Logistics Research and the Logistics World of 2050

Without doubt the logistics industry as well as logistics research are a central element of worldwide business structures and societal welfare. Therefore increasing interest and funding is directed towards innovative research in logistics – sustaining the broad expectations towards this sector in providing economic cost-effective as well as sustainable transport chains for global value chains. The challenge to provide even more availability with less resources and even less environmental impact will be crucial for industrial nations as well as developing countries – access to markets at reasonable transport prices is a cornerstone for the benefits of globalization. One major research initiative in this area is the EffizienzCluster LogistikRuhr established 2010 in Germany with international network links. This overview connects logistics trends and innovation expectations with the research objectives and structure of this cluster in order to clarify the eminent research agenda in logistics.