A decision support model for identification and prioritization of key performance indicators in the logistics industry

YesPerformance measurement of logistics companies is based upon various performance indicators. Yet, in the logistics industry, there are several vaguenesses, such as deciding on key indicators and determining interrelationships between performance indicators. In order to resolve these vaguenesses, this paper first presents the stakeholder-informed Balanced Scorecard (BSC) model, by incorporating financial (e.g. cost) and non-financial (e.g. social media) performance indicators, with a comprehensive approach as a response to the major shortcomings of the generic BSC regarding the negligence of different stakeholders. Subsequently, since the indicators are not independent of each other, a robust multi-criteria decision making technique, the Analytic Network Process (ANP) method is implemented to analyze the interrelationships. The integration of these two techniques provides a novel way to evaluate logistics performance indicators from logisticians' perspective. This is a matter that has not been addressed in the logistics industry to date, and as such remains a gap that needs to be investigated. Therefore, the proposed model identifies key performance indicators as well as various stakeholders in the logistics industry, and analyzes the interrelationships among the indicators by using the ANP. Consequently, the results show that educated employee (15.61%) is the most important indicator for the competitiveness of logistics companies

Prioritizing warehouse performance measures in contemporary supply chains

Purpose: Due to the importance of efficiency and responsiveness measures rather than just efficiency measures, this research recognizes both measures when considering overall performance of warehouse operations. Thus, the purpose of this study is to prioritize overall performance measures associated with warehouse operations in manufacturing, third-party logistics (3PL) service provider, and retail industry supply chains. Design/methodology/approach: The study uses an integrated approach that involves the Q-sort method to group measures into four categories. Fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) was then used to prioritize individual performance measures within each category and integer liner programming model was used to validate prioritized categories, using the judgement of multiple decision makers across three industries. Findings: The result shows that the financial category is a dominating performance category in managing warehouse operations across all three industries selected. Within the financial category, cost of insurance accounted for 25% of total weight of the category, and is considered to be a powerful measure. The financial category is verified by multiple decision makers across three industries, as the most important performance category. Research Limitations/implications: As part of adopting the proposed methodology in practice, it needs to be guided by overall methodology appropriate for industry-specific contexts. Originality/value: Key novel aspects of this study are to categorize warehouse operations measures and analyze their perspectives in different industries, understand dominant categories of warehouse operations measures in the contemporary supply chain and finally to explore to what extent current practices lead to achieving efficiency and responsiveness in the selected industries

Sustainable construction logistics in urban areas: A framework for assessing the suitability of the implementation of construction consolidation centres

Transport in construction is responsible for up to 30% of freight movement in cities, with a subsequent impact in terms of pollutant emissions. Different solutions have been provided to alleviate the negative impact of freight transport related to construction activity, although no guidance has been provided for replicability in cities. One solution whose potential benefits are being studied with the support of policy makers is Construction Consolidation Centres (CCC). This paper proposes a method based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and provides an index based on 45 indicators to evaluate the suitability of the implementation of a CCC in terms of the pillars of sustainability in combination with a technical pillar. Three real construction projects were assessed in Luxembourg City, Paris, and Valencia. Two critical attributes were identified: the estimated operational costs of the construction company and the potential demand level in the area. The results of the analysis allow for: (i) the extraction of knowledge related to the sustainability of the construction project, and (ii) logistics to be integrated into the planning and design stages of the construction activity. Furthermore, a general structure is also proposed for integrating other construction solutions where CCC is not suitable. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Sustainable supply chain management: Decision models for transformation and maturity

Academics and practitioners have realized that supply chains with their many interactions and impacts have to be investigated in order to meet corporate sustainability imperatives. Research has thus far offered only limited theoretical guidance while practical applications often lack a systematic approach. The realization of sustainability goals is impeded by disconnects between supply chain vision, strategy, and execution. This research bridges this gap and offers guidance through the identification and description of influential factors and decision models. An exploratory Delphi study involved supply chain and sustainability experts with the goal to explore and propose factors and decision processes for sustainable supply chain management. This study builds upon the insights offered by seminal models and leverages the Delphi mechanisms of exploration and controlled feedback in order to design, refine, and validate decision models through three consecutive rounds. This Delphi facilitated the identification and assessment of vital relationships and influential factors for sustainable supply chain management. The study culminates in the design and validation of models specifically targeted at the transformation and on-going maturity development of sustainable supply chains. The combination of research outcomes provides targeted decision support to supply chain managers which is desperately needed in order to drive sustainability development and implementation. The main contributions of the study thus are (1) the design of prescriptive artefacts that describe relationships in SSCM, (2) to offer targeted and evaluated decision support functionalities for sustainable supply chains, and (3) to provide fertile ground for future research enquiries

