Outsourcing reverse logistics of high-tech manufacturing firms by using a systematic decision-making approach: TFT-LCD sector in Taiwan

Reverse logistics are increasingly crucial for the supply chain strategy of global high-tech manufacturing firms. As reverse logistics operations are significantly more complex than traditional manufacturing supply chains, many high-tech manufacturers are examining the feasibility of outsourcing reverse logistics activities to third party logistics providers (3PLs) from a strategic planning perspective. Internal resources and capabilities are thus examined from a resource-based perspective to identify which reverse logistics service requirements could be fulfilled in-house or outsourced. Therefore, this work presents a systematic approach using the analytical network process (ANP) not only to investigate the relative importance of reverse logistics service requirements, but also to select an appropriate 3PL. Empirical results based on the case of the TFT-LCD sector in Taiwan indicate that information technology management is of priority concern in reverse logistics services. In addition to providing a valuable reference for manufacturers concerned with service requirements for outsourcing, results of this study significantly contribute to the efforts of 3PLs in evaluating whether they comply with potential customer requirements based on their service capabilities.     

Outsourcing integration and third party logistics services: An appreciation of two ‘classic’ articles in industrial marketing management

This paper provides an appreciation of two highly cited, ‘classic’ Industrial Marketing Management articles pertaining to outsourcing integration and third party logistics services. The appreciation includes revisiting the general topic themes emanating from both articles, third-party logistics (3PL) service providers, outsourcing and core competence for competitive advantage, relationships, integrating supply chain actors, and combining products and services as a value proposition, with an objective to cast each article's influence on, and ongoing and future contributions to, present day research.     

The impact of third-party logistics providers' capabilities on exporters' performance

Third-party logistics (3PL) services have experienced unprecedented growth. However, we are not aware of any study that explores the relationships among logistics outsourcing, competitive advantage, and business performance. We study the mediating role of logistics outsourcing as a strategy to develop firms' capabilities in the strategy-performance relationship. Drawing on the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm, we develop a research model grounded in the outsourcing-competitive advantage-performance paradigm. We apply structural equation modeling to empirically test the model using data collected from 150 exporters in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta region of China. The results show that there are positive relationships among exporters' strategic orientation towards third-party logistics (3PL) providers, 3PL providers' basic and augmented capabilities, exporters' competitive advantage, and exporters' export performance. We also find that 3PL providers' augmented capabilities and exporters' competitive advantage are strong mediators, supporting the theorized model underpinned by RBV.     

Time-driven activity-based costing for health care provider supply chains

ABSTRACT

Health care providers currently operate in an environment of complex supply chains and increasing costs where approximately one third of hospital operating expenses are related to supplies. It is pertinent that health care providers have a clear understanding of their supply chain process costs. Knowing how these costs are driven and where opportunities for cost reduction exist can support health care provider supply chain (HPSC) efficiency. In this article, we present a time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) supply chain cost methodology for health care providers. A TDABC management system can provide health care providers with valuable product and process supply chain cost information by investigating logistics activities, resource consumption, and time drivers. Our HPSC TDABC methodology is demonstrated in a case study conducted for the supply chain department of a 200-bed, not-for-profit hospital.     

Assessing performance factors for a 3PL in a value chain

Business continuity of the logistics companies in the twenty first century highly depends on the value chain performance. As the variety of services outsourced to third party logistics (3PL) companies increase, success strategies for these companies are to be revised. This study explores and illustrates an analytical framework to assess the performance factors for 3PL companies through a managerial view. The factors integrating the strategical and operational targets are evaluated within a framework based on four levels; performance targets, planning activities, logistics operations, and performance attributes of logistics operations. The analytic network process is used to determine the most effective performance attributes. The framework is applied and studied in two major logistics companies active in the South East Europe. The proposed framework will contribute to the logistics sector by demonstrating the paradigm shift in performance measurement.     

模糊随机环境下考虑碳限额和碳交易机制的库存配送问题研究

本文以高端物流服务集成商与库存配送服务商为研究对象,以集成商的供应链网络成本最小、服务商的运营成本最小且准时制供应为目标,深入研究考虑碳限额、碳交易机制以及残次品处理的多供应商选择多产品多阶段库存配送问题,构建了基于动态规划的双层库存配送模型。利用双层全局--局部--邻域粒子群算法 (Bi-GLNPSO) 设计了模型求解方案,并通过算例验证了模型和算法的有效性和合理性。探讨了碳限额和碳交易机制对总成本和库存配送决策的影响。     

