The short answer is: you can start toying around with new business models by using digital logistics tools. Early adapters have a chance to co-shape the future and are well-positioned once others catch on. Before expanding on this topic, let’s zoom out and look at the indications for microfication.
The industrial era is pretty much over. Accelerated by the technical disruptions of the past couple of decades, its decay comes as no surprise.
We will enter a new era that provides welfare without depleting our resources. A system based on creation rather than extraction, write James Arbib and Tony Seba in their book, Rethinking Humanity - Five Foundational Sector Disruptions, the Lifecycle of Civilizations, and the Coming Age of Freedom
To get there we must:
The authors draw these conclusions, inter alia, from analyzing the fall of previous civilizations, which resisted change, completely stagnated or patched up emerging issues at best. Inevitably, this led to demise, followed by dark ages.
Their comparisons show that we are facing the same fate, as our civilization is being challenged by tribulations such as climate change, geopolitical shuffling and a raging pandemic. Yet for the first time in history, humans are equipped with tools to reach the next era swiftly. According to Arbib and Seba, data driven self-awareness will be the key to transforming and preparing organizing systems for The Age of Freedom, or Humanity 3.0.
Communities, villages and cities will be quasi self-sufficient.
Once we get there, The Age of Freedom will be all about creating infinitely renewable resources, explain Arbib and Seba.
What does this look like?
Picture a decentralized system where creation is localized. Physical objects are not transported over nations, information is. Information on how to create resources from scratch, i.e. on a molecular level. With these resources, we can then produce anything, anywhere and at any time needed. At a very low cost.
As a shipper, how do you increase the odds of us reaching the Age of Freedom?
Communities, towns and cities will be quasi self-sufficient. The massive flow of physical goods across continents will be replaced by information flow. Accessible to big and small players alike, information will level the playing field. Just like that, logistics becomes microfied.
Logville. The smart village, with circular logistics, almost at "tomorrow" Copyright: Mikael Ericsson/LogTrade.
The future according to Arbib and Seba, concurs with LogTrade’s vision. Back in 2017, Logville was introduced as a self-sufficient town with democratized logistics, where an artisan bakery has the same powers as an industrial one.
“Next, there was free flow of information, allowing for supply and demand to be matched in the best possible way. Primary producers were granted access to transportation, production and distribution data from millions of similar businesses around the world, to make predictive operations possible.”
Read more about Logville here.
Arbib and Seba highlight the importance of acting now. Their book is a product of analysis done by their independent think tank, Rethink X, that also supports discussions in Davos, and Bilderberg meetings. We are no longer talking about a vision.
The LogTrade platform provides you with functions and interfaces to start warming up to the future of trade. You already have the possibility to make your products autonomous, so they can move and sell themselves.
So as a shipper, how do you increase the odds of us reaching this bright future?
Besides refraining from voting for populists, being critical thinkers and demonstrating good ethics, brands can start adapting their business models and logistics systems.
Questions to ask yourself as a brand:
The LogTrade platform provides you with functions and interfaces to start warming up to the future of trade. You already have the possibility to make your products autonomous, so they can move and sell themselves.
By going ahead and testing, you are positioning yourself at the forefront of change. We are happy to discuss the opportunities available to your specific business now, and how our software can support you in your efforts.