SMART Supply Network

SMART supply network is based on Sustainable, Modern, Adaptive, Robust and Technology-oriented approach to the flows management. Information, product and money flows are those of the special interest of all the efforts undertaken by supply chain managers. However in most of the cases they focus on the implementation of the processes from the perspective on the enterprise. Even the holistic approach to the processes development in the network ends when the product becomes the property of the customer. Supply networks can be built in more valuable manner. It can be caused by technology that enables and allows for tracking and analyzing the way of the actual use of the product by the consumer after the good is bought. The aim of this chapter is to present the concept and the potential of the benefits resulting from possessing the information concerning after-sales usage of the product by the customer. To gain on this information the customer Internet of Things (IoT) data should be introduced into the supply network management. The scientific contribution of the article is based on the thesis that the processes of supply chains or networks do not end at the moment of the sale of the product, but in reality they may have their origin in the information on how the product is actually used after it is sold to the customer. It could be done by SMART e-supply network management based on customers IoT data exploring. The study is based on literature review methodology. The EBSCO and Emerald data bases were used for the research purposes.

Blockchain is a technological concept which evolves from the first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, and disrupts constantly enlarging areas of economy. The concept of blockchain is developing, and while the future of Bitcoin remains unclear (as it is for the most elements of the economy) it is evident that the blockchain holds enormous potential for large-scale improvements. However, being a technology that could decrease significance many of today’s large global corporations, institutions and power structures which have keen interest in preserving established hierarchies, its potential could well remain unexploited. This paper aims to introduce and present the concept of blockchain and its current applications in logistics and supply networks. Blockchain technology promises overpowering trust issues and allowing trustless, secure and authenticated system of logistics and supply chain information exchange in supply networks. The new implementations within supply chain are shifting from blockchain to a wider notion of distributed ledger technologies. Paper presents description and rationale behind current and possible future applications of blockchain in logistics and supply chain.

The use of modern technologies in logistics was described in this publication. The logistics services of the e-commerce market necessitated an adaptation of the infrastructure to the requirements of customers as regards shipment and collection. The purpose of the study is a presentation of new technologies offered on the territories of Poland and Ukraine as well as their comparison. A literature analysis and a comparative analysis method of the services offered by the largest logistics operator and national mailing services for e-commerce were used in the article. A historical outline and the current development of the e-commerce market in both countries were presented. The sustainable development of the market has resulted in tendencies connected with information technology, ecology and changes in supply chains. The comparative analysis presents the similarity and differences in the logistics services offered by DHL to Polish and Ukrainian customers as well as in the logistics offer of national mailing companies. The direction of changes on the market of logistics services, such as automation of processes, reduction of costs and eco-logistics was indicated in the conclusions, changes to smart supply channel (SSC). The dynamics of the e-commerce market contributed to increased awareness on the part of all the participants of the supply chain and an implementation of changes to improve logistics services provided at each stage of the execution of the order, the results are smart supply network. Nevertheless, there occur differences within the same logistics operator that operates on the Polish and Ukrainian markets. Greater differences in the use of modern technologies can be observed with national mail operators.

This paper details our effort in determining how technological advancement facilitates business relationship and ameliorates the competitive advantage of supply network. Using business network management literature, current knowledge employs Activity-Resource-Actor Model (ARAM) to recap the drivers, opportunities, and challenges of smart technologies in a supply network. The following discussions reveal that in presence of technological advancement, precise knowledge sharing, stronger social co-creation, smart management, and robust legal system, business relationship and supplier collaboration can benefit from a sustainable, modern, adaptive, robust, and technology-oriented activity links, resource ties, and actor bonds, per se, smart supply network. The paper confirms that digital-linked activities empower businesses and help them gain more from interdependencies benefits. Digital-linked resources enhance heterogeneity advantage, while digital-bonded actors are obtained from transcendence. The benefits derived from digitizing activity links, resource ties, and an actor bond is reliant upon a company’s own activity structure, interdependencies, and connectedness. However, the challenges of direct/indirect relationship costs prevent companies benefiting from a smart supply network.

In the wake of the intensification of competitive struggle that we can call hyper-competition and in the face of temporary, transient and often unsustainable competitive advantage supply chains have to master their processes in many dimensions at the same time. Excellence is achieved through a shared vision of development and cooperation with up and down-tier supply chain members especially by continuous assessment and improvement the effectiveness and efficiency of the supply chain processes. Typical determinants of the supply chain performance is the triad: level of customer service—time—costs. However, intensive changes taking place in the supply chains surroundings enforce the inclusion of new criteria in supply chain performance measurement. In the chapter the problem of supply chain performance measurement with reference to the concept of adaptive supply chains was considered. The study was based on quantitative research conducted among Polish companies employing 50 or more employees from four sectors of economy: automotive, food, furniture as well as consumer electronics and household appliances. 200 computer assisted telephone interviews (CATI) were held. According to the conducted research the scale for measuring the supply chain performance should take into account four factors, namely responsiveness, versatility, velocity, and visibility (3V + R formula).

A smart supply network must be immune against the situations like losing the goods during the transportation process. Such losses may raise the necessity of increasing the number of deliveries and thus the use of fuel and pollution. The importance of this problem has been proved by the results of a quantitative research performed among Polish companies. A solution to this problem is to design a smart supply network with appropriate DSS (decision support system), based on relevant mathematical models and algorithms, that allow to reduce the number of multiple deliveries.

