A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR SUPPLY CHAIN ORIENTED LOGISTICS

The Council of Logistics Management's (CLM) name change to the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) has intensified discussions regarding the difference between supply chain management and logistics. This paper merges broadly accepted paradigms from strategic management and marketing to introduce a theoretically consistent framework that differentiates supply chain management from logistics while highlighting the complementary relationship. Supply chain management is portrayed as a firm or SBU level phenomena while logistics is expressed as a competency within supply chain management possessing both strategic and structural capabilities focused exclusively on managing the move/store activities used to fulfill customer orders. Research propositions regarding the interfaces and nature of logistics within a strategic supply chain orientation are drawn to guide thought and development in the discipline.     

PERSPECTIVES ON LOGISTICS VS. SCM: A SURVEY OF SCM PROFESSIONALS

Despite some movement toward consensus on the definition of supply chain management (SCM), there are multiple perspectives on the concept — and its association with logistics. This paper reports results of a survey of SCM professionals regarding their views of SCM, along with its facilitators and barriers. In general, these executives prefer broad, multi‐functional perspectives as opposed to more narrow perspectives of SCM. According to the survey, the leading facilitators of SCM implementation were relational rather than technological. In addition, internal or employee resistance appears to be more of a barrier to SCM implementation compared to external (customer and supplier) resistance.     

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT: THE PURSUIT OF A CONSENSUS DEFINITION

As disciplines evolve, it is a normal part of the maturation process to regularly examine the definition of the discipline — i.e., what the discipline is and is not. The opinions of those involved in the discipline are key to this maturation (i.e., definitional) process. Developing a consensus definition of supply chain management is a widely discussed but unresolved challenge. Thus, the current study provides insight into the perceptions of logistics professionals regarding this issue based upon an Internet‐based survey.     

CONSTRUCTING IMPACT FACTORS TO MEASURE THE INFLUENCE OF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT AND LOGISTICS JOURNALS

Data from ten supply chain management and logistics journals are combined with data from the ISI Web of Science database to develop a series of impact factors. The resulting constructed impact factors provide a context for comparing and ranking leading academic supply chain management and logistics journals. They also provide an objective way of comparing the relative influence of supply chain management and logistics journals, as well as a platform for comparing their influence with that of journals in more general fields like management and business.     

CUSTOMER SERVICE IN THE INTERNET‐ENABLED LOGISTICS SUPPLY CHAIN: WEBSITE DESIGN ANTECEDENTS AND LOYALTY EFFECTS

This article extends the existing research on logistics customer service‐loyalty relationships to the online logistics supply chain environment by examining potential website determinants of logistics customer service quality. A structural equation analysis of 373 online shopping transactions suggests that perceived quality of all logistics customer service activities (perceived cycle time, in‐stock availability, and customer responsiveness) varies inversely with: (1) perceived ease of use, and (2) content vividness of the website; and positively with product information content. However, only retailer customer responsiveness assessment was found to have any significant influence on consumer intended loyalty behavior in Internet‐enabled supplies chains.     

AN EXAMINATION OF TRENDS AND IMPACT OF AUTHORSHIP COLLABORATION IN LOGISTICS RESEARCH

The discipline of logistics is undergoing tremendous change, including shifts in the focus of our associations, as well as in the subject matter, that is deemed important to the academic and professional community. In this article, we seek to evaluate how research in the discipline is also changing, specifically in terms of the degree of collaboration among scholars involved. We draw upon 3,116 articles published from 1987 through 2007 in seven logistics journals. Using the authorship and the citation counts of these articles, we identify several important characteristics of collaboration and offer preliminary empirical insight about the associated trends and impact that collaboration is having within our discipline. This initial assessment provides the potential to spur further interest into the theoretical development and empirical testing on this timely and important topic.     

WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: RESOURCE COMMITMENT,CAPABILITIES, AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE

Modern warehousing firms and distribution centers are overwhelmed with information related to the flows and storage of goods and services. The efficient and effective utilization of logistics‐related information can enhance firms' ability to reduce costs while simultaneously improving customer satisfaction. Warehouse management systems (WMS) are frequently implemented and used with these goals in mind. The current research examines resource‐based empirical justification for the pursuit and implementation of WMS. In addition, a research agenda is offered to guide future research efforts related to WMS and the broader area of logistics information systems (LIS).     

THE STOCK PRICE REACTION TO SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT ADVERTISEMENTS AND COMPANY VALUE

The research examines the stock price reaction to the announcement of the adoption of supply chain management‐enhancing tools and technologies to determine whether there is a significant response from the capital markets. The results show that the adoption of supply chain management‐enhancement tools appears to be value creating. The strength of the stock price reaction is positively related to the degree of certainty regarding the publication date of the publication.     

LOGISTICS SERVICE DRIVEN LOYALTY: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

Based upon the extant literature and a qualitative study of buyer‐seller relationships, an exploratory model of the relationship between supply chain power, dependence, satisfaction, and loyalty is developed and presented. Four fundamental objectives are accomplished through this research and presented here. The first was to use a qualitative method to gain a deeper understanding of the logistics service driven loyalty that exists between suppliers and customers. The second was to develop a more thorough understanding of the gap in logistics service expectations between a supplier and their customers. The third objective was to examine how the power/dependence relationship affects both customer service expectations of the parties, and the actual logistics service delivered by the supplier. Finally, this research is intended to build a basis for future quantitative research of loyalty in supplier/customer relationships.     

