The research landscape around the physical internet – a bibliometric analysis

Abstract

The concept of the Physical Internet (PI) has been introduced as a vision for globally efficient and sustainable logistics. Examining the activities of the PI since its foundation, enormous efforts can be recognised in the political and business spheres. Furthermore, the topic has received considerable attention from logistics and supply chain management scientists. In this context, a wide variety of dimensions of the PI concept has been investigated. In contrast to some existing qualitative literature reviews, this study focuses on a quantitative review methodology to provide a holistic overview of the PI concept and its underlying dimensions and interrelations. Based on bibliometric performance analysis and science mapping, this research maps and connects the extant PI literature landscape. In doing so, the most important journals, researchers, and institutions in the PI field are identified. Furthermore, eight research topics are grouped thematically, including PI benefits and the challenge of its operationalisation, carriers and shippers in the PI network, PI foundations, smart product-service systems and services, hyperconnected city logistics, information and communication technology requirements, modular PI containers, and organisation and control of PI hubs. Based on the clustering of existing research, the study concludes by providing directions for future research.

KEYWORDS:

• Physical internet
• logistics
• supply chain management
• bibliometric analysis
• bibliometric coupling

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christopher Münch

Christopher Münch is a postdoctoral associate and research group leader at the Chair of Supply Chain Management at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. He earned his doctoral degree in Management at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. His primary research areas include human capital in supply chain management and logistics, supply chain collaboration, supply ecosystems, sustainable supply chain management, and strategic foresight. Apart from participating at various international conferences and his engagement as a reviewer, he has authored and coauthored several research papers and articles in various journals, including Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Supply Chain Management: an International Journal, International Journal of Production Research, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, and other managerial and academic outlets. Christopher Münch is the corresponding author and can be contacted at: [email protected]

Manuel Wehrle

Manuel Wehrle received a doctoral degree in management from the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany, in 2022. He is a guest researcher at the Chair of Supply Chain Management at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. His research interests focus on the digital transformation of SMEs, the digitalisation of purchasing and supply management, the human factor in supply chain management, and the concept of the Physical Internet. His works have been published in several peer-reviewed journals, including Journal of Business Logistics, Journal of Purchasing & Supply Management, and IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management.

Tobias Kuhn

Tobias Kuhn received his doctoral degree in management in 2020. As a guest researcher at the Chair of Supply Chain Management at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany, his research focuses on sustainable transportation, the Physical Internet, and strategic foresight. His works have been published in several peer-reviewed journals, including Transportation Research Part D:Transport and Environment, Computers & Industrial Engineering, and IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management.

Evi Hartmann

Evi Hartmann (Dr.-Ing., Technical University Berlin) is Professor of Supply Chain Management at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. Her primary areas of research include purchasing and supply management, global sourcing, and supply chain management. She has published in the Journal of Purchasing & Supply Management, International Journal of Production Economics, Journal of Business Logistics, Journal of Supply Chain Management, and other managerial and academic outlets.