"Logistics doesn't need sheep, it needs rebels." With this, Tony Bosma shakes up the attendees during the Logistics Day in Tilburg. According to the futurist, logisticians should engage in making traditional logistics redundant.
The current developments in logistics demand a progressive attitude from the sector, Bosma believes. In doing so, the futurist zooms in not only on technological developments, but also by the impact the sector has on our living environment. For instance, the entire transport sector accounts for 7 per cent of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions. The growth of the sector will increase emissions by a factor of 3.9 by 2050. "How can we still sell that to ourselves?", Bosma asks.
And although companies are really innovating on a small scale, it is not enough. As an example, the trendwatcher cites electric driving: 90,000 new vans were bought in 2017, of which less than 1 per cent were electric. Bosma: "The sector needs to take a big leap forward."
There are also good, innovative examples, the futurist argues. Parcify, Stockspots, iShare, OpenTripModel, Mobotiq, Shyp, Cargomatic; they are all companies or initiatives responding to the changing world. "These initiatives have something important in common: they are not just concerned with cheaper, bigger or faster, but with smarter, accountable, disruptive and collaborative."
Such a philosophy can bring a lot to the sector. Research by PWC shows that the sharing economy will ensure 20 million fewer empty kilometres by 2020. Moreover, shared cars could reduce the number of on-the-road cars by 75 per cent, MIT calculated.Yet companies often still see such technologies and developments as a cheat.Instead, in order to anticipate a changing world, companies should adhere to the following traits:
- Be extremely environment-sensitive;
- break through assumptions and rules;
- assume shared risks, shared transition;
- think and act from connection, rather than demarcation.
"The path to success is to be open to the other and not be slammed shut by the existing," Bosma concludes.
