Heinz Nixdorf Chair of
IT-based Logistics

What we do

Prof. Dr. Iris Hausladen

The management of logistics and supply chains is actually embedded in a multifaceted and interdisciplinary context. It is not only orchestrating material and information flows but beyond that it is about building bridges between technology, business administration, IT and society, to name only a few.
Especially this chameleon-like nature of logistics and supply chain management in our global and digital world makes ‘change’ a driving force of practice, research and teaching in this field. Like Heraclitus is often quoted “You could not step twice into the same river”; this becomes also true in a figurative sense for the flow of value creation.

After studying at the LMU Munich, performing doctorate and habilitation at the TU Munich, accepting a deputy professorship at the University of Kassel and acquiring experience in business consultancy for many years in parallel to my research and teaching activities, I joined HHL in 2007 and since then have been holding the Heinz Nixdorf Chair of IT-based Logistics. Thus, building a bridge between different disciplines in the context of logistics and supply chain management has become a guiding philosophy for my work. Meanwhile, the third edition of my textbook “IT-gestützte Logistik” (IT-based Logistics) was published by Springer/Gabler.

I am an active member of the German Academic Association for Business Research (VHB), Commission Production Management, and engaged as a member of the German Logistics Association (BVL).

• CV of Prof. Dr. Iris Hausladen

Courses

All courses of the Heinz Nixdorf Chair of IT-based Logistics reflect the contents and guidelines of modern logistics and supply chain management, value chain management, IT-based logistics/ E-SCM and business process management. In a reflexive manner, different theoretical approaches of managing logistical processes will be discussed. Up-to-date theories and concepts, methods and tools to design, implement and control logistics and value chains are presented.
Both a continuous theory-practice transfer and the activity-based learning approach represent didactical principles of the courses. Latest theoretical and practical discoveries enrich the lectures.
The following teaching methods are applied within the courses:

• Interactivities
• Case study work
• Business games
• Team work
• Discussions
• Workshops
• Guest speeches
• Company visits

Research

The strategic research orientation of the Heinz Nixdorf Chair of IT-based Logistics comprises three focal areas in the field of logistics and IT-based logistics. To emphasize the strong IT-related environment of logistics, IT-based logistics is in this respect regarded separately from common logistics and supply chain management.

All efforts and activities to conceive and evaluate logistics solutions, which are not only IT-based, are subsumed under the assessment area. Business process management is the focus of the second research area, since business processes are regarded as integral parts especially in IT-based logistics to realize a complementary IT support. All research endeavors are viewed from a business perspective; hence a holistic management approach represents the third research area.

Doctoral projects also cover a broad range of topics in the field of logistics, supply chain and value creation management in the digital age.

Knowledge transfer

The Chair is enhancing an intensive theory-practice transfer, i.e. realization of interdisciplinary research projects, workshops, field projects, as well as the organization of guest speeches, talks, and events with representatives from business companies. We are engaged in regional and supra-regional associations in order to promote the exchange of ideas and to strive for innovative concepts and solutions. Moreover, the Chair cooperates with enterprises to work scientifically on practical problems inter alia in the framework of master theses or studies. Consulting services for companies to discuss organizational questions complete the knowledge transfer.

Publications