The first paper, "Lean Manufacturing and Performance Measures: Evidence from Japanese Factories" by Kohei Arai, investigates the relationship between information asymmetry and both financial and non-financial performance measures in the context of lean accounting. They used survey data from 135 random Japanese manufacturing factories to construct a structural equation model. The study results indicate that lean manufacturing increases information asymmetry through the delegation of authority to employees. The author indicates that increased use of financial measures encourages the adoption of shop floor accounting systems, such as microprofit centers or value stream costing, and promotes the use of simplified management accounting practices. The study emphasized that increased utilization of non-financial measures facilitates the use of simplified management accounting practices and visual performance measures. The findings suggest that the delegation of authority in lean manufacturing causes information asymmetry and clarified why management accounting practices such as lean accounting are effective in lean manufacturing.

The second paper, "The Impact of 5S Practices on the Performance of Manufacturing Industry: An Empirical Investigation" by Jagdeep Singh, Harwinder Singh and Pardeep Singh, discusses about the 5S approach of workplace organization. The study has been carried out in the context of manufacturing industry of Punjab to determine the role of 5S practices towards performance improvement, using questionnaire survey to analyze the various aspects of 5S practices in initiatives, including top management involvement, employee involvement, etc. 5S initiatives in the context of manufacturing industry are assessed and studied to investigate its role towards performance improvement. Using structural equation modeling, they have studied the linkages, besides checking the reliability and also discriminant validity of constructs. The authors have also portrayed the various descriptive statistics attributed to assess the important benefits occurred therein. The study results indicate that 5S practices significantly contributed towards performance improvement by achieving benefits.

The third paper, "Urban Freight Operations: Exploring the Role of Regulatory Measures in an Energy Transition Context" by Gilles Pach? and Christian Morel, focuses in particular on city logistics in Europe, showing that local authorities now rely on coercive power to develop powerful sustainable strategies, including the implementation of Low Emission Zones (LEZs). The paper highlights that interventionism of the public sphere is an essential element of the energy transition that must be analyzed and taken into consideration to help decision-makers improve their operations management. The study adds a very different dimension and defines energy transition as the transformation of the system of production, distribution and consumption of energy carried out in a territory in order to make it more ecological. The paper draws attention to the fact that inseparable from sustainable development, energy transition contributes to the fight against global warming, not only through the implementation of changes based on innovative technologies, but also and above all on new political orientations. Though positioned away from the traditional prelims of operations, this paper puts forth a new dimension to the understanding of operations aimed at replacing fossil or nuclear energy sources with other sources of energy that are considered clean, thereby reducing overall energy consumption through changes in practices and uses, so as to improve the environment in which people live. Though the contributions of this paper are through the stated objectives, which may be of interest to the general public, certain points will be of significant importance to logistics firms, thereby making the study all the more relevant in the context of logistics operations.

These three unique studies, carried out at three corners of the globe, highlight the thrust areas and enhancement directions of awareness and attempts globally, towards achieving a sustainable and optimized operations backdrop, envisioned through minimization of wastages, optimization of lean production and conservation of non-renewable resources through shifting to greener means.