Building Good Business Relationships More than Just Partnering or Strategic AlliancesCooper, Martha C.; Gardner, John T.
1993 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management
doi: 10.1108/09600039310044876
Suggests that the concepts of partnerships and strategic alliancesare increasingly emphasized in literature and real life,which might lead managers to believe that partnershipstylerelationships, as opposed to arms length relationships, are necessaryfor a firm to compete successfully. Explores why, how, and when toestablish a wide range of possible businesstobusiness relationships.The interorganizational relationship literature suggests six reasonsfor forming relationships necessity, asymmetry, reciprocity,efficiency, stability, and legitimacy. Compares this framework with sixpartnership characteristics based on the partnershipbuildingliterature planning, sharing of benefits and burdens, extendedness,systematic operational information exchange, operating controls, andcorporate culture bridge building. Suggests that firms shouldconcentrate on how to develop good business relationships,which may have varying levels of partnership characteristics.
Lotsizing Timevarying Demands A Spreadsheet ApproachRana, Krishan; Nandkeolyar, Udayan
1993 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management
doi: 10.1108/09600039310044885
Describes a spreadsheet approach for implementing WagnerWhitinWW and SilverMeal SM methods for lotsizing timevarying demands.Suggests that this approach manages the computation and makes tediousand repetitive tasks more interesting consequently, the studentusercan concentrate on the concepts. Outlines the methods, which involve thecomputation of incremental costs inventory carrying and replenishmentcosts for several alternatives in each period. Presents a spreadsheettemplate to compute the incremental costs for possible alternativeswhich is created by using only a small number of spreadsheet formulaeand a series of copy commands. The costs are displayed as a matrix.Describes a stepbystep procedure to determine the period and thequantity of replenishment.
Third Party Logistics Services A Comparison of Experienced American and European ManufacturersLieb, Robert C.; Millen, Robert A.; Van Wassenhove, Luk N.
1993 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management
doi: 10.1108/09600039310044894
Provides a comparison of thirdparty logistics services utilizationbetween large manufacturing firms in the USA and Western Europe. Allthese firms had been utilizing thirdparty providers for at least threeyears, although many had been doing so for five years or longer. Thegroup of Western European firms is more committed to outsourcing, asevidenced by the substantially greater percentage of their totalcorporate logistics budget allocated to thirdparty firms. The strategicdecision to utilize thirdparty companies is more often made at thecorporate level and includes input more frequently from other functionalareas in Western European firms. However, many of the findings indicatethat the issues faced by both groups of executives are very similar,such as their reservations to outsourcing and their experiences withimplementation. Almost all the executives indicated that they aresatisfied with the performance of thirdparty providers, and would, atleast moderately, increase their use of such firms.