Sequential price and quantity decisions under supply and demand risks

Firms need to deal with not only risks from stochastic demand but also risks from supply side. The supply side risk may be due to parts/service outsourcing, third party logistics, or random yield in production processes. In this paper, we study how firms sequentially make price and quantity decisions under these two risks. The first question we try to answer is how these two risks affect the decisions and profits of the firm. We find that increased supply risk usually causes increased quantity/stocking decision, however, there exists a threshold level of supply risk above which the firm reduces quantity/stocking amount as supply risk increases. This observation may be used in a supply chain setting, where reduction of the supply risk can cause higher delivered quantity and improve supply chain performance. This observation also provides support and insights on prioritizing the risk reduction efforts from marketing and operations to achieve better coordination. At the same time, reduction of the risks help not only firms but also consumers as the optimal price decreases. To further improve decision making process under both uncertainties, we study the impact from information revelation and postponement of decisions. We compare results from different sequential decision making cases. As illustrated in the paper, firms gain competing advantage when decision postponement is available and this advantage becomes further significant as the risks increase. Our numerical examples also indicate that price postponement strategy is usually preferred but the relative profit difference between price postponement and quantity postponement become smaller as consumers become more sensitive to the price.     

物流云服务下动态设施选址问题研究

基于云计算的物流云服务平台利用云中的资源,可以实现供应链上资源的优化组合,进而改变了供应链节点间的服务映射关系,真正实现节点间的"多对多"映射,从而一定程度上改变动态设施选址的模式。在物流云服务环境下研究动态选址问题,结合云服务环境下"多对多"映射关系的特性,以动态P中值选址为例,提出了一种新的基于云服务的动态选址模型,并结合具体算例,运用Cplex求解,证明在物流云服务环境下,可以明显降低选址总成本,同时增加供应链的服务柔性。     

企业物流服务组织模式与决策动因的对应分析

企业物流服务组织中的主要模式一般包括物流外包、物流自营以及部分外包部分自营。在现实中,由于受到复杂主、客观环境因素的影响,企业在进行物流服务模式的选择时必须考虑诸多因素,以形成合理的、具有针对性的决策方案。因此,研究企业物流服务组织模式与决策动因之间的关系非常重要。本文通过对物流服务需求方实体企业的抽样调查分析,从企业所在系统和环境因素入手来挖掘企业决定其物流组织模式的主要动因,运用对应分析方法对不同物流服务模式与决策动因之间的关系进行研究,从而为企业的物流决策行为提供借鉴。     

A weighted max-min model for fuzzy multi-objective supplier selection in a supply chain

Supplier selection is one of the most important activities of purchasing departments. This importance is increased even more by new strategies in a supply chain. Supplier selection is a multi-criteria decision making problem in which criteria have different relative importance. In practice, for supplier selection problems, many input information are not known precisely. The fuzzy set theories can be employed due to the presence of vagueness and imprecision of information. A weighted max-min fuzzy model is developed to handle effectively the vagueness of input data and different weights of criteria in this problem. Due to this model, the achievement level of objective functions matches the relative importance of the objective functions. In this paper, an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is used to determine the weights of criteria. The proposed model can help the decision maker (DM) to find out the appropriate order to each supplier, and allows the purchasing manager(s) to manage supply chain performance on cost, quality and service. The model is explained by an illustrative example.     

Improving logistics outsourcing through increasing buyer-provider interaction

Logistics outsourcing has been at the top of the management agenda during recent decades. Through this approach companies have been able to improve logistics performance. However, several studies point out severe problems with outcome and it is even claimed that in some cases “logistics outsourcing has become a source of corporate failure and disappointment” [Boyson, S., Corsi, T., Dresner, M. and Rabinovich, E. (1999). Managing effective third-party logistics relationships: What does it take? Journal of Business Logistics, 20 (1), 73-100.]. Previous research shows that many companies have taken outsourced functions back in-house. The aim of this paper is to explore the reasons behind the problems in logistics outsourcing. Our analysis is based on an extensive literature survey. This examination indicates that outsourcing decisions require a holistic perspective. We apply the industrial network model [Håkansson, H. and Snehota, I. (1995). Developing relationships in business networks. Routledge, London.] for the analysis of potential consequences of logistics outsourcing. The main conclusion of the paper is that increasing interaction between buyer and provider would be beneficial to the outcome of outsourcing.     

