International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

Paul D.Larson; Jack D. Kulchitsky

1999 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600039910264687

Looks at the impact of performance improvement initiatives on logistics people, as well as performance. Two of the most popular programs – EDI and outsourcing – have profound impact on people in logistics. Both outsourcing and EDI require cooperative relations to reach their full potential. However, based on a mail survey of Canadian logisticians, there is not necessarily a link between use of these programs and cooperative relations between shippers and carriers. Thus, there is a pressing need in logistics to better understand (and manage) the impact of outsourcing and EDI on people.

Kevin R. Moore; William A. Cunningham

1999 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600039910264696

Examines social exchange behavior in logistics alliance and transactional relationships. Based on data collected through a mail survey of shippers that established logistics relationships with various types of third parties, the results suggest that both relationship type and effectiveness influence social exchange behavior. It appears, however, that social exchange behavior is influenced more by the level of relationship effectiveness rather than by the actual type of relationship. Shippers in effective logistics relationships perceive higher levels of trust, equity, and commitment, and lower levels of conflict and opportunism than that perceived by shippers in less effective relationships. Some support was found for differences in trust and commitment between alliance and transactional relationships. It appears shippers in alliances are more committed to maintaining relationships and trust their third party partners more than that perceived by shippers in transactional relationships. These findings suggest that trust and commitment are major distinguishing social exchange behavior characteristics of logistics alliances.

C.D.J. Waters

1999 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600039910264704

Countries in eastern Europe are going through a period of economic transition as they move from centrally planned to free market economies. But they can only achieve continuing economic growth if they have appropriate infrastructures – and in many countries the existing infrastructure is struggling to meet new demands. In Poland, the government introduced in series of reforms to promote rapid economic development, but the resulting increase in trade put pressure on a transport system that had been largely ignored for 40 years. Road transport was privatised and deregulated, but there are still problems with the inadequate road network. Describes some of the changes that have occurred in road transport during Poland’s economic transition.

Kal Namit; Jim Chen

1999 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600039910264713

Studies have shown (1) that a company that ignores lead‐time demand variability may suffer great financial damage, (2) that the gamma distribution provides the most common best fit to lead‐time demand for a variety of inventory items, and (3) that a fixed lead‐time demand assumption or a normal approximation to it will often yield significant errors because the true distribution is usually very much skewed to the right. Unfortunately, all of the methods for solving the inventory model with gamma lead‐time demand call for tabulated values and perhaps interpolation between them in every iteration. This paper developed an efficient and accurate algorithm for solving the model with gamma lead‐time demand. The suggested algorithm eliminates the need for tabulated values completely and converges to the optimal solution quadratically. Solutions for two special cases of gamma lead‐time demand were also discussed.