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- Kohn, Christofer, 1977-
(author)
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Centralisation of Distribution Systems and its Environmental Effects
- 2005
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Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Many believe that the current application of modern logistics solutions in general and centralisation of distribution systems in particular is damaging from an environmental perspective. The reason for this claim is that when a distribution system is centralised, products need to be shipped over greater distances. This causes an increase in transport work, which in turn is believed to cause an increase in emissions. Further, the decision to centralise distribution can be characterised as a structural decision and earlier research has helped illustrate how such decisions have greater impact on the overall performance of a distribution system than decisions taken at subsequent levels (tactical and operative). The reason for this is that structural decisions help create new opportunities to make other logistical decisions that are beneficial for the performance of a distribution system, as measured in terms of costs and service.It is also acknowledged that there is a lack of research illustrating the actual environmental effects of centralisation. This area is the theme of this thesis and the overall purpose is to describe and analyse how centralisation of a distribution system can affect the environment. This purpose has been divided into two research questions, where the first one reads:- How does physical centralisation of a distribution system influence the environment?This question aims at investigating what effect centralisation has on the amount of emissions that are caused by transport in a distribution system. One of the main advantages with a centralised distribution system is that emergency deliveries are expected to decrease. This type of transport is often performed by airfreight, which is a mode of transport that is regarded to cause the largest amount of environmental stress among the four most commonly used transport modes. The argument that is made is that even though centralisation causes an increase in transport work, this must not necessarily mean that emissions increase.As indicated above, earlier studies on structural changes in distribution systems have shown that this type of decision creates new opportunities to make other decisions that are beneficial for the performance of a distribution system, albeit in terms of costs and service. The aim of the second research question is consequently to study this issue, but from an environmental perspective. This question therefore reads:- How do structural decisions in logistics create new opportunities to improve on the environmental performance of a distribution system?The results of the study show that it is not sufficient to only consider transport work and emergency deliveries when the environmental effect of a centralisation is to be evaluated. It has also been concluded that centralisation creates an opportunity to make improvements within the distribution system that can prove beneficial from an environmental perspective. In summary, three characteristics besides transport work and emergency deliveries were identified as being of importance when considering the environmental effects of a centralisation. These included centralised flow, modal change, and bargaining power.This model (see full pdf) does not aim to include all characteristics that can be relevant in an environmental evaluation of a centralisation, but rather those that have been found significant in this study. However, the model helps illustrate that there are many aspects that need to be considered in such an evaluation and that depending on the characteristics of the distribution system at hand the results can vary quite extensively.
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| 2. |
- Oskarsson, Björn
(author)
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Towards Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Logistics
- 2014
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Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Logistics is regarded as an area of high importance in business, contributing to profitability and competitiveness. Logistics is crucial also from a societal perspective, since logistical activities count for a big proportion of a country’s GNP, and since effective logistics systems can help reducing some of the environmental problems we face today. Higher education has an important role to play in order to provide business and society with well-educated logistics personnel. Since not much research is published within higher education in logistics, the purpose of this thesis was defined as:To contribute to the knowledge on teaching and learning logistics in higher education.More specifically, two research questions were set up:RQ1: What knowledge and skills are important for students to learn during highereducation in logistics? RQ2: How can students’ learning of these skills and knowledge be facilitated?A comprehensive literature review serves as a basis for the study. The literature on logistics education gives limited guidance concerning what is to be learned during higher education in logistics, as well as how to facilitate learning within logistics. These findings indicate that the logistics teaching faculty do not base their course designs and teaching practices on solid knowledge on what and how to teach.Although a major finding of my work is that more research is needed, some more concrete propositions can be made. In order to reach some kind of answers to the research questions, a selection of pedagogical theories was applied on logistics education with help from illustrating examples, partly found in literature, and partly from specific studies performed as part of this thesis.Concerning the first research question, I propose a tentative model, illustrating how different logistics knowledge and skills can be positioned against each other. A division is made between subject-specific and generic knowledge and skills, and two core generic skills within logistics are proposed: Total cost analysis and Structured investigation method.From pedagogical literature, the concept of thresholds was introduced. A threshold refers to something that is troublesome for students to overcome, but once passed leads to a new way of understanding. The identification of the thresholds associated with acquiring important knowledge and skills, is therefore important for teachers. Some thresholds concerning logistics education are discussed in the thesis. For the two core generic skills proposed above, it is suggested that ‘case-specific adaptation of total cost models’ is a threshold for total cost analysis, and ‘investigation planning’ is suggested as a threshold for structured investigation method.The question of how something can be learned is dependent on what is to be learned. Since there is a lack of clear answers concerning the what, the second research question (focusing the how) is difficult to answer in a concrete manner. On a general level, some findings were found though.Logistics is a discipline where education has strong emphasis on usefulness for the workinglife. Problem- and practice-based instructional methods are therefore recommended to create learning situations, where learning is extended from theoretical models as such, to their application in realistic settings. Reflection upon the appropriateness of the models then becomes essential. The use of educational games, simulation, and field-based projects are examples of such methods.In pedagogical literature, the term pedagogical content knowledge addresses the need for teachers to know the subject-matter (the content) in a way that makes it possible for him/her to make it understandable for the students. This kind of knowledge is built up from a number of knowledge components. One of those concerns knowledge about what is troublesome for students, which bridges over to the previously described threshold concepts. Another component is knowledge of students’ pre-understanding. An example of a method for capturing such pre-understanding is given in the thesis. Given that a teacher knows the subject-matter, the students pre-understanding, and some other contextual factors, a good knowledge on how to instruct and assess the students is crucial. The instructional methods are to a big extent case-specific, but as indicated above, problem- and practice-based methods are often to recommend within logistics education.Based on the findings and discussions in this study, a number of suggestions for future research are proposed. Among those is the need to identify the thresholds connected to learning core logistical knowledge, and to investigate appropriate instructional methods for helping students to overcome these thresholds.
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| 3. |
- Osman, Mary Catherine, 1993-
(author)
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Green Logistics Networks : Roles & Symbiotic Relationships
- 2023
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Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Logistics actors such as the transport buyer, freight forwarder, and haulier are currently in a transition phase towards more sustainable practices typically referred to as Green Logistics Practices (GLPs). One of the more progressive GLPs is completion of freight transport using fossil-free fuels such as biomethane. Despite knowledge that fossil-free fuels are effective in reducing the amount of carbon emitted, logistics networks need to move faster in transitioning. This licentiate thesis looks at a successful implementation of biomethane in freight transport in Sweden with the purpose: understanding value creation in implementation of biomethane in freight transport from the point of view of the logistics actors. The research takes an abductive approach. The research is built upon a systematic literature review and literature study which lead to a series of interviews and eventually two different case studies of a regional and national network using biomethane. The systematic literature review and interview study of Paper 1 provided a knowledge base for understanding the status of GLP use and logistics actors’ roles. Paper 2, an embedded case study of the regional network, gives a better image of a network’s drivers and barriers in biomethane implementation including network dynamics. Paper 3 as a multiple case study including both the regional and national network allows for deeper understanding of a network’s dynamics, relationships and value propositions for value co-creation. Use of symbiotic relationships from biology inspired the analysis of the relationships between logistics actors and the value propositions which drives value co-creation. Building from the empirical data and analysis of both the individual papers and kappa, four value propositions were identified: communication, innovation, determination for success and perceived support. The analysis highlighted the weight of different value propositions may carry for the different actors in value creation. A constant finding through the analysis was the importance of communication in the relation in that the actor leading the communication tended to benefit more in value creation.
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