KLU Experts' Predictions for 2025

Embark on a journey into the future of logistics and leadership with KLU experts! Our professors unveil their forecast for 2025, predicting trends, strategies, and innovations that will redefine the logistics landscape and influence our daily life, on top you get a few exciting reading recommendations. Stay ahead of the curve with their expert knowledge.
Geopolitics and global trends

Geopolitics will impact supply chains in 2025 more profoundly than ever before. With Donald Trump taking office and the possibility of tariff increases on the horizon, many firms will need to reassess their supplier networks and manufacturing footprints. Beyond this, numerous other geopolitical challenges pose significant risks to global supply chains. To address these complexities, we developed a case study titled 'Building Supply Chain Resilience facing Geopolitical Risks.' Here, students analyze the implications of a geopolitical event surrounding Taiwan on a fictitious company, exploring risk strategies to mitigate the exposure and impact.
Book Recommendation:
The Launch of the Century by Richard Markoff and Florian Magnani: A simple, accessible book that lays out many key principles of supply chain management to everyone. It describes how Laney, a new director of manufacturing planning, orchestrates the launch of a spectacular new haircare product and masters many obstacles along the journey.

Truce in Ukraine, Crisis in Europe: In 2025, we may see a truce between Russia and Ukraine, largely due to the exhaustion from the ongoing conflict, which will solidify the significant land losses of Ukraine. On the economic front, the decline of the German manufacturing sector, triggered by a decreasing commitment of the labor force and drastic missteps in German economic policy, is likely to continue. This de-industrialization may negatively impact well-paying jobs and the value of academic education. On a more positive note, the clear trend towards US isolationism could revitalize Europe, particularly Germany, potentially leading to a stronger role for the 'old continent' on the world stage.
Book Recommendations:
The Global Renaissance of Nuclear Energyby Dr. Björn Peters: An analysis advocating for the resurgence of nuclear energy as a sustainable solution to global energy challenges. Also, a short, but knowledgeable article: Splitting or Fusing Atoms: Revitalizing Nuclear by Amy Ouyang.

Geopolitical tensions will continue (to increase), so preparing for uncertainties and unpredictable demands and supply continues to be paramount, not least when it comes to energy supply.

In 2025, given the misinformation and distrust of DEI initiatives in today’s media, advancing inclusion will hinge on four key shifts in how we talk about the topic: from regulation to personalization to address intersectional identities, from outcome-driven to process-driven approaches powered by AI, from reactive to proactive behavior that invests in a strong foundation of psychological safety, and a demand for proof through measurable impact, beyond good intentions. The organizations that thrive will be those that embed inclusion into every layer of strategy and culture.
Climate Change and environmental politics

2025 started already with fires in California. Unfortunately, with the climate change and global inequities, more intense natural disasters caused by climate change will be occurring and man-made disasters will continue as are. More research on resilience and coordination among countries are now necessary.

In 2025, the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany is expected to uphold the legality of the single-use packaging tax, reinforcing its alignment with both national and EU waste management laws. This decision will likely encourage more municipalities to adopt similar measures, aiming to reduce waste and promote sustainable practices. Many cities are eagerly awaiting this ruling to implement their own versions of the tax.
Technology and Sustainability

Sustainability research is super interested in food topics. Whether it is food banks or food waste.

Combining quantum computing with AI will unlock unprecedented capabilities but amplify ethical, trust, and governance challenges. Huge paradigm shifts await and need preparation. Correspondingly, I’d advise companies to think beyond just how to implement AI for efficiency gains.
Book Recommendation:
Moral ambition and Humankind by Rutger Bregman: Both books explore humanity's inherent goodness and cooperative nature, providing hope and inspiration in troubling times.

Designing human-centric organizations: In 2025, it will be increasingly important to actively design human-centric organizations, where humans want to work in the future. These organizations need to find ways to effectively implement demands for remote work, embrace flatter hierarchies, and collaboration with AI. Organizational designers will need to consider employee's desires for purpose, inclusion, and diversity.
Book Recommendation:
“Re-Humanize: How to Build Human-Centric Organizations in the Age of Algorithms” by Phanish Puranam

2025: a water-shed year for the hydrogen fuel-cell electric truck? I predict that 2025 will see grudging acceptance by truck manufacturers and operators that the hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle (HFCEV) has no long-term future, at least in Europe. A decade ago some commentators were anticipating that most low-carbon, long-haul trucks would eventually be powered by green hydrogen, produced by the electrolysis of water with renewable electricity. However, that process, from cathode to vehicle wheel, is very energy-inefficient, making it difficult to reduce the cost of green hydrogen to a level competitive for road freight transport. The price of a new HFCEV is also roughly twice that of the equivalent battery-electric vehicle (BEV). Numerous studies have shown that the total cost of operating an HFCEV over its working life would be significantly higher than that of a BEV. In recognition of these fundamental disadvantages, vehicle market models now project only a niche role for HFCEVs in the decarbonisation of European road haulage. But will such a role ever be economically viable, given economies of scale in truck manufacturing and the high cost of establishing a hydrogen refuelling infrastructure for a relatively small vehicle fleet? Die-hard advocates of hydrogen trucking will no doubt regard all this as unduly pessimistic, but at some point they will probably have to concede that the HFCEV is a lost cause. That point may be reached this year.

Despite shifting governmental priorities, in 2025, we will witness the impact of exponential growth in sustainable technologies. We will start to understand the size and pace of this transformative shift: solar panels, electric trucks, energy storage systems, and greener alternatives in general are scaling at an unprecedented pace. While there will be heavy pushbacks, this long-awaited acceleration of adoption speed brings a wave of optimism. After all, a greener future is inevitable.
Podcast Recommendation:
For a fine selection of good news, inspiring examples, and stories about sustainability in logistics and supply chains, I recommend revisiting my podcast advent calendar, “Das Gleiche in Grün?!” from December 2024. I am sure the 24 stories our guests shared can inspire you to take action and achieve change in your organization regardless of your job title and area of responsibility.