Alan McKinnon

Starry-Eyed: Journal Rankings and the Future of Logistics Research

Purpose – This is a polemical paper challenging both the principle and practice of journal ranking. In recent years academics and their institutions have become obsessive about the star‐ratings of the journals in which they publish. In the UK this is partly attributed to quinquennial reviews of university research performance though preoccupation with journal ratings has become an international phenomenon. The purpose of this paper is to examine the arguments for and against these ratings and argue that, on balance, they are having a damaging effect on the development of logistics as an academic discipline.Design/methodology/approach – The arguments advanced in the paper are partly substantiated by references to the literature on the ranking of journals and development of scientific research. A comparison is made of the rating of logistics publications in different journal ranking systems. The views expressed in the paper are also based on informal discussions with numerous academics in logistics and othe...

Setting targets for reducing carbon emissions from logistics: current practice and guiding principles

This article examines the different approaches that companies can take to setting targets for the reduction of carbon emissions from their logistics operations. The research suggests that target-setting practices differ widely in this field. It is common for firms simply to apply corporate-level targets to logistics, despite the fact that carbon abatement potential and cost–effectiveness vary by function and activity. A small minority of firms have systematically analyzed the possible carbon savings from specific interventions and technologies. To improve their credibility and consistency, carbon reduction targets need to conform to certain principles. The article proposes a series of principles applicable to the decarbonization of logistics. It is based mainly on a literature review, semi-structured interviews with a sample of logistics managers and involvement in an industry-wide initiative to cut logistics-related carbon emissions.

The growth of online retailing: a review of its carbon impacts

This paper examines the carbon impact of online retailing and compares it with that of conventional retailing. It discusses the effect of varying the scope of the calculation, the system boundaries and the underlying assumptions. While most of the carbon emissions come from the last-mile delivery, this is also the activity whose carbon intensity is most sensitive to assumptions made about consumer behavior. On the basis of an extensive literature review, the paper also explores the carbon impacts of the upstream supply chain, energy use in information and communication technology and several aspects of travel behavior. This should help researchers to make wider and more realistic assessments of the environmental impact of online retailing. On the basis of these assessments, one can test the conditions under which online shopping is likely to have a lower carbon footprint.

Options for Reducing Logistics-Related Emissions from Global Value Chains

The additional freight movement generated by the growth of world trade carries a significant environmental penalty. This paper examines the nature and scale of this penalty and assesses the opportunities for reducing it. It focuses on the various ways of cutting carbon emissions from international freight movement by sea and air. Assuming that the total value of trade continues to expand, efforts could be made to reduce the ratios of trade value to freight tonne-kms and tonne-kms to emissions. There is currently greater potential to depress the second of these ratios by deploying new transport technologies and operating practices. Many of the ‘decarbonisation’ measures will cut costs as well as carbon and be self-financing in the short- to medium-term. Internalisation of the environmental costs of international freight transport and/or the application of emissions trading would reinforce the adoption of these measures though the prospects of this happening in the foreseeable future seem limited.

Logistics competencies, skills, and training : a global overview

Logistics has been a major growth sector in the world economy in terms of levels of activity and expenditure for many decades. In addition to being an important sector in its own right, logistics strongly influences the economic performance of other industries and the countries in which they are located. The logistics sector’s recruitment potential is often constrained by its relatively poor image. Career planning can also be deficient, with the result that some high-caliber operatives and managers abandon logistics for other roles. The report provides perception survey data on the current supply of and demand for qualified logistics personnel across the four occupational levels and around the globe. Furthermore, it sheds light on the current state of training, recruitment, retention, and related challenges in the logistics and supply chain management (SCM) field. The report is structured as follows: chapter one gives introduction, chapter two introduces the methodology implemented in the report and the sources of data and information. Chapter three discusses the results of surveys on logistics competence requirements and shortages across all world regions. Chapter four includes sector case studies in the trucking industry and humanitarian logistics sectors. Chapter five addresses training and skills development sources of training, stakeholders, and best practices. Chapter six sheds light on recruitment and retention strategies. Chapter seven provides guidance and recommendations for public sector institutions. Chapter eight presents a logistics competence matrix, a framework that enables stakeholders to self-assess the level of logistics competence in their country and provides a brief overview for possible activities to raise the competence level. Chapter nine summarizes the report.

An Analysis of Energy-Related CO 2 Emissions from China’s Logistics Industry

China’s logistics industry has developed rapidly in recent years. As the level of logistical activity has grown so has the sector’s carbon footprint. The measurement and control of these logistics-related CO2 emissions is of vital importance to the nation’s energy and climate change strategies. This paper reports the results of an analysis of these emissions over the period 2000–2015 using two decomposition techniques, i.e. Environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) and the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI). In absolute terms, the amount of CO2 emissions from China’s logistics industry rose sharply and exhibited a cubic relationship with GDP rather than the more typical EKC curve. On the other hand, the ratio of CO2 emissions to energy consumption for China’s logistics industry was found to be declining. From the perspective of energy usage, two factors, energy intensity and energy structure, are identified as being the main contributors to the decrease in CO2 emission intensity, with energy intensity dominating. On the basis of these research results, the paper discusses ways of further reducing the CO2 emission intensity of China’s logistics industry.

Efficience des infrastructures de transport et des services dans l'arrière-pays des grands ports à conteneurs

Dans la mesure ou le trafic conteneurise gonfle en volume et que ses flux se concentrent sur un nombre limite de plateformes d’echanges, du fait notamment de la taille croissante des navires, les ports ont besoin de nouvelles infrastructures terminales a meme d’accueillir la derniere generation de navires. Outre la pression exercee par de tels navires sur les capacites de manutention des terminaux, on oublie souvent que ces navires plus grands imposent egalement d’accroitre les capacites de desserte de l’arriere-pays ou de rationaliser et d’utiliser plus judicieusement les autres solutions de transport existantes.