http://hdl.handle.net/2268.2/11095 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:18:57 GMT 2026-04-17T00:18:57Z http://hdl.handle.net/2268.2/25214 Title: Research-Thesis: Sustainability Challenges in the FMCG Sector: Evaluating the Role of Embellishment as a Solution for Short-Lifecycle Products and Waste Reduction Abstract: FMCG sector is known for its short-lifecycle aspect, high promotional intensity and growing pressure regarding sustainability. In this context, embellishment involves late-stage packaging and product reconfiguration performed on already produced products. Although used in practice, embellishment is generally missing from academic studies. The thesis fills this gap by anchoring embellishment to the existing literature on contract packaging. This study provides a conceptualisation of embellishment, analyse its relation to short-lifecycle products management and its impact on sustainability. A qualitative and exploratory research was performed, based on six semi-structured interviews with FMCG professionals regarding embellishment and contract packaging operations. The data were analysed with a deductive-inductive thematic analysis that focused on four research themes directly linked to the gaps of the literature review. The findings indicate that embellishment is equivalent (empirically) to contract packaging. It is an intermediary step between manufacturing and distribution in the supply chain. It provides late-stage flexibility, allowing companies to respond to volatile demand, adapt promotional volumes, and avoid obsolescence by reworking existing inventory in some cases. However, this flexibility is constrained by structural limits, including forecast inaccuracies, shelf-life, and minimum order quantities. Concerning sustainability, embellishment creates trade-offs. Although it prevents economic or environmental waste by saving products from destruction and recovering value from at-risk stocks, it increases use of material, packaging, energy and transport. Socially, embellishment offers inclusion and employment but causes physically demanding and seasonal-dependent work. Moreover, sustainability performance is not measured, and circular practices are reactive as well as upstream-oriented. In conclusion, embellishment is not a fully sustainable solution. Rather, it is a mechanism allowing companies to mitigate short-lifecycle risks through increased flexibility and reduction of waste. Nevertheless, such benefits are being counterbalanced by further use of materials, energy, and low circularity, meaning sustainability problems are often displaced rather than directly resolved. Tue, 13 Jan 2026 23:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2268.2/25214 2026-01-13T23:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2268.2/24367 Title: Challenges and Strategies in Managing the Blood Supply Chain in Belgium: A Critical Assessment of Risks and Proposal of Solutions Abstract: Ensuring the availability, safety, and timely delivery of blood products is a public health imperative. In Belgium, the blood supply chain operates under increasing pressure due to demographic shifts, growing regulatory complexity, digital transitions, and economic constraints. These pressures challenge the resilience of a system that remains vital to hospital care and emergency response. This thesis aims to critically assess the main risks threatening the Belgian blood supply chain and to identify actionable strategies for mitigating them. Combining a structured literature review with empirical fieldwork, the research draws on semi-structured interviews and risk-ranking questionnaires conducted with two pivotal actors: a regional blood collection center and a hospital blood bank. The findings reveal a set of interrelated major vulnerabilities, including potential cybersecurity breaches, shortages linked to supply chain disruptions, the lack of consolidated visibility of hospital inventories, as well as human errors and administrative overload. These key risks were analyzed using qualitative risk matrices tailored to each institutional actor, enabling a nuanced understanding of their criticality and systemic impact. To address these issues, the study formulates a dual-layered set of recommendations. First, several solutions emerge directly from field insights: securing donor engagement, building buffer stocks, strengthening operational redundancies, and reducing human error through training and protocol reinforcement. Second, complementary strategies are drawn from sectors facing similar challenges, such as defense and retail. These include predictive modeling for inventory flows, algorithm-based redistribution systems, Zero Trust cybersecurity frameworks, and RFID-based automation of administrative processes. Rather than offering a prescriptive solution, this thesis advocates a systemic and anticipatory approach to transfusion governance, viewing the blood supply chain as an interdependent network rather than a linear chain. By doing so, it contributes to both academic knowledge and practical reflection, offering a foundation for future innovation in policy, operations, and coordination across the healthcare ecosystem. Sun, 31 Aug 2025 22:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2268.2/24367 2025-08-31T22:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2268.2/22937 Title: Exploratory research: The Optimization of warehousing operations for increased efficiency and cost reduction. A case study of Decathlon's Warehouse Abstract: This thesis explores how to optimize warehouse operations to improve efficiency and reduce costs, using Decathlon’s warehouse in Morocco as a case study. The research followed an exploratory approach, combining interviews, field observation, and internal data analysis. Each warehouse process was examined step by step to identify key issues and suggest targeted improvements. Solutions focused on reducing costs—especially in the picking process—through better labor planning, information sharing, and the introduction of a third shift. Some investment was also recommended to expand storage capacity and handle peak periods more effectively. To support these proposals, several analytical tools were used, including RACI, SWOT, risk, and shift matrices. Warehouse performance was also benchmarked against global standards such as the WERC metrics, and Frazzelle’s performance model was used to structure the efficiency evaluation Thu, 19 Jun 2025 22:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2268.2/22937 2025-06-19T22:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/2268.2/22904 Title: Analysis of the potential use of smart packaging to improve the management of industrial hazardous waste. Abstract: Hazardous waste poses a significant risk to human health and the environment, if it is not managed properly. In the European Union, industrial sectors generate most of this waste, and ensuring its proper handling involves several stages, from identification to final disposal. Despite strict regulations, important challenges remain, including traceability issues, illegal practices, regulatory complexities, and accidents during transport. Smart packaging technologies could be a valuable solution to these challenges. Already widely used in sectors such as food and pharmaceuticals, smart packaging incorporates sensors, indicators and other tools to enhance safety and quality throughout the supply chain. This thesis aims to investigate the potential use of smart packaging in the management of industrial hazardous waste. Thu, 19 Jun 2025 22:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2268.2/22904 2025-06-19T22:00:00Z