International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

Alan C. McKinnon

2013 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600031311293228

Purpose – This is a polemical paper challenging both the principle and practice of journal ranking. In recent years academics and their institutions have become obsessive about the star‐ratings of the journals in which they publish. In the UK this is partly attributed to quinquennial reviews of university research performance though preoccupation with journal ratings has become an international phenomenon. The purpose of this paper is to examine the arguments for and against these ratings and argue that, on balance, they are having a damaging effect on the development of logistics as an academic discipline. Design/methodology/approach – The arguments advanced in the paper are partly substantiated by references to the literature on the ranking of journals and development of scientific research. A comparison is made of the rating of logistics publications in different journal ranking systems. The views expressed in the paper are also based on informal discussions with numerous academics in logistics and other fields, and long experience as a researcher, reviewer and journal editor. Findings – The ranking of journals gives university management a convenient method of assessing research performance across disciplines, though has several disadvantages. Among other things, it can skew the choice of research methodology, lengthen publication lead times, cause academics to be disloyal to the specialist journals in their field, favour theory over practical relevance and unfairly discriminate against relatively young disciplines such as logistics. Research evidence suggests that journal ratings are not a good proxy for the value and impact of an article. The paper aims to stimulate a debate on the pros and cons of journal rankings and encourage logistics academics to reflect on the impact of these rankings on their personal research plans and the wider development of the field. Research limitations/implications – The review of journal ranking systems is confined to three countries, the UK, Germany and Australia. The analysis of journal ranking was also limited to 11 publications with the word logistics or supply chain management. The results of this review and analysis, however, provide sufficient evidence to support the main arguments advanced in the paper. Practical implications – The paper asserts that the journal ranking system is encouraging a retreat into ivory towers where academics become more interested in impressing each other with their intellectual brilliance than in doing research that is of real value to the outside world. Originality/value – Many logistics academics are concerned about the situation and trends outlined in this paper, but find it very difficult to challenge the prevailing journal ranking orthodoxy. This paper may give them greater confidence to question the value of the journal ranking systems that are increasing dominating academic life.

Marc Winter; A. Michael Knemeyer

2013 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600031311293237

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to provide a snapshot of the existing research and suggest potential opportunities for academic inquiry related to the concept of sustainable supply chain management. Design/methodology/approach – The researchers review the extant literature at the intersection of “sustainability” and “supply chain management”. This literature is subsequently categorized with the aid of a classification matrix derived from the literature in order to review the current state of thought development across three distinct disciplines (logistics/supply chain management, operations/production management and social/environmental management). The analysis suggests future research opportunities in this area. Findings – The findings indicate that the existing literature is primarily focused on individual sustainability and supply chain dimensions rather than taking a more integrated approach. In addition, the findings suggest both the emergence of a group of themes within an individual dimension, such as green logistics within the environmental dimension as well as a set of themes that are consistent across dimensions. The analysis establishes several areas of opportunity for future inquiry. Originality/value – The paper contributes to our knowledge on sustainability as it relates to supply chain management by using the triple bottom line approach and supply chain management elements that had been previously established in literature as a means to classify extant literature in this space and identify specific research opportunities in a systematic manner.

Siriluck Rotchanakitumnuai

2013 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600031311293246

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to assess success factors associated with e‐procurement auctions. The impacts of e‐procurement auction success factors on the four indicators of the balanced scorecard are investigated. Design/methodology/approach – A survey approach is used to measure the constructs in the proposed model. Respondents were selected from three sectors: private, public, and government organizations using judgment sampling. Data are collected from at least two respondents from purchasing personnel in the e‐procurement user firms. At least one of the respondents is in a managerial position. The sample size is 186, representing 20.4 percent from private enterprises, 33.3 percent from public enterprises, and 46.3 percent from government agencies. Findings – The survey results show that organizational learning of e‐procurement is influenced by service capability, good governance intention, management support policy, and organizational readiness factors. Service capability and organization learning of e‐procurement influence e‐procurement process improvement. Employee satisfaction can be determined by management support policy and e‐procurement process improvement. Employee satisfaction has the strongest positive impact on financial cost improvement. Management support policy has a negative impact on financial performance improvement. Trust in e‐procurement online intermediaries has no impact on the four measures of the balanced scorecard. Originality/value – The study contributes to the literature by using the four balanced scorecard indicators to measure the success of e‐procurement to assist organizations to assess performance in terms of organizational learning, internal process improvement, employee satisfaction, and the financial benefit of e‐procurement.

Joachim C.F. Ehrenthal; Wolfgang Stölzle

2013 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/09600031311293255

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to increase our understanding of the causes for stockouts in retailing. Design/methodology/approach – Mixed methods study, using instore observations, interviews with key informants in consumer goods and retailing, and a field study of stockouts and their causes in multiple wholesale stores over two years. Findings – The results indicate that the causes for stockouts are specific to retailer, store, category and item. Improvements to store operations and the coordination of store delivery and shelf replenishment are most effective in reducing stockouts. Manual audits of stockouts and their causes benefit instore execution and provide the level of detail necessary for management to prioritize areas of improvement. Research limitations/implications – Future research may investigate the operational and cost impact of incorporating demand seasonality in shelf replenishment that may lead to an improved coordination of replenishment and demand cycles. Practical implications – A procedure is proposed to help store managers reduce stockouts well below the global average of 8.3 percent. Originality/value – The paper extends the literature by providing a comprehensive set of itemized causes of retail stockouts and reflects implications for sales‐data driven research. It adds to the emergent research that applies service‐dominant logic to retail stockout research.