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Logistics collaboration in vehicle manufacturing: case studies with a triadic perspective
International Journal of Logistics Research and Applications
... This leads to a reduction in overstocking and understocking, thereby improving overall operational efficiency. Companies can reduce operational costs by sharing resources and information [12]. For example, companies can optimize shipping routes and minimize transportation costs through shared shipping planning. ...
This article explores innovative approaches to enhancing logistics for manufacturing companies in East Africa through improved lean strategies. The region faces numerous logistical challenges, including poor infrastructure, political instability, and supply chain disruptions. These issues are critical barriers to the competitiveness and growth of East African manufacturers in a globalized market. By adopting lean strategies such as Just-in-Time (JIT) inventory management, Value Stream Mapping (VSM), and Continuous Improvement (Kaizen), companies can streamline their operations, reduce costs, and improve customer satisfaction. The article highlights the importance of localizing lean practices to fit the unique context of East Africa, emphasizing the need for a cultural shift towards continuous improvement and innovation. Additionally, it underscores the role of advanced technologies, public-private partnerships, and regional collaborations in optimizing logistics systems. The future of logistics in East Africa is seen as promising, with opportunities arising from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the potential for technological advancements to reshape the logistics landscape. Ultimately, the article calls for concerted efforts from governments, businesses, and NGOs to invest in infrastructure, foster innovation, and promote sustainable logistics practices. By doing so, East African manufacturers can overcome current challenges and position themselves for long-term success in the global market.
Purpose
Suppliers are essential partners in innovation projects, as they own resources, knowledge assets and capabilities that complement those of buying firms. In today’s competitive environment, firms may choose to collaborate with suppliers beyond dyads, forming triadic or three-party relationships. Using the theoretical lens of the relational view (RV), this study aims to explore what type of triad configurations firms use to govern supplier relationships in collaborative innovation projects, how they choose to share resources and implications for project performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use interview data from buyers and suppliers in six case studies of firms involved in ten collaborative innovation projects. The four constructs of the RV are used to observe how firms govern triadic relationships, combine complementary resources, invest in relationship-specific assets and manage information and knowledge exchange with and between suppliers in innovation projects.
Findings
Four archetypes of triadic relationships in innovation projects – labeled Triangle, A-frame, D-Frame and Line – are presented and characterized in terms of their structural and relational features. The authors discuss how each triad archetype is applicable to different innovation projects according to specific project characteristics.
Originality/value
This study is pioneering in its empirical examination of triadic relationships in collaborative innovation projects. It provides a novel typology of four archetypes of triad from the perspective of collaborative relationships with suppliers. Through applying the RV, it advances understanding of how triadic relationships are governed, how they invest in relationship-specific assets, how they combine complementary resources and how they exchange knowledge and information in each type of triad appropriate to different innovation project settings. To date, much of the extant literature has focused on dyads.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to use a theoretical framework to investigate the relationships between different innovation-oriented dynamic capabilities, dynamic resilience and firm performance among logistics service providers (LSPs) and in-house logistics departments of industrial companies during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
The conceptual theoretical framework relies on the dynamic capabilities framework (DCF) and the relational view (RV), which are rooted in the resource-based view (RBV). It is hypothesized that the dynamic capability to innovate reinforces the dynamic capability to adapt and to recover in highly dynamic and vulnerable environments during the pandemic. This allows LSPs to successfully create new services and respond to the changing market circumstances in terms of logistics service quality (LSQ) and firm performance. Data were collected from 83 LSPs and 30 in-house logistics departments via an online survey. The study determined the general strength and direction of the relationships between latent variables. A correlation analysis was utilized to establish statistical significance of the results.
Findings
In this study, a range of innovation-oriented capabilities for achieving more dynamic resilience were bundled in a conceptual framework and were found to be statistically significant for LSQ and firm performance. They are the capability to distribute new knowledge, to train employees effectively, to develop cross-functional collaboration within the firm, to develop inter-firm relationships with business partners on a long-term basis as well as to learn from rivals, and to pursue a win-win relationship with them.
Research limitations/implications
The results of the study do not imply that the identified capabilities are the only ones relevant to increasing dynamic resilience during the pandemic. In October 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic was at different stages in different countries, so that the level to which firms were affected varied, and although the data were collected during one month only, due to the high dynamics of the pandemic, data were collected during different stages of disruptions, even among respondents in the same country. This study was set in the context of COVID-19, and it could not be proved whether the conceptual framework is generalizable to other crises or particular industries, but it would be worthwhile to examine this in the future. Finally, it was not tested whether LSQ mediates the relationship between innovative capabilities and firm performance during the pandemic.
Practical implications
The results help managers with regard to their strategic and operational decisions in relation with COVID-19. These findings are useful for executives and logistics managers to improve these capabilities to gain a competitive advantage during pandemic and to find their strengths and weaknesses to develop critical capabilities for situations with a high turbulence and dynamic in their environment, and therefore provide a path for improvement.
Originality/value
This paper operationalizes a multi-theoretical conceptual framework in the context of logistics management (LM) and supply chain management (SCM). This conceptual framework was empirically tested.
In all spheres of life, relationships among public and private organizations are built in order to deal with complex societal problems and to address economic challenges that cannot be dealt with by single organizations [...]
