Views of logistics service providers on modularity in logistics services

PurposeSustainability-related risk management of logistics service providers (LSPs) is an essential part of sustainability performance of focal companies, as logistics services touch the entire supply chain (SC) – from raw material sources to end-customers. The purpose of this paper, draws on resource-based view and stakeholder theory in exploring how companies can manage environmental and social sustainability-related risks from logistics service suppliers. This kind of capability is essential in order to maintain reputation in the eyes of stakeholders, and to maintain long-term financial performance.Design/methodology/approachThe data of this multiple-case study were collected from semi-structured interviews in eight case-companies in Finland. Five of the cases are primary logistics buyers, and three represent LSP companies.FindingsThe cross-case analysis showed that primary buyers of logistics services use their sustainability criteria as a prerequisite for LSP candidates, and when the level is adequate and equal, other factors, e.g. price and capacity, are decisive. Based on the analysis, large LSPs are preparing for the future competition, and act in a more sustainable manner than their customers (buyers) expect at the moment, while small LSPs strictly comply with the regulation. However, buyers’ requirements for sustainable logistics services are increasing as the stakeholder expectations for comprehensively sustainable SCs are growing.Originality/valueOnly little research has been conducted on sustainable logistics from the buyer company’s risk management perspective. This paper adds the knowledge of sustainability-related risk management in purchasing of logistics services and in the logistics industry.

In today's rapidly evolving world and global marketplace, the logistics industry is undergoing a remarkable transformation due to the age of digitalization. The logistics service providers play a crucial role in facilitating the efficient movement of goods and services across various industries. As technology continues to advance, logistics service providers must adapt to the changing landscape and embrace digital solutions to remain competitive. The concept of Industry 5.0 has emerged as the next phase of industrial revolution, characterized by the seamless collaboration between humans and automated systems. Within this context, the logistics sector, known for its intricate supply chains and extensive operations, stands to benefit immensely from the integration of Industry 5.0 principles. This essay aims to examine and explore the current situation of logistic sector and service providers in light of digitalization, highlighting the challenges and opportunities they face in this dynamic environment.

Currently, logistics service providers experience a high increase in activity. It makes logistics service providers compete with each other in service quality. To be able to compete, logistics service providers need to measure customer perceptions on logistics service satisfaction. The results of measuring customer perceptions can be used to improve the quality of logistics services. This study attempted to measure customer perceptions of third-party logistics (3PL) service users by considering competitor performance factors. This study integrated the Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) method and the Competitive Zone of Tolerance based Importance Performance Analysis (CZIPA) method to measure customer perceptions and determine the priority attributes for improvement account competitors' performance factors. Based on the research, the CSI method was proven to measure customer perceptions of 3PL service users. CZIPA can determine the attributes that were prioritized for improvement based on the performance of competitors.

Cloud computing (CC) services can offer substantial cost-effective global operational and relationship benefits if the cooperation between logistics and CC services are resilient. Potential vulnerabilities to cooperation of CC and logistics service providers can occur with respect to vital factors such as security and trust. Extant studies have demonstrated CC benefits as well as few challenges associated with CC services application. However, no extant study has examined the inter-organisational benefits based on cooperative resilience between CC and logistics service providers in terms of both capability and trust vulnerability factors. This study examines the cooperative resilience of logistics and CC service providers based on innovation diffusion theory within a supply chain risk assessment framework. Using structural equation modelling techniques, we investigate the relationship between the vulnerability factor (trust), capability factor (security) and collaboration benefits (relationship and operational) offered by CC service providers based on 236 Chinese logistics service firms’ perceptions of CC adoption. The results indicate Chinese logistics companies perceive security impediments as a major factor affecting cooperative resilience between logistics service and CC service providers.

