Logistics Solutions Research Articles

УПРАВЛЕНИЕ СКЛАДСКИМИ И РАСПРЕДЕЛИТЕЛЬНЫМИ СИСТЕМАМИ НА ОСНОВЕ ИМИТАЦИОННОГО МОДЕЛИРОВАНИЯ

The concept of a digital twin in logistics systems and supply chain management continues to be relevant. The digital twin represents a set of simulation models that can effectively improve the operation of warehouse and distribution centers. The relevance of the creation and implementation of simulation models is due to the fact that traditional methods of inventory management do not allow achieving the desired level of efficiency, taking into account the development of digital solutions in logistics. The article provides testing of simulation modeling approaches by using the example of an inventory management system. The concept of creating a simulation model, determining its parameters, and testing its use based on a warehouse and distribution system are considered. The results obtained determined the current and planned (predicted) indicators, which makes it possible to adequately assess the prospects for the further development of the company.

КЛЮЧЕВЫЕ ЭЛЕМЕНТЫ И ЦЕЛИ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЙ ПРОМЫШЛЕННОЙ ПОЛИТИКИ РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ

This article describes in detail the challenges and opportunities of the Russian industry in the period 2023-2026. The need for new logistics solutions and infrastructure investments is highlighted. Despite the positive trends, the economy is facing inflationary pressures, high prices and a possible increase in interest rates. It is separately highlighted that modern industrial policy is aimed at the development of industries through the stimulation of innovation, ensuring the growth of high-tech high-tech industries and increasing competitiveness.

Application of industry 4.0 technologies in home delivery: A review

The development of the Internet has accelerated the development of electronic commerce, which has led to changes in the management of supply chains and logistics. Unlike traditional shopping trips, there is a need for home deliveries and appropriate logistics systems for their implementation. To overcome new challenges and achieve process efficiency and the quality of home delivery service, there is a need for individual or integrated application of various Industry 4.0 technologies such as the internet of things, additive manufacturing, autonomous vehicles, blockchain, big data, data mining, artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, etc. Accordingly, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview and description of the application of technological solutions of Industry 4.0 in home delivery. This goal is achieved through a comprehensive literature review on the topic. The results indicate that although a large number of studies in the literature dealt with the application of individual or integrated Industry 4.0 solutions in home delivery or last-mile logistics, a comprehensive review of the application of existing solutions in home delivery has not been carried out so far. This is thereby the main contribution of this paper. Overview of the technologies application provides a basis for identification of those that have the widest possibilities and generate the most positive effects, and should thus be the focus of future studies and development plans.

Automating Attended Home Deliveries with Smart Contracts: A Blockchain-based Solution for E-commerce Logistics

The rapid growth of e-commerce has placed considerable strain on traditional logistics systems, prompting a need for innovative solutions to optimize delivery processes and enhance customer satisfaction. This research paper presents a decentralized crowdsourced delivery application that leverages blockchain technology and smart contracts to address the challenges faced by centralized logistics models. The proposed system allows e-commerce companies to outsource product deliveries to carriers from a diverse pool, offering greater flexibility and cost-effectiveness while also enhancing transparency and trust among all parties involved. Built on the Ethereum blockchain, the application manages both the delivery and return processes, generating verifiable proofs of delivery (PoD) and proofs of return (PoR) for each transaction. The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the system architecture and the implementation of the application using smart contracts. Furthermore, it explores the potential impact of the proposed system on e-commerce companies, carriers, and customers, and identifies challenges and future directions for research and development in this field. The findings of this study contribute to the ongoing discourse on the transformative potential of blockchain technology and crowdsourcing in the e-commerce logistics industry, offering valuable insights into the design and real-world application of a decentralized delivery system.

An automated exact solution framework towards solving the logistic regression best subset selection problem