Supply chain collaboration (SCC) is a competitive tool used to improve the business performance of an organisation and the entire supply chain. Firms have therefore strived to achieve a greater collaboration level; however, most of the collaboration initiatives end up in failures. It is confirmed that how SCC impacts performance and how it leads to higher levels of performance are not well understood in real world. Especially, there is a dearth of empirical research on the analysis of the specific industry to minimize the chance of failure of implementation phase. Given these limitations, this paper aims to explore in-depth the relationship of SSC mechanisms; maturity level in particular; and performance outcomes in a specific industry. A maturity model for SCC based on capability maturity model integration approach is used to evaluate the current practices as well as to measure the maturity level of SCC of textile and garment case studies. In order to analyse how different maturity levels impact the performance, actual data on performance indicators was collected. The findings show the applicability and usefulness of the model. The relationship between SCC mechanisms and performance is confirmed with the role of internal collaboration as mediators. The in-depth exploration has also indicated that internal collaboration, including information integration and operations management, moderates the relationship between external integration and performance.
Throughout the last decades, collaborative schemes, under an amalgam of different acronyms (ECR, CPFR, VMR, etc.), have been developed to mitigate the problematic Bullwhip effect. Essentially, companies work together by either sharing information, making joint decisions, or sharing benefits to reach potential synergies. This work aims at reviewing these works through a systematic literature review process to investigate the different collaborative models from an operational perspective. A total of 92 articles have been classified into 3 categories: Information Exchange; Vendor Managed Replenishment; and Synchronized Supply Chain. For each category, we have identified the type of research, supply chain structures, forecasting models, demand characteristics, replenishment policies and assumptions employed in the considered articles. This article identifies the main results achieved and the gaps and opportunities to be developed as further research.
Purpose
Supply chains are becoming more complex and uncertain, yet existing theories are predominately based on empirical research of dyads overlooking triadic settings. This study aims to bridge the gap between supply chain theories and praxis, this study examined multi-sourcing triads in terms of coordination, collaboration and integration.
Design/methodology/approach
Transaction cost economics, resource-based view in conjunction with social capital theory and agency theory were used to develop a research framework. Abductive, comparative research examined four triads. The triads comprised four retailers (EU, USA, Japan and one with a global presence), one third-party logistics provider (3PL) and 103 suppliers in textiles and the clothing industry.
Findings
All multi-sourcing triads achieved efficient coordination via network configuration showing varying degrees of collaboration and integration. Three research propositions were developed as follows: transaction complexity and dynamics necessitate triad coordination and control by the 3PL; relational and structural embeddedness emerge when actors invest in triad-specific resources and capabilities; information, relational and structural asymmetries may trigger bridge transfer and affect triad integration and performance.
Research limitations/implications
Empirical research on multi-sourcing triads complements existing research on logistics and service, transitive triads to uncover how triad coordination, embeddedness and power asymmetries affect supply chain performance. Future studies should examine the interrelationships between triad embeddedness, asymmetries and relational capital.
Practical implications
Compared to logistics or service triads, B3B triads excel in relational and structural embeddedness and offer unique production-distribution solutions that create value to end-consumers and triad actors.
Originality/value
B3B triads are a unique conceptualization in supply chain management that extends the concepts of logistics triads and service triads.
Trust is essential to maintaining secure collaboration in an uncertain competitive market environment in Indonesia. However, low levels of trust are proving to be a challenge for rival Indonesian truckload and less-than-truckload companies to establish long-term horizontal collaborations. This paper aims to analyze the role of key enablers in the behavioural aspect of trust development within horizontal collaborations characteristic of a significant section of freight trucking transportation. Authentic industrial data in the form of Indonesian case studies and simulations were utilized to establish whether a partnership can prove successful in a simulation context before the initiation of actual collaboration.
Collaborative initiatives emerged in the 1980s as a means to increase inter-organizational cooperation, thereby achieving performance improvements in supply chains. Despite this, no consensus exists among researchers with respect to which collaborative initiatives should be deployed along a supply chain. This study analyzes five collaborative initiatives—Quick Response (QR), Efficient Consumer Response (ECR), Continuous Replenishment Program (CRP), Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) and Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR)—by conducting a systematic literature review, aiming to develop a theoretical framework to guide the decision-making process of adopting and implementing these initiatives. Based on the characteristics of the collaborative initiatives, expected benefits, reasons for adopting, and possible barriers found in the literature review, a theoretical framework was developed as a flowchart, clearly indicating to decision-makers the main aspects of concern when adopting one or more collaborative initiatives and highlighting the need to constantly monitor the chosen initiative’s performance.
Purpose: Indeed due to global advancement, rapid technological innovation, and enhancing regional influence, supply chain (SC) has become an essential element. Now, competition has shifted from organization to industry level; any disruption can not only disturb organization but also affect the whole industry. Although Pakistan is agriculture land still industry sector is supporting more than half population, especially the automotive sector is the highest growing sector. Due to regional and economic shift toward China and India, this sector is facing numerous problems. Only thirteen large-scale automotive organizations are operational by creating collaboration among them many issues can be resolved. Supply chain collaboration has dogged the performance in various industries and in various regions. The aim of this study is to explore the potential benefits of supply chain collaboration toward achieving operational performance.Design/methodology/approach: This is an empirical investigation conducting among supply chain department of automotive industries in Pakistan. Data were collected from 232 members of the supply chain that include suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors. Factor analysis and multiple regressions through SPSS have been used for data analysis.Findings: The finding of this study reveals that two supply chain management approaches information sharing (IS), joint decision making (JDM) significantly effect, while Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) does not have a significant effect on operational performance.Research limitations: This study consists only three approaches, next study should include more approaches. Secondly, this study is limited to the automotive sector. Practical implications: [This study will help the managers of the automotive industry in making their operation smooth by applying information sharing, joint decision making, and electronic data interchange.Originality/value: First novelty of this study is the implementation of supply chain collaboration for developing country especially for Pakistan. Secondly, this study seed collaboration as communication and include all aspects of communication like formal communication, informal communication.
