Sustainability and Effectiveness in Global Supply Chains: Toward an Approach Based on a Long-term Learning Process

Abstract

The industry has undergone significant changes in recent decades. Today, it is no longer home-based and operates in a global market. The integration of demand and supply has widened the strategic relevance of logistic networks, processes and systems. This integration along global supply chains depends on trustful partnership, international and hence cross-cultural cooperation. The design, plan and management of logistics are particularly complex because of the diversity of contexts, organisations and individuals involved. Therefore, suitable long-term learning process should taken into account agents’ role and background, the context in which it takes place as well as intra- and inter-organisational culture. In fact, enhancing competitive advantage on the basis of both overlap and diversity of knowledge is an important capability within today’s supply chains. On this foundation, the present paper aims to address business scenario and logistic systems from a viewpoint that approaches competitive advantage in terms of sustainability and effectiveness. Some aspects impacting on dynamics in logistics will be circumscribed in agreement with a holistic perspective embracing context, organisation and individual levels. A descriptive model and further steps toward an approach based on a long-term learning process will be then introduced.