PurposeWith the fast growth in China's economy and China's accession into WTO, the demand for logistics services has been growing significantly in China. China's logistics service providers need to pay more attention to adopt more efficient logistics technologies to provide better services for their customers. The purpose of this paper is to study the factors affecting the innovation in logistics technologies for logistics service providers in China.Design/methodology/approachQuestionnaire survey on logistics service providers in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen is conducted to study the innovation in logistics technologies by China's logistics industry. Logistics technologies are classified into four types: data acquisition technologies, information technologies, warehousing technologies, and transportation technologies. The influencing factors include internal and external factors. Regression analysis is used to analyze the influences of these factors on technological innovation.FindingsThe innovation in logistics technologies is significantly positively influenced by organizational encouragement, quality of human resources, environmental uncertainty, and governmental support for logistics service providers in China.Originality/valueOwing to the lack of empirical research on the adoption of logistics technologies in China, this paper provides an empirical study on the factors influencing the innovation in logistics technologies by logistics service providers in China. Our research results can help China's logistics companies develop better strategies to adopt innovative logistics technologies, and can make them become innovation‐based logistics service providers.

PurposeThis work aims to combine the perspectives of logistics‐service providers (LSPs) and small and medium‐sized enterprises (SME) in the development of value‐added logistics services. The purpose was to create a theory‐based and initially tested framework that could help both service providers and SMEs identify new opportunities for developing their logistics.Design/methodology/approachThe research followed design‐science methodology and was carried out via semi‐structured interviews within the case company (a large Finnish LSP), its customers, and experts from the area of logistics services. Data on companies offering value‐added logistics services were also used in the research. The focus of the research was on advanced value‐added logistics services.FindingsThe paper presents a framework for categorizing logistics services for SMEs and proposes new logistics‐service models for SME customers. Altogether, three service models are proposed to bridge the gap between LSP and SME customers. In particular, the consulting‐oriented approach seemed to be appropriate for the SMEs. The other two models, 3PL with planning and Outsourced Chief Logistics Officer, require more effort from both parties.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper presents a theoretical framework for categorizing logistics services and discusses the strategic options for an LSP to expand its service portfolio. However, further empirical research related to logistics‐service design is needed to develop the framework further and to improve its external validity.Practical implicationsThis work offers insights that support LSPs to develop their service offerings to better match the needs of SMEs, and also allow managers of SMEs to better utilize the available LSP competence and services.Originality/valueThe existing research in the area of value‐added logistics services has mainly focused on either the customer perspective or the service‐provider perspective. The dyad combining these perspectives has been largely neglected. Furthermore, studies in this area have been on large enterprises as opposed to SMEs. This work fills this gap by designing value‐added logistics‐service models that combine SME needs with LSP capabilities.

The uprising economic, social and political pressures on achieving a good level of environmental governance have forced companies to adopt business practices that aim to mitigate CO2 emissions. Logistics industry is considered as one of the major areas that could make a considerable improvement in reducing the environmental impact of business activities. The aim of this study is to investigate the driving forces that influence the adoption of environmentally friendly logistics activities. Following a detailed literature review, a theoretical model, which encompassed several driving forces and logistics activities, has been developed. Survey-based quantitative data were collected from logistics service providers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and analysed using structural equation modelling methodology and multiple regression analysis. Through answering 110 questionnaires, respondents holding different managerial levels at logistics service organizations, provided data reflecting their perception of the forces that would influence the adoption of green logisticspractices. The driving forces (legislations, customers, and organizational awareness) were found to influence the adoption of green logistics practices by the logistics service industry in the areas of warehousing, packaging and transportation.

This study was conducted to determine the factors affecting the choice of using a package logistics service for the fruit export process in Can Tho. A research model has been proposed with variables including Safety, Price, Tangible Assets, Responsiveness Ability, Customer Service, and Referrals through a third party (Intermediaries). A survey was conducted and a questionnaire was developed. Survey subjects are logistics service providers, people working in the field of logistics, students, postgraduate students in the logistics industry, fruit distributors in Can Tho, and fruit wholesalers/retailers in Can Tho. Data were analyzed from more than 200 samples collected and processed on SPSS 20 software and descriptively (SEM). The factors of Tangible Assets, Responsiveness, Customer Service, and Referrals through Third Parties (Intermediaries) affect the Demand for Package Logistics Services differently. Price and Safety have no impact on the Demand for Package Logistics Services. Thereby, we can see that Logistics service providers should prioritize the factors of Tangible Assets, Responsiveness, Customer Service, and Referrals through third parties (Intermediaries) to attract more customers. more customers. The research shows the factors affecting the Demand for Package Logistics Services in Can Tho. This greatly contributes to the growing Logistic activities in Can Tho, this is also an opportunity for those in this field to grasp and learn about these factors in order to improve their level and development ability. Keywords: Factors Affecting, Package Logistics Services, Tangible Assets.

