Self-Organizing Logistics : Towards a unifying framework for automated transport systems

Abstract

Self-organizing logistics is viewed as a solution to cope with the challenges the logistics sector faces and as a mean to make logistics control systems more adaptable and resilient. This is also underlined by Wagner and Kontny (2017, p. 255) who state that "the main drivers for the development and implementation of self-organizing adaptive operation processes are the increase of flexibility while lowering costs in times of growing consumer demand". Self-organizing logistics systems provide alternative control structures compared to what is currently adopted in practice (e.g., centralized). These alternatives provide interesting opportunities to tackle global challenges and to disrupt business as usual. It is important to note that self-organization is not the only approach for designing and controlling systems, but it "can be very useful in complex systems where the observer cannot a priori conceive all possible configurations, purposes, or problems that the system may be confronted with" (Gershenson 2007, p. 34).