An automated logistic regression solution framework (ALRSF) is proposed to solve a mixed integer programming (MIP) formulation of the well known logistic regression best subset selection problem. The solution framework firstly determines the optimal number of independent variables that should be included in the model using an automated cardinality parameter selection procedure. The cardinality parameter dictates the size of the subset of variables and can be problem-specific. A novel regression parameter fixing heuristic that utilises a Benders decomposition algorithm is applied to prune the solution search space such that the optimal regression parameter values are found faster. An optimality gap is subsequently calculated to quantify the quality of the final regression model by considering the distance between the best possible log-likelihood value and a log-likelihood value that is calculated using the current parameter values. Attempts are then made to reduce the optimality gap by adjusting regression parameter values. The ALRSF serves as a holistic variable selection framework that enables the user to consider larger datasets when solving the best subset selection logistic regression problem by significantly reducing the memory requirements associated with its mixed integer programming formulation. Furthermore, the automated framework requires minimal user intervention during model training and hyperparameter tuning. Improvements in quality of the final model (when considering both the optimality gap and computing resources required to achieve a result) are observed when the ALRSF is applied to well-known real-world UCI machine learning datasets. Keywords: Best subset selection, Independent variable selection, Logistic regression, Mixed integer programming

Safety during medical waste transport in practice

Purpose: The aim of the article is to provide objective information about the classification of medical waste and its storage and transport based on the Silesian waste transport company – Ekomed. Generally, waste is very marginalized by society, therefore the article aims to present the further way of dealing with medical waste. Design/methodology/approach: The basic research methods were the analysis of literature on the safety of transport of medical waste, along with their categorization based on the BDO system, by example of Silesian waste transport company – EKOMED. Findings: Disposing of medical or chemical waste is a unique responsibility. Leaving such a sensitive procedure to the wrong companies or people who do not have adequate technical and personal resources may not only have dangerous consequences, but also be severely punished by applicable law. Therefore, it is worth trusting certified companies that not only have many years of experience, but also perfectly understand the responsibility of waste producers. Research limitations/implications: In the future, research will be continued in the field of medical waste transport in context of safety, especially during pandemic. Practical implications: This article provides an overview of quantitative research and diversity of medical waste from medical facilities in Poland. This review shows the importance and scale of the problem and allows for further continuation of research to manage the generated waste. The author has also noted that people generally forget about waste when they get into the bin. The main aim is to get people’s attention what is happening later with the medical waste. Originality/value: Based on empirical research, the article shows the scale of the problem that, through the new EU directives on the recycling and sustainable development, will be a forward- looking and important issue. Additionally, the article presents concepts for medical waste transport based on a Silesian company EKOMED. It’s twenty years of daily practice of transporting medical waste to the place of its disposal allowed the development of effective logistic solutions for its safe transport, which turned out to be of invaluable value during the SARS-COV-2 virus pandemic. Keywords: medical waste, transport, safety. Category of the paper: Research paper.

Sources of competitive advantage for enterprises in the TFL industry – case study

Purpose: The aim of the research was to assess and analyse the factors that are the sources of competitive advantage of the company in the TFL industry, which stands for Transport, Forwarding, Logistics. Design/methodology/approach: The article analyses the company's own documents. Opinions in the analysed company were collected using a survey questionnaire. A number of analyses were carried out to create data compositions and decompositions. The subject of the analysis was a local logistics centre providing its distribution, storage and transport services both in the region and the whole country. It specializes in providing integrated logistics solutions and designing the best possible methods of distribution, storage and transport of the region's customers. Findings: According to the study, the analysed centre ensures professional and efficient implementation of logistics processes. It provides services in the field of comprehensive handling of the order execution process, starting from the administration of products to the preparation of transport and subsequent distribution. The conducted research, however, indicated several weak points of the company, which are: high costs related to the exchange of information or untimely execution of orders. According to the authors of the study, in order to gain an advantage on the market, the analysed logistics centre should implement solutions that will eliminate the above-mentioned risk factors and improve them enough to become a source of competitiveness for the company. Originality/value: The article presents the results of the composition of source and survey data concerning a company in the region of the TFL industry. The study attempts to indicate the determinants of the competitive advantage of a logistics company. Due to the analyses used, it is a very interesting overview of factors from the point of view of the functioning of a local logistics company. Keywords: TFL, transport, forwarding, logistics, logistic centre, transport in the supply chain. Category of the paper: Case study.

Approach for Installation and Logistics of a Floating Offshore Wind Farm

An approach is developed for floating wind farm installation by creating a model that allows the planning of the main logistics and installation aspects of a floating wind farm. The method aims to preserve the coherency between logistic methods and project performance, as floating wind farm installation is a complex problem, due to the number of components that impose specific constraints in areas such as transportation and manufacturing. The planning tool is developed based on the knowledge about how to use the various approaches and on the analysis of different logistical solutions. A techno-economic view of the logistics and installation involved in the floating wind farm design is the main objective of this study. A case study for the CENTEC TLP concept implemented in Spanish and Irish waters is performed. Case study findings reveal the major aspects that affect the design and logistics factors. The tool is developed for the main types of floating wind platforms and is applicable for the preliminary design of wind farms worldwide. The tool suggests a strategy of design and logistic aspects dependent on a few inputs such as the number of components for installation, distances and the maximum number of turbines. These findings are especially important for the new floating wind farms being positioned further offshore.

