FORLOG

BAVARIAN RESEARCH ASSOCIATION FOR SUPRA-ADAPTIVE LOGISTIC SYSTEMS

NutzLog

Field of work:

Objectives The identification and the quantification of advantages are central topics of businesses. The subproject NutzLog is dealing with the quantification of logistic advantages and the distribution of costs and the balancing of advantages in value chains. The central questions within the scope of NutzLog are as follows: • How can logistic advantage be defined for the supply chain? It is to be examined, how logistic advantage can be described, i.e., which operational ratios and softfacts (e.g. confidence) have to be measured to map logistic advantages in a feasible and realistic way. • How can logistic advantage be measured and assessed? This question is dealing with (exisiting) instruments and methods that are necessary for the quantification of logistic advantages. The identified methods have to be integrated into an efficient mixture of instruments. • How can a combined allocation and balancing of advantages be realized? After the logistic advantages have been quantified and described, the last step is to design a balancing model on basis of the stakes. Procedure Only an efficient distribution of advantages is enabling a striking collaboration and a supra-adaptive value chain as an answer to the increasing market demands regarding time, quality and costs. In this context the following questions are most relevant: 1. Description of the performance units: “What has to be measured”? 2. Definition of an evaluation and assessment method: “How has to be measured”? 3. Approaches to the balancing of costs and advantages: “How can be balanced?” The dealing with these questions gives the basis for the derivation of the quantitative and qualitative approach of advantage balancing. 1. Description of the performance units Together with the industrial partners the most important economic and logistic influencing parameters and target values of collaborations within the value chain have to be defined. This has to be performed especially with regard to an overall optimisation. Moreover, it is important to identify and describe the parameters of an environment of motivation. Within the first steps the logistic advantages have to be defined on basis of the logistic costs and capabilities. The connection between reason and impact has therefore to be worked out. 2. Definition of an evaluation and assessment method As a second step, the defined parameters and components have to be measured. It has to be discussed, which methods and concepts or instruments can be utilized to evaluate logistic advantage. Existing as well as new and enhanced approaches will thereby be considered. 2. Approaches to the balancing of costs and advantages The calculation of logistic costs and benefits is the precondition for a “management of advantages”. By means of the defined advantage parameters, the balancing of costs and advantages has to be defined to reach an overall optimum. It has to be discussed, how different measures or investments affect the distribution of advantages and how a balancing of advantages can be performed. Different approach should be considered and assessed with regard to their capability. For the determination of the advantage-balancing model a procedure model has to be developed. It has to be considered that different kind of value chain models exist and therefore require a case-specific approach. Results The instruments and methods identified and described in the previous steps as well as the interrelation of impacts and the procedure models have to be empirically assessed in a pilot project. This is to assure that the results are of practical relevance. Finally, the advantage-balancing model with its theoretical and empirical results has to be elaborated and described precisely. The documentation will enable other companies to participate and to implement and apply the valuable results.