International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

Su, Shong-lee Ivan

2017 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/IJPDLM-07-2017-0240

Giuffrida, Maria; Mangiaracina, Riccardo; Perego, Alessandro; Tumino, Angela

2017 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/IJPDLM-08-2016-0241

PurposeThis paper reviews scientific publications in the field of logistics underlying cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) to China. A focus on the role played in this complex process by other countries of the Greater China is carried out. The purpose of this paper is to outline directions for future research to encourage CBEC development.Design/methodology/approachThe review is based on 32 papers published from 2002 to 2016 in international peer-reviewed journals or proceedings of international conferences, retrieved from bibliographic databases and science search engines.FindingsCBEC to China is gaining increasing interest, as shown by the rising amount of publications from 2013 onwards. Within these contributions, however, studies specifically investigating the relation between logistics and e-commerce, commonly acknowledged as critical, seem to lack. Many contributions are descriptive and do not provide specific insights on how to manage the complexities of CBEC logistics in this region. Stemming from the review, a set of possible development areas are identified, including distribution network design, i.e. deciding how to shape the CBEC distribution structure, and logistics outsourcing, i.e. determining whether to manage logistics activities in-house or through third parties.Originality/valueTo the extent of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first one to classify the existing body of knowledge on logistics supporting CBEC. Its main contribution is the critical identification of current research gaps and the proposal of key themes for future research. From a managerial perspective, it helps export and logistics managers identify the key challenges of managing CBEC logistics to Greater China.

Huang, Yi-Chun; Huang, Chih-Hsuan; Yang, Min-Li

2017 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/IJPDLM-05-2017-0185

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore how internal and external factors simultaneously drive firms to adopt green supply chain (GSC) initiatives and to construct a comprehensive research model by drawing upon institutional theory, stewardship theory, and view of performance.Design/methodology/approachThe data collected from 380 manufacturers in the electrical and electronics industries in Taiwan were analyzed via structural equation modeling and bootstrapping.FindingsFirst, institutional pressures affect the GSC initiatives of firms. Second, institutional pressures influence the environmental stewardship behaviors (ESBs) of managers. Third, the ESBs of managers affect the GSC initiatives of firms. Fourth, the GSC initiatives of firms influence their environmental performance, economic performance, and competitiveness. Fifth, the bootstrapping results reveal that institutional pressures indirectly affect the GSC initiatives of firms through the ESBs of managers.Research limitations/implicationsEnvironmental sustainability has intensified the need for firms to develop a corporate culture. Future research can investigate the relationship among the institutional pressures, greening corporate culture, and GSC initiatives of firms.Practical implicationsThose managers facing institutional pressures must continually focus on the effects of external factors on the GSC initiatives of their firms. They must also increase their commitment and support to such initiatives to attain favorable levels of environmental performance, economic performance, and competitiveness.Originality/valueThis study integrates four streams of literature on institutional theory, stewardship theory, GSC initiatives, and view of performance. Apart from analyzing field- and organization-level data simultaneously, this paper is also the first to demonstrate the relationships among institutional pressures, ESBs of managers, GSC initiatives, and firm performance.

Chen, Shyh-Shiuh; Ou-Yang, Chao; Chou, Tzu-Chuan

2017 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/IJPDLM-08-2016-0217

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to conceptualize how information technology (IT) enables supply chain (SC) network capabilities, which is to capitalize on SC’s existing set of resources and, at the same time, manage new combinations of SC resources to meet future market needs. The paper also develops SCM framework associated with IT-enabled SC network capabilities.Design/methodology/approachThrough a case study of a leading Taiwanese petrochemical corporation, qualitative data were gathered on the IT-related SC management practices, in terms of network resource mobilizing and adaptive co-management arrangements to enable SC network capability. This research is based primarily on the interviews of the case company, supplemented by archived documents, published books, and in-depth observations.FindingsBased on the evidence from the case, this study inductively develops a model that includes the operating processes with IT-enabled activities to achieve ambidextrous SC network capability, and the relevant framework functions in network resources and co-management activities include information co-governance, information interoperability, community engagement strategy, cyber-physical dexterity, and control enactment, which lead the SC alliances improvements for dynamic environmental changes.Practical implicationsPractitioners may derive strategies and tactics from the current findings to help them implement innovative information technologies and setup SC framework, during SC network capability development, to achieve SC’s sustainable competence in a dynamic market.Originality/valueResearchers and practitioners may obtain a more complete view of IT-enabled SC network capability development. The proposed model reveals that developing IT-enabled SC network capabilities is a dynamic process whereby an organization’s major SC managerial activities are divided into specific network resource mobilizing and adaptive co-management arrangements.

Durach, Christian F.; Glasen, Patrick C.; Straube, Frank

2017 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/IJPDLM-07-2017-0228

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify and rank supply chain disruption causes for Western buying firms in the Chinese market; to identify supplier-relationship-specific mitigation strategies to avoid and resist such disruptions; and to develop and propose a framework of relational supply chain disruption management with Chinese suppliers.Design/methodology/approachTwo group exercises with 42 representatives from Western manufacturing buying firms and nine in-depth interviews were conducted. The group exercises applied the nominal group technique.FindingsThe authors identified and ranked 22 disruption causes in China for Western buying firms. Evaluating the five most urgent causes, 43 mitigation strategies could be identified that build on implementing strategic relationships with Chinese suppliers. A framework of relational supply chain disruption management for Western buying firms was developed with six propositions on primary constructs, mediators, and moderators, highlighting guanxi as a fundamental construct of relations within the Chinese culture.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings contribute to theory development at the intersection of risk management and culture. Quantitative testing of the proposed relationships in the framework is needed to derive more reliable conclusions.Practical implicationsThe study depicts how cultural differences between Chinese suppliers and Western buyers influence relational supply chain disruption management strategies. Using the study findings, managers of Western buying firms are informed regarding the most pressing disruption causes in the Chinese market and the value and strategic use of Chinese-supplier relationships.Originality/valueThe study provides a valuable contribution to the scant body of literature on disruption management in supply chains with Chinese suppliers. It contributes to our understanding of a successful risk management in the presence of cultural differences.