The Role of the Digital Transformation in the Fight against Crime at Sea

Crime control at the sea involves public activities to create a modern security system in seaports, at the territorial sea and the adjacent zone throughout the sea corridors, as well as in the open sea on sea routes with intensive shipping.Aim. Impact assessment of digital transformation on maritime crime control.Tasks. Firstly, to characterize the impact of digital technologies on the nature of pirate attacks and other maritime offenses, which are actual threats to the maritime infrastructure. Secondly, to analyze the impact of modern measures to combat maritime crime on the economy of seaports, shipping companies and other maritime business entities. Thirdly, to demonstrate the role of the seaport administration and private military companies in the fight against offenses at sea.Methods. The study is carried out by formal legal and comparative legal methodology using a review-analytical approach.Results. Data analysis shows that the administrations of seaports are interested in optimizing security costs by creating a convenient digital management system for the coastal infrastructure. Security systems and logistics solutions depend on the effectiveness of digital technologies implemented in the interests of ensuring the safety of navigation. The Convention for the Safety of Human Life at Sea (SOLAS-74/88), supplemented by the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) in 2004, provides for a universal maritime security system, however, the implementation of these standards in a number of regions of the World Ocean is not enough to neutralize coastal criminal threats.Conclusion. In the context of digitalization, measures to combat crime at sea lead to significant costs, as they require complex technological infrastructure on ships and in ports. The norms of the law of the sea aimed at combating piracy and smuggling should be implemented at the national level, taking into account the socio-economic features of the maritime infrastructure development. Since negative economic trends entail an increase in criminal activity, the economic interests of commercial shipping entities should not be sacrificed in the fight against piracy and smuggling.

Substantiation of solutions in the field of digitalization of container services of the Оktyabrskaya railway

Background: in terms of current trends in the development of the transport industry and technological trends, it is possible to single out the use of digital tools in order to optimize the logistics of multimodal cargo transportation. The improvement of logistics services involves the expansion of the line of digital participants in the transportation process, the development of mobility ecosystems, the formation of a system of digital transport corridors and directly leads to the personalization of digital consumer behavior.
 Aim: to evaluate the main container services and logistics efficiency of multimodal cargo transportation along with technologies implemented in the process of cargo transportation. We confirm that the proposed solutions make it possible to increase the efficiency of the transport organization through the use of digital logistics tools.
 Methods: the methodology of the study is based on the analysis of data on the volumes, timing and structure of cargo transported by containers through the ports of the North-West, evaluation of projects for container transportation of goods and evaluation of the effects of their implementation at the site of the Oktyabrskaya Railway - a branch of JSC Russian Railways, taking into account digital coordination of the process of interaction with seaports. The information base of the study is based on reports and the regulatory framework of the Oktyabrskaya Railway - a branch of JSC Russian Railways and methods of planning and rationing expenses during track work.
 Results: the evaluation of the container services of the Oktyabrskaya Railway through the ports of St. Petersburg is given, the key functions of the Road information and logistics system in the digital coordination of the interaction process with seaports are updated, the need to expand the capabilities of the online services of JSC Russian Railways is justified.
 Conclusion: the results of the study confirm that fundamentally new approaches to the organization of multimodal cargo transportation by containers and the movement towards personalization of logistics solutions for certain customer requests in terms of the introduction of digital logistics tools opens up broad prospects for the formation and development of external and internal online services and services, ensuring transparency of relationships with customers and partners throughout the service cycle on multimodal transportation with the subsequent creation of a global information environment for all participants of transportation.