This paper mainly studies the problem of multi-task assignment of providers in port logistics service supply chain. As a core enterprise, port plays the role of logistics service integrator.With the continuous development of industrial integration, logistics service providers not only provide one kind of logistics service, but also develop into composite suppliers who capable of providing a variety of logistics services . This paper studies the task assignment problem of multi-service capability providers in the port logistics service supply chain. The two-stage logistics service provider task assignment model was built ,which is based on the mixed evaluation method (including MOORA and FMEA) and the multi-objective planning method. Eventually, the effectiveness of the model method was verified by combining with an example.

Logistic service providers are facing significant challenges in recent years due to intensified competition and ever-increasing customer expectations for cohesive high-standard services at low cost. To cope with these developments many companies aim for external growth to realize operational efficiencies and exploit productive opportunities of new markets and diversified services. Accordingly, 2015 has even become the most active year for mergers and acquisitions in logistic service industry. However, studies examining the post-merger performance effect and its determinants are scarce. Consequently, this paper takes up this issue by analysing a sample of 826 transaction announcements taken place between 1996 and 2015 and their performance effect in terms of short- and long-term abnormal shareholder returns. The results reveal, that although overall transactions exhibit significant positive abnormal returns, post-merger performance for the acquiring companies differs considerably according to the logistic services offered. In the short-term trucking, railway, 3PL and air cargo companies experience significant positive abnormal returns of about 0.6%–2.6%, while sea freight carriers realize only marginal effects and CEP companies do even not show any significant reaction. In the long-term, railway and 3PL companies realize a significant abnormal return of about 20%–24%, while trucking, sea freight and air cargo carriers do not exhibit significant returns and CEP companies do even experience significant losses of about −17%. Overall, diversifying transactions of established full-service providers outperform focus-increasing transactions of specialized operators.

PropósitoEl propósito de este trabajo es estudiar las relaciones entre las capacidades y características de ejecutoria de los proveedores de servicios de logística (LSP) en la región del Caribe. El estudio considera la ejecutoria en la mejora de los procesos de la organización en relación con sus capacidades de innovación, sus esfuerzos en el intercambio de información y colaboración con los clientes, la planificación de contingencias y teniendo en cuenta la incertidumbre de la tecnología de sus clientes.Diseño/metodología/enfoqueSe aplicó una encuesta a 88 empresas de servicios logísticos con operaciones en la región del Caribe. Un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales se utilizó para analizar las hipótesis propuestas.ResultadosLos resultados indican que la ejecutoria en la mejora de procesos de los LSP se relaciona significativamente a sus capacidades de innovación, y que estas capacidades se relacionan positivamente con la colaboración y el intercambio de información. Además, los resultados indican que el intercambio de información entre los LSP y sus clientes significativamente mejora la calidad de la planificación de contingencia. Sin embargo, el estudio demostró que las capacidades de innovación no están relacionadas directamente a la planificación de contingencia y que incertidumbre relacionada con la tecnología de los clientes, no tiene un efecto significativo en las capacidades de innovación de las LSP.Limitaciones de la investigación/implicacionesLa muestra de empresas LSP se limita a tres países de la región del Caribe. La examinación en otros países y en otros contextos industriales aumentaría la validez de los resultados y ampliaría este a otras áreas como la manufactura y los servicios.Originalidad y valorEste estudio mide la ejecutoria operacional de los LSP desde una perspectiva diferente: su ejecutoria en la mejora de procesos y considera cómo múltiples factores afectan esta ejecutoria.

