IoT in Supply Chain Management

A Dissertation Synopsis submitted in partial fulfilment of requirements for

Masters of Business Administration (Logistics & Supply chain
Management), June, 2016 – May 2018

Under the Guidance of:

Professor Loveraj Takru
H.O.D – L.S.C.M
School of Business
University of Petroleum and Energy Studies

Submitted by:

Jeetu Ram
500050549
R600216022
MBA (Logistics & Supply Chain Management)
2016-2018
School of Business, UPES
Table of Contents
1. Introduction

2. Literature Review

3. Scope

4. Research Methodology

5. Data Collection

6. Chapter outline

7. References
Introduction

The Internet of Things (IoT) aims at bridging the gap between real world business processes
and information systems. Supply chain management is one of the major application areas
that can benefit from the IoT. When attached to physical items, the IoT technologies such as
RFID and sensor networks transform objects of the supply chain into smart items. These
items have the ability to capture context data and provide information systems with a
representation of things‘. This allows information systems to monitor the supply chain
processes through process aware information systems. Smart items can also execute parts
of the business processes.
There is an electrification of world around us. Anything we see these days has electronics in
it. Especially, it includes an embedded processor (typically a microcontroller, or MCU), along
with user interfaces, that can add programmability and deterministic “command and
control” functionality. The electrification of the world and the pervasiveness of embedded
processing are the keys to making objects “smart.” After a device becomes smart through
the integration of embedded processing, the next logical step is remote communication
with the smart device to help make life easier. With sophisticated cloud-based processing,
communication capability IoT can make things happen without intervention. Applications to
connect with and leverage the Internet to achieve this goal, they must first become “smart”
(incorporate an MCU/embedded processor with an associated unique ID) then connected
and, finally, controlled.
The internet of things (IoT) is a network of objects equipped with radio frequency
identification chips and similar technologies so that the objects could communicate and
interact with each other. IoT represents the next evolution of the Internet, taking a huge
leap in its ability to gather, analyze, and distribute data that we can turn into information,
knowledge, and ultimately wisdom. IoT can also be referred as "Internet of Objects". IoT can
be viewed as Networks of Networks.
In this paper we review the main technologies of the IoT associated in providing the efficient
and effective services in the industry.
 Literature review
S.no Author,(Year) Theme of study Major Findings

1 The new supply chain’s IT technical issues and implication Benefits of information
frontier: Information for business performance. sharing which help to
management, control the performance
Jorge Verissimo, of supply chain.
Pereira,(2009)
Sorting out the supply chain problems by understanding the depth in architecture, and
portability of IT which upholds Information Management.
2 Smart connected Utilizing various IoT concepts in It brought a new level of
logistics, connecting the logistics system by quality to the monitoring,
Tomasgregora, creating a smart connected product control and optimization
Martin krajcovica, of the logistics activities.
dariusz więcekb (2017)

Bringing the performance growth and significantly lowering the risk of fault by negligence
by advanced principles such as Mobile Robotic Systems (MRS), Mobile Automated
Platforms, Multi-Agent Cloud based control .

3 Iot-aware business The Internet of Things (IoT) aims Smart items playing vital
processes for logistics: at bridging the gap between real role in business processes
limitations of current world Business processes and & basic logistic functions
approaches, information systems. with some limitations in
Pedro Ferreira, Also, the main technologies of the real situations being
Ricardo Martinho, IoT associated with automated handled dynamically.
Dulce Domingos support of business processes in
logistics.
The main limitations in the Business Process Execution Language, regarding the support of
design and runtime changes in these processes with smart items.

4 Smart Freight: Various applications of Information Three categories that are

Applications of ICT to and communications technology benefitted from ICT-
Freight system efficiency (ICT) can permit large energy based efficiency
Therese Langer, Shruti savings in the freight transportation measures to make freight
Vaidyanathan , (2014) sector transportation more
efficient: vehicle-level
improvements, better use
of the freight network,
and changes in the
distance freight travels.
Applications of ICT to save energy by improving the efficiency of freight vehicle operation,
making use of the freight network, and reducing ton-miles travelled without compromising
business objectives
5 Understanding ICT The usage of ICT in providing Small 3PLs ready to
management in small services by the 3PL industry. invest in ICT irrelative to
transport and logistics the cost to continue with
service providers, the other advanced
Pietro Evangelista, providers to add value.
(2002)
The industry developments have widened the technological gap between large and small
3PLs. The adoption of ICT in small logistics service providers.

6 The impact of Analysing the impact of ICT on A framework was

Information and road freight transportation in termsestablished for evaluating
Communication of commerce, logistics and fleet their impact not only in
Technology on road management, and proposes terms of e-commerce but
freight Transportation, hypothetical mechanisms of also in terms of the
Ryuichi Yoshimoto, influence. computerization of the
Toshinori Nemoto,(2005) logistics market
and the increasing
sophistication of fleet
management systems.
How ICT made e-commerce to increase the transportation transparency in road freight
transportation
7 Minimizing logistics risk The system implementation issues GPRS and TETRA are
through Real-time in Vehicle Route Planning and appropriate mobile
vehicle routing and Vehicle Routing Systems access networks, while
Mobile technologies, GPS technologies meet
G.M. Giaglis, I. Minis, all the related positioning
A. Tatarakis,(2004) requirements of the real-
time vehicle management
system.
The trends help VR-related research with advanced mobile technologies towards an
integrated approach to real-time distribution Management.
BACKGROUND OF RESEARCH PROBLEM & OBJECTIVE

PROBLEM
Business Problem-
 How utilizing Internet of Things can make the supply chain robust and efficient?

Research Problem-
 What are the barriers for an organisation to opt for Internet of Things for a small 3PL?

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

 To identify the benefits of IoT in supply chain.
 To explore the issues that create obstacles to in adopting to IoT.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

 The scope of study is on Logistics service industry.
Research Design & Methodology

 The research is Descriptive as it examines the existing applications and techniques

used by organizations. Existing literature on the subject available on the internet is
used.
 Data Sources

Type of Data :
 Primary data through Questionnaire
 Secondary data has been collected from the following sources:
 Websites
 Articles
 Reports

Limitations of the study

 Only secondary data is used.
Chapter Outline

The chapter outline of the research study will be as follows-

 Chapter 1- Introduction- This chapter will give a general overview of the topic.
 Chapter 2- Literature Review- This section will cover all the literature that is
already available as primary or secondary data that formed the basis of the research
and help in identifying the gaps that will show where the research opportunity is
there.
 Chapter 3-Background of the Study and Objectives- This chapter will show the
background of the research and the main objectives of the same.
 Chapter 4- Research Methodology- This chapter covers the steps and methodology
used in order to approach the study. It will also point out the analytical tools used in
doing our research and identify what is the scope of the study done along with the
limitations of the research process.
 Chapter 5- Data Analysis- The data analysis part points out what are our findings
from doing the research, also along with it will show what all parameters after
conducting an analysis of the factors.
 Chapter 6- Conclusion- The conclusion of the research will be noted down in this
chapter along with the limitations of the research & the future scope of research.
 Chapter 7- Bibliography- This section will list of all of the sources used in the
process of researching the work.
 Chapter 8- Appendices- This section lists all the additional necessary documents and
questionnaires prepared for the purpose of the research along with the formats of any
interviews being conducted.
REFRENCES