A Global Overview on Logistics Competences, Skills and Training


Prof. Dr. Kai Hoberg (Kühne Logistics University - KLU), Prof. Alan C. McKinnon, PhD (Kühne Logistics University - KLU), Christoph Flöthmann, PhD (Roland Berger, Hamburg)

Funded by World Bank

Brief description

On behalf of the World Bank a study was conducted as part of this research project to provide a global overview on logistics competences, skills and training. Based on a global survey the research provides strong evidence for a global shortage of qualified logistics personnel on all occupational levels. The problem is most acute in emerging regions. To solve the skills shortage, the study provides numerous recommendations to the various stakeholder groups, i.e. governments, companies, logistics associations, and educational institutions , to get access to talent and to facilitate the “upskilling” of logistics labor through training and development. Those include facilitation of multi-stakeholder collaboration, updating of outdated university curricula, application of blended learning approaches, and creation of more appealing working environments for operative logistics staff.

Project purpose

Logistics is a major growth sector in the world economy. Given its critical importance to economic development and social welfare, logistics must be adequately resourced both in a physical sense and in terms of human capital. Despite extensive mechanization and automation, logistics remains intrinsically a people business. Logistical activities are labour-intensive at the operational, supervisory and managerial levels. This makes the logistics performance of companies and countries highly dependent on the quantity and quality of the workforce. Therefore the project has five objectives:

  1. review evidence of recruitment problems and skills shortages in logistics around the world
  2. review national initiatives to improve logistics recruitment and skills development
  3. assess the provision and accreditation of management courses in logistics / Supply Chain Management (SCM)
  4. prepare guidance for national governments on ways of upgrading the logistics workforce
  5. input into the next Logistics Performance Indicator report on skills / training issues

Subjects

Logistics, Creating Value

Project partners

World Bank, Kühne Logistics University (KLU)

Contact person

Profile image

Prof. Alan C. McKinnon, PhD

Professor of Logistics