Logistics Solutions Research Articles

Reverse milk run – the logistics retrenchment strategy

Learning outcomes After completion of the case study, students will be able to understand the concept of clustering and identify clusters for improving capacity utilization, analyse transport routes to optimize logistics resources, analyse the impact of a full truckload on resource optimization, evaluate unused capacity and ascertain the impact of reverse milk run to reduce the same and apply clustering and reverse milk run to optimize the logistics resources. Case overview/synopsis The case study is about a freight forwarding company that offered end-to-end logistics solutions for the exporters based in India. Within a short time span, the company became one of the sought-after service providers for its clients. However, when the company planned to expand its business by expanding its client base, the efficiencies reduced and hurt the profitability of the company. It was all excellent with the limited number of clients, but as the number of distantly located clients surged, the operating costs increased. Trucks were running with partial loads, thus reducing efficiency. The rate of increase in cost surpassed the rate of revenue every time. The cost per mile of transportation was on the rise. The surging fuel prices were adding to the heat. In spite of being one of the first choices for clients, the company could not generate good profit margins. If they chose to increase prices, the company would have lost customers to the cheaper unorganized players in the market. It was time to choose between growth and survival. The company could not sustain itself without devising a mechanism to reduce costs. The company would not have sustained itself without devising a mechanism to reduce costs. To sustain in the business, the company had to device a mechanism to reduce costs. Whether to continue operating the conventional way or to transform? Was there a logistics strategy that would have improved transportation efficiency and reduced the costs for the company? Complexity academic level The case study is suitable for teaching post-graduate management courses in operations and logistics, supply chain management and supply chain analytics, as well as entrepreneurship-related courses. Supplementary material Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CCS 9: Operations and logistics.

Analysis of Employee Performance Evaluated Based on Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and Human Resources Scorecard (HRSC) PT Fastana Logistik Indonesia Divisi Transport

PT Fastana Logistik Indonesia (FLI) is a global supplier of transportation and logistics solutions. Performance measurement at PT Fastana Logistik Indonesia (FLI) uses KPI that aim to achieve company targets. PT Fastana Logistik Indonesia needs to evaluate not only with KPI but also with the HRSC method which emphasizes the human resource approach. This study aims to determine employee performance which is reviewed based on the Key Performance Indicator and Human Resources Scorecard. The research design uses a quantitative descriptive approach by collecting primary and secondary data from observations and questionnaires by measuring scores and interval scales. Quantitative data were then analyzed descriptively to draw conclusions. Based on the results of the study, it was shown that the performance of PT Fastana Logistik Indonesia in terms of the assessment of the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) and Human Resources Scorecard (HRSC) aspects obtained results if the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) obtained a score of 85.81% on very good/accomplished criteria, the results The Human Resources Scorecard (HRSC) obtained a score of 218 with percent 82,57% on a very good scale.

A review of sustainable solutions in urban logistics in Europe

Despite multiple attempts to lower emissions from supply chains and logistics activities, the level of reduction in environmental pressure is far from reaching a level of decarbonisation, low pollution and renewable resources that we could call sustainable. Impactful logistics solutions were reasonably developed and, in 2023, began to make a difference on the market, but true success stories of market upscale with high beneficial impacts and satisfactory profit margins can only be found for limited logistics operations, such as electric vans and locker boxes for last mile logistics, and few supply chains such as sustainable forestry or biodegradable plastics. The global picture of all supply chains of all products and services lacks good examples in most domains, and some sectors and branches such as maritime freight are at a too early stage, or did not start at all. This paper describes how the authors wanted to identify the most promising sustainable solutions, and test how important and valuable their contributions are in business contexts. The paper describes how the authors reassessed the effects and results of 12 European research projects and over 200 business innovations in light of the most recent knowledge, using our thoroughly tested evaluation criteria on beneficial impacts for emission reduction, efficiency gains, technical feasibility, supply chain cooperation and others, while exploiting intersubjective reported evidence. The authors identified several key solutions, showing how solutions were established, how they could be further scaled up and how barriers to their market uptake could be overcome. The paper concludes by showing that most sustainable solutions examples were used in the past as practical models for the next investment in innovative businesses.

