Search results

Introduces social network analysis techniques to business logistics and transportation. The case study has two specific goals. First, it introduces social network analysis techniques to the business logistics and transportation community as a useful tool with which to study the dynamic flows of communication between members of a social network. Second, it describes a wide variety of techniques and then utilizes them to examine artifacts of scholarly communication ‐ journal citations. In doing so, it tracks the changing communication patterns across two separate time periods to describe the evolution and maturation of the fields of business logistics and transportation. Concludes that over a period of ten years the flow of information between the journals in the area of business logistics and transportation has become more efficient and that journals directly communicate with one another. Also, there is no longer a distinct break between logistics and transportation.

This paper addresses horizontal supply chain collaboration among autonomous freight carriers in the less-than-truckload industry. The main purpose of the paper is to identify and explain the challenges with joint operational decision-making in this context and investigate the precise role of information technology (IT) therein.

Empirical evidence is gathered by means of exploratory and explanatory case research, with multiple cases at the planning departments of European freight carriers operating in collaborative transportation networks.

Collaborating carriers face fundamental challenges in joint operational planning and control of collaborative transportation, despite the broad availability of state-of-the-art IT. These operational supply chain challenges can be explained by technological differences of the available IT applications, which hinder integration.

Any expectations with regard to state-of-the-art XML or EDI-based IT integration for improved joint operational decision-making in collaborative transportation networks should be considered with care. In particular, the authors' research findings may encourage practitioners to consider new planning and control procedures and develop dedicated IT applications for collaborating freight carriers.

The paper highlights the importance of horizontal supply chain collaboration for small and medium-sized freight carriers in the less-than-truckload industry and conceptualises how collaborative transportation networks are organised. Furthermore, an IT typology is introduced to explain the challenges with joint operational decision-making.

Interactive‐graphic systems and operations research methodologies are increasingly being combined to produce efficient, versatile and powerful tools that enhance the decision‐making process. The possible contribution of such tools to the planning of distribution systems for industrial firms and freight carrier service networks and operations is examined and compared. The similarities and differences between the two systems are derived and an examination is undertaken to determine whether a unique planning system may adequately respond to the requirements of the two problems.

For many years it has been recognised that physical distribution is a promising area for the application of system modelling techniques. Freight transportation systems offer a rare combination of tractability and realistic opportunity for improvement. Large‐scale freight network models, for example, can be useful to state and national transportation system planners. Among other uses, the models permit examination of the impact of proposed changes on modal competition and on the flow of traffic over certain routes. Carriers may also find network models useful for their more limited planning purposes, such as determining the consequences of changes in a physical system. For example, facilities or links can be added, deleted, or modified in order to analyse the effects on tonnage and mode of shipment for the affected commodities. Specific routes can be added or eliminated in order to determine the worth of using those routes. Finally, firms can change the commodity tonnage between specific origins and destinations in order to assess future transportation needs.