Sustainable Logistics Management in the 21st Century Requires Wholeness Systems Thinking

Abstract

The 21st century is characterised by the unprecedented speed and scope of changes, creating a new external environment, where the logistics systems are managed. The latest development in logistics management is influenced by sustainability, which complements the economic dimension with environmental and social dimensions. The fundamental principle of logistics management is systems thinking (ST). Until now, the reductionism ST (RST), focusing on the maximal economic performance of a logistics system’s parts and interactions has been applied. However, the RST approach does not sufficiently consider the implication of the external environment to the economic performance. The article’s aim is the introduction of the new wholeness ST (WST) approach and confirmation of its fundamental role in deriving of the performance of the selected logistics system’s parts and interactions from the external environment. WST’s role was demonstrated in a case study, comparing the WST and RST approach in management of particular automotive logistics’ system. The WST approach in the management of the whole selected logistics system assures a considerable reduction in the consumption of resources. Based on the comparative case study’s results, the conceptual framework for the application of the WST approach in all sustainable dimensions is proposed.