Focus
The research focuses on transport, logistics and supply chain management both in local contexts and global economy and aims at identifying new opportunities of economic growth at local and international level based on innovative logistics services. Logistics represents for SMEs a strategic leverage to compete on global scale since it can ensure the delocalisation of production phases, higher services standards and closer enterprises’ relationships with customers and suppliers. SMEs’ interconnection to logistic networks is fundamental to compete in terms of costs and service quality; SMEs needs to be equipped with logistic interfaces which can reduce the information gap between them and specialized logistic operators.  

The competitiveness of companies depends on their abilities to generate value for customers and markets. Value-creating activities are linked to the organization of integrated networks which depends on the planning, management and control of efficient and effective supply chains and logistics and transport systems. Competitiveness is among supply chains rather than single companies.
The research develops added value knowledge and original and innovative approaches and methodologies which are the result of a clear-cut process of assessment of costs and benefits.

Goals
- to put forward innovative solutions capable of supporting the problem-solving processes of a number of issues in the transport and logistics
- to improve the impact of studies related to logistics and transport sector thorugh the development of analytical models based on benchmark analyses of the logistics of local productive systems
- to promote an innovative analysis approach which is based on qualitative and economic parameters rather than on traditional quantitative ones;
- to develop normative models and guidelines aiming at identifying innovative tools and solutions to improve supply chain competitiveness and logistics systems performance.

European Projects
An international network of researchers and institutions develop projects in the field of transport, logistics and supply chain management in accordance with the European Union agenda goals. The projects developed benefit from funding from the European Union and European Commission and involve countries of the so-called European MacroRegions; trans-national geographical areas, such as the Adriatic and Ionian, Alpine, Baltic Sea and Danube regions. The projects develop innovative solutions and provide policy guidance for the sustainable logistics sector and have become strategic for the competitiveness and success of productive and economic systems at any territorial level.

Researchers Network
Marco Mazzarino (Head of Unit), Paolo Menegazzo, Maurizio Cociancich, Lucio Rubini, Elena Vallino, Elena Maggi, Giovanni Longo, Luca Braidotti