Logistics

Background: Mismanagement in disaster relief operations (DROs) has created a requirement for fast, fair, and safe humanitarian logistics (HL). The deployment of digital solutions in DROs is supported by humanitarian organizations (HOs) as well as recent research; therefore, the key purpose of this article is to investigate the impact of digitalization for fast, fair, and safe HL in DROs. Methods: Primary empirical data were acquired from 449 disaster relief workers (DRWs) via questionnaires and by employing the snowball sampling methodology and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 3. Results: The result of this study indicates that fast, fair, and safe HL is crucial because it can save people’s lives and reduce suffering, and it achieves long-term sustainable development. The findings of the study could be beneficial to all catastrophe risk-management stakeholders as they look for ways to help victims. In addition, the ultimate beneficiaries of digitalized and effective HL will be all of society, notably disaster victims. Conclusions: By implementing proper technologies in DROs, the afflicted may receive needed resources on time, which can save many lives. The utility of the proposed variables is promoting awareness about HL in a fast, fair, and safe manner, and we discuss implications, limitations, and future research. The research adds to the literature by presenting the first quantitative evidence assessing the independent role of digitalization in generating fast, fair, and safe HL from one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries. Full article

Background: At Indonesian level crossings, traversed by logistics trains, there are still frequent cases of accidents. The overall mishaps in 2020 were 199 cases of accidents at level crossings involving road drivers. Mental load factors affect the behavior of drivers on the road; Methods: this study, field observations and surveys were carried out using the Driver Behavior Question-naire (DBQ) and NASA TLX to measure mental load; Results: The results showed that 62% of drivers had a very high mental load factor. The mental load factors are effort, frustration, and temporal demand. Meanwhile, based on the results of DBQ, the type of behavior that is often carried out is Violation; Conclusions: From the results of field observations, it is also known that there is a significant influence between time and type of vehicle on violations. Thus, it was necessary to improve facilities and systems at level crossings to provide convenience and reduce the volume of transportation going through level crossings to reduce the risk of accidents and violations at level crossings. Full article

Background: This article identifies the preferences of the customer of logistics services in Indonesia using the Kansei engineering and conjoint analysis methods. The Conjoint Analysis aims to establish utility scores that represent factors in logistics services. Methods: In this study, 100 respondents from several cities in East Java, Indonesia, are selected to fill out the formal questionnaire. At the same time, 30 respondents are chosen to determine the attributes and level attributes. The analysis to determine attributes, level attributes, and formal questionnaires are assisted by SPSS 25. Sixteen stimuli are generated in this study to be used for a formal questionnaire. In this study, Kansei is used to provide a different perspective to describe the customer service, Including six attributes: delivery services, delivery speed, courier attitude, order information, condition of goods, and warehouse locations. Results: The results show that customers’ most preferred attributes are based on the condition of undamaged objects, and the attitude of the courier is vital for users in this study. Conclusions: The most considered instruments by the customer, such as delivery services, delivery speed, courier attitude, order information, condition of goods, and warehouse location. Full article

Background: Additive manufacturing (AM) applications in producing spare parts are increasing day by day. AM is bridging the digital and physical world as a 3D computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) method. The usage of AM has made the supply chain of the aviation spare parts industry simpler, more effective, and efficient. Methods: This paper demonstrates the impacts of AM on the supply chain of the aircraft spare parts industry following a systematic literature review. Hence, centralized and decentralized structures of AM supply chains have been evaluated. Additionally, the attention has been oriented towards the supply chain with AM technologies and industry 4.0, which can support maintenance tasks and the production of spare parts in the aerospace industry. Results: This review article summarizes the interconnection of the industry findings on spare parts. It evaluates the potentiality and capability of AM in conceptualizing the overall supply chain. Moreover, MROs can adopt the proposed framework technologies to assist decision-makers in deciding whether the logistics hub with AM facilities is centralized or decentralized. Conclusions: Finally, this review provides an overall view to make critical decisions on the supply chain design of spare parts driven by new and disruptive technologies of industry 4.0. The next-generation supply chain may replace the logistics barriers by reducing waste and improving capability and sustainability by implementing AM technologies. Full article