Horizontal logistics collaboration (HLC) practices have gained much attention in recent years as innovative ways for companies to improve their performance. However, literature does not reveal which factors influence the success or failure of HLC, especially in agri-food supply chains (AFSCs) in developing countries. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate HLC in the context of AFSCs in Morocco as a case of a developing country. First, a literature review is performed to develop a conceptual model for HLC considering AFSCs characteristics. Then, in-depth case studies are conducted in Morocco to refine the conceptual model based on insights from real collaboration experiences. The results show that collaboration outcomes are influenced by operational collaborative activities through the mediation of relational elements. The operational collaborative activities are impacted by AFSCs’ characteristics, such as products specific handling conditions. Furthermore, the research shows that local cultural factors influence the development of trust in the relationship.
Purpose
Scholars have called for diversity in methods and multi-method research to enhance relevance to practice. However, many of the calls have only gone so far as to suggest the use of multiple methods within the positivism paradigm, which dominates the discipline and may constrain the ability to develop middle-range theory and propose workable solutions to today’s supply chain challenges. The purpose of this paper is to present a rationale for expanding the methodological toolbox of the field to include interpretive research methods.
Design/methodology/approach
This research conceptually illustrates how positivist and interpretive philosophies translate into different research approaches by reviewing an extant positivist qualitative study that uses grounded theory and then detailing how an interpretive researcher would approach the same phenomenon using the hermeneutic method.
Findings
This research expands the boundaries and impact of the field by broadening the set of questions research can address. It contributes a detailed illustration of the interpretive research process, as well as applications for the interpretive approach in future research, particularly theory elaboration, middle-range theorizing, and emerging domains such as the farm-to-fork supply chain and the consumer-based supply chain.
Research limitations/implications
The development of alternative ways of seeking knowledge enhances the potential for creativity, expansion, and progress in the field.
Practical implications
Practical implications of this research include enabling researchers to elaborate theory and develop middle-range theories through an alternative philosophical paradigm. This paradigm facilitates practical insights that are directly relevant to particular domains and move beyond general theories seeking generalizability.
Social implications
Social implications of this research are much more indirect in nature. This research encourages supply chain management (SCM) scholars to look at phenomena (including those with social implications) from a different philosophical perspective, which can reveal new insights.
Originality/value
This research contributes a rationale for expanding the methodological toolbox of the field to include interpretive research methods and also contributes a methodological operationalization of the interpretive approach. By reflecting on the nature of science and method in SCM, the study opens the door for creativity and progress to expand the boundaries and impact of the field.
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to gives further understanding on value co-creation mechanisms in B-to-B service network by reinforcing the processes, the relationships, and influences of other agents where Collaborative Transportation Management (CTM) forms might be best employed.
Design/methodology/approach: In order to model the interactions among agents in the collaboration processes and the value co-creation processes, this research used three collaboration cases in Indonesia. Then, the agent-based simulation was used to capture both the collaboration process and the value co-creation process of the three collaboration cases.
Findings: The interactions among the agents both inside and outside their collaboration environment determined agent’s role as a value co-creator. The willingness of an agent to accept the opinion of another agent determined the degree of their willingness to co-operate and to change their strategies, and perceptions. Therefore, influenced the size of the value obtained by them in each collaboration process.
Research limitations/implications: The findings of the simulations subject to assumptions based on the collaboration cases. Further research is related to how to encourage agents to co-operate and adjust their perceptions.
Practical implications: It is crucial for the practitioners to interact with another agent both inside and outside their collaboration environment. The opinions of another agent inside the collaboration environment also need to be considered.
Originality/value: This research is derived from its emphasis on how a value is co-created by reinforcing both the collaborative processes and the interactions among agents as well as on how CTM might be best employed.
The objective of this paper is to highlight similarities and differences across various case study designs and to analyze their respective contributions to theory. Although different designs reveal some common underlying characteristics, a comparison of such case study research designs demonstrates that case study research incorporates different scientific goals and collection and analysis of data. This paper relates this comparison to a more general debate of how different research designs contribute to a theory continuum. The fine-grained analysis demonstrates that case study designs fit differently to the pathway of the theory continuum. The resulting contribution is a portfolio of case study research designs. This portfolio demonstrates the heterogeneous contributions of case study designs. Based on this portfolio, theoretical contributions of case study designs can be better evaluated in terms of understanding, theory-building, theory development, and theory testing.
