The impact of reverse logistics process coordination on third party relationship quality: A moderated mediation model for multichannel retailers in the fashion industry

Multichannel retailing is a widely adopted strategy in the fashion industry. Companies in this industry find it a source of competitive advantage to invest in reverse logistics infrastructure. However, limited empirical studies investigate the enablers of the relationship quality between the retailers and their reverse logistics service providers. This study quantifies the impact of reverse logistics process coordination between retailers and logistics service providers on relationship quality. Moreover, it tests the mediating role of reverse logistics service quality and the moderating role of conflict frequency in this relationship. Data were collected through a survey using a purposive sample of 241 retail store managers from the fashion retail industry of Pakistan. For this purpose, a self-administered questionnaire was developed using a five-point Likert Scale to gauge the responses. Conditional process analysis was used to evaluate the moderated mediation model. The findings showed a significant positive impact of reverse logistics process coordination on the relationship quality with a logistics service provider, a significant positive mediation effect of reverse logistics service quality, and a significant moderation effect of conflict frequency on the indirect relationship. However, conflict frequency, contrary to the hypothesis in the study, strengthened the indirect relationship. Furthermore, the moderation effect of conflict frequency on the direct relationship was insignificant. This study will help managers better understand the best practices leading to effective management of reverse logistics processes, particularly product returns.     

Inductive research in last-mile delivery routing: Introducing the Re-Gifting heuristic

The last-mile problem presents a daunting challenge for many logistics service providers, especially some 7000 small, localized operations for whom the cost of complex software solutions is often prohibitive. As a result, last-mile dispatchers rely on simple heuristics to ensure adequate customer service at an acceptable cost. This research effort extends prior qualitative work by developing and testing a simple vehicle routing heuristic, based on behaviors observed in practice, that prioritizes customer service over cost against other simple vehicle routing heuristics across a variety of environments using simulation. The results support the inclusion of a customer service focus in vehicle routing and the addition of such heuristics to existing algorithm portfolios, specifically in urban areas with well-developed highway systems.     

Firm-level political risk and implied cost of equity capital

I find a strong positive association between firms' implied cost of equity capital and firm-level political risk. This effect is above and beyond the firm-level cost of equity implications of economywide political risk. Firm-level political risk contributes to elevating stock illiquidity, increases dispersion of analyst forecasts and dampens analyst coverage and these attributes, in turn, have positive cost of equity capital implications. Overall, the findings of this study suggest firm-level political risk has a non-trivial effect on increasing equity market illiquidity, increasing dispersion of earnings forecasts and decreasing analyst coverage thus increasing financing costs.     

产业转移对深圳物流业的影响及其应对策略

改革开放三十多年来,深圳经济的持续高速增长带动了物流产业的快速发展.目前,深圳经济正面临新一轮产业升级,促使以加工业外移为主要形式的产业转移全面展开.产业转移将对深圳物流需求产生重要影响,导致货源腹地更加分散、物流需求增速放缓、高端物流需求增加、物流市场逐渐细分、成本压力不断加大.为应对产业转移的影响,深圳物流业应未雨绸缪,着力完善港口的集疏运网络,积极推动航空货运体系建设,充分发挥物流园区的集散作用,大力鼓励物流企业联合重组,尽量优化物流产业发展环境,并密切关注产业转移的实际动态,适时掌控应对策略的时机和力度,努力保障深圳物流产业的健康稳定发展.     

我国热气商品成本价格现状及监审对策研究

城市供热包括热电公司向城镇居民提供热水、热气以及向城市有关部门提供蒸汽。我国城市集中供应蒸汽的数量近5年中平均每年以3.1%速度在下降,而同期集中供应热水总量平均每年以9.4%的速度在增长。而热气生产单位由于热气价格由政府控制,已大大低于其成本,出现亏损。亏损还来源于生产热气的原料煤价格上涨过快、热气输送管道(线)维修、维护费用升高等。政府为了保护城市居民的切身利益,往往采取一定方式对热气生产单位进行暗补。对热气商品成本进行监审既要政策法规制度进行,更重要的是对热气商品进行市场化改革,变暗补为明补,并在政策上予以引导。     

中部地区物流人才的现状分析与对策

随着中部崛起步伐的加快,物流对经济的推动作用愈加显得重要。人才是制约物流发展的重要因素。资料显示,中部地区物流人才不论从存量和质量上看都落后于东部地区。应从增加物流初级人才的存量、拓展中高级物流人才培养渠道、完善物流人才培养体系、发挥企业魅力等方面改善中部地区物流人才现状,促进中部地区物流业发展。     

农产品物流体系重构与优化研究——基于“两头诉苦、中间喊冤”现象的分析

农民、市民"两头诉苦",流通商"中间喊冤"是我国农产品流通中突出的问题,主要在于农户组织化程度低、物流环节多且协调性差、调控预警机制缺乏等原因,应按照供应链一体化思路重构农产品物流体系,加强专业合作组织建设,构建基于物流中心的专业化体系,加强信息平台建设,加快物流技术创新,加大政策扶持力度。     

食品国际贸易的官方标准与私营标准——兼论与SPS协议的关系

食品安全是食品贸易中的焦点问题,受到发达国家官方标准和私营标准的共同关注。文章从官方标准和私营标准的内涵出发,阐述了二者的发展趋势及相互关系,分析了用于约束官方标准的SPS协议的主要原则及私营标准与SPS协议的冲突之处。研究发现,发达国家食品安全的官方标准和私营标准均越来越严格,私营标准比官方标准更为广泛和严格,私营标准尚不受SPS协议约束,且在科学依据、透明度、等效性等方面违背了SPS协议的原则。     

现代物流学理与实例引申

作为第三利润源,发展现代物流业已经成为衡量一个国家综合国力的重要标志,同时也是城市发展过程中一个新的经济增长点。宁波作为全国现代物流发展三个试点城市之一,以第四方物流为突破口,以国际化港口为依托,探索了一条中国特色的政府主导,启动第四方物流带动第三方物流发展,进而推动整个现代物流体系建设的新路径。     

浅议施工企业项目成本控制

矿山施工市场竞争激烈,施工企业的利润空间越来越小,这就要求施工企业不断提高项目管理水平.施工项目成本控制就是重要的途径.本文指出了煤矿施工项目管理组织的建立,成本目标确定的过程,明确施工项目成本考核奖惩的方法和步骤.