Training : IWT Plays Seriously

InnoWaTr Centre of Expertise

50

To simulate effects of collaboration

amongst ourselves ( and to allow for

partners to observe any beneficial

outcomes ) , we used serious gaming at

the beginning of the project .

In today ' s globalized world , collaboration

in logistics is crucial . To avoid emissions

and reduce costs , transportation

companies strive to maximize the

utilization of available container

capacities on ships which necessarily

does not go along with collaboration .

To simulate this dilemma , Dr . Layla

Martin , assistant professor at TU

Eindhoven , has developed a serious

game for the future generation of

students of the field of logistics . Her

game tour took her to various universities

and universities of applied sciences with

operations research , business , and

logistics degree programs across Europe

The cooperative logistics game evaluates

the collaborative transportation of

containers from Antwerp to Rotterdam

through five transport companies . The

goal is to reduce costs by sharing

resources . Participants must decide with

whom to collaborate , how much

information to share with competitors ,

and how to organize cost distribution . In

this scenario , students take on the roles of

different shipping companies . The game

was played in two rounds , with prices ,

capacities , and other details disclosed

only in the second round .

To the surprise of most students , the

second - round solutions with more shared

information are not always beneficial .

Students and industry representatives

learn about the benefits and challenges

of collaboration . Translated to the

context of InnoWaTr , it becomes clear

that coalitions are the key to optimal

logistics solutions .

Sabrina Wilms and Layla van der Heide - Martin ( TUE )

The game provides insights into

the complexity of modern

logistics , the effects of

information exchange , cost -

sharing methods , perceptions

of fairness and the challenges

of negotiation

Dr Layla Martin assistant professor for Transport

and Logistics at TU Eindhoven The Netherlands

Find out more on Layla

and serious gaming :