Information-enabled collaboration between trading partners not only simplifies the processes of planning, execution, monitoring and completion, and also provides cost reduction and value enhancement throughout the logistics chain. Nevertheless it is not easy to perform a transparency due to fact that trading partners are still reluctant to share information, as data sharing is perceived as a competitive threat. Therefore they perform unwilling acts for the collaboration. Moreover the impact of collaborative planning and management often cannot be understood sufficiently by trading partners in theory because of lacking of high safety and reliability levels. This paper empirically investigates performance outcomes and success factors in intermodal freight transportation system and reveals importance of efficient Collaborative Transportation Management (CTM). Survey data from both transport users (e.g. manufacturer) and transport service providers (e.g. carriers, logistics service providers, logistics service intermediaries) was analyzed using techniques from Partial Least Squares (PLS), a structural equation modeling method. The study points that successful CTM in intermodal freight transportation system is depending on the communication quality of the shipper-carrier relationship, long-term orientation and satisfaction, the quality of information and communication technology system and the intensity of joint information sharing. Furthermore, the result of the study shows that increased customer service level, increased revenue, improved inventory level and reduced costs are major outcome of the efficient CTM.
Collaborative Transportation Management (CTM) aims to reduce inefficiency, improve services, and provide mutual outcome to all parties. CTM has raised significant interest of both researchers and practitioners. Sharing information is the most basic form of coordination in supply chains to integrate CTM models at strategic, tactical, and operational levels. However, little has been known about the state of the art of CTM models. This paper presents a comprehensive review on the current state of CTM models. The overview of the CTM models is organized by classifying the previous literatures on different collaborative structures and different levels of planning. This paper also presents the relevant solution techniques used for each planning level. A review on the current state of CTM models concludes by highlighting the unaddressed areas or the gaps existing in the current literatures and by suggesting directions for future research in CTM.
The use of Collaborative Transportation Management (CTM) in today's business process is to create efficiency in the transportation planning and execution processes. However, what's lacking in CTM model is a real understanding on of what value that can provide by all agents that involved in CTM to each other and eventually to their customers. Value co-creation mapping is developed to explain and explore the value that all agents might expect among themselves and their customers in CTM, in order to contribute in the improvement of the delivery and decision-making process. Value co-creation mapping in this paper also capture how interaction among all agents involved in order to know what their value, their customer value, and how to deliver this value, so all agents perceive the value delivered in order to achieve competitive advantage.
There is a significant body of research on relational dynamic capabilities, but little is known about how a firm builds these capabilities. Using a longitudinal case study analysis of the French car manufacturer Renault, this research fills that gap. It provides a three-phase sequence model of a relational dynamic capability-building process. Each phase (identifying, building, and integrating) corresponds to a level of strategic intent (from emerging to deliberate) and a set of shaping factors that evolves with the changing environment. These factors are combinations of external triggers associated with macro-economic and industry conditions and internal enablers, including agent skills and missions, dedicated organizational structures, assets, and tools.
Purpose
The relational view posits that supply chain integration can be a source of competitive advantage. Few firms, however, successfully co-create value to attain supernormal relational rents. We therefore elaborate theory regarding the reasons why collaboration strategies fail.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs a quasi-longitudinal, multi-case interview methodology to explore the reasons why collaboration strategies fail to deliver intended results. We interviewed managers at 49 companies in Period 1 and managers at 57 companies in Period 2. Fifteen companies participated in both rounds of interviews.
Findings
This paper builds and describes a taxonomy of relational resistors. We then explore how sociological and structural resistors reinforce each other to undermine collaborative behavior. Specifically, the interplay among resistors 1) obscures the true sources of resistance, 2) exacerbates a sense of vulnerability to non-collaborative behavior that reduces the willingness to invest in relational architecture, and 3) inhibits the development of essential relational skills and organizational routines.
Originality/value
This research identifies and describes the behaviors and processes that impede successful supply chain alliances. By delving into the interplay among relational resistors, the research explains the detail and nuance of inter-firm rivalry and supply chain complexity. Ultimately, it is the re-enforcing nature of various resistors that make it so difficult for firms have to realize relational rents.
Collaboration between partners is a very popular subject in both logistics and decision support research. However, transport management is often taken into account only as an external cost, without integration in collaborative reasoning. This paper proposes a framework to assess collaborative solutions in the context of logistics and freight transport, as well as to describe the links between freight transport and supply chain managementin terms of collaboration techniques. First the main concepts of collaborative logistics in the distribution and transport fields are presented, highlighting the links between collaboration, freight transport and supply chain management. Then, the method to assess collaborative logistics and freight transport solutions is proposed. This method includes a design scheme, a hierarchic clustering technique and a dominance analysis method to unify the assessment of each individual and prepare collaborative research for a common solution. After that, the method is applied to the assessment of five scenarios derived from a real situation for the urban area of Lyon, France) to illustrate how difficult convergence towards consensus is. The results show that a global optimal solution for the entire set of stakeholders is not easy to identify, and how the proposed method can be helpful for decision makers to achieve a consensus of common objectives.
How firms coordinate efforts to collectively compete as supply chains is a key concern of supply chain management scholars and practitioners. One avenue, the development of collaborative relational capabilities that support supply chain integration, offers promise. However, the effectiveness of collaboration as a supply chain resource has been questioned due to concerns associated with collaborative technologies, and thus prior research has called for a deeper examination of the role that technologies play in facilitating integration. Employing a Service-Dominant Logic view of hierarchical resources, grounded in Resource Advantage Theory, this research tests a model subsuming relationships between collaboration, integration, and interfirm coordination technologies, and their associated performance outcomes. A sample of 282 supply chain managers from a variety of industries were surveyed, with proposed relationships examined employing structural equation modeling. Test results indicate that collaboration and integration interact to form higher order resources that collectively influence firm performance outcomes through interfirm coordination technologies.
