The Mediterranean Corridor is a double high-speed railway that will run from the French border to Algeciras, joining cities as important as Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, Murcia and Malaga, and connecting them in turn with the rest of Europe. However, it is necessary to develop gauge change technologies for railway platforms, since, in Europe, there are several track gauges that hinder the transit of goods by rail.

Logistics 4.0 modifies business operations and business processes to incorporate new tools and digital uses. It is a complete and integral transformation process, based on the digitization of information throughout the whole process, from the initial phases right through to the arrival of the end product to the customer, as well as integrating reverse logistics.

The convergence of variable-width axes rail technology for freight transport with Logistics 4.0 in SCM (Supply Chain Management) processes will allow increasing productivity and business competitiveness at an international level.

Human Resources Management (HRM) with a focus on Supply Chain Management (SCM) empowers companies to effectively manage their supply chains. This article justifies the importance of the study of Human Resources in the Supply Chain (HRSC) and provides an in-depth analysis of research in these two fields, which reveals their potentialities and shortcomings. Thus, the thematic areas addressed have been identified, as well as their main contributions and the existence of gaps in the literature. From the analysis, 53 publications have been identified that highlight the potential of HRSC. The results show that, in the last four (4) years between 2012 and 2017, there has been a significant increase of 49% in HRSC research.

Companies increasingly tend to outsource any activities that do not form part of their core business, as well as any activities that do not enable them to generate added value, due to their lack of specialization or specific knowledge.

When making decisions in this respect, the variables that may most influence whether a service should be outsourced are the value that the activity generates for the company, the need to make management and structural costs variable, and operational flexibility.

It is essential to analyse outsourcing from all possible angles but, most importantly, we have to be objective when it comes to evaluating the pros and cons of the decision from an economic and production point of view. Moreover, the company’s general strategy must be taken into account to ensure that any outsourcing decisions are perfectly aligned to it, without any discrepancy.

Last but not least, we should take great care in terms of the kind of agreement that we reach with the companies offering logistics outsourcing services, as this will be the foundation for ensuring that we meet the financial and production objectives set.

In this article, we focus on logistics activities that may be suitable for outsourcing, the reasons for outsourcing these activities and the type of suppliers of this kind of services.

Additive manufacturing, performed by 3D printing processes, has gained great importance in certain industrial sectors. Now the subject of significant research and innovation plans, This technology can drastically reduce the current complexity involved in manufacturing processes, with additional advantages over conventional production techniques, as well as in the existing logistics operations at each stage of the supply chain.

In recent years, technological solutions of varying degrees of complexity have emerged that have driven the evolution of logistics and supply chain, and which enable concordance between the requirements and limitations faced by customers in the eCommerce shopping process.

Advances in certain technologies in other sectors has enabled them to be incorporated into logistics and the supply chain, not only adding value for the customer through the customization of the products and services on offer, but also having an impact on suppliers and other actors that form part of the chain, enabling them to achieve enhanced responsiveness in terms of stock planning, management and transportation.

In the future, the adoption of these new technologies will require a process of specialization at the expense of the purely operational role that has characterized the logistics sector to date, as well as requiring new standards and regulatory bodies to be generated that enable their integration and development.

eCommerce platforms are becoming increasing significant players in the global economy, modifying shopping and consumption habits, and having a decisive impact on the market in terms of distribution, manufacture and the provision of logistics services.

The consolidation and improvement of eCommerce is underpinned by guaranteeing excellence throughout the user experience, from the shopping process right through to the final delivery of the product or service requested. In this respect, logistics is a key factor.

Amazon’s penetration in households has strongly shaken up the scene in terms of the competition. It has forced large retailers (and manufacturers) to provide a response that fulfils shoppers’ new service expectations, triggering a gruelling race to take control of the value chain and the customer experience.

In this article, the authors analyse the current panorama, the repercussions for the supply chain and the trends emerging in terms of eCommerce platform, identifying areas of opportunity generated by increasingly demanding customer expectations.
 

In a global and interconnected society, the logistic sector is especially keen to understand the performance of the modern economy. Thanks to their higher level of development, European countries have a privileged position that allows them to face the future with guarantees. Their industry is competitive and its strategic challenges are clear. Supply chain innovation, infrastructure, digitization, networking and integration are key aspects to keep in mind. Public institutions also play a decisive role. They must not only support but also enhance private sector initiatives that may help to ensure global competitiveness. All this also has to be understood in an unstable and volatile context, in which the competences of professionals in the field will undoubtedly be a decisive factor in success in the future.