Logistics and Supply Chain Management: Developments and Trends

The demand for sustainable logistic and supply chain processes poses enormous challenges in terms of technology integration, the development of new business models, cultural change and job qualification, and as such requires a real paradigm shift. In this paper, we start with a brief sketch of how modern logistics and supply chains emerged as a result of diversification and specialization of industrial production, globally scattered availability of resources and more demanding consumer markets. Jointly with advances in freight transport and communication technologies, these developments have led to the global economy we face today. The strong growth of trade and consumption however also revealed some essential weaknesses of the system that renders current practices in the long run unsustainable—in social, environmental and economic terms (people, planet, profit). Future supply chains should no longer deplete scarce natural resources or contribute to climate change, should avoid environmental pollution and withstand safety and security threats, while at the same time remaining competitive and satisfying high labor quality standards. This requires not only the application of advanced technologies to mitigate or even neutralize these negative effects, but also the development of smart business models, new job qualification standards and corresponding (lifelong) training and education programs at all levels, including artificial intelligence based learning.