General global trends are moving towards the full computerization of business processes. The possibilities offered by the application of modern information technologies introduce a new quality into the sphere of company operations through more precise, faster, and cheaper execution of core processes, as well as easier access to new markets. Companies aware of the need for change, and also acting under competitive pressure, are transforming a whole range of traditional processes within the supply chain, starting from raw material procurement, through transport, production, distribution, warehousing, marketing, and ending with sales, adapting them to the needs of the electronic economy. The application of solutions utilizing the benefits of the Internet enables the implementation of electronic supply chains on a large scale, and more importantly, allows them to encompass large, medium, and small enterprises alike. This process is still in its early stages of development, and it is still large companies, particularly those from the United States, that play a significant role in the construction and use of modern technologies in the field of e-logistics. This poses a threat to European companies, especially from the SME sector, which, lacking adequate knowledge about modern applications used particularly in areas such as electronic procurement (e-procurement) or electronic order fulfillment (e-fulfillment), are losing market share on one hand to American investors who are increasingly active in the European market, while on the other hand, they are losing opportunities for development and cost reduction. The emerging competitive imbalance cannot be eliminated through the initiatives of individual entities. There is a strong need for initiatives undertaken at the national level or at the European Union level, increasing the impact of specific projects.
One such European initiative is the e-Thematic consortium, in which the Institute of Logistics and Warehousing participates as the only institution from Eastern Europe. Furthermore, e-Thematic brings together representatives of the following companies and institutions: Buck Consultants International, ERTICO, SCOR Training Center, European Car Transport Group of Interest, European Federation of Inland Ports, British Freight Association, SHIPSERV, Allagraf, Web House, Thomas Miller, Brunel University.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 2/2004.