Logistics Solutions, Supply Chains, Climate Change, and Sustainable Development in Somalia

Logistics Solutions, Supply Chains, Climate Change, and Sustainable Development in Somalia

Smart logistic for sustainable cities

The United Nations has agreed on sustainable cities to be one of a series of sustainable development goals (SDGs) as the eleventh goal. This shows the seriousness of the world government in viewing the role of cities to participate in building the concept of sustainability. However, on the other hand, the phenomenon of urbanization continues to increase from year to year. The increase in urbanization is followed by an increase in the number of motorized vehicles, including logistics activities in it. The increase in logistics and transportation activities has a negative impact on air quality in urban areas with its CO2 emissions. Poor air quality will certainly hamper a city's efforts in achieving the concept of sustainability or sustainable cities. Thus, solutions to improve logistics activities are needed in an effort to achieve the sustainability of a city. In today's digital era, the role of technology is enormous including in the field of logistics, by integrating technology with logistics activities, more optimal solutions related to efficiency and so on will be more easily recorded. This integration concept is known as smart logistics. This research presents the results of a review of various literatures to define the concept of sustainable cities, the concept of smart logistics, and what logistics solutions have been studied before and how these solutions can answer the challenges posed in the development of the concept of sustainable cities

ПІДВИЩЕННЯ ЕФЕКТИВНОСТІ БУДІВЕЛЬНИХ ПРОЄКТІВ ЗАВДЯКИ ОПТИМІЗОВАНИМ ЛОГІСТИЧНИМ РІШЕННЯМ

This article provides an overview of the importance of efficient logistics solutions in construction projects and explores strategies to enhance project performance. It examines key areas such as streamlining material procurement and implementing just-in-time delivery practices to improve cost-efficiency and minimize delays. The article offers insights and recommendations for optimizing logistics operations in the construction industry. The publication focuses on the importance and prospects of efficient logistics management in the construction process and explores the application of multi-objective optimization methods to achieve sustainable results. The research highlights the challenges associated with logistics in the context of construction and emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing them. By employing multi-objective optimization methods, the article proposes strategies for optimizing logistics operations, such as transportation, inventory management, and supply chain coordination. The study aims to provide valuable insights and practical recommendations to enhance efficiency in implementing construction projects. The conclusions of this research contribute to expanding knowledge in the field of logistics management and offer valuable recommendations for further practices in building supply chains during construction and reconstruction projects.

Possible approaches to the study of emissions from ships during their operations in ports

The emissions from ships are the key factor influencing the air quality near large ports. Although ship emissions are difficult to quantify, doing so can help port management find logistical solutions that can reduce the impact of having a large number of giant ships in a limited space. The joint study between the University of Naples and Istanbul Technical University, which focuses on the investigation of ship emissions in ports, is presented in this paper. It is expected that this study will lead to create new techniques for calculating, measuring, and validating emissions from ships at ports.

Tidal and Wave Renewable Energy: In Support of Marines during Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations

This study proposes an improved method of military logistics focused on tidal and wave renewable energy that reduces vulnerabilities tied to required resupplies and extends U.S. Marine Corps endurance in forward, austere expeditionary advanced base operations environments, ultimately creating options to persist within an adversary’s weapons engagement zone. Currently, one major problem surrounding traditional military operations is an overreliance on fuel, which results in increased consumption and financial costs, as well as the risk to force and risk to mission associated with logistical resupplies. In this article, both descriptive and explanatory qualitative research methods facilitate an understanding of military logistical problems and then explore current commercial logistical solutions for potential future military applications. The results highlight the ability of tidal energy converters to provide efficient and cost-saving renewable energy solutions at military bases and stations. Further results emphasize wave energy converters as viable renewable energy solutions to support the Marine littoral regiment with 2.8 megawatts of power (reducing consumption by 30 percent), combat operations centers, and light and ultralight hybrid tactical vehicles by cutting the tether of required resupplies, limiting fuel costs, and ultimately reducing the risk to force and risk to mission.

