Smart Supply Chain Management: The 5W1H Open and Collaborative Framework

Abstract

During the Covid-19 pandemics, many companies had to cease their activities due to the scarcity of raw material supply or availability of goods' transportation modes. Simulataneously, vehicles from different enterprises were still performing similar routes, delivering goods to the same clients or nearby locations, with a small percentage of their capacity filled. The ability to optimize resource usage, re-adjust, and search for alternatives should depend on an integrated real-time decision. Open collaboration between stakeholders in terms of human resources, assets, and data sharing is vital. Industry 4.0 and mostly additive manufacturing can leverage the production closer to the client, eliminating logistic intermediaries' steps, cutting warehouse expenses and delivery costs, and promoting sustainability. Therefore, this paper proposes an adapted framework from the 5W1H (Who, Why, What, Where, When, and How) quality management methodology to organize the supply chain based on the client's personalized inputs and stakeholders' integration.