FEATURES OF PROVIDING OF ACCESS OF OVERALL BUILDING TECHNIQUE ARE ON SITE AREA IN THE CONDITIONS OF MAKING MORE COMPACT BUILDING

Purpose. An aim the results over of researches brought in the article are an analysis and generalization of existent organizational and technological decisions of logistic operations from delivery on an object building of modern productive building technique, that can be applied at complex building or reconstruction of the existent territories injured as a result of military operations. Methodology. Researches of problem of the logistic providing of site areas a oversized building technique in the conditions of making more compact building were executed by development and subsequent analysis of organizational and technological decisions, which formed the basis of the real projects of implementation of works (PIW) on the corresponding stages of implementation of building and installation works. Further of approbation was in the minds of the leading design and contracting organizations of the Dnipro of metropolitan area, as they specialize in the creation of richly superficial living, communal buildings and richly functional complexes of various recognition. Findings. The of establishment of efficient organizational and logistical solutions allows you to secure the access of large – scale highly efficient wake – up technology to the yards with intermediary access, in the minds of the strengthened forgetfulness, close distribution of the main objects, transport, storage facilities of The of development of the main solutions can be worked out jointly by specialists in the field of logistics of transport transportation, engineers in the field of organization and technology of emergency manufacturing, emergency construction, etc. Joint work increases the effectiveness of the decisions taken to meet the needs of contracting organizations when performing work on new construction, reconstruction or restoration of construction objects and transport infrastructure, which is an urgent task when eliminating the consequences of military operations on the territory of Ukraine. Originality. Since the solutions given in the article for solving logistical problems of delivery to the construction site in the conditions of compacted construction of large-sized construction equipment are relevant for the subsequent restoration of the settlements of Ukraine affected by military operations during 2014-2022, the presented problem is relevant. Practical value. Analysis of real organizational and technological solutions used in the design of the construction site and the organization of temporary traffic in the conditions of the current construction on the street. Vernadskyi in the city of Dnipro, will allow a more balanced approach to the problem of infrastructural design in Ukraine and beyond. As a result, optimization of organizational and technological measures at the relevant stages of construction processes is expected.

SUPPLY CHAINS IN THE CROP PRODUCTION INDUSTRY OF UKRAINE: MAIN PARTICIPANTS AND PECULIARITIES OF INTEGRATION

The aim of this article is to analyze the elements of supply chains in the crop production industry of Ukraine and the peculiarities of their integration under the modern conditions. The article identifies the main actors in the supply chains of major crops such as grains, sunflower seeds and vegetables. The study of supply chains in crop production covers three periods: (i) pre COVID-19 pandemic; (ii) the 2020-2021 COVID pandemic; and (iii) post-Russian invasion into Ukraine in 2022. The findings confirm that supply chains for vegetables were significantly and adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the supply chains for production and sales of grains and sunflower seeds in Ukraine remained relatively stable. Through its global impact on the commodity markets, supply chains, inflation, and financial conditions, Russia's war against Ukraine is aggravating the slowdown in global economic growth. The article identifies the negative consequences of this war for both Ukraine and the world as a whole based on the example of major agricultural crops. The development of crop production industry in Ukraine requires that supply chains be restructured based on the new logistical solutions adapted to the conditions of martial law.

Optimizing environmental and economic aspects of collaborative transportation and logistics related to infrastructure projects – A case study from Norway

The main challenge addressed in this paper is how to handle and recycle the large amount of C&D waste that is generated from infrastructure projects. The study is motivated by Bærum Ressursbank in Norway and their aim of finding logistical solutions to an expected surplus of 15 million m3 of waste from infrastructure projects in the next decade. We identify the key decisions as the design of the distribution network for both surplus waste materials and new construction materials and the investments in processing machinery at each recycling facility, and we call the problem representing this situation the Infrastructure Waste Management Problem (IWMP). The methodologies used are mathematical programming and operations research. We formulate the IWMP as a mixed integer linear program and identify two objectives; to minimize transportation costs and to minimize the environmental impact of the operations. The description of the problem, assumptions, and data are based on cases that represent the situation of Bærum Ressursbank. A special emphasis in the analysis is to quantify the gains from collaboration. Comparing individual planning of each project with an ideal situation of complete collaboration gives a cost reduction of more than 29% and a reduction in emissions of more than 14%. The study supports the conjecture by Bærum Ressursbank that large cost savings and considerable reductions in environmental impact are possible through collaboration.