ВЗАЄМОЗВ'ЯЗОК ЛОГІСТИКИ ТА ЛОЯЛЬНОСТІ СПОЖИВАЧІВ В УМОВАХ ВОЄННОГО СТАНУ

Problem statement. In today's world, where competition between companies is growing every day, ensuring high customer loyalty is becoming an important component of business success. Consumer loyalty allows companies not only to attract new customers but also to retain existing ones, which guarantees a stable revenue stream and a positive reputation. In this context, logistics, which is responsible for managing the movement of goods and services from suppliers to consumers, plays an important role in building customer loyalty. Inefficient logistics can negatively affect the perception of a company by consumers and reduce their loyalty. The study of a strategic approach to optimizing logistics processes and ensuring the quality of customer service is an urgent problem that needs to be addressed. The purpose of the study is to analyze the impact of logistics on customer loyalty and determine a strategic approach to optimizing this relationship. In writing the article, the following methods were used: the method of comparison, which allowed to process theoretical studies of domestic and foreign scientists, to identify common trends and prospects for the development of the issue; the analysis and synthesis method - to study the impact of individual elements of the logistics process on consumer loyalty, to establish the relationship between them and the level of consumer loyalty; the generalization method - to determine strategic approaches to optimizing the relationship between logistics and consumer loyalty; the abstract and logical method – for generalizing and formulating conclusions about the interaction of logistics and consumer loyalty, identifying the deep connections between these two areas. The study has shown that a strategic approach to the relationship between logistics and customer loyalty is to understand the needs and expectations of customers and implement logistics solutions to meet them, namely, improving supply systems, increasing the availability of goods, improving customer service and applying innovative technologies to improve the efficiency of logistics processes. The article provides recommendations on a strategic approach to expanding the relationship between logistics and customer loyalty. The authors emphasize the importance of integrating logistics systems with marketing efforts to create an effective system that maximizes customer satisfaction and ensures a high level of loyalty.

Validation of low-volume sampling devices for pharmacokinetic analysis: technical and logistical challenges and solutions.

While low-volume sampling technologies offer numerous advantages over venipuncture, implementation in clinical trials poses technical and logistical challenges. Bioanalytical methods were validated for measuring the concentration of crenezumab and etrolizumab in dried blood samples collected using Mitra and Tasso-M20. The data generated demonstrate that the concentrations of crenezumab and etrolizumab in dried blood collected by either device could be determined using calibrators prepared in serum. Drug concentrations from dried blood were converted to serum concentrations using patient hematocrit levels. Contract Research Organizationexperience in sample handling and analysis allowed us to compare differences between various low-volume sampling technologies. This study evaluated challenges and presented potential solutions for use of different low-volume sampling technologies for pharmacokineticanalysis.

Enhanced Artificial Bee Colony with Savings Algorithm for Inventory Routing Problem

Inventory Routing Problem is a critical component of Supply Chain Management, where it is a coordination of inventory management and transportation. It aims to balance the trade-off between transportation costs for delivering products and holding costs for maintaining inventory. Several real-world problems faced nowadays require effective optimization and logistical solutions, where this problem arises in various industries and has become increasingly complex. The problem addressed in this study is based on an automotive parts supply chain that consists of a depot, an assembly plant, a set of homogeneous capacitated vehicles, and multi-suppliers on a finite horizon with multi-periods. Artificial Bee Colony is a swarm intelligence algorithm that is based on the behaviour of bees in a colony, where information is shared through waggle dance. ABC consists of three phases, which are employed bee phase, onlooker bee phase, and scout bee phase. This study proposed an enhancement in the initialization phase and in onlooker bee phase of the ABC algorithm. Clarke Wright savings algorithm was implemented in the initialization phase to determine the best feasible delivery routes while minimizing the total transportation cost. 2-opt and 2-opt(asterisk) were used to improve the routes in the onlooker bee phase. Results showed that 7 better total cost were found out of 14 benchmark datasets when compared to the previous literature. The enhanced ABC algorithm obtained better results with 5.59 percent at most, which demonstrated the effectiveness of the algorithm.

Considering the city context in weighting sustainability criteria for last-mile logistics solutions

ABSTRACT Last-mile Logistics (LML) solutions in cities have become a priority due to the increasing demand for products, changes in population consumption, ai r quality challenges, population pressure, and economic downturns. There are many solutions to achieve a sustainable LML, as it depends on the characteristics and goals of each city. This study develops a weighting framework incorporating expert judgments and the contextual urban environment to identify the key criteria when evaluating sustainable LML solutions. The framework is applied in six European cities to examine how the sensitivity of the urban context influences the weights assigned to these criteria. By analysing the variations in weights, the study aims to understand the impact of contextual factors on the importance of different aspects of LML. We found that social and environmental sustainability are essential criteria. The urban context significantly influences the sustainability of different solutions, as each city has its own priorities and challenges. The methodology defined in this paper may contribute to helping policymakers to promote sustainable LML.

