Title: Putting supply-chain learning theory into practice: lessons from an Irish case

Authors: Edward Sweeney, Pietro Evangelista, Renato Passaro

Addresses: National Institute for Transport and Logistics (NITL), Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), 17 Herbert Street, Dublin 2, Ireland. ' Institute for Service Industry Research (IRAT), National Research Council (CNR), VIA M. Schipa, 115–80122 Naples, Italy. ' Faculty of Engineering, Department of Technology, University of Naples Parthenope, VIA Medina, 40–80133 Naples, Italy

Abstract: The logistics service market is currently going through a fundamental transition. The development of closer relationships with customers and the continuous adaptation of products and services, represent potentially successful approaches to the development of improved competitive capabilities. To this end knowledge resources and learning processes increasingly represent key elements within the evolving framework of the Third Party Logistics (3PLs) service provision business. This paper describes the case of NITL|s Foundation Certificate Programme (FCP) learning programme with specific reference to its use in addressing some of current shortcomings related to supply chain knowledge and skills in the Irish 3PL industry. The FCP rationale is based on the need to move from traditional approaches of supply chain organisation, where the various links in the chain were measured and managed in isolation from each other and thus, tended to operate, at cross purposes, towards more integrated and knowledge-based approaches.

Keywords: supply chain learning; third party logistics; logistics service providers; training; education; case study; Ireland; supply chain knowledge; supply chain skills; supply chain management; SCM; supply chain organisation; knowledge management; ICT; information technology; communications; customer service; purchasing management; production planning; production control; transport; distribution management; warehousing; inventory management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJKL.2005.008357

International Journal of Knowledge and Learning, 2005 Vol.1 No.4, pp.357 - 372

Published online: 07 Dec 2005 *

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