物流外包边界问题研究

物流外包（第三方物流）近年来在全球得以快速发展，除第三方物流的产业技术经济优势外，还有着深层次的经济理论根源。本文运用交易成本理论，按照企业边界理论的分析方法，深入研究物流外包的边界问题，并分析第三方物流迅猛发展的理论基础．探讨如何利用物流外包边界思想来解决相关实际问题。     

基于连锁零售企业退货管理的供应链协调机制研究

在对连锁零售企业退货物流网络结构进行分析的基础上,建立了与价格相关的随机需求下存在顾客退货和允许库存结转的单一供应商、单一连锁零售企业、单一产品的供应链模型。根据供应链一体化模式下得到的相关决策变量的一阶条件,论证基于回馈和惩罚的批发价格契约能够实现供应链的协调。研究表明,在给定回馈和惩罚因子的前提下,供应商可以通过调整目标订购数量来实现供应链整体利润的任意分配,并且当目标订购数量和回馈惩罚因子满足一定条件时,供应链的协调才是有效的,从而为连锁零售企业的退货物流管理提供了重要的理论依据。     

试论我国农产品物流供应链管理

从农产品物流供应链管理的最终目标：用系统的管理思想最大限度地降低农产品进入市场的成本（成本最小化）,获得最大利润（利润最大化）,同时使用户的价值最大化和用户的成本最小化出发,针对我国农产品物流供应链中存在的成本过高的问题,进行了分析探讨,提出了我国农产品物流供应链管理的对策。     

Assessing the relational benefits of logistics services perceived by manufacturers in supply chain

The growing importance of logistics activities that span the boundaries of supply chain firms has put an emphasis on supply chain relationship management. Based on the existing marketing concept on relational benefits and the supply chain management literature on consumer satisfaction, this research evaluates logistics service performance from the eyes of manufacturers. Using data collected from US manufacturing firms, the study has identified the factors that influence manufacturer's satisfaction, as well as the key to understanding the benefits-satisfaction-loyalty triads in supply chain relationships. The contribution of the paper includes developing a conceptual model, adding new theoretical insights into benefits-satisfaction-loyalty triad that has been applied by manufacturers and LSPs, and providing some meaningful perspective on how to strategically assess the use of logistics providers so as to transform a logistics firm from a tactical service provider to a hand-in-glove strategic partner.     

中国医药行业物流运营模式研究

近几年来中国医药行业进行着重大的改革，发生了巨大的变化，医药企业面临着生存危机，在这种状况下，医药物流和供应链管理成为医药企业发展研究的重要领域。本文在基于大量实地调查和分析的基础上，对中国医药分销物流的运作模式和问题进行了概括分析。并提出了中国医药分销物流发展的前景与模式。     

Investigating the influence of velocity performance on satisfaction with third party logistics service

The Third Party Logistics (3PL) service industry is characterized by customer relationships that can extend over several years, involving multiple instances of service delivery. When services are delivered on an ongoing basis, customers are able to not only evaluate positional (current) performance, but also velocity (rate at which the service changes) performance. This research presents findings from an empirical study utilizing an online survey of 3PL customers to examine the influence of these two types of performance on 3PL service satisfaction. Environmental moderators including market turbulence and competitive intensity are also examined, and results indicate that velocity performance is a more important driver of satisfaction when customers operate in industries characterized by high market turbulence. The findings suggest that 3PL service providers should implement velocity performance metrics, especially for customers operating in rapidly changing environments, and use velocity performance information during the sales process and customer negotiations.     

基于SWOT分析法的逆向物流发展战略研究——以我国汽车行业为例

资源短缺已成为人类社会可持续发展的瓶颈环节。逆向物流通过对资源的再利用,有效的避免了资源浪费,加强了对环境的管理,实现资源的循环再生,而汽车逆向物流是逆向物流领域的重要分支。通过运用SWOT分析方法,对我国汽车行业逆向物流决策和实施的战略选择进行了分析,旨在为我国汽车制造企业是否实施逆向物流,以及怎样进行逆向物流的战略选择提供参考意见。     

低碳供应链环境下作业成本法在第三方物流企业中的应用

随着第三方物流企业日益重视供应链竞争,传统的成本核算方法不能准确客观的对供应链环境下的物流成本进行计算,更无法合理分配碳成本。本文运用作业成本法,基于整个供应链以真实成本核算为导向选取碳排放成本指标,将其作为独立模块纳入成本核算系统中,便于企业掌握准确真实的成本信息,进行成本控制,做出成本决策。     

组织学习与连锁物流能力的关系研究

文章在回顾国内外有关文献的基础上,针对我国连锁物流的现状及存在的问题,提出了连锁物流能力、物流学习能力和组织学习的概念及构成要素、组织学习和连锁物流能力的作用关系概念模型,为连锁物流能力及物流服务质量的提升指明了方向,同时也为进一步在中国的实证研究奠定了基础。