the adopted strategies of suppliers. Compared with mutual incentives and penalty costs, findings indicate that the value of secure resources and the number of shortages have higher impacts on the stability of cooperation. A higher rate of shortages could undermine collaboration. Results show that the initial mindset of suppliers to follow a collaborative approach is a key driver for the stable implementation of collaborative resource sharing. This paper highlights the benefits of implementing new technologies to improve supply flexibility through horizontal integration with competitors.
•Study collaborative mechanisms in a 2E-CMDPVRP with resource sharing.•Establish a multi-objective optimization model for the 2E-CMDPVRP.•Design a hybrid heuristic algorithm that combines 3D k-means ...and IR-NSGA-III.•Explore synchronization and coalition sequences in the 2E-CMDPLN.•Conduct a practical study to show the applicability of proposed approach.
Collaboration among logistics operators offers an effective way to improve customer service and freight transportation efficiency. One form of collaboration is the sharing of logistics resources (e.g., delivery vehicles). Existing studies on collaboration and resource sharing have not sufficiently accounted for the time frame within which collaboration happens, and they mostly assume that collaboration among logistics operators occurs in a single time period. This study addresses the issue of collaboration across multiple time periods, in which logistics resources can be shared between different service time periods, by formulating and solving a two-echelon collaborative multi-depot multi-period vehicle routing problem (2E-CMDPVRP). The 2E-CMDPVRP is formulated as a multi-objective integer programming model that minimizes logistics operational costs, service waiting times, and number of vehicles in multiple service periods. A hybrid heuristic algorithm with three-dimensional k-means clustering and improved reference point-based non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-III (IR-NSGA-III) is proposed to solve the multi-objective optimization model. Comparative analysis results show that the proposed IR-NSGA-III outperforms existing algorithms in terms of the minimization of logistics operational costs, service waiting times, and number of vehicles. The minimum costs remaining saving method and strictly monotonic path selection principle are combined to determine the best profit allocation schemes and the optimal coalition sequences. An empirical case study of a multi-depot multi-period logistics network in Chongqing, China, is used to validate the proposed model and solution algorithm. Results suggest that the proposed collaborative mechanism with multi-depot and multi-period resource sharing can improve the degree of synchronization within a collaborative logistics network, and thus contribute to sustainable development of urban logistics distribution networks.
The proliferation of compute-intensive services in next-generation vehicular networks will impose an unprecedented computation demand to meet stringent latency and resource requirements. Vehicular ...edge or fog computing has been a widely adopted solution to enhance the computational capacity of vehicular networks; however, the computation requirements of these compute hungry applications will surpass the capabilities of such a solution. To address this challenge, the on-board resources of neighboring mobile vehicles can be utilized. However, such resource utilization requires an incentive mechanism to motivate privately owned neighboring vehicles to participate in sharing their resources. In this paper, we propose a contract theory-based incentive mechanism that maximizes the social welfare of the vehicular networks by motivating neighboring vehicles to participate in sharing their resources. The proposed approach enables the Road Side Units (RSUs) to provide appropriate rewards by offering a tailored contract to each resource sharing vehicle based on their contribution and unique characteristics. Moreover, we derive an optimal contract scheme for computational task offloading, taking into account the individual rationality and incentive-compatible constraints. Finally, we perform numerical evaluations to demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed scheme. The proposed scheme achieves up to 28% higher computing resource utilization, 17.2% lower energy consumption per computing resource utilization, and 17.1% lesser energy consumption per task completed when compared to the linear pricing incentive baseline.
Abstract Local governments have the authority to implement emergency management and are the primary responders in emergencies. They are strategically positioned to lead the charge in disaster ...response. Similar to other wicked problems, disasters require comprehensive and complicated responses. Local emergency management networks facilitate the exchange of information and resources between local entities and their collaborating partners. Successful collaboration across local governments is imperative in unexpected and urgent incidents. This paper applies the institutional collective action (ICA) framework to investigate the effects of relational risk and vulnerability on the formation of networks. The relational risk perceived by each collaborative organisation and the vulnerability of the community are crucial factors in the establishment and maintenance of collaborative networks. In addition, the need for resource exchange also affects the formation of networks. Logistic regression estimates the effect of collaboration risk and vulnerability on network formation using data from the 2015 Seoul EM survey. The findings confirm that the perceived collaboration risk negatively influences the establishment of collaborative ties in networks, while the perceived vulnerability level positively affects the arrangement of collaborative networks. In addition, the respondent's need for resource exchange increases when building networks. These results imply that relieving the relational risk levels is important for facilitating inter‐organisational collaboration. Furthermore, the actors’ assessments of the vulnerability of the community influence their willingness to join networks to relieve external uncertainty and susceptibility. Lastly, organisations’ give‐and‐take relationships on information sharing and physical resource transmission have the potential to stimulate the establishment of collaborative networks. Points for practitioners Sustainable interconnectedness among functionally and horizontally fragmented organisations is crucial for dealing with disasters efficiently, but it does not come solely from emergency management planning itself. Understanding the risk mechanism embedded in an interdependent relationship should increase the potential benefits of a successful response. The degree of vulnerability in a community affects the level of risk perception when collaborating with other organisations. Beyond the internal capacity or assessment of their organisation, how they view their community in general influences their decision‐making differently when it comes to forging inter‐relational collaboration. Resource sharing in a timely manner is crucial during disasters. Each organisation has different negotiating powers and needs to consider building interdependent relationships.
•Conduct multi-methodological empirical research.•Explore how the COVID-19 pandemic has re-shaped B2B buyer–supplier relationships.•Reveal that dependency on supply chain partners increases if supply ...materials are scarce.•Show the importance of ethical standards and candid relationships in developing ethical perceptions.•Demonstrate how “propensity for collaboration” acts as a mediator.
In business-to-business (B2B) operations, prior studies have mainly explored transaction-based relationships with both buyers and suppliers opportunistic behaviors, driven largely by their intent to maximize their own benefits. These studies have also found that dependency on partners increases when supply materials are scarce. However, research is scant on how this relationship changes in the face of exogenous forces such as the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping in mind the ethical perception considerations. This study aims to bridge this gap in the literature by studying how buyers and sellers leverage collaboration and resource-sharing to tide over pandemic-like situations similar to the current COVID-19 pandemic while considering their ethical perceptions. We conduct a multi-methodological study consisting of an industrial survey and an interview-based thematic analysis. In the first phase, we collect primary data using a structured questionnaire and conduct a covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) analysis. In the second phase, we conduct a post-hoc test. We find that non-regular suppliers will share strategic resources with buyers during uncertain times (e.g. COVID-19 pandemic) if they have a high ethical perception of the buying firm and share a candid relationship despite being their irregular customers. Our findings propose that B2B firms should maintain healthy relationships with alternative suppliers to build trust and avoid supply crises in times of disruptions.