Value Analysis Framework for RFID Technology Adoption in Retailers in China

Recently, RFID has emerged to be a promising technology to revolutionize the supply chain and logistics management. Currently there exists a sharp contrast between retailers in China and their counterparts in the United States with respect for RFID adoption. In the United States, big retailers like Wal-Mart are actively pursuing RFID by issuing mandates to their suppliers worldwide for RFID adoption. However, retailers in China never enjoy such a dominating role in pursuing RFID. To explore what is behind this phenomenon, in this paper, an analysis framework is proposed to develop decision support tools for RFID technology adoption analysis in retailers in China. The framework is realized in a service platform developed based on three principles to help reach mutual understanding between RFID vendors and customers in RFID technology adoption analysis. The framework is illustrated and validated through an example to demonstrate its feasibility to help to analyze the adoption of RFID technologies retailers in China. The technology analysis service platform integrates various tools enabling interactive and flexible analysis processes to understand how RFID technology can be adopted and used effectively in retailers in China and in logistics and supply chain management

Sustainability materiality matrices in doubt: may prioritizations of aspects overestimate environmental performance?

This study builds on the research gap that arises from the consistency analysis of the GRI-materiality approach with other prioritization approaches. The main objective is to explore to what extent corporate environmental performance is consistent using two different prioritization approaches. This study employs a novel quantitative approach to assess environmental performance through the prioritization of environmental aspects by using companies’ materiality analysis and independent expert knowledge. The empirical analysis focuses on the environmental performance analysis of wearing apparel companies. The main findings reveal that companies with better environmental performance could be using materiality analysis to further embellish the positive performance or for greenwashing purposes. This study could serve as a starting point to improve understanding of how companies could identify, from an objective and comparable basis, those environmental aspects that are essential to their business strategy and that are necessary to help stakeholders to make fully informed decisions

ISO 9001 and supply chain integration principles based sustainable development: a Delphi study.

Driven by the increasing stakeholder and societal pressures, organizations and supply chains face the multi-dimensional challenges of not only integrating economic, environmental and social agendas into their management systems but also driving continual sustainability performance improvement. Aiming to support organizations in this sustainable development challenge, this paper explores the strategic management principles of ISO 9001 and supply chain integration from the lens of triple bottom line sustainability. Derived from theoretical synergies, a conceptual framework for integration, measurement, and improvement of triple bottom line sustainability is constructed and a business diagnostic tool introduced to facilitate the implementation of the framework. The developed conceptual framework and diagnostic tool are verified through an expert panel-based Delphi study and positive relationships formulated between the management principles of ISO 9001, supply chain integration and sustainability management. The facilitating and catalyzing role of quality management and supply chain management principles for integration and improvement of organizational sustainability is outlined.N/

DEVELOPING AN ASSESSMENT SYSTEM FOR DOD DEMAND REDUCTION INITIATIVES

The DOD developed a new Joint Warfighting Concept (JWC) to address how the United States will confront the nation’s most pressing national security challenges. The focus of the JWC was the importance of logistics during combat operations and the ability to sustain a large force over strategic distances. The DOD’s shift of focus to near-peer threats requires sustainment demand reduction across the services. Many demand reduction initiatives (DRI) are under consideration to lessen the burden of logistics at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels. Due to the relative newness of the JWC, the LOG FCB does not have a quantitative, credible, repeatable process to effectively assess, compare, and prioritize implementation of demand reduction initiatives. This study implemented several systems engineering (SE) concepts that include the completion of stakeholder analysis, functional analysis, mapping of function to form, creating a top-level and detailed systems design, the use of value modeling, and the application of sensitivity analysis. The use of these SE tools and processes resulted in the development of a DRI Assessment System which includes instructions for use of the system, questionnaire for data collection, Excel calculation sheets, and the metrics and definitions for the selected attributes. These products provide the logistics functional capability board (LOG FCB) the capability to objectively prioritize current and future DRIs to implement across the DOD.Major, United States ArmyMajor, United States ArmyCaptain, United States ArmyMajor, United States ArmyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited