An Overview of the Problematic Issues in Logistics Cost Management

Logistics cost management is associated with certain specific challenges, since increasing the quality of logistics services for customers often comes with increased logistics costs. In addition, reducing the costs of one logistic component causes an increase in the costs of another logistic component, which results in higher total logistics costs. Various cost models have been developed to support the optimisation of logistics activities, which represent the main focus of research and a key practical tool for logistics management. The purpose of the study is therefore to determine whether current scientific studies are addressing the issues related to logistics cost management. The aim of the study is to determine the scope of the optimisation of individual logistics models from the point of view of how individual logistics costs categories and processes are treated. The analysis of logistics costs management issues provides an important empirical foundation for the improvement of logistic processes in supply chains and synthesises scientific literature in the field of logistics cost modelling, which represents an important framework for future empirical studies

The effect of production costs on the provisioning management of materials: evidence from paper industry in Peru

This paper presents an empirical investigation to evaluate the impact of purchase, storage and inventory management on the production costs of materials supply management in the Peruvian paper industry. A linear regression model was used under the ordinary least squares method to determine the causal relationship between the provisioning of materials and production costs. It was concluded that the evaluation of the effect between the study variables was inversely proportional, that is, as the management of purchase, storage, and inventory in companies improve, the production costs may also be reduced

A model for managing logistics costs throughout a product’s life cycle: a case study of a multinational manufacturing company

The goal of the study is to develop a model that focuses on managing logistics costs at all stages of a product’s life cycle. The model includes several different cost components and provides a wider coverage of individual processes, as logistics costs are present in different areas of a company’s operations. The applicability of the proposed method was tested in a multinational company that manufactures furniture fittings on a randomly selected product. The test results provide a theoretical and practical confirmation of the necessity to manage the logistics costs for an individual product, since other models are focused exclusively on the cost optimisation of individual logistics processes. The model therefore complements the existing knowledge and represents a practical tool for logistics professionals that enables more efficient logistics costs planning at an early stage in the development of a product, which can result in the long-term reduction in the total costs of logistics and improve the quality of business processes. First published online 28 August 201

Small Construction Business Owners\u27 Strategies for Employee Retention

Thirty-four percent of people in the United States of America work for businesses that employ fewer than 100 people. However, many small business owners lack the strategies necessary to retain their valuable employees. Businesses that fail to retain valuable employees are as much as 28% less efficient. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies small construction business owners use to retain their valuable employees. Contingency theory provided the conceptual framework. The participants were three owners of three small businesses in the construction industry located in Mississippi which implemented successful policies and procedures to retain their employees. The data sources for this study were semistructured interviews, financial statements, newspaper articles, websites, and social media. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Three themes morphed to include challenging employees and reward them accordingly, mitigating unplanned turnover, and treating employees and others fairly. Potential implications for positive social change are that increased profits among small business owners may enable them to provide better benefits and pay and incentive increases to their employees. Small business owners with increased profits may also be better equipped to participate in community-based charitable organizations

Small Construction Business Owners\u27 Strategies for Employee Retention

Thirty-four percent of people in the United States of America work for businesses that employ fewer than 100 people. However, many small business owners lack the strategies necessary to retain their valuable employees. Businesses that fail to retain valuable employees are as much as 28% less efficient. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies small construction business owners use to retain their valuable employees. Contingency theory provided the conceptual framework. The participants were three owners of three small businesses in the construction industry located in Mississippi which implemented successful policies and procedures to retain their employees. The data sources for this study were semistructured interviews, financial statements, newspaper articles, websites, and social media. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Three themes morphed to include challenging employees and reward them accordingly, mitigating unplanned turnover, and treating employees and others fairly. Potential implications for positive social change are that increased profits among small business owners may enable them to provide better benefits and pay and incentive increases to their employees. Small business owners with increased profits may also be better equipped to participate in community-based charitable organizations