Green logistics service quality and LSP performance

Paper presented at the 6th International Conference on Logistics and Transport 2014 (ICLT 2014), "Innovation in Global Supply Chain Management", August 26-29, 2014, Kaula Lumpur, Malaysia. Abstract: Effective and efficient logistics services can enhance the firm’s competitive advantage. Therefore, logistics management can be considered as a key component of organisational effectiveness and success (Khan and Burnes, 2007). At the same time, environmental or green issues in logistics service offerings have attracted much managerial attention in the logistics industry for the future. One important objective is for logistics service providers (LSPs) to deliver their service offerings to customers in more environmentally friendly ways. The study is ongoing project and investigates variables and constructs of green service quality, logistics service quality and logistics performance index in Thailand. The purpose of this paper is to report on an ongoing research study to understand the importance of green service quality (GSQ) and logistics service quality (LSQ) in the performance of logistics service providers (LSPs) in a Thai context

The impact of green logistics service quality on logistics provider performance

Paper delivered at the 19th Logistics Research Network annual conference 2014, 3rd-5th September 2014, Huddersfield. Effective and efficient logistics services can enhance the firm’s competitive advantage. Therefore, logistics management can be considered as a key component of organisational effectiveness and success (Khan and Burnes, 2007). At the same time, environmental or green issues in logistics service offerings have attracted much managerial attention in the logistics industry for the future. One important objective is for logistics service providers (LSPs) to deliver their service offerings to customers in more environmentally friendly ways. The study is ongoing project and investigates variables and constructs of green service quality, logistics service quality and logistics performance index in Thailand. The purpose of this paper is to report on an ongoing study of the importance and relationship of green service quality (GSQ) competencies relative to logistics service quality (LSQ) competencies in the context of Thai LSPs

The effect of green logistics service quality on Thai logistics service provider performance

Paper delivered at the 21st Logistics Research Network annual conference 2016, 7th-9th September 2016, Hull. Abstract Purpose: The emergence of environmental or green issues in global supply chains has made it an essential practice to measure the performance of organisations of not only from their financial and management perspectives but also their environmental performance, particularly logistics service providers (LSPs). There has been little work done linking the topics of green service quality (GSQ) and logistics service quality (LSQ), particularly in a developing economy such as Thailand. However, the Thai government has established a Thai logistics performance index (TLPI) for the logistics sector and is focussing more on environmental or green aspects related to transportation and logistics. Given this context, the purpose of this paper is to investigate issues pertaining to GSQ and LSQ, and their impact on the TLPI that will affect Thai LSPs. Research approach: The empirical research for this paper was based on an extensive literature review in three key areas: LSP performance, LSQ, and GSQ. For this study, GSQ has been defined from perceptual service quality or SERVPERF constructs as the environmental initiatives crucial to operational service quality, particularly in logistics service provision. The empirical study used a rigorous three-phase methodological framework originally developed for the marketing discipline for item and scale development, and which has been applied more recently to logistics research. An interview and a survey from the perceptions of LSPs and LSP customers were used as appropriate methods for this explanatory study and were discussed at the LRN in 2013 and 2014 (Chaisurayakarn et al. 2013; 2014). Findings and Originality: LSQ has a positive and significant effect on the TLPI, and that effect is more pronounced when GSQ measures are included. The findings also propose a final set of twenty-eight important GSQ and LSQ variables for LSP performance perceived by Thai LSPs and their customers and which are generally related to green safety, regulations and collaboration; time and services; order service quality; and order procedure competencies. Research impact: This paper provides a contribution to the GSQ, LSQ and LSP debate by extending service quality theory in the logistics services sector in the context of GSQ and integrating GSQ competencies into extant LSQ frameworks. A limitation is that this paper only reports preliminary findings of an ongoing study. Practical impact: A practical contribution for both LSPs and their customers is an understanding of how LSPs can focus on GSQ to perform better, which is important to customers, and hence better compete with rivals. Moreover, it explores that an area of the effects of green logistics service quality (GLSQ) on the LSP’s performance

