No abstract

This study aimed to assess the impact of the increase in the United States (US) ethanol production from corn, between 2000 and 2012, and extendedly in the broiler production. A comparative production analysis of the three commodities production in the US and Brazil was given in order to understand the effect on their supply chains. Results indicated that the increase in the US ethanol production was not followed by the local corn and broiler production. Reflexes of the increase in US ethanol production were found in Brazilian broiler production since the corn supply was historically dependent of the US supply. We have also found an excellent opportunity for Brazilian corn production increase with a direct result in ethanol and broiler production since further logistics, and infrastructure solutions are given.

ABSTRACT:Although frequently used interchangeably, the concepts of supply chain and production chain are considered in this study as two distinct and complementary theoretical frameworks for the conception of a data-mapping model titled SCMap -Supply Chain Map. The model's objective is to identify and assess real chains of companies and products. An application in the agribusiness sector, starting with a specific sugarcane processing plant and the biofuel ethanol is performed. The SCMap establishes a structured and integrated manner of linking products and companies, considering three different categories of relationships: (1) between companies -supply chain approach; (2) between products -production chain approach, and; (3) between companies and products -regarding commercial practices in the corporate environment. Grounded on Graph Theory and Social Network Analysis -SNA, the software UCINET and NetDraw application are used to draw the maps and quantitatively assess the centrality of each company and product relative to the whole chain.

Brazilian housing industry is a sector that employs a large number of workers without specific technical skill or training. This contributes to the increase in waste of materials due to the limited use of new technologies. The workers low education level interferes in an effort to enhance and improve the sustainability indices in Brazil, in this business chain, which grew up about 4% per year, in the last two years. This study aimed to analyze the issues related to the sustainability of Brazilian housing industry. We compared the data from developed and developing countries, and results indicated that the amount of waste generated by residential constructions is positively correlated to illiteracy. Data on overall waste range from 10 to 30%, depending on the region, and most of it is related to lack of labor training. Improvements in this sector are needed in order to meet the sustainability demand.

Energy and food are two issues of fundamental importance in the scenario of global production and consumption. This study seeks to describe, measure and analyze the interrelationship between the results of global commodity chains of corn, ethanol and broiler. We considered the interconnectivity through the chains inputs and outputs within the production of both food and biofuel. Based on the production of the three commodities in the United States and Brazil, the Social Network Analysis (SNA) metrics was used to calculate quantitative indicators of centrality (outdegree and indegree) of the products in relation to each other. The study allowed the identification of degree indices for each product at three different times over a period of twelve years. Results indicated the importance and evolution of the relationship between the outputs of each commodity chain throughout the studied period.