Optimizing Rail Transport Service in a Dry Port System

With the prosperity of global trade and maritime transportation, dry port is playing a significant role in freight transport industry through relieving seaport congestion and facilitating improved logistics solutions. This article studies the rail shuttle service pricing and scheduling problem in a dry port system with one dry port and multiple shippers. Bilevel models are developed to address the interaction between the dry port and shippers, with the dry port as the leader and individual shippers as followers. The optimal properties of the proposed bilevel model are analyzed, and a solution procedure is proposed to obtain the global optimal solution. Numerical studies are carried out to investigate the sensitivity of optimal decisions, and performance of both parties with respect to various system parameters. This study shows that offering a higher storage price could not always bring higher profit for the dry port. An extremely high storage price will reduce shippers’ total costs, especially for shippers with high production rates. If the seaports’ cutoff time is short, shippers with low production rates would have to bear high expenses. It is also found that low setup costs at shippers will bring not only cost savings for shippers, but also profit improvement for the dry port.

Sustainable and Health-Protecting Food Ingredients from Bioprocessed Food by-Products and Wastes

Dietary inadequacy and nutrition-related non-communicable diseases (N-NCDs) represent two main issues for the whole society, urgently requesting solutions from researchers, policy-makers, and other stakeholders involved in the health and food system. Food by-products and wastes (FBPW) represent a global problem of increasing severity, widely recognized as an important unsustainability hotspot, with high socio-economic and environmental costs. Yet, recycling and up-cycling of FBPW to produce functional foods could represent a solution to dietary inadequacy and risk of N-NCDs onset. Bioprocessing of FBPW with selected microorganisms appears to be a relatively cheap strategy to yield molecules (or rather molecules mixtures) that may be used to fortify/enrich food, as well as to formulate dietary supplements. This review, conjugating human health and sustainability in relation to food, describes the state-of-the-art of the use of yeasts, molds, and lactic acid bacteria for producing value-added compounds from FBPW. Challenges related to FBPW bioprocessing prior to their use in food regard will be also discussed: (i) loss of product functionality upon scale-up of recovery process; (ii) finding logistic solutions to the intrinsic perishability of the majority of FBPW; (iii) inserting up-cycling of FBPW in an appropriate legislative framework; (iv) increasing consumer acceptability of food and dietary supplements derived from FBPW.

Ec-Funded Projects’ Lessons Learned In Earth Friendly Freight Transportation

Abstract The paper is based on the research project ePIcenter (www.ePIcenterproject.eu) supported by the EU HORIZON 2020 Programme. ePIcenter connects thirty-six partners: port authorities, logistic service providers, manufacturers, academic institutions, and technology partners. The main goal is to develop and test AI driven logistic software solutions, apply new technologies and methodologies to increase the efficiency of global supply chains and reduce their environmental impact. One of the significant aspect the project focusses on is optimisation, using AI, digitalisation, automation and innovations in freight transport and handling technologies. Finally, modelling powerful solutions to enable resilient, efficient and environment friendly supply chains. Knowledge sharing is one of powerful tool for researchers, policymakers, service providers and other stakeholders to develop a holistic and comprehensive common knowledge base. First, a theoretical framework had been developed through identification and review knowledge available from previous projects funded through the European Commission as well as other international funding projects. Second, lessons learned and success stories from previous EC-funded projects and other international research programmes were reviewed and provided in the first year of project implementation.

PATIENT AND CAREGIVER PERSPECTIVES ON TREATMENT WITH LICENCED PEANUT ALLERGY ORAL IMMUNOTHERAPY IN PRACTICE

<h3>Introduction</h3> In 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the first oral immunotherapy Peanut (<i>Arachis hypogaea</i>) Allergen Powder-dnfp (PTAH) for the mitigation of allergic reactions to peanut. Treatment involves an initial dose escalation appointment followed by ‘up-dosing' appointments at ≥2-week intervals for approximately 6 months. Daily dosing at home is required, and patients remain on long-term daily maintenance treatment. This study sought to understand patient and caregiver experiences of treatment in a real-world setting. <h3>Methods</h3> Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with patients (8-17 years at treatment initiation) and caregivers of patients (4-17 years at treatment initiation). Interviews were conducted via teleconference, recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using content and thematic analysis. Participants provided informed consent; the study received ethical approval from WCG Institutional Review Board. <h3>Results</h3> 13 patients and 14 caregivers at varying treatment phases (initial dose escalation, up-dosing, maintenance) participated. Experiences were characterised by four themes: 1. Preparing for treatment (e.g., information seeking), 2. Treatment in the clinic (e.g., scheduling, attending appointments), 3. Home-dosing (e.g., treatment restrictions, changes to routines), 4. Methods to successfully integrate treatment into daily lives (e.g., managing taste, establishing new routines). Despite these considerations, many participants described how actual and anticipated treatment benefits outweighed the potential burden. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Findings characterize the experience of PTAH in a real-world setting, and the benefits appear to mitigate challenges that arise from the treatment. The experiences described in this research may benefit those considering treatment by providing practical and logistical solutions for integration of treatment into daily life.