Background: Logistics operations are considered essential for transporting commodities from one location to another, helping to promote global economic activity. On the other hand, its negative impact eclipses its positive impact, namely the rise in healthcare expenditures due to its ecological footprint. Globally, rising out-of-pocket health expenses result from logistic-induced carbon emissions, posing a danger to the long-term viability of healthcare. Methods: Based on this critical fact, this study examined the impact of logistics operations on healthcare costs by controlling for carbon emissions, fuel imports, and economic development across a large cross-section of 131 nations by using the Robust Least Squares Regression. Results: The findings demonstrate a U-shaped association between logistical operations and healthcare expenditures, i.e., if there is a 1% increase in logistics operations, healthcare expenditures decrease by −2.421% initially, while at later stages, healthcare costs would increase by 0.139%. On the other hand, increased fuel imports and economic growth due to logistics activities are increasing healthcare expenditures with an elasticity estimate of 0.087% and 0.147%, respectively. According to the forecasting predictions, logistics-induced carbon emissions, fuel imports, and economic expansion will increase healthcare expenses. Conclusions: A sustainable logistics operation is critical for strengthening healthcare infrastructure and meeting the global carbon neutrality goal. Full article

Background: Given the importance of human centricity, resilience, and sustainability, the emerging concept of Industry 5.0 has pushed forward the research frontier of the technology-focused Industry 4.0 to a smart and harmonious socio-economic transition driven by both humans and technologies, where the role of the human in the technological transformation is predominantly focused on. Several studies discuss the impacts of disruptive technologies on smart logistics operations in Industry 4.0. However, since Industry 5.0 is a new concept and still in its infancy, its implications for smart logistics have not been discussed. Methods: To fill this gap, this paper presents a comparative bibliometric analysis to show the connection and differences between Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 and their implications for smart logistics. A thorough content analysis is then given to illustrate the features of smart logistics in Industry 5.0 concerning four areas, namely intelligent automation, intelligent devices, intelligent systems, and intelligent materials. Results: The results show that, compared with Industry 4.0, the research of smart logistics in Industry 5.0 puts more focus on the interaction between humans and technology in the digital transition, with the increasing adoption of collaborative technologies, e.g., human-machine systems, collaborative robots, and human-robot collaboration. Conclusions: Finally, a research agenda is proposed for identifying future research directions of smart logistics in Industry 5.0. Full article

Background: Within highly complex supply chain networks, driven by the trend of digitalization, supply chain relationship management becomes one of the central enablers in increasing supply chain performance. While the influences of globalization and digitalization on the supply chains are increasing, the power allocation within several markets is centralized to a small number of companies. The objective of this paper is to investigate the research gap concerning the impact of power asymmetries on the supply chain, in addition to the trend of digitalization. Methods: A literature review on power, in the research area of supply chain management and logistics, is used to synthesize the current state of the art in this research field and to provide a comprehensive definition of the concept of power. Conclusions: While this paper provides an overview of the impact of power allocations, according to supply chain digitalization and in the present research of supply chain management, it also develops a definition of Power in Supply Chain Management in general. Linked to this definition, this research elaborates on the research gap between power allocations and the digitalization of the supply chain. Full article

Background: Nowadays, variable domination structure is instrumental in studying multiobjective decision making problems. We investigate multiobjective location problems with respect to variable domination structure and its applications in supply chain management. Methods: We formulate practical problems in supply chain management as an optimization problem with a variable domination structure. Moreover, we present the mathematical methods to solve such problems. We investigate two kinds of solutions derived from the concept of minimal and nondominated solutions from vector optimization problems with respect to variable domination structure. Furthermore, we explore how these solution concepts are characterized in practical problems. Results: We ex- pose how those solutions are beneficial in practical problems. However, these results hold true for multiobjective decision making problems with a continuous feasible set; we present a practical problem in the case of a finite set of feasible locations. Conclusions: In many multiobjective location problems, each location’s characterizations, preferences, and restrictions are involved in the decision making process. This study investigates the decision making problems, where different preferences of objective functions at each location are assumed. Moreover, we present a numerical experiment for selecting a new hub airport. Full article