The paradigm of cloud logistics is essentially built upon the virtualization of logistics resources from different logistics service providers. The virtualized resources are pooled and can subsequently be combined and encapsulated within customer-specific modular logistics services. The pooling within bigger logistics networks leads to a high quantity of different available logistics resources and services. Domain-specific structuring with the concept of the logistics service map helps to retrieve specific requested services from that quantity. The structuring of resources and services is a challenging task based on the semantic gap of differing wordings, descriptions used by different providers. The developed ontology design pattern for domain-specific structuring of logistics services can help to close the semantic gap as well as to enable the concept of the logistics service map. Structuring data and information (of services) from different providers can be made available, linked and interchanged easily within the network. Digitalized collaboration is supported and the disruptive paradigm of cloud logistics is enabled.

Background: Industry 4.0 is one of the topics related to manufacturing, supply chain and logistics that has received great interest from the academic community, organizations and governments in the last decade. Problem statement: Several published articles discuss and seek to conceptualize what the fourth industrial revolution is, but no research relates Industry 4.0 in the context of logistics service providers (LSPs) in a clear and structured way. Objectives: This study aims to fill this research gap, proposing a conceptual framework and addressing the challenges, barriers and organizational dimensions that need adaptation to insert LSPs in the new Industry 4.0 environment. Methods: This theoretical and conceptual study uses the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) as a research method to understand the Industry 4.0 phenomenon in the context of LSPs. Contributions: The relevant constructs identified in this research will help professionals and organizations that provide logistics services to develop strategies and encourage new research in the field of Industry 4.0 from the perspective of LSPs. Results: In addition, this research identified and generally consolidated six dimensions, as a result of this innovative study a conceptual framework is presented.

With the principle of division of labor in logistics, an integrator can focus on planning and monitoring within a network, while subsidiary logistics service providers (LSPs) are responsible for the actual physical manipulation of goods. Because of heterogeneous service descriptions, processes and IT-systems, the integrator requires a platform that provides the ability to interact with LSPs and to plan, execute and monitor contracts for integrator’s customers. Such an integration platform is currently developed in the research project Logistics Service Engineering & Management. Crucial to such a platform is the ability to maintain a complete catalog and to efficiently identify and choose appropriate services. In this paper a metamodel-based approach is presented facing these requirements.

With the rapid popularization of the Internet in China and equally rapid development of e-commerce, an increasing number of individuals prefer the C2C e-commerce platform for shopping. Sellers’ credit evaluation is one of the important reference values of buyers’ online shopping. As the quality of the credit evaluation affects the purchase risks of customers, the C2C e-commerce credit evaluation of online shopping and the purchase risk of customers are studied. This study divides the purchase risk of customers into six dimensions, namely, store risk, product risk, money risk, distribution risk, time risk, and security risk. The effect of C2C credit evaluation on the purchase risk of consumers is then discussed. Subsequently, the effects of the C2C credit rating system and customer purchase risk on the purchase intention of customers are further explored. Furthermore, logistics services, as an important part of C2C e-commerce transactions, are analyzed as a mediator in this research. This study uses regression analysis to test the research hypotheses. Results corroborate that improving the credit evaluation of online shopping can reduce the purchase risk of customers. Logistics service has mediating effects on the credit evaluation of online shopping and the purchase risk of customers. The latter can be reduced through logistics service, thereby further increasing the purchase intention of customers. Among the dimensions of customer purchase risk, product risk, money risk, delivery risk, and time risk are the most significant factors affecting the purchase intention of customers. Increasing the purchase intention of customers by reducing these four risks is possible. The logistics service affects the purchase risk and intentions of customers as well. The mediating effect reduces the purchase risk of customers and improves the ability of logistics service to increase the purchase intention of customers. Moreover, improving credit evaluation can enhance the purchase intention of customers. Logistics service has a mediating effect on the credit evaluation of online shopping and purchase intention of customers. That is, improving the credit evaluation of online shopping can improve the logistics service, thereby increasing the purchase intention of customers. On the basis of these conclusions, this study provides sellers and logistics service providers with constructive suggestions to improve the C2C e-commerce platform.