Purpose
Logistics service providers (LSPs) are important actors for creating logistics performance in supply chains. However, there is little previous research on how they handle the performance management process. The purpose of this paper is to explore the handling of the performance management process and its obstacles from the perspective of LSPs.
Design/methodology/approach
A multiple‐case study is conducted with the three largest LSPs in Sweden.
Findings
The handling of the performance management process shows similarities among LSPs in selecting performance variables, defining metrics, and capturing real‐time data. The differences are found in target setting, in report‐making and analysing, and in the perceived demand for performance management. The following three perceived obstacles are found for supply chain performance management: lack of understanding and knowledge; poor capabilities for adapting performance metrics definitions; and lagging IT solutions for performance report ‐ making. The findings indicate possibilities for an increased supply chain scope where activities are handled by the partner that has the best capabilities, improving efficiency in supply chains.
Research limitations/implications
The study contributes to performance management theory by providing exploratory knowledge of the supply chain performance management process and its obstacles from the perspective of three LSPs. The study focuses on large LSPs and has respondents at the managerial level.
Practical implications
The study reveals differing supply chain performance management practices among LSPs, which implies that customers can choose an LSP that handles performance management in the way required.
Originality/value
Little previous research includes LSPs in studies of supply chain performance management. In particular it is unusual to have the perspective of LSPs and apply case‐based methodology.
Despite its infancy, some authors are already suggesting that the writing may be on the wall for supply chain collaboration. It has been reported that supply chain collaboration has proved difficult to implement; there has been an over-reliance on technology in trying to implement it; a failure to understand when and with whom to collaborate; and fundamentally a lack of trust between trading partners. This paper proposes that a supply chain segmentation approach, based on customer buying behaviour and service needs, is the most appropriate context for collaboration. The paper also proposes the need for a greater understanding of the elements that make up supply chain collaboration, and in particular how the relevant cultural, strategic and implementation elements inter-relate with each other.
Hello everyone. The publishers have given me permission to upload chapter four and the contents pages. Unfortunately, I am unable to share any other chapters for copyright reasons. There is however a large amount of material on my YouTube channel marksaundersonresearchmethods.
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In this article we offer a view that suggests that a firm's critical resources may span firm boundaries and may be embedded in interfirm resources and routines. We argue that an increasingly important unit of analysis for understanding competitive advan- tage is the relationship between firms and identify four potential sources of interor- ganizational competitive advantage: (1) relation-specific assets, (2) knowledge- sharing routines, (3) complementary resources/capabilities, and (4) effective governance. We examine each of these potential sources of rent in detail, identifying key subprocesses, and also discuss the isolating mechanisms that serve to preserve relational rents. Finally, we discuss how the relational view may offer normative prescriptions for firm-level strategies that contradict the prescriptions offered by those with a resource-based view or industry structure view. Scholars in the strategy field are concerned fundamentally with explaining differential firm performance (Rumelt, Schendel, & Teece, 1991). As strategy scholars have searched for sources of competitive advantage, two prominent views have emerged regarding the sources of super- normal returns. The first-the industry structure view-associated with Porter (1980), suggests that supernormal returns are primarily a func- tion of a firm's membership in an industry with favorable structural characteristics (e.g., rela- tive bargaining power, barriers to entry, and so on). Consequently, many researchers have fo- cused on the industry as the relevant unit of analysis. The second view-the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm-argues that differential firm performance is fundamentally due to firm heterogeneity rather than industry structure (Barney, 1991; Rumelt, 1984, 1991; Wernerfelt, 1984). Firms that are able to accumulate re- sources and capabilities that are rare, valuable, nonsubstitutable, and difficult to imitate will achieve a competitive advantage over compet-
Existing literature has established supply chain orientation (SCO) as a critical enabler of supply chain management. Although SCO is predicated on alignment across supply chain members, it has primarily been examined at the individual firm level. Given this limitation, we collected triadic archival and survey data from multiple levels of the supply chain to introduce the concepts of SCO supplier fit (i.e., firm's SCO matches its supplier) and SCO customer fit (i.e., firm's SCO matches its customer). The results reveal that SCO supplier fit and SCO customer fit each positively impacts firm operational and customer performance in return on assets (ROA) and return on sales (ROS). More specifically, a firm with an SCO matching its primary upstream or downstream partners performs significantly better than a firm with a higher or lower SCO. In fact, firms with relatively more SCO than key supply chain partners perform significantly worse than those having relatively less SCO. Finally, firms with both SCO supplier fit and SCO customer fit perform better than firms with SCO supplier or customer fit alone. Ultimately, SCO alignment across the supply chain appears to be more important than the level of SCO itself.
Purpose
Collaborative solutions are increasingly being proposed to generate value in supply chains. Concurrently, firms have progressively outsourced logistics operations to logistics service providers (LSPs). However, many questions remain unsolved regarding the role played by LSPs in supporting supply chain collaboration (SCC) in triadic rather than dyadic contexts. This study aims to explore the relational mechanisms that LSPs can leverage to foster value creation through collaboration, elaborating on an existing theory about SCC by focussing on logistics triads.
Design/methodology/approach
By leveraging the view of the network theory, a multiple case study approach was adopted. Seven cases having logistics triads as units of analysis were identified and analysed within the Italian grocery supply chain, allowing for empirical investigation with a middle-range approach to extend the previous theory.
