Editor’s Choice Articles

Health supply chains aim to improve access to healthcare, and this can be attained only when health commodities appropriate to the health needs of the global population are developed, manufactured, and made available when and where needed. The weak links in the health supply chains are hindering the access of essential healthcare resulting in inefficient use of scarce resources and loss of lives. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and demand forecasting is one of the weakest links of health supply chains. Also, many of the existing bottlenecks in supply chains and health systems impede the accurate forecasting of demand, and without the ability to forecast demand with certainty, the stakeholders cannot plan and make commitments for the future. Forecasts are an important feeder for budgeting and logistics planning. Under this backdrop, the study examines how improved forecasting can lead to better short-term and long-term access to health commodities and outlines market-related risks. It explores further how incentives are misaligned creating an uneven distribution of risks, leading to the inability to match demand and supply. For this purpose, a systematic literature review was performed, analyzing 71 articles from a descriptive and content approach. Findings indicate the emerging trends in global health and the consequences of inaccurate demand forecasting for health supply chains. The content analysis identifies key factors that can pose a varying degree of risks for the health supply chain stakeholders. The study highlights how the key factors emerge as enablers and blockers, depending on the impact on the overall health supply chains. The study also provides recommendations for actions for reducing these risks. Consequently, limitations of this work are presented, and opportunities are identified for future lines of research. Finally, the conclusion confirms that by adopting a combination of approaches, stakeholders can ensure better information sharing, identify avenues of diversifying risks, and understand the implications. Full article

This paper is concerned with demand planning for internal supply chains consisting of workstations, production facilities, warehouses, and transportation links. We address the issue of how to help a supplier firmly accept orders and subsequently plan to fulfill demand. We first formulate a linear aggregate planning model for demand management that incorporates elements of order promising, recipe run constraints, and capacity limitations. Using several scenarios, we discuss the use of the model in demand planning and capacity planning to help a supplier firmly respond to requests for quotations. We extend the model to incorporate congestion effects at assembly and blending nodes using clearing functions; the resulting model is nonlinear. We develop and test two algorithms to solve the nonlinear model: one based on inner approximation and the other on outer approximation. Full article

The calculation of lashing forces on containerships is one of the most important aspects in terms of cargo safety, as well as slot utilization, especially for large containerships such as more than 10,000 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit). It is a challenge for stowage planners when large containerships are in the last port of region because mostly the ship is full and the stacks on deck are very high. However, the lashing force calculation is highly dependent on the Classification society (Class) where the ship is certified; its formula is not published and it is different per each Class (e.g., Lloyd, DNVGL, ABS, BV, and so on). Therefore, the lashing result calculation can only be verified by the Class certified by the Onboard Stability Program (OSP). To ensure that the lashing result is compiled in the stowage plan submitted, stowage planners in office must rely on the same copy of OSP. This study introduces the model to extract the features and to predict the lashing forces with machine learning without explicit calculation of lashing force. The multimodal deep learning with the ANN, CNN and RNN, and AutoML approach is proposed for the machine learning model. The trained model is able to predict the lashing force result and its result is close to the result from its Class. Full article

The purpose of the present research is to examine and compare product and logistics competencies in supplier selection decisions, which can serve as a crucial building block for competitive differentiation, in the context of the unique private label (PL) supply chain. This study also hypothesizes about the impact of product and logistics competence on the retailer’s financial performance. Lastly, the moderating role of the product type in the proposed research model is explored. Partial least squares path modelling is used to analyze the dataset drawn from major South Korean retailers, due to the exploratory nature of the research and the use of both reflective and formative construct measurement items. Overall, the results of this study demonstrate that relationships between the desire for a particular strategic intent and performance are more complex than previous studies have implied. The findings of this research offer possible explanations on an important but understudied aspect of PL success: why not all PLs (even of the same retailer) are thriving even in a rapidly growing PL industry. We further elicit strategic recommendations for retailers in selecting PL suppliers and for PL manufacturers to differentiate themselves and achieve a superior performance. Full article