Most successful business models in logistics innovations – the review of crowd logistics solutions

Most successful business models in logistics innovations – the review of crowd logistics solutions

Multi-Criteria Analysis for the Evaluation of Urban Freight Logistics Solutions: A Systematic Literature Review

The tension between city logistics and its impact on sustainable urban development is evident. Often, local environmental decisions overlook the effects on urban freight logistics, lacking consideration for stakeholders. To address this, utilizing multi-criteria analysis becomes relevant for informed urban planning and management decision making. In this context, this paper conducts a systematic literature review from 2012 to 2022, focused on implementing the multi-criteria analysis methodology to evaluate alternatives for solutions in urban freight logistics. The PRISMA tool was used in the review to select publications and categorize the information obtained to address the research questions. Results display the most prominent authors and publications, authors’ country affiliations, annual publication frequency, research objectives, used frameworks, involved actors, defined evaluation criteria, types of alternatives for solutions considered, and MCDM methods applied. The main finding is that the most commonly used MCDM methods were AHP hybrid followed by MAMCA. In addition, no clear correlation between the pursued objectives and the MCDM methods employed by the researchers is identified. It is important to note that all publications with the highest number of citations use fuzzy methods in their analyses.

Dynamic System Stability Modeling Approach with Sparrow-Inspired Meta-Heuristic Optimization Algorithm.

Aiming at the accurate prediction of the inception of instability in a compressor, a dynamic system stability model is proposed based on a sparrow-inspired meta-heuristic optimization algorithm in this article. To achieve this goal, a spatial mode is employed for flow field feature extraction and modeling object acquisition. The nonlinear characteristic presented in the system is addressed using fuzzy entropy as the identification strategy to provide a basis for instability determination. Using Sparrow Search Algorithm (SSA) optimization, a Radial Basis Function Neural Network (RBFNN) is achieved for the performance prediction of system status. A Logistic SSA solution is first established to seek the optimal parameters of the RBFNN to enhance prediction accuracy and stability. On the basis of the RBFNN-LSSA hybrid model, the stall inception is detected about 35.8 revolutions in advance using fuzzy entropy identification. To further improve the multi-step network model, a Tent SSA is introduced to promote the accuracy and robustness of the model. A wider range of potential solutions within the TSSA are explored by incorporating the Tent mapping function. The TSSA-based optimization method proves a suitable adaptation for complex nonlinear dynamic modeling. And this method demonstrates superior performance, achieving 42 revolutions of advance warning with multi-step prediction. This RBFNN-TSSA model represents a novel and promising approach to the application of system modeling. These findings contribute to enhancing the abnormal warning capability of dynamic systems in compressors.

Investigating digital transformation technologically enabled solutions in reverse logistics: a systematic review

Investigating digital transformation technologically enabled solutions in reverse logistics: a systematic review

A novel multi-phase hierarchical forecasting approach with machine learning in supply chain management

Hierarchical time series demands are often associated with products, time frames, or geographic aggregations. Traditionally, these hierarchies have been forecasted using “top-down,” “bottom-up,” or “middle-out” approaches. This study advocates using child-level forecasts in a hierarchical supply chain to improve parent-level forecasts. Improved forecasts can considerably reduce logistics costs, especially in e-commerce. We propose a novel multi-phase hierarchical approach for independently forecasting each series in a hierarchy using machine learning. We then combine all forecasts to allow a second-phase model estimation at the parent level. Sales data from a logistics solutions provider is used to compare our approach to “bottom-up” and “top-down” methods. Our results demonstrate an 82–90% improvement in forecast accuracy. Using the proposed method, supply chain planners can derive more accurate forecasting results by exploiting the benefit of multivariate data.

