The magnitude of a product recall: offshore outsourcing vs. captive offshoring effects

The escalation in product recalls in recent years is attributed to the rise of globalisation and associated challenges of offshoring. Extant SCM research suggests that product recalls have a significant negative impact on financial performance, but gaps exist relative to the managerial actions to minimise their impact. Recall response strategies have become more important in the press, given that a single recall may result in the mandatory withdrawal of millions of products from the market, with firms incurring enormous logistics costs and brand damage. In this study, we address this gap in the research, and using a measure of product recall defined as the volume of products withdrawn from the market due to product quality failure. We explore the scale of the recall in the context of pharmaceutical sector global sourcing strategies, exploring whether the variation in global sourcing decisions not only increases the likelihood of a recall, but also influences the capability to minimise the total cost of recall. Our results suggest that offshore outsourcing and captive offshoring have opposite effects in terms of their influence on the magnitude of product recall. We summarise the implications through a compelling set of insights for future global sourcing strategy research themes.     

Effects of adsorbed heat labile serum proteins and fibrinogen on adhesion and apoptosis of monocytes/macrophages on biomaterials

A previously established human monocyte culture protocol was used to determine the effects of varying adsorbed proteins on monocyte/macrophage adhesion and survival on dimethyl-silane (DM) or RGD modified glass coverslips. Cells were allowed to adhere for 2 h in the absence of protein or in the presence of serum, fibrinogen (Fg), heat inactivated serum (HIS), serum supplemented with Fg or HIS with Fg. Cell adhesion and apoptosis rates were determined on days 0 (2 h), 3, 7 and 10 of culture. The presence of serum alone in the initial culture was sufficient to optimize monocyte/macrophage adhesion and survival rates. Adding Fg to serum did not increase adhesion nor decrease apoptotic rates. No protein or the addition of HIS during the initial incubation period significantly decreased monocyte/macrophage adhesion and survival on both surfaces, however, the addition of Fg to HIS restored adhesion and survival rates to those seen with in the presence of serum alone on RGD surfaces. These studies demonstrate that monocyte/macrophage adhesion and survival on biomaterial surfaces are optimized by adsorbed heat labile serum proteins while adsorbed Fg plays a surface property-dependent role.     

Ultrasensitive detection of nitrogen oxides over a nanoporous membrane

A nitrogen oxide (NO(x); x = 1, 2) optical sensor with an extremely low detection limit in the range of fractions of ppbV (0.3 ppbV for 20 s sample injection) is presented. Phenylenediamine derivatives are utilized as molecular probes in the solid state on a nanoporous membrane to produce a miniaturized and low cost sensing platform for use as a wearable personal monitor.     

Problems with contracting out government services: lessons from orderly services at SCGH

This paper identifies and discusses the problems associatedwith contracting out labor-intensive government services. Itexamines in detail the contracting out of the orderly serviceat Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (SCGH) in Western Australiaand its subsequent return to in-house delivery. When the orderlyservice was contracted out, the result was poor in terms ofcost, quality and externalities. Subsequent return of the serviceto in-house provision reduced costs and improved quality. Theproblems that led to failure of contracting out and subsequentsuccess of in-house provision can be explained in terms of transactioncost economics.