Reference Process Model for IT System Integration for Transshipment Terminals

The aim of this research project was to develop an IT reference model especially tailored for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the field of application of cargo handling terminals. This should support the terminals in independently carrying out a systematic further development of their IT and process landscape.

Project duration 01.05.2019 – 31.08.2021
Project funding Industrial Collective Research project funded by Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy
Our status Responsible AiF reseach institute
Contact person Ann-Kathrin Lange
Project partners The project is supported by experienced companies from the logistics sector on the project committee.

Description

Cargo handling terminals are characterized by diverse customer relationships, services and organizational interfaces. Large terminals use extensive and expensive terminal operating systems (TOS) to meet these challenges. These systems are often out of the question for SME terminals due to the very large scope of functions, the high adaptation effort to operational circumstances and the associated high costs for acquisition, adaptation, maintenance and further development. In SME cargo handling terminals, various small, sometimes self-developed IT solutions are used and processes are often carried out without suitable IT support, e.g. by accepting many inefficient and error-prone media breaks. In order to further develop these IT and business process landscapes, which are characterised by isolated IT solutions, redundancies and purely paper-based processing sequences, in the sense of a future-oriented digitalisation and thus to build up agility with regard to changing framework conditions and requirements for digital interfaces to partners in the maritime transport chain, SME cargo handling terminals usually lack capital and personnel.

The research project aims to remedy this situation with a "help for self-help" approach. The IT reference process model with its process models, tools and recommendations for action forms the basis for this. Such a reference model, which is geared to the specifics of SME terminals, represents an innovation. During the two-year project, which was divided into seven work packages, intensive feedback with the various companies involved was taken into account. This ensured that the developed aids were practically applicable and of use for SME transshipment terminals.

The Industrial Collective Research project "Reference Process Model for IT System Integration for Transshipment Terminals" (20720 N) of the research association Bundesvereinigung Logistik e.V. was funded by

in the scope of the Industrial Collective Research project of the

on the basis of a resolution of the German Bundestag.

Publications (excerpt)

[182366]
Title: Modelling the IT and Business Process Landscapes at Inland Intermodal Terminals. <em>Data science and innovation in supply chain management : how data transforms the value chain // Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL)/ Data Science in Maritime and City Logistics</em>
Written by: Grafelmann, Michaela and Zlotos, Constantin and Lange, Ann-Kathrin and Jahn, Carlos
in: <em>HICL 2020</em>. (2020).
Volume: Number:
on pages: 159-179
Chapter:
Editor: In Jahn, Carlos and Kersten, Wolfgang and Ringle, Christian M. (Eds.)
Publisher: epubli:
Series: Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL)
Address: Berlin
Edition:
ISBN: 978-3-753123-47-9
how published:
Organization:
School:
Institution:
Type:
DOI: 10.15480/882.3144
URL:
ARXIVID:
PMID:

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Note: refproc

Abstract: Purpose: A wide range of customer relationships, services and organizational inter-faces characterizes inland intermodal terminals, which are hubs of combined transport. The purposes of this paper are twofold. The first is to highlight challenges of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) at the time of digitalization. Secondly, approaches to illustrate the IT and business landscape are presented. Methodology: This paper is based on a literature analysis as well as interviews and identifies aspects of SME- and branch-specific IT and business process landscapes of inland terminals. Moreover, approaches to visualize those landscapes are high-lighted and a distinction is made between different software map types. Findings: Inland intermodal terminals often use a variety of different small, some-times self-developed IT solutions. Findings show a lack of means of communications and IT equipment as well as the interlinking of systems, which lead to media breaks and inefficient information flow. Therefore, approaches to visualize relevant pro-cesses and their application landscapes are presented. Originality: Most literature focuses on larger terminals, which use terminal operat-ing systems (TOS) to manage and link computerized applications efficiently. Due to the effort required to adapt TOS to operational conditions as well as resulting costs, these are often not an option for small and medium-sized terminals. This paper pro-vides a basis for SMEs to systematically visualize and improve their IT and process landscape