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Integration of information flow for greening supply chain management
Kolinski A., Dujak D., Golinska-Dawson P., Springer International Publishing, New York, NY, 2020. 415 pp. Type: Book (978-3-030243-54-8)
Date Reviewed: Feb 11 2020

Actually a monograph, this book presents primary research and original scholarship focused on a single subject, namely the “integration of information flow for greening supply chain management [SCM].” The editors deliver the information in three parts divided across 20 chapters.

The first part (the first six chapters) covers the application of information flow standards in the supply chain. A supply chain can be a very complex logistics ecosystem involving a number of entities--not only product vendors and customers, but also services, including transportation, warehousing, and customs offices. The logistics ecosystem typically must deal with a continuous and interwoven information flow among disparate information technology (IT) systems. These chapters describe research that demonstrates the value of improving the effectiveness of logistics processes through the integration of information flow in a logistics ecosystem.

For example, the opening chapter deals with a component architecture that uses the service-oriented architecture (SOA) model in conjunction with “the standard of information exchange based on the eDelivery and eFreight models.” These were used in the construction of a logistics single window (LSW) for Lisbon and other ports in Portugal. The net result for individual entities in particular and for the overall logistics ecosystem in general was beneficial, including “shortening service time and reducing the cost of running a business,” as well as being able to deal more immediately with any disturbances in the supply chain. Subsequent chapters examine other aspects, including how a global location number (GLN) can improve “the efficiency of planning and delivery processes,” and the benefits and challenges of using blockchain technology for improving the sustainability of supply chains.

The second part (the next seven chapters) discusses how information systems and technological solutions can lead to integrating information flow in the supply chain. A key chapter introduces the concept of a value added heat map and how it “contributes to an integration of the information flow in [SCM] processes.” Another chapter describes green SCM through an illustration of using the Internet of Things (IoT) in retailing. The subsequent chapter discusses the role of IoT solutions in reducing CO2 emissions and enhancing “road safety in [the] car rental and car sharing market.” The next chapter extends and deepens the discussion of what green SCM is all about, including a green supply chain framework.

The third part (the last seven chapters) addresses how the modeling and simulation of logistics processes can be used as a decision-making tool. A key chapter in this part is on modeling the reverse logistics process; it covers issues related to returned goods, such as the question of slightly modifying them for further use. Another chapter attacks the broad subject of “information flow in the context of the green concept, Industry 4.0, and supply chain integration.” Other chapters tackle risk management, e-commerce, and smart electrical grids.

The editors did a good job of selecting and vetting each chapter. Supply chain developers and others who have a strong professional interest in SCM should find this monograph to be invaluable. Additional good news is that each chapter follows a standard format: each piece starts with an abstract and a list of keywords, and the body of each work is sandwiched between an introduction and a conclusion; a list of references follows the conclusion. This makes each chapter self-contained, with its own research, which is very useful for readers who want to explore a specific aspect of the more general subject.

The bad news is there is no easy means of finding a particular topic of interest, with only a perfunctory preface and a table of contents that simply lists the title of each chapter. Also, readers may want to select a number of chapters that discuss related topics without having to wade through all 20 chapters. Perhaps the editors or publisher could post something online that would help readers with this.

Reviewer:  David G. Hill Review #: CR146885 (2007-0156)
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