The Creative Component

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Transportation and logistics professionals are increasingly called upon to communicate in a myriad of formal and informal ways. The evolving complexity of the field, the development of electronic information systems, technological innovations, and the development of different management structures and styles calls for creative communications skills. The Creative Component supports these requirements by:

1. Exploring and examining an area of professional interest in-depth;
2. Obtaining extensive knowledge in area related to the individual’s professional field;
3. Providing an opportunity to develop and display communications skills through either a formal research paper,  an informal research project, or by analyzing a case;
4. Applying analytical and communication skills in this area;
5. Obtaining feedback and guidance from a leading academic in transportation and logistics.

 

The candidate must write an original, documented paper of 3,000 to 5,000 words in length on a special aspect of traffic, transportation, logistics or distribution management. Grading will be on a pass-fail basis. The candidate must submit the title and outline to be reviewed and approved by the Examiner. The subject should be one with which the candidate is familiar by virtue of employment, or one in which he/she is particularly interested or specifically qualified to write. A work-related case study would be a good choice for many candidates. It is recommended that the paper thoroughly cover a narrow subject, rather than superficially treat a "broad" one.

Masters or Doctoral Theses:
The Society will accept a copy of a candidate's thesis as a qualifying submission if it directly addresses a facet of transportation, logistics, or supply chain management. The candidate must submit the title and outline to be reviewed by the Examiner to substantiate that the paper directly relates to the thrust of AST&L research papers. Upon acceptance of the outline, the candidate then submits a copy of the actual thesis to AST&L.