Comments on “Unchained from the chain: Supply management from a logistics service provider perspective”

The paper puts in focus the general observation that traditional supply chain management provides a limited view of supply relationships rooted in a conventional industrial logic, focusing on the physical product, chain relationships and sequential interdependencies. The paper contributes to the aim of extending the view of supply chains - unchaining logistics from the conventional chain structure view - by focusing on how such dominating idea structures can in fact delimit our understanding of, in this case, logistics service providers' contribution to well working supply relationships. The article connects to the discussion by suggesting a much more in-depth reasoning what and how a resource independency perspective can contribute to deepen our understanding of logistics and logistical networks.     

EVOLVING A THEORY OF PERFORMANCE‐BASED LOGISTICS USING INSIGHTS FROM SERVICE DOMINANT LOGIC

Performance‐based logistics (PBL) represents a strategy for sustaining complex systems following production. Despite several implementations, limited understanding exists regarding PBL and its implications. Research using grounded theory emerged a theoretical framework for PBL. Service dominant logic (SDL) is introduced as a theoretical lens for interpreting the results and understanding how trading partners achieve performance‐based outcomes.     

BEYOND EXPECTATIONS: AN EXAMINATION OF LOGISTICS OUTSOURCING GOAL ACHIEVEMENT AND GOAL EXCEEDANCE

As a growing number of managers consider the decision to outsource logistics activities, it is becoming increasingly critical to understand drivers of success in this area. Using survey data from 549 managers, this research examines the influence of three relationship engagement factors (communication, cooperation, and proactive improvement) on the perceived logistics outsourcing performance achieved by service providers. In particular, logistics outsourcing performance is characterized as consisting of two distinct dimensions: 1) goal achievement, and 2) goal exceedance, which management should consider, respectively, when evaluating their logistics service providers (LSPs).     

THE APPLICATION OF EMPIRICAL STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT RESEARCH TO SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

Researchers in supply chain management (SCM) have traditionally relied most heavily on the core disciplines of logistics, marketing, and operations; most are less familiar with empirical literature in strategic management. However, with the evolution of logistics into the more interdisciplinary SCM along with increasing attention within strategic management to supply chain issues, recent empirical research in strategy has much to offer. This study reviews and categorizes more than one hundred articles relevant to SCM drawn primarily from top strategic management journals.     

EVALUATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN QUESTIONABLE BUSINESS PRACTICES AND THE STRENGTH OF SUPPLY CHAIN RELATIONSHIPS

While strong relationships are consistently identified as a critical component of successful supply chain collaboration, many firms still engage in questionable business practices that threaten the trust and commitment that exists among trading partners. Survey results from logistics managers at manufacturing firms found that low to moderate levels of questionable business practices occur in relationships with customers and that the occurrence of these practices are related to lower reported levels of trust and commitment between trading partners. The results suggest that reducing questionable behaviors will increase trust and commitment, which should lead to stronger relationships and increased supply chain performance.     

THE ROLE OF LOGISTICS MANAGERS IN THE CROSS‐FUNCTIONAL IMPLEMENTATION OF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

There is confusion about the domain of supply chain management, and the functions and processes that should be included. In this paper, we describe the key supply chain management processes, the role of logistics managers in each of these processes, and what the logistics function gains from this involvement.     

ESTIMATION OF GLOBAL AND NATIONAL LOGISTICS EXPENDITURES: 2002 DATA UPDATE

The objective of this research was to estimate logistic expenditure for the global economy. An Artificial Neural Network was used to generate national estimates. The estimation set constitutes 24 countries representing approximately 75% of the global Gross Domestic Product. The model utilizes variables that capture economic activity, transportation activity, income level, country size, and geographic location. This research updates previous estimates and represents continuous improvement of the estimation method, including new input variables, better information quality, mathematical model refinement, and methods of model validation.     

LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT APPLICATIONS WITHIN A GLOBAL CONTEXT: AN OVERVIEW

This paper reviews 726 academic research studies covering logistics and supply chain management (L'SCM) applications within a global context. Articles are analyzed according to their publication year and outlet, common themes, and countries or regions investigated. The sample was drawn from the ABI/INFORM Global database, which includes almost 1,800 journal titles. The review offers a starting point for researchers, graduate students, faculty members or practitioners examining international L'SCM applications. The article also draws attention to the wide array of global L'SCM studies conducted, their settings and viewpoints. Additionally, this paper highlights some of the most interesting works and draws attention to lesser‐researched countries and regions of the world. The overview also provides an introduction for practitioners and managers to what academic research has covered in the area of global L'SCM. Practitioners can use this review as a starting point for the identification of relevant and useful references for their particular task.     

LIFE WITHOUT TRUCKS: THE IMPACT OF A TEMPORARY DISRUPTION OF ROAD FREIGHT TRANSPORT ON A NATIONAL ECONOMY

Twice over the past 30 years Britain has suffered severe paralysis of its road freight system. This paper explores the likely consequences of a complete cessation of trucking services over the period of a week. By analysing inventory levels, lead times, dependence on road transport and opportunities for substitution in critical sectors, it forecasts a rapid rate of economic collapse.