Research activities

Research project:

Background

The introduction of new logistic concepts were mainly focused from a monodisciplinary view. This means that certain aspects of the logistic concept were not fully investigated for environmental, safety or spatial use. The inconviences caused by these omitted factors could be a reason for a complete redesign or disappearance of the logistic concept. In connection with the omitted factors the introduction of a logistic concept generates also a politic arena formed by the strategic behaviour of the stakeholders involved. The distribution of information about the new logistic concept is an essential part for the stakeholders attitudes and perceptions. Ignorance of a multidisciplinary (side-)effects and the impact of strategic behaviour of the stakeholders have been made demonstrable by a critical review of the introduction of the city distribution concept in the Netherlands.

Problem definition

Is it possible to develop a theoretical generic framework of performance indicators which interrelate the disciplines logistics, environment, safety and spatial organization? The difficulty of this question is the way how to interrelate specific performance indicators. Election of expert rules, application of description methods, case analyses must provide the interrelations between the performance indicators. The primary aim to develop such a framework is to define the theoretical contents and contours of a new logistic concept, to foresee some implications and through the provision of adequate information generating improvements on the initial concept. The second question in this research is which performance indicators are found to be important by the development of a logistic concept? Which performance indicators are the key factors for the general commitment by the stakeholders? Knowing these main performance indicators for specific stakeholders gives in advance the opportunity to identify common interests and contrasts between stakeholders. Finally the last question leads to the investigation how to integrate the theoretical multidisciplinary framework and the stakeholder key-factor analysis into a methodology which will contribute to decision making with shorter lead-time and better decision quality.

Approach

On the basis of comparative theoretical study of design concepts in the disciplines logistics, environments, safety and spatial organization the primary performance indicators will be specified. As a part of action research the stakeholder-analysis (DANA, Dynamic Actor Network Analysis) will be carried out for some logistic renewal projects (the city distribution concept in the Netherlands, multi-modal freight networks, underground freight transport). The elected performance indicators will be built in an methodology-based support system to improve the decision making process by the development of a new logistic concept. Finally the added value of the methodology the support system will be evaluated in practice. The evaluation will be relatively compared to a logistic project with equal problem conditions without utilization of the instrument. Game sessions with student groups must guarantee equal conditions.

Expected results

The expected results are formaluted as the program of requirements for development of the support system. From this point of view the requirements are:

• quality improvement of the decision making process. The quality measure renders into two directions. The first improvement must ensure a higher degree of involvement in the decision making process of the stakeholders. The total accountability of the logistic concept might shorten also the leadtime of the decision making process.
• quality improvement of the decision. Providing a complete vision on the logistic concept with the multi disciplinairy performance indicators can improve the quality of the concept itself. In fact the concept lifetime might be enlarged.

  Logistic Links:

General logistic links:

• Kennisbank Logistiek ; The ‘Kennisbank Logistiek’ offers detailed information for improving logistic processes within the company. The ‘Kennisbank Logistiek’ contains many subjects which are relevant for every logistic-professional and is always up to date with new developments in the world of logistics.
• Transport & Travel Research Ltd ; Transport & Travel Research Ltd (TTR) provides transport consultancy services to public and private sector organisations in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe. Subjects like: Intelligent Transport Systems, Transport Energy & Environment and Public Transport.
• Inbound Logistics ; We created this easy online guide to meet your requests for an easier way to surf logistics sites without dealing with search engine infoglut, or annoying banners featuring the same companies over and over again.

City Logistics:

• Institute for City Logistics ; The Institute for City Logistics (ICL) was established in Kyoto, Japan in 1999. The most important objective of the Institute is to be the center of excellence for research and development in City Logistics and urban freight transport. ICL conducts both fundamental research and applied investigations relating to actual problems within society. ICL also provides a platform for the exchange of knowledge, experience and information concerning City Logistics and urban freight transport.
• City Logistics in the European Union ; Good practice in freight transport: There are five main approaches to the adoption of environmental concerns in freight transport. All are examples of 'win-win' outcomes where benefits to the environment are either equaled or exceeded by benefits to the company itself. Good practice in freight transport; a source-book. Action points of the European Union, page 21: City Logistics
• Study and teaching download center of the EU ; Studying and teaching download center on topics as: integrated transport chains, urban freight transport and city logistics.
• Institute für Verkehrswissenschaft ; German site of the “Institute für Verkehrswissenschaft” with several articles about City Logistics.
• Odysseus 2003 ; Second International Workshop on Freight Transportation and Logistics. Planning models for city logistics operations
• Setting trends for sustainable urban mobility
• Sustainable City Logistics Solutions ; Looking at the environmental aspects of distribution by van or lorry in city centres is a relatively new concept. However, so far the distribution of goods has not been in accordance with our wishes regarding the city's space and environment. Sustainable city logistics solutions could be one of the solutions to the problems in the city centres
• The urban transport benchmarking initiative ; The first round of site visits has now taken place and the participating cities are now beginning to collect data for the common indicators, which everyone is collecting, and the thematic indicators, which are specific to each working group. City Logistics working group

Supply Chain Management:

• The Journal of Supply Chain Management ; A Global Review of Purchasing and Supply is a one-of-a-kind, quarterly publication written specifically for and by supply management professionals and academicians. Discover in-depth coverage and analysis of management issues, leading-edge research, long-term strategic developments, supplier relationships, applications, and more.
• Supply Chain Management Review
• The Stanford Global Supply Chain Management Forum is a leading research institute in partnership with industry and the School of Engineering and Graduate School of Business at Stanford University that advances the theory and practice of excellence in global supply chain management.
• Supply Chain Management Research Center ; the delicate balance of manufacturing, storing and shipping. Including topics on management, technology and strategy.
• Supply Chain Management Knowledge Base
• International Journal of Supply Chain Management is targeted at academics and practitioners in both public and private sector organizations working on all aspects of vertical co-ordination and process integration. The journal promotes the exchange of knowledge, experience and new ideas between researchers and practitioners and encourages a multi-disciplinary and cross-functional approach to the resolution of problems and the exploitation of opportunities within supply chains that extend beyond the buyer-supply interface. 
• The Supply Chain Management Toolbox ; The supply chain management toolbox; Every day companies leave billions of dollars in invisible, unrealized savings on the table because of poor supply chain management practices. Now the supply management Toolbox shows how supply chain management -- the discipline of acquiring and moving material -- has become a manufacturing company's hottest competitive weapon.
• The Supply Chain Management Council is a global, not-for-profit trade association open to all types of organizations. It sponsors and supports educational programs including conferences, retreats, benchmarking studies, and development of the Supply-Chain Operations Reference-model (SCOR), the process reference model designed to improve users' efficiency and productivity.
• The Supply Chain Management Resource Webpage ; A comprehensive web page for practitioners, researchers and consultants in the area of Supply Chain Management. Links to: Supply Chain - Purchasing - Logistics - Electronic Commerce, Supply Chain related Publications and Journals, Supply Chain related Associations/Institutes/Societies and Supply Chain Software/Information Suppliers.
• Supply Chain Seminairs ; Following online supply chain management courses. Courses include: Introduction to Supply Chain Management, Supply Chain Strategies I & II, Internet Technologies and Supply Chain Management, Performance Measures for Supply Chain Management, Product and Process Design for Supply Chain Management.
• Supply Chain Management industry web links for business products, services, information and resources

Innovative Transport

• 3D-Transportation system