Courier, express, and parcel (CEP) services represent one of the most challenging and dynamic sectors of the logistics industry. Companies of this sector must solve several challenges to keep up with the rapid changes in the market. In this context, the introduction of autonomous delivery using self-driving trucks might be an appropriate solution to overcome the problems that the industry is facing today. This paper investigates if the introduction of autonomous trucks would be feasible for deliveries in urban areas from the experts’ point of view. Furthermore, the potential advantages of such autonomous vehicles were highlighted and compared to traditional delivery methods. At the same time, barriers that could slow down or hinder such an implementation were also discovered by conducting semi-structured interviews with experts from the field. The results show that CEP companies are interested in innovative logistics solutions such as autonomous vans, especially when it comes to business-to-consumer (B2C) activities. Most of the experts acknowledge the benefits that self-driving vans could bring once on the market. Despite that, there are still some difficulties that need to be solved before actual implementation. If this type of vehicle will become the sector’s disruptor is yet to be seen. Full article

Studies have shown that leading supply chain companies are associated with significantly higher company financial ratios than competitors. In contrast, little research has focused on the financial performance of the affiliated suppliers and customers of such supply chain leader (SCL) companies. Thus, the central purpose of this paper is to determine, from a financial perspective, whether suppliers and customers benefit or lose by participating in a SCL network (so called “financial spillover effects”). Companies that were ranked in the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 were selected as SCLs. For each selected firm, the five largest suppliers and customers were identified and compared with a control sample from the same industry. In order to elaborate on existing insights into the (financial) outcome of supply chain relationships, we applied an explorative approach with abductive reasoning, while comparing the secondary data for 224 SCL supplier (56 firms) and 168 SCL customer (42 firms) firm-years with 1940 (485 firms) and 1544 (386 firms) control firm-years, respectively. The following insights are made: First, the superior financial performance of SCLs was confirmed. Second, the financial performance of suppliers and customers showed superior liquidity and activity ratios but inferior profitability ratios. Third, suppliers showed much more significant results than customers. Full article

While supply chain analytics shows promise regarding value, benefits, and increase in performance for logistics and supply chain management (LSCM) organizations, those organizations are often either reluctant to invest or unable to achieve the returns they aspire to. This article systematically explores the barriers LSCM organizations experience in employing supply chain analytics that contribute to such reluctance and unachieved returns and measures to overcome these barriers. This article therefore aims to systemize the barriers and measures and allocate measures to barriers in order to provide organizations with directions on how to cope with their individual barriers. By using Grounded Theory through 12 in-depth interviews and Q-Methodology to synthesize the intended results, this article derives core categories for the barriers and measures, and their impacts and relationships are mapped based on empirical evidence from various actors along the supply chain. Resultingly, the article presents the core categories of barriers and measures, including their effect on different phases of the analytics solutions life cycle, the explanation of these effects, and accompanying examples. Finally, to address the intended aim of providing directions to organizations, the article provides recommendations for overcoming the identified barriers in organizations. Full article

The port system is immersed in a process of digital transformation towards the concept of Ports 4.0, under the new regulatory and connectivity requirements that are expected of them. As a result of the changes that the industrial revolution 4.0 is imposing, based on new information technologies and the change of energy model, the electrification of modes of transport from alternative energies and the total digitalization of the processes is occurring. This conversion to digital, intelligent, and green ports requires the implementation of the new technologies offered by the market. The inclusion of these enabling tools has allowed the development of automated terminals under a functional approach. This article aims to offer the responsible entities a new methodology (BOT) that allows them to successfully undertake the automation of terminals, taking into account the reality of the conditions of the environment in which they are developed. By quantifying the factors that facilitate or impede implementation, it will be possible to determine the strategy to be followed and the necessary measures to be adopted in the project; constituting, therefore, a novel management and planning tool. Full article

In the last couple of decades, there has been an unparalleled growth in number of people who can afford motorized vehicles. This is increasing the number of vehicles on roads at an alarming rate and existing infrastructure and conventional methods of traffic management are becoming inefficient both on highways and in urban areas. It is very important that our highways are up and running 24/7 as they not only provide a passage for human beings to move from one place to another, but also are the most important mode for intercity or international transfer of goods. There is an utter need of adapting the new world order, where daily processes are driven with the help of innovative technologies. It is highly likely that technological advancements like autonomous or connected vehicles, big data and the Internet of things can provide highway operators with a solution that might resolve unforeseeable challenges. This investigative exploratory research identifies and highlights the impact of new technological advancements in the automotive industry on highways and highway operators. The data for this research was collected on a Likert scale type online survey, from different organizations around the world (actively or passively involved in highway operations). The data was further tested for its empirical significance with non-parametric binomial and Wilcoxon signed rank tests, supported by a descriptive analysis. The results of this study are in line with theoretical and conceptual work done by several independent corporations and academic researchers. It is evident form the opinions of seasoned professionals that these technological advancements withhold the potential to resolve all potential challenges and revolutionize highway operations. Full article

