International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

Wong, Chee Yew

2021 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/ijpdlm-10-2021-0427

This article celebrates the 50th anniversary of IJPDLM, reflects on the contribution of IJPDLM to the field of logistics and supply chain management (LSCM) and discusses future directions for the journal.Design/methodology/approachDescriptive analysis of manuscripts received and accepted by IJPDLM during 2015–2019 is used to provide an overview of the journal. Content analysis of selected articles is used to highlight important contributions of the journal. Changes made since 2020 are highlighted to inform future directions of IJPDLM. Invited articles are discussed and used to clarify future directions.FindingsIJPDLM has made tremendous progress in informing and shaping the field of LSCM. Key issues addressed include sustainability and reverse logistics, omni-channel, e-commerce, retail logistics, risk, resilience, volatility, and complexity and digital technology innovation. The journal has expanded the use of methods beyond the typical qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the use of design science, experiment, conjoint analysis, qualitative comparative analysis, narrative analysis. The invited articles provide (1) a historical reflection of the purpose of the journal when it was launched, (2) new guidance on how to develop theories using literature review and grounded theories and (3) understanding of startups and supply chain ecosystems.Practical implicationsSome exemplar articles are highlighted to explain how IJPDLM informs LSCM managers, companies and policy makers.Originality/valueThis article explains the recent development and sets future directions for the LSCM field.

van Hoek, Remko

2021 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/ijpdlm-11-2020-0349

This paper offers a retrospective on the launch and first volumes of this journal. It describes the history of a unique period in our discipline when founding fathers in the US and UK collaborated with industry and each other to create a new field.Design/methodology/approachThe authors interviewed founding editor Professor Martin Christopher and coeditor in Chief Professor Doug Lambert, conducted a bibliometric review of the first volumes of the journal and informed the analysis by approaches taken in other retrospectives published in the journal. The authors also feature historical artifacts from the journal.FindingsThe editorial focus during the early days of the journal demonstrate how the roots of the field are in cost modeling and technical work but quickly moved toward customer orientation and managerial focus. The editorial approach during the early days of the journal was on innovative research and publishing, scholarship engaged with industry, a focus on relevance and industry impact as well as leveraging research in education.Originality/valueThere have been retrospectives on the journals most recent volumes but what the authors aim to do is to reflect upon the launch and the first volumes of the journal. The authors expand and further detail the timeline of the development of the logistics field. In the process, the authors identify several historical roots for topics of greater focus in logistics and supply chain management in later years. The authors also find that many of the essential approaches and lessons learned in the period leading up to the launch and shortly after the launch of the journal do not only capture the early development of the discipline it also offers an approach and model for scholarship worthy of consideration still today. On top of that, several of the lessons learned in that period hold high relevance still today and they imply part of the path forward for the discipline and the journal, the authors develop questions for future research and research and editorial strategies.

Durach, Christian F.; Kembro, Joakim Hans; Wieland, Andreas

2021 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/ijpdlm-11-2020-0381

The discipline's most common uses for literature reviews—identifying gaps, developing research agendas, and categorizing the literature—too often fail to challenge, change or advance theoretical perspectives. The authors offer guidance to theorization through literature reviews. The key to theory advancement is consistency between the state of theory and the chosen review type.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual approach is taken. The authors identify shortcomings in literature reviews of logistics and supply chain management (L&SCM) research and develop a framework to aid theorization from literature.FindingsLiterature review types are categorized as inductive theory building, contextualized explanations, theory testing and interpretive sensemaking. The authors argue that the effectiveness of a review type depends on the prior state of theory, which ranges from nascent, to intermediate, to mature. The authors propose the interpretive sensemaking review as a novel review type rooted in the interpretive paradigm.Practical implicationsThis study should be of immediate interest and value to logistics and supply chain management scholars—as well as scholars in other fields—because it offers a pathway to theory development through literature reviews. Appropriate applications of the proposed review types will result in more comprehensive theories.Originality/valueThis article lays down arguments for the need to change the way L&SCM scholars use literature reviews. It extends earlier work from the authors (Durach et al., 2017; A New Paradigm for Systematic Literature Reviews in Supply Chain Management, Journal of Supply Chain Management) by outlining four review types, and offering further insights to theorization, as is typically the goal in the synthesis step of literature reviews.

Mello, John Edmund; Manuj, Ila; Flint, Daniel John

2021 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/ijpdlm-12-2020-0439

The purpose of this article is to identify and explain most frequently misunderstood steps in the use of grounded theory (GT) as a methodology and provide guidance on proper execution of these elements.Design/methodology/approachThis research provides meaningful guidance to both reviewers and authors interested in applying GT. This research is expected to advance the pursuit of formal theory development.FindingsThere are four most frequently misunderstood steps in the use of GT as a methodology. These are related to the use of literature, theoretical sampling, core category and formal theory development. Proper execution of these elements is important for convincing reviewers and readers that the findings of the research are meaningful and trustworthy.Originality/valueThis paper should be of significant value to researchers who are interested in GT as a methodology. It adds to the few journal articles that address the proper ways to conduct GT.

Wagner, Stephan M.

2021 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

doi: 10.1108/ijpdlm-02-2021-0055

Startups are associated with innovation, emerging technologies, digitalization and disruptive business models. This article aims to provide a better understanding of startups in logistics and supply chain management, organizes the contemporary discussion around startups in the supply chain ecosystem and outlines opportunities for future research.Design/methodology/approachThis study draws on the prior supply chain, logistics and entrepreneurship literature and discusses key themes along the six identified startup issues. Furthermore, it proposes several perspectives and theories for grounding future research.FindingsThis study discusses the roles and success factors of startups in the supply chain ecosystem. It lays out how startups need to organize their own supply chains, how supply chain management (SCM) startups incubate and accelerate their ventures, the financing of SCM startups, as well as their positions as service providers, suppliers and customers.Originality/valueThis research brings together the sparse and dispersed literature on startups in the supply chain ecosystem, motivating scholars to increase the involvement of startups as important stakeholders in SCM research.