Dr. Kurt Vollmer | Weeding Out the Competition: The Promise of Cover Crops in Sustainable Agriculture

Dr. Kurt Vollmer | Weeding Out the Competition: The Promise of Cover Crops in Sustainable Agriculture

As global agriculture faces increasing challenges from climate change, soil degradation, and herbicide resistance, sustainable practices are becoming more crucial than ever. Among these practices, the use of cover crops, a technique that has been gaining traction for its multiple benefits, stands out. Dr. Kurt Vollmer and his colleagues at the University of Maryland and Rutgers University have delved into this area, focusing on the potential of spring-seeded grass cover crops in improving weed management and crop yields, specifically in cucurbit production. Their research sheds light on how integrating cover crops with traditional farming techniques can lead to more sustainable and productive agricultural systems.

Dr. Luqi Ke – Prof. Dr. Qing Liu | Shipping Freight Rates: Mapping the progress of quantitative models

Dr. Luqi Ke – Prof. Dr. Qing Liu | Shipping Freight Rates: Mapping the progress of quantitative models

Freight rates are crucial in the shipping industry, underpinning the operations of shipowners, carriers, and trading companies. Over the past two decades, various studies have aimed to model these rates, employing various approaches to study different sectors of the shipping industry. A research team led by Qing Liu and Luqi Ke at the University of Hamburg presents a new review of these studies, which have important implications for the future of freight rate modelling.

Axel Marx | The successes of voluntary sustainability standards and the challenges they face

Axel Marx | The successes of voluntary sustainability standards and the challenges they face

Voluntary Sustainability Standards have emerged as influential tools to promote sustainable practices in global value chains and are becoming increasingly relevant in the context of new legislation by the European Union and other governments for the promotion of sustainable development. A comprehensive review led by Axel Marx at KU Leuven examines the evolution, impacts, and challenges of these standards, offering insights into their role in global governance and sustainable development.

US-China Trade War Tariffs: Unveiling the Hidden Costs to American Consumers

US-China Trade War Tariffs: Unveiling the Hidden Costs to American Consumers

An innovative study reveals how US tariffs on Chinese goods have disproportionately affected low-income American households, challenging the effectiveness of protectionist trade policies. Research from an international team of scholars, Professors Mingzhi Xu at Peking University, Hong Ma at Tsinghua University, Jingxin Ning at UIBE, and Luca Macedoni at Aarhus University, provides compelling evidence for the benefits of free trade and the often-overlooked costs of trade barriers.

Professor Benjamin Melamed | A Better Way to Measure the Inventory Turnover Ratio metric, a Key Performance Indicator for Businesses

Professor Benjamin Melamed | A Better Way to Measure the Inventory Turnover Ratio metric, a Key Performance Indicator for Businesses

Inventory management is a key activity in many organizations. Its performance is often measured by the inventory turnover ratio metric, or ITR for short. This is a key performance indicator that managers are incentivised to improve. However, improper measurement of the ITR metric can cause problems in terms of reliability, comparison, and bias. Professor Benjamin Melamed of Rutgers University has proposed novel formulations of Little’s Law. The traditional Little’s Law is used an as approximation of real-life measurement, whereas Melamed’s versions are exact and robust.

Marine Bardou | Quiet Early Bird or Loud Late Riser? Understanding the European Parliament’s Involvement in International Agreements

Marine Bardou | Quiet Early Bird or Loud Late Riser? Understanding the European Parliament’s Involvement in International Agreements

The European Parliament has the ability to play a key role in shaping the European Union’s international agreements. But how exactly does it get involved in these complex negotiations? Researcher Marine Bardou from the University of Louvain has conducted a comprehensive study to answer this question, revealing surprising patterns in the Parliament’s activities.