Thorsten Klaas-Wissing

Sustainable Supply Chain Management

A – MINOR REQUIREMENTS – 18 HOURS (18 advanced) A minor in Sustainable Supply Chain Management will provide students with the knowledge, skills and practices essential for operational decision making from a sustainability perspective. All three aspects of sustainability – economic, social and environmental – are emphasized. Graduates may be employed in either manufacturing or service organizations in the areas of supply chain, distribution, retail operations, or environmental management.

Cooperative versus corporate governance of LTL networks

In the less than full truck load (LTL) freight market, integrated transport companies compete head-on with multilateral horizontal alliance networks of smaller LTL service providers: the LTL population is characterised by a dichotomy of cooperative and corporate governance modes. In this paper, we identify the strategic management challenges of LTL networks and analyse the suitability of the two alternative governance modes to respond to these challenges. The analysis reveals a framework which allows the systematic exploration of LTL networks from an institutional perspective. It shows the contingent effects of governance on the strategic decision fields of LTL networks. Integrated transportation companies are more efficient regarding decision-making and network configuration at the expense of potential disadvantages concerning capital resources, narrow-mindedness, bureaucratic tendencies and detachment from the customer. Transportation alliances benefit from innovative strategic initiatives and close customer relations, but suffer from potential incompatibilities of alliance partners and inefficiencies regarding strategic decision-making and network configuration.

Who controls the fleet? Initial insights into road freight transport planning and control from an industrial network perspective

Research in logistics and supply chain management typically considers transport activities between shippers (sender), carriers (transport operators) and customers (recipient). However, a closer look into real-world road freight transport systems reveals more complex constellations involving multiple actors with different functions, leading to a fragmentation of transport planning and control activities and accordingly inefficient execution of road freight transport. The purpose of this paper is to pinpoint and explore the gap between supply chain transport theory and empirical reality in road freight transport control. In order to empirically indicate the complexity of control of road freight transport in supply chains, descriptive statistics of fleets in various countries was compiled and two in-depth case studies were conducted. Our finding is that several nested levels of planning and control have to be managed and our results underline the perception that previous approaches of transport planning and control are suitable for simple governance structures but do not cover complex multiple-actor constellations.

The influence of corporate social performance on employer attractiveness in the transport and logistics industry

Purpose – Job markets in the transport and logistics industry are characterized by a scarcity of well-educated junior talent. Employer attractiveness is becoming more important in order to win the most talented junior staff. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how corporate social performance (CSP) profiles of logistics companies influence their attractiveness for job seekers. Design/methodology/approach – In a computerized laboratory experiment, the authors provided 95 students in their final year with job offer data that include general and CSP information about the company, and the job seeker’s potential salary. The authors manipulated how the CSP information was presented and monitored the information accessed during job seekers’ decision-making processes. The authors investigated how information presentation affected choices. Findings – The vast majority of talent acquires CSP information in the pre-decision phase of the judgment, compares this information across companies, and trades off thi...

Who controls transport emissions and who cares? Investigating the monitoring of environmental sustainability from a logistics service provider’s perspective

The purpose of this paper is to explore the environmental impact of logistics service provider (LSP) activities in the light of customer priorities and the fragmentation of the road haulage industry in Europe. It also explores the extent to which LSPs can actually monitor the environmental impact of logistics activities in the supply chain (SC).,The research is based on a narrative literature review, an interview study, a case survey and three in-depth case studies. A framework on sustainability challenges in SCs, derived from the literature, is used to structure and analyse the findings.,Despite the ambitious environmental schemes communicated by several LSPs, they show little interest in, and exert little control over, the actual emissions generated from their transport operations. It is clear from the results that any real concern from customers for environmental solutions which negatively influence the cost and time requirements of logistics services is not yet a reality.,This paper implies that LSP sustainability cannot be investigated in isolation if a company does not manage its proprietary resources (like owning trucks and employing drivers), but rather engage subcontractors.,Environmental policies among different LSPs appear to be similar as policies, but differ in practice. This variation of practices emphasises the importance of follow-up control by environmentally aware buyers of logistics services.,This paper represents a novel approach as to how LSP environmental policies should be viewed. It highlights the concrete need for action to achieve the environmental targets of 2020 and 2050 for carbon emissions from road transportation.

