Project description

Logistic services are continuously expanded and adapted in accordance with demand and supply quantities of goods, services and / or persons in the area of production, transport, turnover and storage, as well as in the field of consumption (by individuals) and disposal/recycling. Hereby, the logistics service provider performs in the overall planning of power systems in terms of configuration and coordination of supply chain partners, part of production steps, assemblies, redemptions and warranties. Also social issues (work security and earning in developing and emerging countries) are questioning the producer and distributor business relations with the logistic industry supply chains and their Key Performance Indicators (KPI) even more significantly after scandals and public debates as well as the increasing awareness of consumers. Thereby Sustainable Life Styles (closely related to logistic services) are vitally important, because they favor the reduction of resource consumption together with technological innovations.

The main objective of logistics is to co-ordinate activities in a way that meets customer requirements at a minimum cost. In the past this cost was defined in purely monetary terms. As concern for the environment has increased, companies must take more account of the external costs of logistics associated mainly with climate change, air pollution, noise, vibration and accidents. The project ILoNa is examining ways of reducing these externalities and achieving a more sustainable balance between economic, environmental and social objectives. Through a better understanding of the interaction of consumer behavior and logistics services, ILoNa intends to develop innovative, integrative models and concrete measures for sustainable economic activities with forward-looking options.

The central questions to be answered in the course of the project are:

1. How should innovative logistic services be designed in order to meet both socio-ecological requirements as well as promote sustainable lifestyles of consumers?
2. What kind of changes should take place from the consumer side to support sustainable logistics structures?

Therefore, the main aim of the project is to carry on analysis on

•      stationary and internet trade, new forms of sharing economy (focussing attention on the relationships between consumer preferences and temporal, spatial, financial consolidation of future logistic systems)

•      the product design and production patterns, which allow product lifecycles and new logistics services be more sustainable

•      the role of management and governance in the value-added processes and the organization of the distribution, as well as the after sales area

•      transformation potentials at the supply chain level reflected in various scenarios (included in policy recommendations).