Improving the efficiency and effectiveness along the whole supply chain, eg, optimizing logistics network design and performance, is clearly a strategic issue. That must be done mainly by optimizing the existing capacity of networks using new business models (doing business differently). Even if technical tools are required, the main focus should be put on cooperative business models. Technological tools should be properly conceived as means required to orchestrate (efficiently and effectively) flows along the whole chains involving a plurality of actors through a cooperative approach. A vision is required in which all the actors of the logistics chain can concretely cooperate and share benefits in the most transparent way. The ultimate goal is to develop DSSs based on “transparency” of logistics information along the chain and among actors so as to reach an ultimate optimization of the whole logistics performance by sharing benefits among different actors (to assess the trade-offs between costs and service at the level of the whole chain). New business models must be designed using a cooperative framework for logistics performance and impacts assessment. Supply and logistics network optimization mainly relies on lots of “smart” tools and methodologies. However, our main assumption in developing the new concept of “sensible logistics” is that the decision-making process in the logistics and supply chain field is heavily determined by “behaviours”. Taking a social sciences point out how we aim at pointing out how relevant and determinant wrong behaviours (“worst practices”) are in explaining the overall decision-making processes performance. Very often, the under performance of the logistics and supply chains (eg, higher costs) lies in “non-sensible” behaviours, rather than in “technical” constraints management (for instance, ICT tools usage). Inefficiency depends on such “micro” behaviours that ultimately influence the inefficiency of logistics systems and supply networks at a macro scale (e.g. at EU level) originating negative economic, social and environmental impacts. Normally, logisticians and supply managers tolerate (or bear..) such inefficiencies. Should we try to eventually reverse these trends? Through the “sensible logistics” approach – which calls for a “liberation” of logistics and supply chain - we would expect such inefficiencies to be fought through crude numbers’ analyses, thereby putting logistics and supply network finally at the core of the decision-making process. We need to develop innovative tools and DSSs based on methodologies using sampling procedures that starting from the analysis and mapping of the logistics and supply chains (requirements, etc.) would come up with building a series of KPIs of how “sensible” logistics chains are. Analyses can (shall) be performed by industry sectors and/or by size in terms of sales and must be based on pilot actions showing (the frequency of) non-sensible behaviours. We need to define a database/taxonomy of “non-sensible” behaviours producing inefficiency at a logistics chain level and therefore at a larger scale. New “cooperative” business models (and proper technical tools) should be then defined based on the target of optimizing the whole logistics chain performance.

Sensible logistics: discovering supply network opportunities hidden behind people behaviors

MAZZARINO, MARCO;
2011-01-01

Abstract

Improving the efficiency and effectiveness along the whole supply chain, eg, optimizing logistics network design and performance, is clearly a strategic issue. That must be done mainly by optimizing the existing capacity of networks using new business models (doing business differently). Even if technical tools are required, the main focus should be put on cooperative business models. Technological tools should be properly conceived as means required to orchestrate (efficiently and effectively) flows along the whole chains involving a plurality of actors through a cooperative approach. A vision is required in which all the actors of the logistics chain can concretely cooperate and share benefits in the most transparent way. The ultimate goal is to develop DSSs based on “transparency” of logistics information along the chain and among actors so as to reach an ultimate optimization of the whole logistics performance by sharing benefits among different actors (to assess the trade-offs between costs and service at the level of the whole chain). New business models must be designed using a cooperative framework for logistics performance and impacts assessment. Supply and logistics network optimization mainly relies on lots of “smart” tools and methodologies. However, our main assumption in developing the new concept of “sensible logistics” is that the decision-making process in the logistics and supply chain field is heavily determined by “behaviours”. Taking a social sciences point out how we aim at pointing out how relevant and determinant wrong behaviours (“worst practices”) are in explaining the overall decision-making processes performance. Very often, the under performance of the logistics and supply chains (eg, higher costs) lies in “non-sensible” behaviours, rather than in “technical” constraints management (for instance, ICT tools usage). Inefficiency depends on such “micro” behaviours that ultimately influence the inefficiency of logistics systems and supply networks at a macro scale (e.g. at EU level) originating negative economic, social and environmental impacts. Normally, logisticians and supply managers tolerate (or bear..) such inefficiencies. Should we try to eventually reverse these trends? Through the “sensible logistics” approach – which calls for a “liberation” of logistics and supply chain - we would expect such inefficiencies to be fought through crude numbers’ analyses, thereby putting logistics and supply network finally at the core of the decision-making process. We need to develop innovative tools and DSSs based on methodologies using sampling procedures that starting from the analysis and mapping of the logistics and supply chains (requirements, etc.) would come up with building a series of KPIs of how “sensible” logistics chains are. Analyses can (shall) be performed by industry sectors and/or by size in terms of sales and must be based on pilot actions showing (the frequency of) non-sensible behaviours. We need to define a database/taxonomy of “non-sensible” behaviours producing inefficiency at a logistics chain level and therefore at a larger scale. New “cooperative” business models (and proper technical tools) should be then defined based on the target of optimizing the whole logistics chain performance.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11578/92488
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