2024 Summer Reading Guide
Cool down with some hot insights into logistics and supply chain management this summer. Whether you’re lounging on the beach or killing time while traveling, our handpicked book list will keep you informed and entertained.
Proximity: How Coming Breakthroughs in Just-in-Time Transform Business, Society, and Daily Life
By Robert C. Wolcott and Kaihan Krippendorff
This book explores the transformative impact of digital technologies on production and service delivery, enabling immediate, affordable, and customized value with minimal environmental impact. The authors provide insights into how the “Proximity revolution” is reshaping industries, strategies, supply chains, and sustainability, emphasizing the need for innovative approaches over incremental changes.
Precision Retailing: Driving Results With Behavioral Insights and Data Analytics
Edited by Laurette Dubé, Maxime C. Cohen, Nathan Yang, and Bassem Monia
The retail sector underwent a seismic shift during the COVID-19 era, producing lasting changes and the need for retailers to rethink their business models. Many have turned to behavioral insights to better understand and target customers. This book compiles expert essays providing practical advice on how to apply behavioral science to retail operations, emphasizing the importance of precision in engaging with retail customers and systems.
A New Line in Humans: Living With Future Supply Chains
By K.B. Cottrill
This entertaining e-book uses science fiction to project current supply chains into the future and explore what might happen if they go awry. Examples include a team of executive androids deciding what to do when a pandemic causes plummeting demand in their remote factory, and a federal agency discovering a potentially disastrous flaw in the algorithms that control self-driving trucks.
The Supply Chain Revolution: Innovative Sourcing and Logistics for a Fiercely Competitive World
By Suman Sarkar
Through success stories from leading companies like Apple and Zara, this book illustrates how viewing the supply chain as a strategic asset, rather than a cost-cutting area, can lead to remarkable business performance. It offers insights on making alliances more successful, simplifying processes, boosting retail success, and enhancing customer satisfaction. Using practical advice and real-world examples, this book provides tools to revolutionize the supply chain.
Supply Chain: The Insights You Need From Harvard Business Review
By Willy C. Shih, Christian Shuh, Wolfgang Schnellbacher, and Daniel Weise
Part of HBR’s “Insights You Need” series, this book addresses the challenges and disruptions facing global supply chains, including supply and demand shocks, labor shortages, and international trade wars. Special focus goes to helping business leaders understand the worldwide dynamics at play, identify risks in their supply chain networks, and ensure resilience without losing competitive advantage. The book combines foundational knowledge with practical case studies on fast-moving issues such as blockchain, cybersecurity, and AI.
Flow: How the Best Supply Chains Thrive
By Rob Handfield and Tom Linton
In this helpful resource for procurement and supply chain professionals, the authors explore the concept of “flow”—drawing parallels to natural phenomena like the flow of electricity and materials—and its importance in process optimization. They discuss the integration of end-to-end supply chains and the shift toward nearshoring and onshoring. Highlighting strategies that leverage global supply chain data and smart technologies, the book offers practical recommendations to improve supply chain performance amid ongoing disruptions, with insights from companies including Biogen, General Motors, Siemens, and Flex.
The Logistics Mastermind: A Tale of Victory Through Supply Chain Management
By Tracie Harrison
This fictional logistics tale takes place in the midst of a war between the countries of Lumiaslansa and Etria. Gianni, a recent graduate of Lumiaslansa’s Royal Officer Academy, is unexpectedly assigned as a warehouse keeper. His seemingly unimportant role takes a dramatic turn when he is entrusted with overseeing the military’s supply team. Demonstrating his logistical genius, Gianni navigates war-torn landscapes, treacherous conditions, and dwindling resources to ensure the army is well-supplied.
Logistics Legends: Stories of Success in Supply Chain Management
By Dilip Kumar Vaka
Through real-world case studies and expert insights, this book explores how top companies have overcome complex challenges and leveraged cutting-edge technologies to streamline operations, enhance customer satisfaction, and achieve competitive advantage. Through the stories of industry trailblazers and innovators, readers will learn valuable lessons and actionable strategies to navigate the ever-evolving logistics landscape.
Supply Chain Security Management: The Key to Resilient and Secure Logistics
By Arthur Wilson
This hands-on guide to supply chain security management offers practical measures to safeguard the integrity and resilience of global commerce. The book shares insights on how to protect assets, personnel, and sensitive information from physical and cyber threats; ensure compliance with regulatory standards; and minimize disruptions to enhance business continuity. Wilson’s key recommendation? Adopt a security-first mindset.
The Logistics and Supply Chain Toolkit: Over 100 Tools for Transport, Warehousing and Inventory Management
By Gwynne Richards and Susan Grinsted
The updated fourth edition of this popular resource covers the latest supply chain frameworks, including robotics and blockchain, and methods to measure their ROI. Each toolkit provides precise approaches for complex situations in warehousing, inventory, logistics, outsourcing, and supply chain management. It also includes downloadable content including supply chain audits and strategy decision charts.
Strategic Sourcing: Approaches for Managing Supply Chain Risk
By George A. Zsidisin, Barbara Gaudenzi, and Roberta Pellegrino
This book offers a research-based methodology for analyzing supply chain vulnerabilities and implementing strategic sourcing approaches to manage risk and ensure resilience. Addressing the multifaceted impacts of supply chain risk, the book highlights the detrimental effects of disruptions, such as increased costs, financial losses, and reputational damage, and provides practical approaches for identifying, assessing, and managing risks to foster resilience.
Logistics and Supply Chain Management: Fundamentals and Strategies
By Turkay Yildiz
Covering topics such as inventory management, transportation, warehousing, and the application of “Industry 4.0” and IT systems, this book provides practical insights into strategic planning, risk and cost management, and global logistics, as well as sustainability goals and future industry trends. The comprehensive guide also provides insights for optimizing business processes and gaining a competitive edge in the global marketplace.
Logistics 2040: Navigating the Future of Supply Chain Management
By Oswald Sanon
By exploring how technology, innovation, and global trends are transforming supply chain operations, this book paints a picture of what will unfold during the next two decades. Across 20 detailed chapters, Sanon delves into future-facing topics including predictive analytics, big data, AI-driven inventory optimization, digital twins for supply chain planning, and the impact of autonomous vehicles on freight transportation. The book also shares insights on how “Industry 4.0” is shaping supply chain management and uses real-world case studies to illustrate successful implementations of emerging technologies.
Sustainable Supply Chain Orchestration: Unlearning for a Better Tomorrow
By Deborah Dull and Douglas Kent
This book guides supply chain professionals through practical steps to integrate modern, green, and profitable strategies that align with environmental standards while boosting business growth. The authors share their transformative UNLEARN method, designed to help companies unify purpose, navigate sustainability challenges, and break free from outdated practices. Specific topics include embedding sustainability across sourcing, manufacturing, and logistics, as well as amplifying the sustainability narrative within your organization.
The Art of Autonomous Warehousing and Logistics
By Laverne Blackburn
This book takes a deep dive into the world of autonomous warehousing, where robots perform tasks such as picking, packing, and shipping goods. The author explores the benefits of autonomous warehousing, such as reduced labor costs and improved productivity and safety. The book also covers various challenges companies face when automating their warehouses, including the high cost of investment, need for specialized skills, and potential workforce reduction concerns.