Evaluating the Suitability of Crowd-Shipping Platforms for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Crowd-shipping platforms have the potential to serve as flexible and low-cost logistics solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which tend to have proportionally higher logistics costs than large companies. By increasing visibility and access to underutilized vehicle capacity, crowd-shipping platforms can offer lower rates than traditional delivery services. Leveraging excess capacity on premeditated delivery trips can also improve logistics efficiency and reduce emissions. However, high platform fees, insufficient carriers, and difficulty finding suitable platforms are common barriers to widespread adoption. This research evaluates the degree to which existing commercial crowd-shipping platforms can provide suitable transportation solutions for SMEs. A systematic search yielded 400 platforms, which were evaluated for SME suitability by requesting quotes for delivery service from each platform, based on typical shipping requirements of two agriculture-based SMEs in Texas. The responses and quotes that were received, as well as feedback from the case study SMEs, indicate that most existing platforms are unlikely to meet the needs of SME shippers. The results suggest ways in which crowd-shipping platform managers could take advantage of this market opportunity by tailoring the services and features of their platforms to better meet the expectations of SMEs.

ANALYSIS OF THE APPLICATION OF DIGITAL SOLUTIONS IN LOGISTICS AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE BUSINESS OF LOGISTICS OPERATORS IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE

In the last few years, new digital solutions have appeared that expand the horizons of logistics operators. These solutions improved the existing business, but also enabled them to deploy new services. While technology has made cargo delivery more efficient in the eyes of customers, it has also improved driver and cargo safety. These benefits create value for the supply chain, but can be difficult to achieve. The analysis of the impact and application of digital solutions in logistics on the operations of logistics operators in Southeast Europe gives the value of research into supply chains of both complete and partial segments in the domain of storage, transportation, distribution and production itself. They can accelerate the digitization of transport and logistics and the potential for growth in a multi-sector environment. Assumptions for the elimination of costs, as a result of the inadequate response of the administration (customs, border police, barriers, etc.) in Southeast Europe can be mitigated through e-CMR - a key investment in the new digital world. The world of transport and logistics is advancing rapidly. Digital development in particular is a game changer with new opportunities and challenges in the logistics sector, especially in terms of data security. Digitization is redefining the way logistics participants collaborate. It can be expected to increase efficiency and reduce costs within the supply chain, but significant performance requires much more than just networking between participants in the trade of goods and services in Southeast Europe. The aim of this work is to conduct research on the impact of digital business in logistics on the business and efficiency of logistics operators in Southeastern Europe. The data that was used in the data analysis is primary, which was researched by the author, through a questionnaire sent to the employees of logistics operators in the area of Southeastern Europe. Accordingly, a hypothesis was set up in the paper, which was examined, and reads: “There is a positive impact of improving business processes by applying digital solutions on the operations of logistics operators in Southeast Europe”. According to the results of the analysis and the coefficients presented in the previous table, it can be clearly seen that the hypothesis has been proven. Namely, according to the results, it is clearly seen that there is a positive and significant impact of the digital solution in logistics on the operations of logistics operators, and that the same is positive and statistically significant in terms of significance.

Over-the-Air Firmware Updates for Constrained NB-IoT Devices.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is being deployed to provide smart solutions for buildings, logistics, hospitals, and many more. It is growing with billions of connected devices. However, with such tremendous growth, maintenance and support are the hidden burdens. The devices deployed for IoT generally have a light microcontroller, low-power, low memory, and lightweight software. The software, which includes firmware and applications, can be managed remotely via a wireless connection. This improves flexibility, installation time, accessibility, effectiveness, and cost. The firmware can be updated constantly to remove known bugs and improve the functionality of the device. This work presents an approach to update firmware over-the-air (OTA) for constrained IoT devices. We used Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) as the wireless communication standard to communicate between the managing server and devices. NB-IoT is one of the most promising low power wide area (LPWA) network protocols that supports more than 50k devices within a cell using a licensed spectrum. This work is a proof of concept demonstrating the usage of NB-IoT to update firmware for constrained devices. We also calculated the overall power consumption and latency for different sizes of the firmware.