This paper aims to analyze the potential future of the 4PL concept based on expert opinions with special regard to the influence of digitalization coming with a disruptive trans-formation of supply chains. Service arrangements, provider capabilities and benefits resulting from a 4PL partnership are compared in current and future configurations. The research follows an explorative mixed methods approach with semi-structured interviews followed by an expert panel. This builds a basis for an online survey questionnaire to inquire on important future aspects for the 4PL concept by a sample of respondents from multinational companies. Our results show a clear trend away from simply organizing transportation and logistics activities towards the provision of an IT platform as well as further value-added service activities such as planning, analytics and monitoring. Along with this, IT capabilities appear to be an important differentiator for 4PL providers in the future. Moreover, relationships between 4PL providers and their clients become closer and more strategic, which leads to a customer valuing not only direct cost reductions but rather improvements resulting from optimized operations through superior analysis and planning functions. Full article

Professional truck drivers are prone to both physical and psychological stress. Such stress can lead to burnout. Drawing on Job Demands Resources literature and stress research, we investigate the relationship between job related role stressors and three components of burnout, among professional truck drivers who are based in the Netherlands. They were surveyed with a time-lagged design (interval of two months). In the first wave, the different potential causes of burnout were measured (role conflict, role ambiguity, quality of sleep, and the perceived emotional intelligence of the dispatcher). In the second wave, the three elements of burnout were measured: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment. The results of our study indicate that role conflict relates positively to all three components of a burnout. The emotional intelligence of the dispatcher—as perceived by the truck drivers—was negatively related with the three components of a burnout. Finally, the quality of sleep had an impact on depersonalization and emotional exhaustion. Theoretically, several job specific role stressors are confirmed to play a role in truck driver burnout. However, the top three role stressors all appeared to be related to the trucking industry, instead of a particular employer, and they may therefore require national policy measures. Full article

Despite the claim that blockchain will revolutionise business and redefine logistics, existing research so far is limited concerning frameworks that categorise blockchain application potentials and their implications. In particular, academic literature in transport and logistics to date has not sufficiently distinguished between blockchain adoption (‘what to adopt’) and the identification of the right business opportunity (‘where to start’). In response, this paper (1) uses Rogers’ (2003) ‘attributes of innovation framework’ to identify potential blockchain applications and (2) presents a framework explicating four transformation phases to subsequently categorise the identified areas of application according to their effects on organisational structures and processes. Using academic and practitioner literature, we classify possible applications for adoption and provide a framework to identify blockchain opportunities in the logistics industry, thereby helping managers to systematically assess where to start building organisational capabilities in order to successfully adopt and deploy blockchain-based technology. Full article

In the current economic, social and political environment, society demands a greater variety of outcomes from the public logistics sector, such as efficiency, efficiency of managed resources, greater transparency and business performance. All of them are an indispensable counterpart for its recognition and support. In case of port planning and management, many variables are included. Use of Bayesian Networks allows to classify, predict and diagnose these variables and even to estimate the subsequent probability of unknown variables, basing on the known ones. Research includes a data base with more than 40 variables, which have been classified as smart port studies in Spain. Then a network was generated using a non-cyclic conducted grafo, which shows port variable relationships. As conclusion, economic variables are cause of the rest of categories and they represent a parent role in the most of cases. Furthermore, if environmental variables are known, subsequent probability of social variables can be estimated. Full article

Social investment capital is one of the factors in Vietnam’s economic growth. It also has a broad impact on many manufacturing and service sectors in the national economy, including maritime transport. This article will apply a quantitative method named vector autoregression (VAR) to define the impacts of social investment capital on the quantity of cargo transported by sea. Special attention will be paid to investment from the government and foreign investors. Recommendations will be suggested to improve the current situation of shipping companies in particular, and the shipping industry in general in Vietnam. Full article