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Byline: Maritime Gateway LogicOn is a one-of-its-kind case study competition focused on the logistics industry, for management students, in collaboration with knowledge partner IIM MUMBAI Allcargo Group, an India-born global [...]

The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., accounting for 29% of all emissions in 2019. While much attention has been given to the [...]

2023 MAR 18 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- A new study on public administration is now available. According to news [...]

L'article analyse comment l'avènement du numérique, associé à l'évolution de l'environnement économique, affectent la nature des emplois peu qualifiés dans le secteur de la logistique des magasins de détail, en particulier le contenu et les conditions de travail et d'emploi qui leur sont liés. À partir d'entretiens d'experts et d'études de cas d'entreprises dans des entrepôts logistiques français et allemands, les auteurs examinent si l'évolution de ces emplois reflète la transformation 'néo-tayloriste' des établissements discutée dans la littérature, et cherchent à identifier les facteurs susceptibles d'infléchir ou de confirmer cette tendance. S'appuyant sur la littérature comparative en relations de travail qui distingue les différents types de ressources de pouvoir des travailleurs (institutionnelles, associatives et structurelles), les auteurs examinent comment les choix technologico-organisationnels sont négociés ou influencés par les salariés et leurs représentants. L'accent mis sur les entreprises ayant leur siège en France et en Allemagne permet de déterminer si le pouvoir institutionnel du mouvement syndical peut permettre de faire émerger d'autres trajectoires que la forme de 'taylorisme digital' constaté dans les économies de marché libérales. Les résultats indiquent une tendance largement convergente vers un << néotaylorisme>> numériquement 'amélioré', caractérisé par des processus de déqualification et une intensification du contrôle des performances. Le peu de différences observées entre les pays s'explique, en grande partie, par l'effet très similaire de la transformation de la chaîne logistique à flux tendus, ainsi que la tendance à l'externalisation et à la délocalisation, qui minent le pouvoir structurel des travailleurs dans tous les pays. De plus, les ressources associatives sont affectées négativement par la tendance à la déqualification. Cependant, les résultats mettent en évidence un certain effet bénéfique du pouvoir institutionnel des représentants des travailleurs dans les deux pays qui a contribué à éviter l'émergence des pires formes de néo-taylorisme, notamment en termes de contrôle de performance. MOTS-CLÉS: changements technologiques, taylorisme digital, ressources de pouvoir, gestion de la performance, déqualification, relation d'emploi. On the basis of company case studies in retail logistics, the authors investigate whether the adaptation of low-skilled jobs to current technological change corresponds to the more general 'neo-Taylorist' transformation of workplaces discussed in the literature and seek to identify those factors that are helping to stabilize or modify this trend. By focusing on the company level, light can be shed on the role of organizational choices and the ways employees renegotiate and influence those choices. The findings point to a convergence on a more Taylorist organization of work and a limited impact by the institutional framework and collective bargaining. The ability of staff representatives to mobilize their power resources is constrained by their weak structural power, as a result of longstanding 'lean' transformation of the retail supply chain. KEYWORDS: technological change, digital Taylorism, power resources, performance management, deskilling, employment relations. The paper analyzes how digitalization in conjunction with changes to the economic environment are affecting the nature of low-skilled jobs in the logistics sector; in particular, job content and the working and employment conditions attached to those jobs. On the basis of expert interviews and company case studies in French and German retail warehouses, the authors investigate whether the adaptation of these jobs corresponds to the more general 'neo-Taylorist' transformation of workplaces discussed in the literature and seek to identify those factors that are helping to stabilize or modify this trend. Drawing on the comparative labour relations literature, which distinguishes between different types of workers' power resources (institutional, associational and structural), the study examines how and to what extent employees and their representatives renegotiate or influence techno-organizational choices. By focusing on firms headquartered in France and Germany, we can shed some light on whether the institutional power of organized labour may enable them to foster trajectories other than the kind of 'digital Taylorism' we see in liberal market economies. The findings point, however, to a general convergence on digitally enhanced 'Neo-Taylorism,' which is characterized by deskilling and intensification of performance control. The limited cross-country variation can largely be explained by the very similar effects across countries of 'lean' supply-chain transformation and the trend toward outsourcing and offshoring, which negatively affect workers' structural power. Moreover, associational resources are negatively affected by the deskilling trend. Meanwhile, the findings provide some evidence of a beneficial impact from the institutional power of worker representatives in both countries: in particular, the rights to veto and co-determine performance management systems. These rights have not altogether helped prevent the shift toward neo-Taylorism but have contributed to somewhat less intense forms of neo-Taylorism. KEYWORDS: technological change, digital Taylorism, power resources, performance management, deskilling, employment relations., Neo-Taylorism in the Digital Age: Workplace Transformations in French and German Retail Warehouses Introduction There is currently much debate on the labour market effects of the 'digitalization' of the economy, [...]

Not long ago on the pages of this magazine a story about Armstrong World Industries described how it won the coveted NASSTRAC Shipper of the Year award after bringing outsourced [...]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compind.2007.02.003 Byline: Mikko Ronkko, Mikko Karkkainen, Jan Holmstrom Keywords: Materials management; Data model; Tracking; Logistics services Abstract: The paper uses a case example to present a novel way of building enterprise information systems. The objective is to bring forth the benefits of an item-centric systems design in environments that require real-time material visibility, such as in logistics service provision. The methodology employed is case study and metadata modeling. Managers of SE Makinen, a Finnish car distribution company were interviewed on the implementation and operation of their award winning enterprise system. The case example was then analyzed using a generic metadata model of item-centric systems. The main finding of the paper is that introducing an item-centric model facilitated responsive service in the distribution of automobiles. The practical implications are that when starting to develop a new enterprise system, managers in logistics services should consider an item-centric design solution as an option to the conventional location-based design for enterprise-data models. Author Affiliation: Industrial Engineering and Management, Helsinki University of Technology, POB 5500, FI-02015 HUT, Finland Article History: Received 30 September 2005; Revised 8 February 2007; Accepted 9 February 2007

Once upon a time, managing freight bound for manufacturing plants and distribution centers was a simple process. All that was needed was a sheet of paper and a sturdy No. [...]

Transite Technology and Sunset Transportation released a case study citing the importance of technology in Sunset's achievement of becoming a third-party-logistics (3PL) company, it was announced. 'The technology that 3PLs [...]

enVista, an enterprise and supply chain consulting services firm, and The Men's Wearhouse, a men's clothing and accessories retailer, will present a case study in Retail Supply Chain success and [...]

American Port Services plc is making up for lost time - and customers. The third-party logistics provider estimates it lost 30% of its potential customers a few years back, mainly […]