Background: For many developing countries, agribusiness has become one of the main economic sectors, with the capacity to mobilize domestic and foreign investments. Despite the potential for development in countries like Brazil, the results of these investments in supply chains have not yet been systematically assessed. Methods: This study analyses foreign and domestic investments as an explanation for the recent growth of Brazilian agribusiness and evaluates the implications of different investment arrangements for the future development of the sector in the country. The research was based on a literature review of 12 agribusiness supply chains in Brazil. Results: Through a content analysis, the results reveal win–win situations with foreign and domestic investments supporting the streamlining of supply chains, mutually benefiting domestic and international groups and increasing the productivity of the entire sector. However, the results also reveal win–lose cases with chains and segments practically controlled by foreign multinationals in which local groups have practically no share. Finally, there are also cases of lose–win in which groups subsidized by the state are privileged in relation to others, compromising the sector’s growth. Conclusions: The current liberal business environment results in the need for a new vision of development based on win–win opportunities for domestic and foreign investments created by dynamic sectors such as agribusiness. Full article

Background: The present work is related to a project developed in a company dealing with the security and communication systems, fire alarms, and electronic displays sector, located in the district of Aveiro. This work aims to improve the logistics flow of material reception in the warehouse of a company by using case study research methodology. Methods: Initially, there were too many queues at reception and high throughput times. The approach used to solve these problems was balancing the workstations, with the help of industrial simulation software (Arena^®) and changing the existing layout, making the queues residual in order to reduce the throughput times. Results: Considerable savings were achieved with this approach in terms of operational costs. A reduction of the throughput time by 28% is reached and a reduced number of workstations is achieved, as well as a greater capacity to receive more material without the need for further investment. Conclusions: The changes in the layout allowed improvements at the ergonomic level and greater organization (5 S’s) at the workstations, thus having a positive impact on the employees’ working conditions. Full article

Background: This research aims to prioritize the blood supply hub for coping barriers of implementation blockchain (BC) in supply chain management (SCM). Nowadays, blood supply is a crucial matter that plays an essential role in people’s lives. Hence, tracing the supply of blood is very substantial. One of the ways for the SCM of blood supply is a blockchain system. It shows how all traces of the SCM stream can flow from raw material to receiving blood into end users. However, there are many barriers to the implementation of blockchain. None of the companies can design improvement projects to resolve these barriers because of a lack of rare resources, such as human resources (HR), budget, information, etc. Methods: Barriers are first extracted from previous studies and interviews with experts in this study. Then, these barriers are customized for this case study by the Delphi method. Then, these blood supply hubs are ranked by measurement alternatives and ranking according to the compromise solution (MARCOS) method. Since this method needs primary weight, the best–worst method (BWM) is applied to obtain this weight. Result: Results have pointed out that business owners’ unwillingness was the highest priority among the nine barriers. Conclusions: Additionally, implementing blockchain for SCM of blood supply requires paying more attention to business owners’ unwillingness barriers and resolving them. Furthermore, hub 4 is faced with many problems in tackling barriers to implementing SCM blockchain. Full article

Background: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazilian public schools closed in 2020. This lockdown stopped the provision of school meals to public school students, most of whom belonged to low-income families facing food insecurity. To guarantee the students’ food security during this period, food items previously provided through school meals were converted into food kits and delivered to the students’ families. Methods: This case study analyzes the logistical impacts of this change in the school food supply chain concerning the legislation, procurement, assembly, and distribution of food kits in the city of Vitória, Brazil. We interviewed suppliers and workers of the Municipal Secretariat of Education and distributed a survey to professionals and beneficiaries. Results: One of the findings was that federal procurement regulations for the acquisition of food for public schools led to difficult choices for school officials during this period. These regulations determined that at least 30% of the budget must be used in local purchases from smallholder family farmers. However, almost all products generated by family farming in the region of Vitória are perishable and require distribution and consumption on the same day, which represents a challenge for the logistic process of assembling and distributing food kits. The solution was the selection of eggs as the primary protein item in the kits. Conclusions: The lessons learned through this study suggest potential actions that would make this supply chain more resilient in future emergencies. Full article

