PLATO (Platforms and digital transformation in logistics)

Digitization is transforming the logistics function, and digital platforms accelerate this transformation, while being closely linked to another major transformation: the greening of transport and logistics. Digital green policies are crucial to meet the Green Deal ambitions, as recognized by RLI . Therefore, the logistics sector has to embrace this digital transformation in order to become sustainable, add value , remain competitive, and create resilience capabilities to cope with disruptive forces. This project aids the sector to embrace the digital transformation, recognize the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of platformisation and act accordingly. Previous research highlighted the disruptive potential of platformisation in logistics and the pace of digital transformation demands for a quick and adequate response in logistics. However, the previous research also identified reluctance and difficulties to articulate this adequate response in platform implementation, corporate digital policies, and business process redesign. This project aims to help the sector to formulate such an adequate response to platformisation and digital transformation. In the project, we address two matters: (1) the logistics function is facing platformisation, which is an irreversible and (potentially) disruptive development; and (2) platformisation has potential to radically improve the logistics function also in terms of sustainability performance. Question is whether benefits as in (2) can be achieved while avoiding unintended consequences as in (1). This calls for a proper understanding of value adding services for the users and providers of the logistics function, the shippers, freight forwarders, and LSPs, and provide logistic ecosystem orchestrators with the measures to manage the disruptive character of platformisation in their communities.