Supply Chain 4.0: Improving Supply Chains with Analytics and Industry 4.0 Technologies

Supply Chain 4.0 has introduced automation into logistics and supply chain processes, exploiting predictive analytics to better match supply with demand, optimizing operations and using the latest technologies for the last mile delivery such as drones and autonomous robots. Supply Chain 4.0 presents new methods, techniques, and information systems that support the coordination and optimization of logistics processes, reduction of operational costs as well as the emergence of entirely new services and business processes.

This edited collection includes contributions from leading international researchers from academia and industry. It considers the latest technologies and operational research methods available to support smart, integrated, and sustainable logistics practices focusing on automation, big data, Internet of Things, and decision support systems for transportation and logistics. It also highlights market requirements and includes case studies of cutting-edge applications from innovators in the logistics industry.

About the Authors

Professor Emel Aktas holds the Chair of Supply Chain Analytics at Cranfield School of Management. She specialises in supply chain analytics, using mathematical modelling, simulation, decision support systems and statistical analysis in transport, retail and manufacturing sectors. Her recent research focusses on food supply chain management, with one project (SAFE-Q) on minimising the waste in food supply chains and another (U-TURN) on logistics collaboration practises for distribution of food in the cities. Her work has appeared in European Journal of Operational Research, Interfaces, International Journal of Production Economics and Computers and Human Behaviour.

Professor Michael Bourlakis is the Director of Research for Cranfield School of Management and the Head of the Logistics, Procurement and Supply Chain Management Group. Michael is an internationally renowned and established authority in logistics and supply chain management. His impactful thought leadership has received considerable attention by media (BBC News, ITV News, The Guardian, Wall Street Journal etc.). He sits on the Editorial Board of 15 journals, he has won more than 30 research and consulting projects and has generated more than 250 publications including 68 journal papers. Michael has worked with numerous multinational organisations such as Carrefour, DHL, Knight Frank, Metro, Sonae and he has been an Advisory Board Member for Tesco on the "Future of Food" chaired by Tesco's CEO.

Ioannis Minis is a Professor in the Department of Financial and Management Engineering of the University of Aegean since 2002. His areas of expertise include supply chain management, production and operations systems. Dr. Minis holds a Ph.D. degree from the University of Maryland in Mechanical Engineering where he has held the positions of Assistant and Associate Professor (1988-1997). He is conducting research in Operations and Supply Chain for over 32 years and has authored four edited volumes, several book chapters, 65 journal articles and over 60 articles in conference proceedings. He has also managed over 35 research projects as a Principal Investigator. Dr. Minis has been the recipient of the 1993 Earl E. Walker Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME). He is also the chairman of the National Council for Supply Chain Growth and Competitiveness, an advisory body to the Greek government. In supply chain and transport, Dr. Minis is consulting for multiple international companies and organisations.

Dr. Vasileios Zeimpekis is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Financial & Management Engineering at the University of the Aegean and Deputy Director of the DeOPSyS research lab. He has also been appointed as transport and logistics expert at the United Nations (UNECE) as well as at the Hellenic Committee for the Development and Competitiveness of the Logistics sector. His interests focus on logistics operations and Information Systems. During the last twenty years he has published extensively on supply chain topics and participated in more than 50 research projects and 150 industrial projects.