Background: The logistics industry has seen the emergence of many startups in recent years. Many of these logistics startups use new technologies to develop disruptive products, services or platforms that are based on software. This paper presents the results of a Delphi study and a survey that were consolidated in a framework. The purpose is to understand the benefits that logistics startups derive from using agile methods, the difficulties they face in using these methods and the evolution of logistics startups in terms of using agile methods. Methods: A Delphi study with 29 experts and a global survey with 95 participants was conducted to look at the implementation of agile methods. The largest group of participants were members of (top) management, agile coaches and team leaders. Results: The framework consolidates gathered data to demonstrate how logistics startups apply agile methods and practices based on the results of the Delphi study and the survey, and how the usage of agile methods changes over the age of logistics startups. The results indicate that younger logistics startups use agile methods predominantly to design product features and maximise customer value, whereas logistics startups older than five years focus more on the optimisation of internal processes. Conclusions: The value of the present study lies in its contribution to the hitherto hardly examined research field of agility in logistics startups and the notable views of the experienced participants. Full article

Background: The purpose of this paper is to develop a generic transport system for same-day delivery that is suitable for matching long-distance bulk distribution with local distribution. Methods: The innovative concepts of this research entail the introduction of mobile hub (MH) networks in combination with long combination vehicles (LCVs). LCVs are trucks with an additional loading capacity of 50% compared to standard trucks. Mobile hubs allow switching trailers at any suitable location at any time. They increase flexibility and yield savings in time and costs. On top of that, they reduce the number of driver hours needed. In our LCV-MH concept, standard trucks are initially—at their home base—combined to LCVs, which drive a considerable distance, but are eventually, at a mobile hub in the vicinity of the customers, broken down again into standard trucks heading for the customers. Results: We illustrate the practical relevance of our ideas by a case study based upon actual and accurate data from practice. Here, we compare the LCV-MH concept with the strategy of using only LCVs. Conclusions: Next to yielding considerable cost savings, the LCV-MH concept makes it easier to generate routes that comply with the EU transport rules. Full article

Background: Family farmers’ participation in marketing channels has prompted debates on the types of market best suited to this type of farmer. Commodity production by rural communities and the role of agribusiness long marketing channels for family-based farmers are the subjects of numerous qualitative studies. However, quantitative studies capable of assessing the relevance of long channels to family-based farmers are scarce. Therefore, this study intends to assess the relevance of long marketing channels for family farmers. Methods: We compiled the data from the survey responses of family farmers from 155 municipalities in a state in the central region of Brazil. Results: (1) There was an economic concentration of some marketing channels, namely, the sale of commodities occurred in 35% of the municipalities and included 4.15% of the sampled family farmers. The income derived through these channels represented 2.13% of the farmers’ total income included in the study. (2) There is a low diversity of market types. On average, we found 2.95 long marketing channels per municipality. (3) Family farmers’ participation is low in most commodity long channels. Between 0.11% and 4.15% of the family farmers in the sampled municipalities participate in these channels. Long channels linked to the cattle production chain showed more relevant capacity for inclusion. Conclusions: Contrary to the expectations of those behind initiatives to promote the marketing and sale of locally-sourced commodities within rural communities, agribusiness long marketing channels provide limited opportunities for family farmers to market their goods. Full article