Organization of Multilateral LTL Alliances

In the less-than-truckload (LTL) market, alliances of smaller logistics service providers successfully compete with large, integrated logistics corporations. However, such alliances are often seen as an inferior governance mode in terms of establishing and operating cost-efficient production structures. Because little is known about the organisation of such multilateral LTL alliances, this paper conceptualises and explores their cooperative organisation and offers tentative explanations for their specific organisational design. Two in-depth cases have made it possible to analyse the specific organisational arrangements of two successful but contrasting German LTL alliances. The findings shed light on LTL alliance design alternatives and their effectiveness conditions and can serve as a guideline for alliance evaluation and design in the LTL business.

Approach and Methodology

Some developments are known as structural breaks: developments that occur without any significant warning. On the other hand, most “unexpected” developments turn out to have been expected by at least some individuals whose opinions never got a hearing. We conducted this study in order to identify and assess the switchpoints that will shape the future of the Logistics industry. Interviews with experts enabled us to identify a long list of potential switchpoints. The findings of these interviews were then validated against insights gleaned from published studies. The next step was a workshop at which experts singled out parameters that merit closer analysis. They based their evaluation on (a) uncertainties surrounding existing forecasts and estimates and (b) their perceived importance to the Logistics industry. The final step was an online survey in which 154 participants contributed their assessments and comments.

GreenTool als Grundlage für das CO2-Management : Ein CO2-Berechnungs-Werkzeug für mittelständische Logistikdienstleister

Weltweit verursachen Transport und Verkehr etwa ein Drittel der CO2-Emissionen, davon entfallen 75 Prozent auf den Strassenverkehr. NGOs, der Gesetzgeber aber auch Verlader fordern daher zunehmend Transparenz und die Senkung von CO2-Emissionen, was dazu gefuhrt hat, dass sich CO2-Management fur Logistikdienstleister zu einem strategischen Zukunftsthema entwickelt hat. Fuhrende Logistikdienstleister setzen sich mit dem Thema CO2-Management intensiv auseinander und haben zur Erfassung und zum Reporting von Emissionskennzahlen weitgehend unternehmensindividuelle Losungsansatze erarbeitet. Insbesondere mittelstandische Logistikdienstleister stehen aber vor der Herausforderung, trotz schlanker Geschaftsstrukturen und begrenzter finanzieller sowie personeller Ressourcen, kontinuierlich Wissen aufzubauen und ein geeignetes operatives Instrumentarium fur das CO2-Management zu entwickeln.

Auswahl und Anwendung von Standards

Grundsatzlich definieren Standards zum CO2-Accounting Richtlinien und Vorgaben zur Sicherstellung einer einheitlichen Vorgehensweise bei der Erfassung, der Berechnung und der Allokation von Treibhausgasemissionen. Die spezifischen Ergebnisse der Rechenwerke verschiedener Unternehmen konnen damit erst vergleichbar und kompatibel gemacht werden. Unternehmen konnen dabei auf unterschiedliche Standards zum CO2-Accounting verschiedener Initiativen bzw. Organisationen zuruckgreifen.

Berechnung von CO2-Emissionen

Ein wesentlicher Kompetenz- bzw. Schlusselbereich des CO2-Accountings ist die systematische Erfassung von Energieverbrauchen sowie die daraus resultierende Berechnung von CO2-Emissionen. Beim Strasenverkehr, der masgeblich auf fossilen Brennstoffen beruht, ist dies im Wesentlichen die vollstandige Erfassung von Dieselverbrauchen. Im folgenden Kapitel stehen die Vorgehensweise zur Festlegung von Fahrzeugeinsatzsystemen und die Formeln zur Berechnung von CO2-Emissionskennzahlen, einschlieslich deren einzelner Komponenten, im Mittelpunkt der Ausfuhrung