Connected logistics in the digital age – a personal journey report

Abstract

From grid to cloud to internet of things and services computing – the fast development of information technologies that enable convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources such as networks, servers, storage, applications, and services has fundamentally changed the way how companies use computing resources, collaborate and do business. These technologies and the design principles and standards behind them have also provided the basis for transforming logistics systems into systems of connected resources that can be composed according to individual customer requirements, integrated dynamically and used on-demand based on an orchestrated process flow. Parts of logistics systems have already been converted into service systems offering usage-based (co-created) value and are the basis for new business models and roles in the market. The move towards entirely connected logistics systems has the potential to substantially transform logistics and create new opportunities for the sector.
The lecture given by Prof. Dr. André Ludwig entitled “Connected logistics in the digital age – a personal journey report“ provides a summary of his research over the last few years. He shows how the interplay between technology, process management capabilities and changing logistics market conditions demands further research. He presents selected findings and updates on current and future research plans.