How globalized is the world? - DHL Global Connectedness Index

A current study of logistics service provider DHL shows an interesting result: The world is less globally connected today than it was in 2007, according to the Global Connectedness Index. It measures and analyzes the global connectedness of 140 countries, covering 99% of the world's GDP and 95% of its population. The index is influenced by the depth and breadth of countries' trade, capital, information and people flows. Is this result still a consequence of the global financial crisis of 2007? 

4 steps to increase supply chain's sustainability

How to reduce carbon emissions of global supply chains? Many companies and logistic service providers realize the increasing importance of this topic for their customers. Currently the main problem for most organizations is the missing experience in creating "green logistics solutions" as well as finding the right approach to avoid ecological consequences caused by supply chains. But regarding the success some businesses already achieved with their efforts on greening the supply chain, the complexity of actions taken should be manageable. By concentrating on pure logistic processes four main opportunities to reduce carbon emissions are worth mentioning:

T-Shirt Carbon Footprint - Wieviel CO2 tragen wir?

Dieser Frage nahm sich der Otto Konzern zusammen mit dem Beratungsunternehmen Systain an. Dabei wurde der Carbon Footprint eines langärmligen T-Shirts für dessen Produktlebenszyklus ermittelt. Das Ergebnis ist erstaunlich. Das 330g schwere Shirt verursacht von der Herstellung bis zur Entsorgung etwa elf Kilogramm CO2. Ebenso überraschend ist die Verteilung der Emissionen auf die einzelnen Lebenszyklusphasen. 

Green Logistics Survey - Vote now!

A few weeks after my last post I start up again with a current survey about the strategic impact of green logistics and sustainability on management issues. The one and only question focuses on the consequences of building up a sustainable and efficient supply chain network in the industry. Give me your opinion by clicking on the sidebar on the right and choosing one of the following answers:

Logistics TOP 100

One week ago the Fraunhofer Institute for Supply Chain Services in Nuremberg published in cooperation with Deutsche Verkehrs-Zeitung and Bundesvereinigung Logistik an updated study of the one hundred best german logistics provider regarding their turnover in the business year 2011. Non-surprising first place is taken by Deutsche Post DHL with an annual turnover of approx. 8.1bil Euro. Compared to logistics provider worldwide DHL is in the first place as well, followed by UPS and Fed Ex.  In total the german logistics market volume slightly increased up to a record result of 223bil Euro.

SuCess is available on Facebook and Twitter

Follow me on Facebook or Twitter and get the lastest news directly on your account. Check out my new profiles by clicking on the pictures on the right. First picture is linked to my Facebook account, second is linked with Twitter. I'm looking forward to welcome you.

Mein Blog SuCess ist nun auch auf Facebook und Twitter mit einem eigenen Account vertreten. Einfach meinem Profil folgen und immer auf dem neuesten Stand bleiben. Zu den neuen Auftritten gelangt ihr über die beiden Bilder auf der rechten Seite. Erstes Bild führt zu Facebook, zweites zu Twitter. Ich freue mich über neue Follower.

Development of a logistics balanced scorecard

As I mentioned in my last post profitability, structural, productivity and quality oriented ratios are common objectives in logistic strategies. In order to control logistics activities performance indicators need to report all relevant information to show trends and developments. Within a balanced scorecard logistics management has the opportunity to match strategic objectives and KPIs. This is the first and most important step before implementing a balanced scorecard. If management just focuses on "easy to measure" KPIs which are not connected to the logistics strategy a balanced scorecard just hides key problems. Furthermore, taken actions to improve the wrong KPIs have no positive impact on the strategic goals. In consequence time and effort are wasted.

SuCess Toolbox - Logistics Balanced Scorecard

In terms of business performance measurement most companies focus on financial KPIs like Return on Equity, Economic Value Added or share price, just to mention a few of them. Mostly the results of these figures are even confusing due to a missing linkage to the company's strategy. In consequence, a huge amount of big companies lead their business by concentrating on less than ten main KPIs. Nevertheless lower management levels as well as single departments need to define own, more process oriented performance indicators to realize continuous improvements and support the company's strategic objectives.

8 megatrends that impact supply chain networks - part 2

As promised a few days ago the megatrends 5 to 8 are described in the following post. These megatrends are more focused on the internal perspective of economy than on global economical developments.

8 megatrends that impact supply chain networks - part 1

The design of supply chain networks is a common task for suppliers, manufacturers and retailers to meet customer requirements. Although the customer should always be in the focus of strategic business decisions, several megatrends have a huge impact on the design of global logistics networks. Four of them can be described as follows:

Das Geld liegt auf der Straße - Einsparpotential in Milliardenhöhe

Das Ergebnis einer aktuellen DEKRA Untersuchung zum Thema Grüne Logistik, die auf der IAA Nutzfahrzeuge in Hannover vorgestellt wurde, weißt der Logistikbranche den Weg in die Zukunft. Demnach lassen sich durch Nachrüstmaßnahmen und Fahrerschulungen Einsparungen im Milliardenbereich erzielen.

Green Economy auf dem Vormarsch

Eine aktuelle Umfrage der Deutschen Bank ergab, dass viele mittelständische Unternehmen die Energieeffizienz ihrer Geschäftsprozesse steigern wollen. Für die kommenden fünf Jahre rechnen zwei Drittel befragter Unternehmen mit einem höheren Investitionsvolumen in diesem Bereich. Eine Steigerung um zehn Prozent im Vergleich zu 2008. Jeder dritte Mittelständler plant bereits in den kommenden zwölf Monaten Investitionen in energiesparende Maßnahmen. Bei den Großbetrieben sind es sogar 44 Prozent.

How sustainable is your supply chain?

Sustainability is a collaborative process: There is only so much that any one business can do about acting responsibly on behalf of the environment or society without involving its supply chain and holding it accountalbe. The company Ceres has now created a free 20-page template to help other companies get a more complete picture of which business partners may be putting their own sustainability agenda at risk.

Jobs im Jahr 2020 - Der "Sustainability Manager"

Eine neue Studie der Unternehmensberatung Roland Berger verspricht einen massiven Anstieg von Arbeitsplätzen im Bereich Umwelttechnologie und -management bis zum Jahr 2025. Danach könnten bis zu diesem Jahr allein in Deutschland rund eine Million zusätzliche Jobs entstehen. Derzeit existieren bereits 1,4 Millionen Arbeitsplätze in dieser Branche.

Versandhandel² - Die Odyssee von Onlinegütern

Der Versandhandel boomt. Für 34 Milliarden Euro haben die Deutschen im vergangenen Jahr Waren geordert, zumeist über das Internet. Nummer eins im interaktiven Versandhandel mit 13 Milliarden Euro sind Textilien und Schuhe. Doch geordert heißt noch lange nicht gekauft. Kehrseite des Versandhandels ist die enorme Zahl an Rücklieferungen. Jedes zweite Klamottenpaket sehen die Versandhändler schon nach wenigen Tagen wieder. Bei Damenbekleidung können es sogar bis zu 70 Prozent sein.