News

ASCI incorporates as not-for-profit enterprise

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:59:02 +1000

New Chair outlins Vision!

Approximately 12 months after the launch of the Alliance for Supply Chain Innovation (ASCI), ASCI has been formally been incorporated as a not-for-profit business enterprise. This arrangement enables ASCI to operate as a standalone, independent business enterprise delivering user driven research in supply chain innovation. A Board has been appointed with board members representing a mix of industry, defence, and academic experience.

The ASCI constitution was developed through industry/researcher collaboration and provides clear mechanisms for participation both by industry and by research institutions.

• Industry participation is through affiliation. ASCI Affiliates have the opportunity to influence ASCI’s strategy and projects via participation in the ASCI Industry Advisory Board
• Participating Research Institutions may influence ASCI research agenda and propose projects via the ASCI Research Steering Committee

All Affiliates and Participating Research Institutions have the opportunity to become Foundation Members. Foundation Members are the effective “shareholders” of the company and may have a representative appointed to the ASCI Board.

Dr Ron Beckett, Chair of the ASCI Board, said: “Over the last year, ASCI has grown into a fully operational collaborative research entity with some project activity which indeed proves the ASCI model works. The incorporation of ASCI now defines a new phase in the development of this initiative.”

“Whereas the initial focus was on developing the underlying model for ASCI's future and a wide range of research participation, the time has come to focus on value-adding collaborative projects.”

The way forward is to develop ASCI into a fully industry-driven entity, thereby providing its participating research institutions with opportunities of practical significance whilst providing industry access to the top researchers in the supply chain domain in Australia.

Dr Beckett further said: “The immediate operational focus is on the formulation of industry-driven projects that will enhance ASCI Affiliate and Foundation Members operations.”

Alliance Takes Flight - Supply Chain Review April 2011

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 11:34:00 +1000

The Alliance for Supply Chain Innovation (ASCI)will launch at the Chartered Institute of Logistics
and Transport (CILT) International Convention onMay 2 in Sydney.

Participating researchers, who represent academicand non-academic institutions across Australia, say
the alliance will “address national issues to improveand build a sustainable logistics position for Australia
and its states”.ASCI will also develop the knowledge base in logistics and supply chain management andcollaboratively assist in testing new business concepts.Victoria University Senior Strategy Advisor in Logistics and Supply Chain Management Dr PieterNagel is Interim Executive Director of the Alliance.

He has been instrumental in developing themodel, with support from Victoria University from inception. Nagel says until now the Australian supply chain sector has lacked a formal collaborative structurethat can facilitate the synergies that exist to enable the full spectrum of industry research in the supplychain domain. “Given funding and resources limitations it isdifficult for any one institution to build expertise and critical mass across a significantly wide enoughspectrum of the supply chain,” he says.

“Therefore, we find individual institutionsspecialise in relevant technology, business processes, international trade, transport,procurement, optimisation, and so on. “Often, private consulting firms undertakethis type of research on an ‘as-needs’ basis for government or industry sector organisations, tomeet their requirements.

“The inherent logic in this Alliance lies inintegrating and sharing resources rather the current fragmented approach that leads to huge overheadsfor each group and often duplicates efforts nationally rather than consolidating and sharing theseresources.

“By setting up a collaborative alliance, researchinstitutions will be able to address the larger problems and challenges of national interest.”Nagel says there are currently several alliances in Australia where researchers collaborate with industry in various professional domains. These includemining, energy, child welfare, health, desalination, and cancer research.“Such alliances all work on a basis of partnership between the research community, industry, and government,” Nagel says.

UOW joins Alliance of Supply Chain Experts

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 21:51:07 +1000

An initiative aiming to shape the national research agenda for supply chain innovation has brought together leading researchers from universities, industry and government from across the country.

Called the Alliance for Supply Chain Innovation, it brings together the leaders within the field of logistics and supply chain research in Australia. The University of Wollongong has been invited to enter into a formal alliance with other prominent institutions such as the Victoria University, the University of Western Sydney, the University of Tasmania, Curtin University, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Bond University, Monash University, University of South Australia as well as The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport Australia (CILTA), GS1 Australia and CSIRO.

The University of Wollongong is represented by Professor Tim Coltman at the Institute for Innovation in Business and Social Research (IIBSoR) in the Faculty of Commerce. The alliance aims to influence the national supply chain agenda, determining where research needs to take place.

“By collaborating with research institutions from across Australia, we will be able to address the larger supply chain problems and challenges that are of national interest”, Professor Coltman said.

“As an example, we have just been awarded a contract with the Port Kembla Port Corporation, a project that would not have been possible if it wasn’t for the expertise in the alliance”.

There are several alliances in Australia where academics successfully collaborate with industries, including the mining, energy, and health industries. Despite the fact that the logistics and supply chain sector forms as much as 15% of the Australian GDP, nothing like this has previously existed for the sector.

Up until now, universities and research organisations have carried out supply chain projects on an ‘as needed’ basis for different companies or government organisations, operating in a responsive manner. This alliance changes that, being the first of its kind in logistics and supply chain expertise in Australia.

Professor Coltman said the alliance would address national issues to improve and build a sustainable logistics position for Australia, assisting in testing new business concepts as well as support particular training and education needs of the industry in collaboration with its partner institutions.

“This initiative brings together the top researchers in supply chain and logistics, which will lead to a more co-ordinated approach to solutions for businesses.

“The alliance will ensure a national strength in logistics and supply chain research and support industry as well as government collaboration. Ultimately, this will result in the industry being able to manage their business critical supply chains more effectively and competitively.

“The universities involved in this alliance are considered to be the leaders in supply chain research. Integrating UOW’s resources such as the SMART Infrastructure and centres and institutes within the Faculties of Informatics and Commerce will enable us to identify the need or opportunity for change and formulate an informed response to such a need or opportunity.

“UOW is in a prime position to take on both theoretical and commercial research within this area“, Professor Coltman said.

UOW researchers have previously gained international industry recognition for several projects within the field, such as the partnering with logistics company DHL to identify the needs of supply chain customers; resulting in new business models which have been successfully used by the company.

“The involvement in the Alliance for Supply Chain Innovation further highlights UOW as being a leader in this key area of research, which is important to business,” Professor Coltman said.

For further information contact Professor Tim Coltman on phone (02) 4221 3912 or
email tim_coltman@uow.edu.au

ASCI confirmed its first project!

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 12:55:38 +1000

Dr Pieter Nagel, interim CEO of ASCI announced that ASCI has just confirmed its first project. This project is a collaboration between the University of Tasmania, through their Australian Maritime College, CSIRO, The University of Wollongong, RMIT University and the University of Western Sydney.