Description:

Macrologistics is a strategic view of logistics as a production factor on national scales to support a shift towards sustainability. The book details logistics’ evolution from a functional discipline to a value chain optimiser and, ultimately, an enabler of sustainability, including the evolution of metrics to support this shift. Macrologistics instrumentation involves striving towards the lowest total cost of ownership for national economies where, to improve decision-making, these costs should ultimately include the societal and ecological costs incurred due to logistics activities.

From Logistics Strategy to Macrologistics represents macrologistics research outputs for a number of developing economies, identifying distinctive macrologistics policy and infrastructure investments themes to address national logistics challenges in developing economies. The book culminates in a discussion on the potential future role of logistics to support the shift to a more sustainable society, where an acceptance of a degrowth paradigm might be required, and even advisable, for a more secure, fulfilling future. Logistics (and economics) scholars, researchers and practitioners should steer their work towards contributing to the development of an ecologically sustainable society, where resources and returns are shared widely, sustainably and equitably.

Key Features:

• Explains measurement processes for macrologistics, looking at GDP and freight flow measurements
• Includes case studies examining the use of freight-flow and logistics cost models
• Based on vital research from Stellenbosch University

Contents:

Foreword

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1. Introduction: The nature of logistics • Introduction • Evolution from logistics to value chains • Logistics’ role in the supply chain: The hierarchy of cost trade-offs • The role of logistics in economic utility • The evolution of logistics’ economic utility • Drivers that shaped the development of logistics • Trends shaping the future of logistics • Conclusion • References

Chapter 2. The nature of strategy • Introduction • Obstacles to strategic thinking • The drivers of successful strategic thinking • Characteristics of strategic goals • Intelligence and decision-making • Key questions in the strategic process • Challenges to the strategic process in a developing country context • Conclusion • References

Chapter 3. Logistics strategy • Introduction • How logistics supports business model implementation • The importance of business process integration to support logistics strategy implementation • Logistics strategies • Exogenous drivers that impact logistics’ strategic responses • Developing country perspectives • Conclusion • References

Chapter 4. The instrumentation of business logistics • Introduction • Essential components of logistics cost data • Limitations of corporate management information systems for logistics costs data • Methods to address scarcity of logistics costs data within organizations • The hierarchy of information systems • Value management in logistics: From shared data to strategic decision-making • The hierarchical nature of customer value creation methods • Cost data challenges in the developing world • Conclusion • References

Chapter 5. The macrologistics imperative • Introduction • Macrologistics: An emerging discipline • Measurement approaches for macrologistics • The macroeconomic supply chain defined • Role-players in the macroeconomic supply chain • Solutions for large-scale societal challenges: Application of macrologistics principles • Conclusion • Note • References

Chapter 6. The instrumentation of macrologistics • Introduction • GDP-in-motion • Freight-flow measurement • Common obstacles in the creation of national logistics costs data in developing countries • Results of demand-side freight-flow models in the developing world • Adding logistics costs to freight-flow activities • Results of the logistics costs model for developing countries • Adding externality costs • Conclusion • Notes • References

Chapter 7. Macrologistics strategy • Introduction • Macrologistics strategic decision-making process • Institutional challenges hampering the macrologistics decision-making process • Status quo analysis: Understanding current policies and service gaps relating to the freight sector • Analysis: Enabling macroeconomic demand management • Consultation: Meeting the needs of the users of the freight system • Macrologistics strategy: Strategic categories relating to sustainable development • Macrologistics strategy: Developing country case studies • Policy directives • Implementation: Infrastructure provision and management • Measurement and benchmarking • Integration with macroeconomic planning • Conclusion • Notes • References

Chapter 8. Strategy implementation and change management • Introduction • Framework for strategy implementation • Programme and project management • Change management • Communication • Successful staffing • Structure • People • Challenges to macrologistics strategy implementation in developing countries • Conclusion • Notes • References

Chapter 9. Logistics and the future: From dematerialization to degrowth • Introduction • The sustainability imperative • Dematerialization and the Fourth Industrial Revolution • Logistics 4.0 • Dematerialization in the developing world • From dematerialization to degrowth • The fourth pillar of sustainability • Logistics and the future: Key short-term focus areas • Logistics and the future: Adapting to climate change • Conclusion • Notes • References

Index

About the Authors:

Jan Havenga is a Professor of Logistics at Stellenbosch University. He is one of the pioneers of the field of macrologistics, including the development of the theory, measurement tools and strategies to support logistics’ role in society and macroeconomics, with a specific focus on applications in developing economies. He works closely with government and industry to support the development of freight logistics policy and guide national freight logistics infrastructure investments.

Ilse Witthöft is a freelance writer and researcher with a current focus on developing the body of knowledge in the emergent field of macrologistics, with a special focus on how it relates to developing economies. She leverages a career in organisational strategy development and strategic consulting, which included the inception stages of the development of macrologistics measurement tools for developing economies.

Anneke de Bod is a lecturer at the Department of Logistics, Stellenbosch University. Her consulting engagements with government and industry focus on the role of organisational culture and change management principles in facilitating logistics’ successes, with a current interest on how to translate this to support macrologistics implementation.

Zane Simpson is a researcher at the Department of Industrial Engineering, Stellenbosch University. He is the mastermind behind the development of macrologistics measurement tools in developing economies, including freight flow- and logistics costs models, which were pioneered in South Africa, and has been subsequently successfully applied in sub-Saharan Africa, India, Mongolia and Uzbekistan.

Target Audience:

This book is for logistics and economics scholars, researchers and practitioners,