Background: How do Shopping Centre Managers use the Management Control System (MCS) to adapt to the available resources according to the characteristics of the centre and external factors that may affect such management? We identified the differences in the MCS between three types of shopping centres: urban-conventional centres, peripheral-conventional centres, and peripheral-outlet centres. Methods: This qualitative research, based on a multiple case study, aims to obtain a descriptive and explanatory view of the situation of the MCS in the analysed centres. For the study, an interview with a store manager in a shopping centre and semi-structured interviews with the managers of the selected centres were conducted. Results: The relevant factors that affect management were detected: ownership structure, budget management, centre maintenance, marketing-mix management, and the image of the centre to be projected, based on the public that the manager intends to attract. Conclusions: MCSs within each shopping centre vary little, depending on the external factors described, and the differences in management are not based on the characteristics of the centre but on the vision of the manager. A detailed description of the role of the manager is offered, and the door is opened for further research on the subject. Full article

Background: Blockchain is a digitally managed, distributed, and decentralized ledger used to record transactions in an immutable format. Its characteristics in providing trust, transparency, and traceability make it attractive for applications where transactions are involved. Originally intended to support financial transactions, the technology has gained attention even in non-financial sectors such as health care, manufacturing, retail, and government services. Methods: For centuries, the various functions of manufacturing industries have worked based on the relationship and trust that they have with their upstream and downstream stakeholders. In addition, as the conventional factories are growing into giant gigafactories, the participation of several intermediaries further complicates the supply chain and logistics operations. Hence, the article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the role of blockchain technology in addressing supply chain and logistics-related challenges by analyzing, organizing, and reviewing the literature. Results: The study shows that blockchain technology can transform the supply chain and logistics into secure, agile, trusted, and transparent functions. A conceptualized application scenario demonstrates the benefits of blockchain technology in providing provenance and traceability to critical products. Conclusions: In particular, a private or permissioned blockchain is suitable for multi-organizational businesses such as supply chain and logistics. In addition, IoT-blockchain integration, smart contracts, and asset tracking has immense benefits in the future. Full article

Background: The purpose of this study is to analyze the adoption and implementation of technologies related to Industry 4.0 and the integration with circular economy (CE) to minimize the effects of resource scarcity in emergency situations. Method: The study was developed in two stages: The first consists of a systematic review of the literature for analytical categorization of the technologies of Industry 4.0 that can be useful for implementation in the circular economy. In the second step, empirical validation was carried out with 45 foodtech startups from the agribusiness value chain, farm to table, reuse, and waste management and disposal segments. Results: The contributions of the study show that: (i) The business models of startups in the food segment are closely aligned with the assumptions of circular economy. (ii) The technologies of industry 4.0 are supporting the implementation of circular economy in foodtech companies. (iii) Digitization, traceability, software as a service, traceability, digital solutions, and shared platforms occupy the leadership in the interface between CE and industry 4.0. (iv) Partnerships are strategic elements in the creation of innovative ecosystems for the success of foodtech startups. Conclusions: We conclude this paper with a diagnosis about companies involved in the foodtech segment in addition to the proposition of a business and sectorial agenda to consolidate the Industry 4.0 technologies in order to promote circular economy. Full article

Background: Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) has revolutionized the operations, technologies, logistics and supply chain. To align with industry 4.0, the conventional logistics processes need to upgrade into digital logistics (logistics 4.0). This study aims to analyse the critical success factors of logistics 4.0. Methods: To accomplish this objective a comprehensive literature review is conducted for the identification of the critical success factors of logistics 4.0 with the expert’s input. These critical success factors are interrelated, and this interrelationship is explored through the DEMATEL approach. The applied methodology is categorised the critical success factors into cause-and-effect groups. Six factors belong to the cause group and the remaining four belong to the effect group. Results: The ‘top management commitment and support’, ‘aligning the initiatives of logistic 4.0 with organizational strategy’ and ‘technological infrastructure’ are the most influential critical success factors. This analysis also recognized the most influential and influenced factor amongst all identified critical success factors that will help the practitioners to optimal utilization of the resources. Conclusions: The findings of the study support the managers and practitioners in strategizing their effort for logistics 4.0 adoption. Full article