Logistics Technology & Information Systems Flashcards

Blockchain technology in supply chain management is valued primarily for providing:

Answer: An immutable, shared ledger that enhances traceability and trust across trading partners

Blockchain creates a tamper-evident, distributed record of transactions that all authorized parties can view, improving product traceability and reducing fraud.

The Internet of Things (IoT) in logistics most commonly enables organizations to:

Answer: Collect real-time data from connected sensors on assets, vehicles, and products

IoT sensors on pallets, containers, and vehicles stream data such as location, temperature, and humidity, enabling proactive monitoring and condition tracking.

A vendor-managed inventory (VMI) system uses technology to allow:

Answer: Suppliers to monitor customer inventory levels and trigger replenishment automatically

In VMI, the supplier accesses the customer's inventory data via EDI or portals and takes responsibility for keeping stock within agreed levels.

Which type of analytics uses historical data and statistical models to identify what will likely happen in the future?

Answer: Predictive analytics

Predictive analytics applies statistical algorithms and machine learning to historical data to forecast future events such as demand spikes or equipment failures.

A control tower in supply chain technology provides:

Answer: End-to-end visibility and exception management across all supply chain tiers in a single dashboard

A supply chain control tower aggregates data from multiple systems to give planners a unified view of inventory, orders, and shipments, with alerts for disruptions.

Cloud-based logistics software offers which key advantage over traditional on-premise systems?

Answer: Lower upfront costs and scalability without managing local hardware infrastructure

Cloud solutions use a subscription model and provider-managed infrastructure, reducing capital expenditure and allowing organizations to scale capacity on demand.