International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

Taylor, John C.; Closs, David J.

1993 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600039310025570

Trade restrictions border crossing difficulties, and companyorganizational structures have limited historical crossborderdistribution activity. The result, generally, is two or threeindependent distribution systems to support North American logisticsoperations. With the completion of the USCanada Free Trade Act, many ofthese limitations are being reduced. It is now time for firms to refinetheir distribution networks to respond to this new environment. Themajor changes that firms must consider are distribution centre locationsand manufacturing supply points. The factors that influence thesechanges are countrymarket integration, duty levels, and crossbordertransportation rates. Reports on the results of food industrysimulations that consider multiple levels of integration, duties, andcrossborder rates. The results compare the number of distributioncentres and the total cost of each network, and generally indicate thatthere are no significant changes in distribution system network designresulting from USCanada Free Trade. The minor changes which areobserved include Toronto serving the Eastern US and Seattle servingWestern Canada. The cost differences are not significant. The resultsalso indicate that there is no significant economic motivation forcrossborder logistics activity until duties are eliminated andcrossborder transportation rates decline by 10 per cent.

Lillie, Mark; Sparks, Leigh

1993 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600039310025589

Reports on an investigation of the buying behaviour of air freightforwarders and tests the validity of one particular model of buyingbehaviour. The dominant buyclass in freight forwarding is seen to be amodified rebuy and the model is seen to be appropriate. The significanceof service rather than price is again noted as a factor for businessexploitation.

Aertsen, Freek

1993 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600039310025598

Discusses the question of whether a firm should set up anownaccount physical distribution organization or contract out thedistribution function. Shows how the concepts of transaction costeconomics, particularly asset specificity and performance ambiguity, canshed light on the division of responsibility for the physicaldistribution function between inhouse operations and outsidecontractors.

Eftekharzadeh, Reza

1993 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600039310025606

A comprehensive review of the literature for the problem oflotsize scheduling serial and assembly considering the uncapacitatedproblem and complicated capacitated assembly manufacturing structure.Analyses the different solution techniques and findings for each productset.