Logistics network design for global supply chains: an explorative empirical study

The role of logistics in recent years has gradually changed within the light of the evolution of the competitive landscape, characterised by a progressive growth of international trade and worldwide product exchanges. The globalisation process, where economic, political and social issues extend in a wider geographic context, is changing the entire supply chain. The implications for the logistics sector are evident: on the one hand the impressive increase of international transportation activities, and on the other the need for a more sophisticated coordination of logistic flows between the different actors of the supply chain. Changes in the geography of demand, the conception of new logistics solutions, variations in transportation and distribution costs help to create a situation of continuous transformation. This has implied a progressive development of supply chains on an international basis, combined with their fragmentation and virtualisation, leading to a redesign of the distribution networks and of the related management processes as well, not only in those industries that have been traditionally global. Besides, the growth of globalisation and the consequent challenges for management have motivated both practitioners and academic interest in global supply chain management.