The study focuses on crucial aspects related to factors having direct influence on the willingness of entities to become integrated in green supply chains and also to factors hindering cooperation in this respect. The modern supply chains must be smarter which means interconnected and taking better decisions on the basis of collected data. The idea of functioning within a smart network consists in an enterprise taking advantage of its own resources in order to maintain its development in the long run and is related to pro-ecological trends in the global society. The presented model analyses relational factors having influence on the performance of green supply chains. The study also points out the role of knowledge management in raising employees’ awareness and the relation between trust and commitment.

In the case of lean supply chains, the main aim is the reductions of costs. With regard to green supply chains, the needs of external stakeholders, including a silent stakeholder—the natural environment, are taken into account. However, currently the co-existence of two types of supply chains is necessary in order for them to meet the expectations of the management staff and the society. Therefore, in this way such supply chains become smart supply chains. In view of the above, it has been assumed that the main aim of the studies is the determination to what extent the studied supply chains are influenced by green and lean ideas within operational and strategic spheres. The studies were conducted on the Polish market, among medium-sized and big production enterprises. On the basis of the studies, it has been determined that supply chains are to a greater extent characterized by lean than green activities within all studied dimensions, i.e. concerning product, logistics, management and relations with suppliers. What is more, the activities within the strategic sphere are more popular than the ones within the operational sphere, with regard to both types of supply chains.

Communication in the supply chain is crucial for the smooth functioning of the whole supply chain—raising its value and developing a competitive advantage. The main goal of the article is to show the role of information flows and knowledge exchange for the creation of green supply chains. In her deliberations, the authoress refers to the literature review, to selected case studies and also to her own research carried out on innovative startup projects.

The aim of this article is to study the tendencies of the transition of traditional trade networks into the e-commerce. On the basis of statistical data, the growing tendency of expanding the trading network of traditional stores through the establishment of online stores has been proved. Research results show that the Ukrainian online trading market is characterized by the development of new product categories such as food and household chemicals. The article provides a schematic list of spheres of e-commerce development influence, which undergo inevitable changes in connection with the popularization of on-line purchases. In this key becomes more actual building of smart supply chains which helps to manage product moving on its way from the production to the finish consumer. When companies are switching from traditional to e-commerce networks, the issue of benchmarking the effectiveness of off-line and online stores appears. In this context, Key Performance Indicators have been analyzed to measure the effectiveness of the online sales and marketing activities of new online sales outlets. The basic system of criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of newly created online stores is proposed.

Analysing the processes of globalization, digitalization and virtualization has a substantial impact on shaping present-day supply chains. Alongside these progressing trends, the meaning of supply chains and networks increases, especially in the process of fulfilling the needs of digital consumers. A consumer who uses technology every day to acquise goods and services over the internet. The aim of the article is to present a reflection on the mutual relationship of tools and technologies that shape the consumer’s digital needs and capabilities to meet those needs through digital, intelligent supply networks.

Each year sees e-commerce sales records in Poland increasing, which contributes to changes in consumer behavior. Completing orders efficiently plays an increasingly important role, and understanding consumer’s needs and their satisfaction becomes the supreme role of e-enterprises. The aim of the study is to present selected aspects of logistic customer service and make its evaluation from the perspective of created values. The source basis of the study is the available subject literature and the author’s own research on the perception of logistic customer service of individual e-commerce in Poland. The research was carried out using a questionnaire, posted on the Webankieta.​pl platform. 248 feedback questionnaires were obtained. Although they do not have a generalizing character, their illustrative nature determines their practical usefulness. The value is interpreted differently in the literature and is currently an important subject of reflection. Its important meaning that plays a major role in achieving the company’s business goals and this is clearly emphasized. Providing customers with value enables economic entities to achieve benefits in terms of both financial and reputational aspects. Thus, by rationalizing processes, entities meet the expectations of their clients.

A growing number of intelligent products available in the market makes them pay attention. The areas of use of intelligent products are wide, they can include production processes, supply chains, asset management and product life cycle management as well as direct products offered to final customers. In production activities, intelligent products are to streamline production planning and control, allow products to be tailored to individual needs, and make the choice between the variants made more effective. In intelligent supply chains it is possible to improve the efficiency of sending and receiving goods, improving the control and safety of loads, and implementing environmentally-friendly rationalization. Final customers expect more intelligent comfort, ease of use, higher level of environmental performance, time savings, higher efficiency and performance, safe use and reliability from intelligent products. However, despite many potential benefits offered to users, intelligent products are a major challenge for manufacturers. The aim of the article was to present the role that prosumers play in the process of creating and implementing intelligent products and to indicate the conditions of this process. For this purpose the basic assumptions of the concept of intelligent products and the phenomenon of prosumption are presented. The model of the process of creating intelligent products was also proposed, taking into account the interaction between prosumers and enterprises. The attention is paid to the specificity and contribution of startups to the process of generating innovations, including intelligent products. In the final part, the thread of negative consequences of prosumption and the implementation of intelligent products, which are less frequently discussed in the literature, was featured.