Analysis of airport design for introducing infrastructure for autonomous drones

PurposeConnecting autonomous drones to ground operations and services is a prerequisite for the adoption of scalable and sustainable drone services in the built environment. Despite the rapid advance in the field of autonomous drones, the development of ground infrastructure has received less attention. Contemporary airport design offers potential solutions for the infrastructure serving autonomous drone services. To that end, this paper aims to construct a framework for connecting air and ground operations for autonomous drone services. Furthermore, the paper defines the minimum facilities needed to support unmanned aerial vehicles for autonomous logistics and the collection of aerial data.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews the state-of-the-art in airport design literature as the basis for analysing the guidelines of manned aviation applicable to the development of ground infrastructure for autonomous drone services. Socio-technical system analysis was used for identifying the service needs of drones.FindingsThe key findings are functional modularity based on the principles of airport design applies to micro-airports and modular service functions can be connected efficiently with an autonomous ground handling system in a sustainable manner addressing the concerns on maintenance, reliability and lifecycle.Research limitations/implicationsAs the study was limited to the airport design literature findings, the evolution of solutions may provide features supporting deviating approaches. The role of autonomy and cloud-based service processes are quintessentially different from the conventional airport design and are likely to impact real-life solutions as the area of future research.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study provided a framework for establishing the connection between the airside and the landside for the operations of autonomous aerial services. The lack of such framework and ground infrastructure has hindered the large-scale adoption and easy-to-use solutions for sustainable logistics and aerial data collection for decision-making in the built environment.Social implicationsThe evolution of future autonomous aerial services should be accessible to all users, “democratising” the use of drones. The data collected by drones should comply with the privacy-preserving use of the data. The proposed ground infrastructure can contribute to offloading, storing and handling aerial data to support drone services’ acceptability.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, the paper describes the first design framework for creating a design concept for a modular and autonomous micro-airport system for unmanned aviation based on the applied functions of full-size conventional airports.

Warehouse Management Systems for Social and Environmental Sustainability: A Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis

Background: With the continuing growth of warehouses globally, there is an increasing need for sustainable logistics solutions in warehousing, but research linking warehouse management systems (WMS) and sustainability is lacking. Methods: A systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis were conducted in Scopus and Web of Science databases from 2006 to 2022 to investigate academic knowledge of WMS contributing to warehouses’ social and environmental sustainability. Results: Findings revealed only 12 topic-relevant articles from 2013 to 2022, primarily published recently. More recent articles have received more citations than earlier published works. The articles were from multiple research fields, such as business economics, engineering, computer science, and social sciences, with only one article on environmentally sustainable technologies. The top keywords were “warehouse management system”, “internet of things”, “industry 4.0” and “supply chain”. Only six articles had environmental sustainability terms in the keywords. Findings show more discussions about social rather than environmental sustainability. Most studies suggest integrating WMS with other systems to support sustainability efforts in warehousing. Conclusions: The study addressed a gap in academic literature regarding WMS and sustainability. Research findings added knowledge of practical activities to achieve warehouse operations and performance sustainability and proactively reduce warehouse operations’ environmental and social impacts.

Analysis of the tank car market in Russia and optimization of operating models of operator companies

Background: Oil and petroleum products are still the main items of the Russian budget. This segment of cargoes is dominating in the railway transportation market. In the coming years, the study of this segment will not lose its relevance. Constantly arising shortage of wagons - petroleum tank cars, restricts sales of raw materials and products of their processing, leads to growth of transportation costs.
 Aim: The major goal is to quantify the shortage of tank cars for oil and petroleum products transportation and to develop an optimal operating model for the operator's company.
 Methods: The research data are statistical samples of oil and petroleum products transportation market indicators for the period from 2020 to the present, the indicators of efficiency of the rolling stock use by the operator companies. The research is built on the methods of statistical analysis of the market of oil and petroleum products transportation, factor analysis of dependences of the cargo volumes presented for transportation, the volume of transportation and the condition of the car fleet of operator companies.
 Results: The structured analysis of the tank car market in the Russian Federation is analyzed, and the operating model of the operator company with a full complex of logistic solutions for oil and petroleum products transportation, realized on the basis of the efficient use of the rolling stock fleet, is developed.
 Conclusion: Recommendations on optimizing operating costs for the maintenance of the rolling stock of operating companies, taking into account its maintenance in proper technical condition, ensuring traffic safety and increasing the efficiency of transportation by rail are given.