International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

Busse, Christian; Schleper, Martin C.; Niu, Menglei; Wagner, Stephan M.

2016 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/IJPDLM-12-2015-0300

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to explore contextual barriers to supplier development for sustainability (SDS) in global supply chains and managerial remedies to mitigate such barriers. Design/methodology/approach– A dyadic case study design was adopted with a Western European buyer and six of its Chinese suppliers. The database consists of 41 interviews and 81 documents. Findings– Contextual barriers to SDS in global supply chains derive from complexities in the sustainability concept, socio-economic differences, spatial and linguistic distance, as well as cultural differences between buyers and suppliers. Partial remedies include effective joint communications, an open organizational culture, and the fostering of cross-contextual understanding. Research limitations/implications– The findings contribute to theory development at the intersection of sustainable and global supply chain management research. They help to explain why scarce sustainability-related progress in global supply chains has occurred in recent years. Practical implications– The identified barriers facilitate managerial decision making that will expedite SDS progress in global contexts. Social implications– By diffusing knowledge regarding available remedies, the study contributes to improving SDS effectiveness, thereby fostering sustainability capabilities and performance of suppliers. Originality/value– This research highlights the criticality of contextual barriers to SDS. The barrier effects that stem from differing real-world conceptions of sustainability may inform future sustainable supply chain management research within and beyond SDS.

Thomas, Rodney W.; Fugate, Brian S.; Robinson, Jessica L; Tasçioglu, Mertcan

2016 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/IJPDLM-02-2015-0041

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to make an initial attempt to understand if environmental and social sustainability practices of suppliers influence the buying decision and ultimate supplier selection in a purchasing organization. Design/methodology/approach– In order to test the effects of sustainability on sourcing decisions, this research utilizes two scenario-based behavioral experiments grounded in a transportation carrier selection context. Findings– Two scenario-based experiments with managerial participants were conducted and results suggest that environmental and social aspects of sustainability are indeed relevant sourcing considerations that impact both economic and relational aspects of exchange relationships. These sustainability aspects enable carriers to differentiate themselves in a highly commoditized market. Originality/value– Extant research advocates for sourcing organizations to take an active role in selecting sustainable suppliers. However, little is known about how supplier sustainability performance impacts sourcing decisions and supplier selection. This research addresses this gap in the literature and explores the effects of price, environmental, and social sustainability on purchase intentions and trust formation in a transportation carrier selection context.

Foerstl, Kai; Kirchoff, Jon F.; Bals, Lydia

2016 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/IJPDLM-02-2015-0045

Purpose– Reshoring and insourcing decisions have been discussed in the popular press, yet coverage of these topics in the academic literature is limited. The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, it seeks to develop a more complete understanding of the underlying drivers of reshoring and insourcing decisions and their permutations. Second, it seeks to provide directions for future research to further analyze the link between drivers and outcomes of the reshoring and insourcing phenomena. Design/methodology/approach– This research follows a conceptual approach guided by transaction cost economics (TCE) and organizational buying behavior (OBB) theories. First, a theoretical framework of reshoring and insourcing decisions is developed. Next a comprehensive summary of reshoring and insourcing drivers is evaluated, yielding an in-depth discussion of future research directions (FRDs). Findings– The analysis demonstrates that the framework can be utilized to explain recent insourcing and reshoring changes of firms and to help dismantle the external and organizational challenges associated with reshoring and insourcing decision making. Research limitations/implications– Three FRDs are presented in the light of TCE and OBB. A fourth research direction highlights additional contextual factors outside the scope of these two theoretical lenses. These four research directions yield insightful implications for scholars and contribute to the emerging reshoring and insourcing literature. Practical implications– The full array of potential reshoring and insourcing permutations are structured to allow for an elaboration of their respective drivers. Moreover, enablers and obstacles in implementing the multitude of combined reshoring and insourcing decisions are highlighted and summarized as contextual variables. Originality/value– The concluding conceptual framework guides the evaluation of the reshoring and insourcing driver-outcome relationship across various value creation tasks and provides guidance to scholars and managers alike.

Moussaoui, Issam; Williams, Brent D.; Hofer, Christian ; Aloysius, John A.; Waller, Matthew A.

2016 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/IJPDLM-11-2014-0284

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to: first, provide a systematic review of the drivers of retail on-shelf availability (OSA) that have been scrutinized in the literature; second, identify areas where further scrutiny is needed; and third, critically reflect on current conceptualizations of OSA and suggest alternative perspectives that may help guide future investigations. Design/methodology/approach– A systematic approach is adopted wherein nine leading journals in logistics, supply chain management, operations management, and retailing are systematically scanned for articles discussing OSA drivers. The respective journals’ websites are used as the primary platform for scanning, with Google Scholar serving as a secondary platform for completeness. Journal articles are carefully read and their respective relevance assessed. A final set of 73 articles is retained and thoroughly reviewed for the purpose of this research. The systematic nature of the review minimizes researcher bias, ensures reasonable completeness, maximizes reliability, and enables replicability. Findings– Five categories of drivers of OSA are identified. The first four – i.e., operational, behavioral, managerial, and coordination drivers – stem from failures at the planning or execution stages of retail operations. The fifth category – systemic drivers – encompasses contingency factors that amplify the effect of supply chain failures on OSA. The review also indicates that most non-systemic OOS could be traced back to incentive misalignments within and across supply chain partners. Originality/value– This research consolidates past findings on the drivers of OSA and provides valuable insights as to areas where further research may be needed. It also offers forward-looking perspectives that could help advance research on the drivers of OSA. For example, the authors invite the research community to revisit the pervasive underlying assumption that OSA is an absolute imperative and question the unidirectional relationship that higher OSA is necessarily better. The authors initiate an open dialogue to approach OSA as a service-level parameter, rather than a maximizable outcome, as indicated by inventory theory.