Findings
LSPs are pivotal actors that can actively promote SCC. LSPs can exploit large volumes and asset availability to increase efficiency while improving logistics flexibility and developing regular and trustworthy relationships with the other triad members. Building upon their logistics capabilities and the relational mechanisms in place, LSPs can help manufacturers collaborate with retailers by improving mutual trust and communication, acting as trust builders or trust conductors within the triad.
Originality/value
The study explores the role of LSPs in logistics triads, extending the previous literature. It highlights that LSPs facilitate not only supply and demand integration but also relational integration between firms. Trust emerges as a fundamental building block for SCC, as LSPs can look beyond economic benefits to foster partnerships that empower the co-development of original collaborative solutions.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive model for horizontal logistics collaboration (HLC), including the collaboration types, enablers, context influence and performance indicators.
Design/methodology/approach
First, this study discusses the currently available typologies and their limitations and defines relevant collaboration classification dimensions. Then, a detailed analysis of each dimension is conducted, including the identification of resulting collaboration types. Next, collaboration enablers and the context influence are discussed, as well as their implications on the logistics system, with a specific focus on agri-food supply chains (AFSCs). Additionally, adequate key performance indicators (KPIs) are selected to evaluate collaboration outcomes. Finally, the horizontal logistics collaboration concept (HLCC) is applied to an illustrative case study from AFSCs.
Findings
The results show that HLC is a complex strategy where several elements intervene in the creation of the collaboration scenario. The research also shows that the specific characteristics of AFSCs influence the partners' selection process and increase the importance of partners' similarity and information exchange.
Practical implications
The results provide managers with practical insights into the dynamic nature of HLC both at the operational and relational levels.
Originality/value
This paper provides a theoretical contribution by introducing a new comprehensive model for HLC and a practical typology that allows a deeper understanding of the mechanisms governing different HLC scenarios.
Purpose
This article examines the extent of collaboration experienced by 191 Brazilian shippers, logistics service providers (LSPs) and carriers in their logistics operations in urban freight transport. This study investigates relationships over time, the type of service and the nuances associated with the frequency of meetings, frequency of technical visits and frequency of training.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors carried out a component analysis and, based on factor loadings, calculated indexes for use in non-linear canonical correlations to evaluate company-level differences in perceptions of the degree of collaboration and strength of relationship over time.
Findings
The results indicate that in the triad, LSPs are the strongest supporters of collaboration over time regardless of whether the logistics service is shared or dedicated; shippers demonstrate the weakest support for collaboration and prioritize relationships of one to three years in length. Carriers seek to develop short-term relationships and participate actively in meetings and technical visits because they strongly support strategic and interpersonal collaboration. Carriers also follow LSPs in terms of strategic and interpersonal collaboration and shared logistics services.
Originality/value
This article contributes to understanding the perceptions of interactions among specific logistics collaboration elements related to strategic, tactical and interpersonal relationships that the Brazilian companies face in their daily urban freight transport.
Increasing urbanization has turned transporting freight from, to, and within urban areas into a major challenge. Freight transportation represents a lifeline for urban retail and industry, but causes significant negative impacts on the quality of living in urban areas in terms of congestion, emissions and space consumption. City logistics initiatives have long suggested the need for collaborative and environmentally friendly urban transportation that could alleviate the negative impacts of urban transportation, but these face organizational and technological challenges of collaboration. Given technological advancements and innovative business models, concepts of collaborative urban transportation could contribute to a future paradigm of more sustainable and customer-friendly urban transportation.
In this work, we collect and discuss contributions to collaborative freight transportation in urban areas with focus on recent publications (i.e. those published over the past ten years). We particularly analyze vertical and horizontal approaches of collaboration from an operations research perspective and point out strategic, tactical, and operational planning problems and solution approaches. To highlight research gaps and future research opportunities, we present innovative examples of collaborative urban transportation and analyze factors of failure and success. Collecting recent advances in theory and practice of collaborative urban transportation allows us to distill alternative visions of future collaborative freight transportation in urban areas.
Less than truckload is an important type of road-based transportation. Based on real data and on a collaboration with industry, we show that a collaborative approach between companies offers important benefits. We propose to develop partnerships between shipping companies and to synchronize their shipments. Four operational collaborative schemes with different objectives are developed. The first one focuses on minimizing shipping costs for shippers. The second and third ones minimize the carrier’s costs and the environmental cost, respectively. The fourth one is a combination of all three. The results of our computational experiments demonstrate that collaboration lead to significant cost reductions.
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the relevance of a qualitative approach to map the nature and operation of the plural relationships of different logistics networks. Based on a literature review and an empirical study, a theoretical model of three logistics networks of proximity is presented, explained and linked to a discussion on the appropriateness of qualitative research in supply chain management. A matrix analysis is employed to develop the model. The paper confirms the significance of a qualitative view for the research considered. The advantages and limitations of such an approach are also examined. Finally, the paper provides new perspectives for research and supports the idea of an adaptation or a combination of methods in the field of supply chain management while refuting a methodological dogmatism.
This article focuses on logistics triads, which, comprise buyers, suppliers, and logistics service providers. Evidence is drawn from the transportation and logistics literature, a recent survey of logistics firms, and two real-world logistics triad cases. Triad benefits include greater flexibility, higher inventory availability, more on-time pickup and delivery-and lower (transportation, warehousing, and inventory) costs. Logistics triad formation is facilitated by just-in-time delivery objectives, information technology (IT), and close buyer/supplier relationships. The study also identifies the following barriers to triad formation: lack of coordination among the parties, lack of (technological and/or relational) expertise within the parties, and power imbalances among the parties.