Shou, Yongyi; Shao, Jinan; Chen, Anlan

2017 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/IJPDLM-09-2016-0271

PurposeDrawing upon the theory of the resource-based view, the purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships among relational resources, innovation capability and firm performance in the third-party logistics (3PL) industry.Design/methodology/approachBased on data collected from 203 3PL providers in China, this study adopts the approach of structural equation modeling to examine the hypothesized relationships among relational resources, innovation capability and firm performance.FindingsThe results of this research confirm that relational resources have a positive effect on firm performance. However, the effect is not direct, but realized through the mediation of innovation capability. This study indicates that relational resources are important for 3PL providers to achieve superior performance, and innovation capability plays a mediating role between relational resources and firm performance.Originality/valueThe main contributions of this paper to the literature are twofold. First, it extends the extant research by highlighting the mediating mechanism of innovation capability in relational resources’ influence on firm performance. Second, it advances the existing perspectives on 3PL firms in the Chinese context and this sheds light on logistics research on emerging markets.

Yang, Chung-Shan; Lirn, Taih-Cherng

2017 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/IJPDLM-05-2017-0184

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate empirically the impact of intrafirm resources, interfirm relationships, and logistics service capabilities on logistics performance (LP) in the context of container logistics.Design/methodology/approachFactor analysis was employed to identify the key intrafirm resources (i.e. tangible assets and intangible assets), interfirm relationships (i.e. communication (COM) and long-term relationships), logistics service capabilities (i.e. service efficiency, service reliability, service flexibility, and value-added service), and LP dimensions. Data were collected from a survey of container shipping service providers, and were analyzed by a structural equation model to test the research hypotheses.FindingsThe findings show that interfirm relationships and logistics service capabilities act as mediator variables between intrafirm resources and LP.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of this research support the application of the general theory on firm-level performance and the resource-based view (RBV) as a lens through which LP can be achieved via logistics service capabilities. In addition, the findings lend empirical support to the capability-building view, which asserts the importance of resource investment and relationship maintenance, and the development of distinctive capabilities to enhance performance.Practical implicationsContainer logistics operators should not view their intrafirm resources (including logistics information technology and teamwork organizational culture) or interfirm relationships (including informal COM with key stakeholders and evergreen relationship with key stakeholders) separately; instead, a systems approach should be used.Originality/valueThis research updates the RBV theory by clearly indicating that the overall performance of shipping firms cannot be decided solely by the firm’s own resources. Interfirm relationships and logistics service capabilities are found to be powerful moderators which help shipping firms allocate their resources effectively and thus improve their LP.

Gao, Huijie; Yang, Jianhua; Yin, Huanwu; Ma, ZhiChao

2017 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/IJPDLM-09-2016-0263

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate significant impact of partner similarity on the success of horizontal alliances in logistics service providers (LSPs) from China.Design/methodology/approachPrimary data were collected via questionnaire distribution to 380 Chief Executive Officers and Managing Directors in 262 small and medium logistics enterprises in China. There are 316 valid questionnaires for further analysis with 83 percent accuracy in response rate. Structural equation modeling was used to test the impact of partner similarity on alliance management capability, stability and performance.FindingsPartner similarity and logistics alliance management capability (LAMC) are positively correlated to alliance stability and performance in horizontal alliances among Chinese LSPs, especially competence similarity and cultural similarity. Moreover, alliance stability mediates the impact of partner similarity and LAMC on alliance performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe basic limitation of this research is to collect data just from small and medium logistics enterprises that operate in China with sample size (n=316). This research could further be extended to other regions in China or other countries.Practical implicationsThis research verifies the positive relationship between partner fit and management capability. Besides, based on research findings, the research proposes guidelines for LSPs pursuing horizontal alliancesOriginality/valueThis research proposes an experimental model for Chinese LSPs to cooperate successfully and build horizontal alliances in order to increase their effective customer response capability.

Huo, Baofeng; Liu, Chen; Chen, Haozhe; Zhao, Xiande

2017 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/IJPDLM-09-2016-0284

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate relationships among dependence, trust, and integration in the Chinese 3PL context. 3PL integration is manifested in two key dimensions: information sharing and process coordination.Design/methodology/approachThis study develops a dependence-trust-3PL integration-performance model and tests it using structural equation modeling with survey data collected from 361 companies in the Greater China area (i.e. mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan).FindingsThe results show that switch dependence is indirectly related to information sharing and process coordination through goodwill trust, while goal dependence has direct links with both integrative behaviors. The authors also found that only goodwill trust mediates the relationship between dependence and integrative behaviors, while ability trust does not mediate any relationships. Finally, the analysis validated the direct link between process coordination and financial performance, but did not find a significant link between information sharing and financial performance.Originality/valueDifferent from most previous studies on similar topics, this study examines the impacts of different types of dependence and trust on different 3PL integration dimensions. As a result, the findings are more specific and have direct relevance to effective 3PL relationship management in China.