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Visit Alan McKinnon's LinkedIn page



Logistics - a major industry in its own right
What exactly is logistics?

Many people think of logistics as simply moving stuff. The appearance of the word on the sides of trucks certainly gives this impression. In practice logistics is a complex mix of freight transport, storage, handling, inventory management and all the IT required to co-ordinate these activities. It is a function that we all take for granted but without which our economy, indeed whole way of life, would collapse. It is a major industry in its own right, accounting for 12% of global GDP, and a major polluter releasing around 10-11% of global CO2 emissions. To get a sense of just how important logistics is, have a look at this video. 

Love Logistics video


Recent book

Decarbonizing Logistics

Kogan Page, London

Book contents

Book press release

Video introduction to the book

Complimentary download of Chapter 1

Welcome

Professor Alan McKinnon
Professor Alan McKinnon

Welcome to my personal website. On this site I have assembled many of the outputs of a career spent researching, teaching and advising in the field of logistics.

I had the good fortune to enter this field when it was at an early stage in its development, full of interesting research questions and in the grip of managerial revolution. It remains a vibrant and rapidly evolving subject area, constantly faced with new challenges and opportunities.

One of the greatest challenges logistics managers will have to confront in future decades is climate change. The link between logistics and climate change has been the focus of much of my recent research and features prominently on the site. My book on the decarbonisation of logistics was published in June 2018. 

Whatever your interest in logistics, however, there should be something on this site of relevance. 

Alan McKinnon

Professor of Logistics, Kuehne Logistics University, Hamburg
Professor Emeritus, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh


 

Blogs on logistics topics

World Bank report on Logistics Decarbonization in Lower Income Countries

This report that I wrote for the World Bank examines how the decarbonization of logistics needs to be adapted to the ‘needs, opportunities, and constraints’ of less developed countries.  It does this within the ‘five lever’ framework of rationalising freight demand, switching freight to lower carbon transport modes, improving capacity utilisation, raising energy efficiency and transitioning to renewable energy.  For each lever, I summarise trends, assess barriers and enablers, and recommend policy options for the governments of lower income countries.

Download the report.  

 

 

 

 

 

© Professor Alan McKinnon 2023

Kuehne Logistics University
Hamburg
Germany

contactme@alanmckinnon.co.uk

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© Professor Alan McKinnon 2023

 

Kuehne Logistics University
Hamburg
Germany

 

contactme@alanmckinnon.co.uk

 

Contact me

Privacy policy

 

Sitemap

Reset cookies

 
Web design by Wordspree