The 15th Supply Chain Management for Efficient Consumer Response Conference, SCM 4 ECR, Business & Academic Partnership 2024, took place on 17-18 October 2024, in the historic city of Târgovişte – with the theme “How Generative AI supports the optimization of Sustainable and Innovative Value Network Processes”. The Conference was chaired by Professor Virgil POPA Ph.D., Valahia University of Târgovişte, Romania, and co-hosted by Ruediger HAGEDORN, End-to-End (E2E) Value Chain Director, The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), Paris (the Global Network Serving Shopper & Consumer Needs). The event organizer was the Faculty of Economic Sciences, Valahia University of Târgovişte, and special partner The Consumer Goods Forum – E2E Value Chain.

Conference Co-Chairs were: Dr. Gerd WOLFRAM, CEO and Owner IoT Innovation & Consult, Partner Digital Connection (Cologne Area, Germany), The Founder RFID Implementation METRO Group, Head of the METRO Group Future Store Initiative, Author; Professor Costel NEGRICEA, Ph.D., Habil, Rector of the Romanian-American University Member of the Board and Honorary Member of the Romanian Distribution Committee (Board of Directors – Comitetul Roman al Distributiei); Professor Florin RADU, Ph. D., Habil, Vice-Rector of Valahia University of Târgovişte; Professor Michael BOURLAKIS, Ph.D., Director of Research for Cranfield School of Management, Group Head (Logistics, Procurement and Supply Chain Management) and Director of Centre for Logistics & Supply Chain Management, Cranfield University; Professor Theodor PURCAREA, Ph.D., President of the Romanian Distribution Committee, Professor at the Romanian American University, and Member of the Advisory Board of the Romanian Competition Council; Professor Borna ABRAMOVIC, Ph.D., Head of Chair of Railway Transport Management, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences; Prof. Marta STAROSTKA-PATYK, Ph.D. Habil, Czestochowa University of Technology, Poland; Col. Prof. Tomasz JAŁOWIEC, Ph. D. Habil, War Studies University, Poland; Assoc. Prof. Gökhan KIRBAÇ, Ph.D., Istanbul Kültür University, Turkey; Associate Prof. Ed LINDOO, Ph. D., Regis University, Denver, Colorado, USA.

Welcome addresses were delivered at the beginning of the conference by the Conference Hosts & Organizers Virgil POPA and Ruediger HAGEDORN, as well as by the Vice Rector Valahia University of Târgoviște, Professor Daniel Emil Constantin DUNEA, PhD. ing. hab., and by the Conference Academic Chairman Theodor PURCĂREA. Conference audience’s real interest, attention, and participation during the presentations was kept engaged from the very beginning thanks to the Conference Founder Virgil POPA and recognized Keynote Speaker Ruediger Hagedorn, who shared their valuable insights and expertise, as well as to the other distinguished speakers (https://www.scm4ecr.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/1st-Draft-Program-SCM4ECR-Conference-2024-V-10.0.-docx.pdf). It was an interesting and useful conference based on current topics, interactive sessions, high-quality speakers, and engaged participants in determining a shared understanding of the work ahead. The conference confirmed again the well-known passion, competence and perseverance of the builder of this reputed brand – SCM 4 ECR Conference – Professor Virgil POPA (who is also a Member of the Board and Honorary Member of the Romanian Distribution Committee), Founder & Editor-in-Chief of the Supply Chain Management Journal, Valahia University of Târgoviște. Also, the SCM 4 ECR Conference benefited of the traditional very good conference presenter, Alina TĂBÎRCĂ, Assist. Prof., Ph.D., allowing the audience to engage effectively with the presenters’ messages.

The wonderful SCM 4 ECR Conference highlighted the need of optimizing value network processes with the help of Gen AI, benefiting from implementing value networks by identifying innovative solutions, and advancing value chain analysis, so as to transform the value chain along each step with the help of Gen AI, consequently improving performance including by valorizing LLMs and intensifying compliance. There is no doubt about the imperative of accelerating the supply chains’ transformation, further improving businesses’ sustainability and end-to-end consumer experiences, considering the role of data-driven decisions regarding sustainable value chains and Gen AI-managed supply chains, so as to progress on the path to innovation and sustainable growth. Also, it was underlined within this context, for instance, how based on a quantitative model (focused on data center–based GenAI inference) built by the reputed Azeem Azhar (Exponential View) and experts from the valuable BCG Henderson Institute to test the claim that we are on the way to face a severe scarcity of computing power, that GenAI rapid adoption “will not by itself outpace the world’s capacity to produce the required computing hardware”.

It is also worth mentioning that on that special occasion of the SCM 4 ECR Conference were presented some research findings by Dr. Matei Purcarea with regard to the valorization of disruptive technologies impacting e-commerce (including Gen AI) by the e-commerce SMEs, being advanced a pyramid of solutions, each solution representing a combination of confirmed or emerging practices, the phasing being able to be respected, adapted or even developed depending on the stage of the specific infrastructure and without using excessive resources.