Organisational Innovations with Good Governance in Logistics Networks

Until now, supply chain management has been dominated by international supply chains designed around KPIs –transportation times, capacity utilization or out-of-stock situations. Despite their growing significance for society as a whole, the sustainability of processes is still largely ignored, but this is about to change.

In order to achieve a sustainable competitive edge and to translate this into long-term economic success, a much more comprehensive, holistic understanding of the structure of the business processes in supply chains is necessary. Awareness has grown of the need for logistics services to keep up with the demands of a sustainable economic and social development.

Objective of the Joint Project

The Joint Project "Organisational Innovations with Good Governance in Logistics Networks" is dedicated to enhancing the conventional supply chain management with the further dimension of supply chain governance. The good governance perspective will help to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of international supply chains, not only from an economic point of view. In fact, the focus is on developing responsible supply chains. These take into account ecological factors such as CO2 emissions and the consumption of resources, as well as social conditions in the production and transport chain. The needs and interests of stakeholders outside the company will be embraced. The necessary skills und values are to be anchored in the organisation of supply chain management of small and medium-sized businesses.

Specific Innovations

The project develops suitable software products for use in business operations. Based on the new knowledge management concept of case-based reasoning, an adaptive knowledge database will be created for the responsible design of international supply chains. A supply chain configurator will take into account aspects of supply chain governance for the first time in the otherwise purely business-oriented design of supply chains. Furthermore, a knowledge-based collaboration platform will be set up to support the organisation of cross-company, knowledge-intensive business processes in international supply chains.
This knowledge-based collaboration platform will also be made available to the soon-to-be-established service point for training and professional development, DIALOGistik duisburg – a joint initiative of the projects "Organisational Innovations with Good Governance in Logistics Networks" , Scientific University Training in Logistics (WiWeLo) and Integrated CRS Management in Logistics Networks (CoReLo). DIALOGistik duisburg will be based at Duisburg's docklands and, supported by the knowledge-based collaboration platform, can provide information on the individual, specialist and business issues of the local companies.