Strategizing a Logistics Framework for Organizational Transformation: A Technological Perspective

By Hathat Zakaria El, Tarik Zouadi, V. Raja Sreedharan, Vijaya Sunder M
IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management | March 2023

DOI

ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10077750

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Zakaria El, Hathat., Tarik Zouadi., Raja Sreedharan, V.., Sunder M, Vijaya. Strategizing a Logistics Framework for Organizational Transformation: A Technological Perspective IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10077750.

IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 2023

Abstract

Logistics’ providers operate in a volatile environment amid uncertain demand patterns, complex movements, and ambiguous decisions corresponding to the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) scenario. Such a scenario demands companies to rely on emerging technologies for flawless logistics’ operations in the VUCA world. Keeping this in mind, in this article, we focus on leveraging emerging technologies for logistics competitiveness in the VUCA world. An extant literature review on logistics and emerging technology articles was done through a systematic literature review, followed by content analysis. The study uses scientific databases, such as Scopus, ABI/INFORM, and Web of Science, to gather works published from 1992 to 2022, resulting in 77 articles. The study found key facets related to logistics in the VUCA world through text mining, leading to a unique framework based on the VUCA world and technologies known as VUCAT. Furthermore, VUCAT motivates logistics’ providers to digitalize their operations and provides insights for day-to-day activities. Furthermore, the study proposes an implementation framework for VUCAT with an economic value determination for organization transformation in the VUCA world.

Vijaya Sunder M is an Assistant Professor of Operations Management (Practice) and Programme Director of the Operational Excellence for Leaders Programme at the Indian School of Business (ISB). He also serves on the advisory board of ISB’s Executive Fellow Programme in Management and Executive Education. Previously, he was Chair of the Experiential Learning Programme (2022-2025), Academic Director of the Centre for Business Innovation (2023–2024), and a BAT Research Fellow (2021–2023).

He holds a PhD in Operational Excellence from IIT Madras and brings over 18 years of industry experience from global corporations. He has served as Head of Business Process Excellence at the World Bank Group, Assistant Vice President at Barclays, and Quality Leader at American Express and Citi.

Professor Sunder’s research focuses on operational excellence, project management, behavioural operations, and human-AI collaboration. He has authored three books and published scholarly research in leading journals, including Production and Operations Management, Journal of Operations Management, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, International Journal of Production Economics, International Journal of Production Research, Journal of Business Research, and IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management. His articles have also appeared in Harvard Business Review, California Management Review, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Management and Business Review, and Rotman Management. His teaching case studies, published by Harvard Business Publishing, are among the bestsellers.
Professor Sunder has received several prestigious honours, including ASQ’s Global Crosby Award, IAQ’s

Walter E. Masing Award, and recognition as one of PEX Network’s (IQPC) Top 50 Operational Excellence Thought Leaders worldwide. In 2025, he was featured in Business Mint’s 50 Under 50 Brightest Minds of India for his contributions to the field of Operational Excellence. He is also a recipient of IIT Madras Best Researcher Award in 2018, the Quality Champion Award (Gold category) by the Quality Control of India (QCI), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India in 2022, and the Financial Times Responsible Business Education Award (Runner-up) in 2022.

At ISB, he teaches PGP, Executive MBA, and PhD courses such as Business Process Excellence, Operational Excellence, Digital Transformation in Services, Project Management, and Operations Management. He has won multiple “Professor of the Year” – Best Teacher: Teaching Excellence Awards for the PGP core and elective courses for the Class of 2021 (one award), Class of 2023 (two awards), Class of 2024 (one award), Class of 2025 (three awards), and the AMPH Class of 2024 (one award).

A TEDx speaker and sought-after keynote presenter, Professor Sunder has trained over 10,000 business executives worldwide and is widely known for his innovative and experiential pedagogies.

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