Soft infrastructure requirements

The objective of Phase III is to select a set of desirable potential sites within each region where facilities are to be located. Sites should be selected based on an analysis of infrastructure availability to support the desired production methodologies. Hard infrastructure requirements include the availability of suppliers, transportation services, communication, utilities, and warehousing facilities. Soft infrastructure requirements include the availability of a skilled workforce, workforce turnover, and the community receptivity to business and industry. 

For a successful implementation of ECR, different requirements have to be met. First, the identification of strategic objectives by top-management and their internalization within the whole company is the starting point for the implementation of ECR and a sustainable development of a company (Mentzer et al, 2000 Homburg et al, 1997). The so-called 80 20-rule states that the soft facts such as human behaviour and, especially, the commitment of the management are relevant for the success rate of cooperation up to 80 percent. Merely 20 percent depend on the hard facts, such as resources and infrastructure (Von der Heydt, 1999). Different empirical studies emphasise the close relationship between the top-management involvement and conviction and the success of cooperation (Mentzer et al, 2000, Homburg et al, 1997). 

Loads from infrastructure such as roads and railways are relatively small compared to those of civil structures but they might have a more dynamic character. This makes it logical to consider specific (e.g. compaction) requirements for the top few metres of the fill at the dedicated locations only. However, additional measures to limit the magnitude of differential settlements may be required should the fill mass be placed on soft subsoil. 

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