Of current importance to the fields of transportation, logistics, and supply chain management is the concept of Supply Chain Collaboration. One of the primary processes associated with Supply Chain Collaboration is Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR). However, a relatively new extension of CPFR can be found in Collaborative Transportation Management (CTM). CTM involves converting order forecasts developed via CPFR into shipment forecasts, and collaboratively insuring their accurate fulfillment. This article the explores the concept of CTM, and specifically discusses the role of information technology in CTM processes, as well as its subjective and quantifiable benefits. A descriptive case study of a third-party CTM systems provider is employed to investigate the processes and benefits of CTM. Additionally, opportunities for future research on CTM are suggested.
Purpose
– The paper aims to develop a supply chain-driven model horizontal logistics collaboration (HLC). HLC initiatives can fail. To improve the chance of success, a thorough consideration of the potential issues involved, such as seeking supply chain partners’ support, ensuring access to information/data security and assessing whether an HLC model could bring improvements to a wide range of supply chain metrics rather than reductions in distribution costs only, needs to be understood before deciding to proceed with such an initiative.
Design/methodology/approach
– A two-stage methodology is deployed. As part of Stage 1, a series of 20 semi-structured interviews with senior managers from retailers, retailers’ suppliers and logistics service providers were undertaken. Subsequently, in Stage 2, a focus group with practitioners from retailers and logistics service providers was run to verify the findings gathered during Stage 1. Four elements of a new HLC project being considered are investigated by supply chain champions across the UK Fast-Moving Costumer Goods industry, namely, consideration factors, required synergies, enablers and anticipated output metrics.
Findings
– When considering whether to embark on an HLC project, the supply chain requirements need to be taken into account and potential supply chain performance benefits projected. The paper identified several consideration factors; synergies and enablers that support the development of HLC projects are identified, such as legislation, trust among partners, common suppliers and delivery bases, capable third party logistics (3PL) and an effective commercial model, including a fair sharing of benefits.
Research limitations/implications
– The research provides new understanding in accounting for the needs of the supply chain when considering an HLC initiative involving leading players from the retail sector.
Practical implications
– The importance of taking a supply chain approach when evaluating the feasibility of HLC is demonstrated. HLC arrangements among competing supply chains need to be designed and run by taking account of all supply chain partners, namely, suppliers, 3PLs and customers (in this case, retailers).
Originality/value
– The contribution is threefold: identification of outset consideration factors, ideal required synergies, actioning enablers and wider supply chain metrics of HLC; development of a supply chain-driven model for HLC, which includes in the decision-making whether or not to adopt a horizontal logistics collaboration model, wide supply chain metrics such as stock levels of finished products and shelf availability, inventory, working and fixed capital, and product waste in addition to distribution costs; and, the proposal of a new definition for HLC which challenges published definitions.
Purpose
– This paper aims to conduct a systematic review of the literature on supply chain collaboration published over a 10-year period from 2005 to 2014. It explores the nature and extent of research undertaken to identify key themes emerging in the field and gaps that need to be addressed.
Design/methodology/approach
– The authors review a sample of 207 articles from 69 journals, after using an iterative cycle of defining appropriate search keywords, searching the literature and conducting the analysis.
Findings
– Key themes include the meaning of collaboration; considerations for supply chain collaboration theory; emerging areas in collaboration for sustainability, technology-enabled supply chains and humanitarian supply chains; and the need for a more holistic approach, multi-tier perspectives and research into B2C collaborations.
Research limitations/implications
– The paper provides discussion and scope for future research into the area which would contribute to the field tremendously.
Originality/value
– There have been very few reviews in the past on supply chain collaboration, and this is one of the first extensive reviews conducted to address how well the body of knowledge on supply chain collaboration corresponds with our contemporary society.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe how to implement mixed methods research in supply chain management.
Design/methodology/approach
A review of past journal analyses on research methods used in supply chain management‐related disciplines is conducted to demonstrate the low incidence of mixed methods research in supply chain management. Drawing from literature on multiple and mixed methods research, the paper provides guidelines for designing and reporting such studies.
Findings
Knowledge development in logistics and supply chain management relies primarily on single‐method quantitative research designs, while mixed methods approaches are rarely used. Thus, there is a significant opportunity to advance the discipline through the rigorous application of mixed methods research.
Research limitations/implications
Supply chain management phenomena are complex and dynamic. Thus, the application of mixed methods research would serve the advancement of the discipline as these approaches provide richer understanding and more robust explanations of such phenomena.
Practical implications
If supply chain research is to keep up with the dynamic business environment, research methods must be applied with the capability to fully explain supply chain phenomena. The application of a single‐method research approach is not always adequate for this task.
Originality/value
This paper is the first to draw on research from various disciplines to investigate the use of mixed methods in logistics and supply chain management research. It examines its prevalence in the discipline, provides examples of its application from the supply chain management literature, prescribes how to implement mixed methods research, and describes the benefits and limitations of such designs.
