International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

Yen‐Chun Jim Wu

2007 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600030710776455

Purpose – The purpose of the study is to provide readers with an overall picture of contemporary logistics curricula from an international perspective. Design/methodology/approach – Comparative analyses of logistics education are performed among Europe, North America, and Asia, between developing nations and developed nations, and between continental nations and island nations. Findings – The findings of the study are of value in identifying additional educational needs of logistics professionals as well as in hiring new professionals. Originality/value – Little research has been done to understand contemporary logistics education in a comprehensive way. This paper is the first empirical study to use data available on the web sites of academic logistics programs to provide descriptive analyses of logistics courses offered at universities around the world.

Kazim Sari

2007 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600030710776464

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the performance increase achieved by vendor managed inventory (VMI) under different levels of outside supply capacity, demand uncertainty, and lead time. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses discrete event simulation to explore the performance increase achieved by VMI under different supply chain scenarios. Findings – The analysis suggests that when implementing a VMI program, the capacity restrictions of suppliers have to be taken into consideration even though they have not participated in the program. Furthermore, the results also show that unless the retailer provides additional information to the distributor to resolve the uncertainty, higher levels of uncertainty in market demand create significant reductions in the savings realized by VMI. Finally, this study proves that, regardless of lead time horizons, VMI provides nearly the same level of performance increase as long as the ratio of the retailer's lead time to that of the supplier's remains constant. Practical implications – This analysis provides a means for practitioners to understand the impact of various environmental and operational factors on the performance increase achieved by VMI so they can better analyze their specific business conditions to prepare their organizations for more successful VMI programs. Originality/value – Although there is a range of research focusing on VMI, only a few of those have tried to identify the factors that play an important role in the failure of VMI programs. While extending the current literature, this is the first study to explore the impact of outside supply capacity on the performance improvements achieved by VMI.

Helena Forslund; Patrik Jonsson

2007 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600030710776473

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how to integrate the performance management (PM) process of delivery service in customer/supplier dyads. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on a multiple case study of six customer/supplier dyads of manufacturing companies. Findings – The analysis focuses on describing and comparing the activities of the PM process. Most activities show low levels of integration in the dyads studied. Defining metrics and target setting are considered most important to integrate. Lack of common metrics definitions and ERP deficiencies were important obstacles for integration. Research issues related to four areas of supply chain PM are discussed. Research limitations/implications – The study ends with a number of suggestions for further research on the PM process in supply chains. Proceeding into these studies is necessary for increasing knowledge about PM. Practical implications – The paper reveals practical problems and outlines practical issues in integrating and handling the PM process in dyads, especially when measuring delivery service using the on‐time delivery metric. It also presents a model for describing and integrating the PM process and its activities. Originality/value – Practical implications and generation of multiple issues for further research applying a dyadic approach in supply chain PM, a research approach that is quite uncommon.

Diane Mollenkopf; Ivan Russo; Robert Frankel

2007 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600030710776482

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider theory development related to returns management within supply chain strategy. The marketing/logistics relationship relative to the returns management process is investigated. Design/methodology/approach – Grounded theory qualitative methodology. Managers in five Italian firms, across marketing and logistics roles, at strategic and operational levels were interviewed. Findings – Four key findings emerged: strong evidence exists that strategic goals and policies are being implemented; cross‐functional integration within the firms is broader than was expected; the more integrated firms deal better with external factors influencing the returns management process; and supply chain orientation – including forward and reverse supply chain flows – is linked to effective returns management. Research limitations/implications – Firms were pre‐selected for participation, due to researcher's time constraints. Additionally, given the pan‐European approach to many supply chains, this Italian research needs to be replicated in other (western and eastern) European settings to determine the robustness of the factors posited to be important to the returns management process. Finally, other functional areas beyond marketing and logistics are involved in returns management, and will be more formally incorporated into future research. Practical implications – Returns management – increasingly being recognized as affecting competitive positioning – provides an important link between marketing and logistics. The broad nature of its cross‐functional impact suggests that firms would benefit by improving internal integration efforts. In particular, a firm's ability to react to and plan for the influence of external factors on the returns management process is improved by such internal integration. Originality/value – Returns management has been under‐represented in much of the logistics and supply chain literature. This paper represents the first stage of an on‐going research project aimed at providing a theoretical framework for understanding the returns management process within a firm's supply chain strategy.