Impact program

Strategic logistical collaboration

Logistics companies are under continuous pressure to improve their performance, for instance, through more efficient transport or by making more efficient use of the lean workforce. To date, the required collaboration is having trouble getting off the ground in the Netherlands. In the COMPOSE project, Tilburg University together with sector association evofenedex is developing a digital platform where companies can get in touch more easily to enter into strategic logistical collaboration.

COMPOSE

Approach

Wat is new about COMPOSE’s approach is that the support in facilitating collaboration is aimed at shippers rather than at transporters, so on producers and wholesalers that want to have their goods shipped. In order to facilitate so-called ‘horizontal’, innovative, and sustainable collaboration at a strategic level, this project combines different kinds of academic knowledge developed at Tilburg University, for instance:

  • socio-psychological knowledge (Department of Social Psychology) on the do’s and don’ts of stimulating collaboration;
  • legal knowledge (TILEC) on how to organize collaboration as well as the scope of the collaboration, what data companies should or should not exchange, etc.;
  • supply chain management knowledge (Management Department) on the pros and cons of collaboration;
  • econometric knowledge (Department of Econometrics and Operations Research) on the costs and revenues of collaboration and how to divide them.

This knowledge is incorporated, among other things, in a digital platform where companies can be matched with potential partners after specifying their business profile and supply chain needs. Subsequently, companies can, either independently or together with sector association evofenedex, explore collaboration opportunities in fields like transportation, warehousing, and staff.

Impact

So far, the project has achieved various results:

  • a 'serious game' which gives companies insight into efficient collaboration;
  • a digital matching platform for shippers that can be further elaborated;
  • an overview of best practices and lessons learned regarding collaboration;
  • 30 seriously interested companies (15 companies participated in the pilot);
  • involvement of 20 Tilburg University students of Law, Social Psychology, and Economics, resulting in a large number of Master's theses;
  • internships for students at shipping companies.

Partners and sponsors

Read the story of student Marenne Gevers who participated in the project