Collaborative planning, forecasting, and replenishment (CPFR) is a form of cooperation in which supply network partners share data and work together to jointly manage important business processes in their value chain, such as defining the business plan and/or sales/order forecast. In doing so, various types of collaboration formats can be adopted, the types depending on the business processes involved in the collaboration, the differing ways of collaborating, and the different types of information and communication technologies used to support CPFR. By analysing the literature on CPFR and using Galbraith's contingency theory as its starting point, this article creates a theoretical foundation for analyzing the relevant contingency factors for CPFR and how they can influence CPFR design. It is proposed that specific conditions can affect the information processing among companies during CPFR. The different types of information processing to be managed can influence choices considered by companies in terms of information and communication technologies and liaison devices adopted to support CPFR. This study is primarily theoretical; future empirical tests will be necessary to refine the contingency theory for CPFR proposed.
Value creation in the supply literature commonly builds on the value chain model. This results in a focus on sequential interdependencies, an emphasis on coordination by planning and a restricted view of possible positioning options. This article contributes an original approach to the supply management debate, based on value configuration analysis. Value configuration analysis acknowledges the value chain logic, but finds it constraining in certain business systems, and also includes recognition of the value network model as representing the layered supply relationships typically associated with a mediating presence. Central issues in this article's view of supply management are value logic interaction, coordination of multiple interdependencies and the simultaneous presence of both over-and undercurrent relationships as well as traditionally-recognized up-and down stream dependencies. The complexity thus revealed identifies novel positioning options for firms in supply relationships. These arguments are illustrated with help of a case study and related to previous work on supply chains and networks.
Purpose
To comprehend the rationale behind managerial choices that lead companies to implement different types of collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment (CPFR) collaborations.
Design/methodology/approach
Seven case studies of supply networks whose central firms operate in different sectors have been analysed.
Findings
Identifies six types of CPFR collaborations, the choice of which can be explained by considering some important contingent factors, such as the CPFR goals, characteristics of the products and markets in which they are sold, supply network's physical and relational structure, and CPFR development stage.
Research limitations/implications
Further research developed in other contexts is necessary to refine the domain of applicability of the research findings. The opportunity to use the relationships found in this research as a managerial tool calls for the testing of research findings within larger samples of firms, representative of a broader range of industries.
Practical implications
Suggests managers how to select the most appropriate action to be taken to implement CPFR, through the analysis of the context in which CPFR should be implemented.
Originality/value
This paper fulfils the need to clarify the reasons why companies decide to implement different types of CPFR collaborations. Moreover, it contributes to the definition of measures for the CPFR concept, and to the advance of substantive research on CPFR. In literature, few authors devote their attention to rigorously defining CPFR variables or proposing relationships among variables and measures.
Purpose
This paper aims to derive and verify a collaborative framework that specifies the role of different parties in contemporary logistics setups.
Design/methodology/approach
To prepare this paper, a study of the logistics literature has been conducted together with several case studies. The empirical evidence has been collected in Europe as well as in the USA. Different aspects of collaboration between organizations in logistics setups have been studied where the services and the activities have been analyzed to understand the characteristics of the role of third‐party service providers.
Findings
The results from the work cluster the different third‐party service providers in three different groups: carriers, logistics service providers (LSPs) and logistics service intermediaries (LSIs). All of these parties have different roles and provide various services in outsourced logistics setups. A collaborative logistics management (CLM) model has been derived that embraces the role of the different parties, the information and material flows between them, the interface attributes and the information systems architecture. In this paper, a focus is mainly on the part of the model that reveals the role of the third‐party service providers.
Practical implications
The practical implications of the work has its foundation in that activities, performed by two parties, can be adapted to each other so that their combined efficiency is improved. The CLM model can be applied when designing and negotiating third‐party services for specific logistics assignments.
Originality/value
The paper offers a model of logistics collaboration between the different parties in contemporary, outsourced logistics setups.
This paper describes the impact of collaborative transportation management (CTM) on the performance of manufacturing supply chains using a multi-agent approach. Two supply chain models (with and without CTM) are proposed to show how it realises the real operational interactions between different supply chain partners under demand disruption. Simulation results of the proposed models reveal the evolution of the CTM supply chain with demand disruption. The dynamic delivery ability and order point which are caused by demand disruption in the CTM supply chain are investigated. The results indicate that CTM can significantly reduce costs and improve the flexibility of companies in handling demand disruption problems. It is suggested that CTM is an efficient mechanism to manage supply chains, especially under a demand disruption environment.
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to share the authors' experiences of using the repertory grid technique in two supply chain management studies. The paper aims to demonstrate how the two studies provided insights into how qualitative techniques such as the repertory grid can be made more rigorous than in the past, and how results can be generated that are inaccessible using quantitative methods. Design/methodology/approach – This paper presents two studies undertaken using the repertory grid technique to illustrate its application in supply chain management research. Findings – The paper presents insights into supply chain research that otherwise would not have emerged using traditional methods. Both studies derive a comprehensive list of empirical categories of constructs, many of which have not been identified in the extant literature. Moreover, the technique demonstrates that frequently-mentioned constructs are not necessarily the most important. Research limitations/implications – The paper demonstrates how quantitative calculations can strengthen qualitative research. Importantly, from the authors' experience of using the technique the paper details how to focus on demonstrating validity, reliability, and theoretical saturation. Originality/value – It is the authors' contention that the addition of the repertory grid technique to the toolset of methods used by logistics and supply chain management researchers can only enhance insights and the building of robust theories. Qualitative studies that adopt the technique cannot only provide rich insights, but also counter the common criticism aimed at qualitative research – that of failing to provide clear and transparent accounts of the analysis process and how findings are generated from the data set.