Green logistics service quality and LSP performance

Paper presented at the 6th International Conference on Logistics and Transport 2014 (ICLT 2014), "Innovation in Global Supply Chain Management", August 26-29, 2014, Kaula Lumpur, Malaysia. Abstract: Effective and efficient logistics services can enhance the firm’s competitive advantage. Therefore, logistics management can be considered as a key component of organisational effectiveness and success (Khan and Burnes, 2007). At the same time, environmental or green issues in logistics service offerings have attracted much managerial attention in the logistics industry for the future. One important objective is for logistics service providers (LSPs) to deliver their service offerings to customers in more environmentally friendly ways. The study is ongoing project and investigates variables and constructs of green service quality, logistics service quality and logistics performance index in Thailand. The purpose of this paper is to report on an ongoing research study to understand the importance of green service quality (GSQ) and logistics service quality (LSQ) in the performance of logistics service providers (LSPs) in a Thai context

The impact of green logistics service quality on logistics provider performance

Paper delivered at the 19th Logistics Research Network annual conference 2014, 3rd-5th September 2014, Huddersfield. Effective and efficient logistics services can enhance the firm’s competitive advantage. Therefore, logistics management can be considered as a key component of organisational effectiveness and success (Khan and Burnes, 2007). At the same time, environmental or green issues in logistics service offerings have attracted much managerial attention in the logistics industry for the future. One important objective is for logistics service providers (LSPs) to deliver their service offerings to customers in more environmentally friendly ways. The study is ongoing project and investigates variables and constructs of green service quality, logistics service quality and logistics performance index in Thailand. The purpose of this paper is to report on an ongoing study of the importance and relationship of green service quality (GSQ) competencies relative to logistics service quality (LSQ) competencies in the context of Thai LSPs

Using environmental reporting tools in the supply chain : perspectives from UK, Finland and Thailand

Paper delivered at the 21st Logistics Research Network annual conference 2016, 7th-9th September 2016, Hull. Abstract Purpose: Supply chain performance measures and reporting tools must evolve as new societal challenges are met, and the natural environment has become one of today’s most significant challenges. An inter-disciplinary interest in the field of environmental supply chain management has grown amongst researchers and practitioners in recent years as a potential source of competitive advantage due to climate change issues, diminishing raw materials, excess waste, and increasing levels of pollution. Measurement of environmental performance has also developed as a related topic and environmental management systems (EMS) within a logistics context have garnered some attention in the literature. However, little work has been done to assess the use of appropriate environmental reporting tools or the adoption of extant standards such as ISO14001 or EMAS in which to position and report environmental performance measures in the logistics sector. This paper builds on work presented by Shenin and Grant at the 2015 LRN conference to compare and contrast the adoption and use of environmental reporting tools in the UK, Finnish and Thai logistics sectors and identify key drivers and barriers. Research Approach: This is a new area of research and thus exploratory tools were used to collect data from different perspectives. The study used a combination of semi-structured interviews, focus groups and two large scale industry surveys. Findings and originality: The study found that the two most commonly known EMS are ISO 14001 and EMAS. However, they have been inconsistently adopted across the various sectors. For example, many UK logistics practitioners have developed their ‘own company designed’ reporting tools. Further, logistics and supply chain practitioners in all countries indicated a lack of understanding of environmental management systems (EMS), with small firms demonstrating no reporting at all. Key drivers and benefits for adoption of reporting tools were financially linked to customer requirements, to reduce waste and be more operationally efficient. Additionally, a lack of standard ESCPM reporting and measurement tools and government direction, and the complexity of the supply chain were seen as key barriers to effective implementation. Research Impact: Reporting tools widely discussed in the academic literature such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Balanced Scorecard (BSC) and Green SCOR were not found to be extensively used in the three logistics sectors. There appears to be ‘no one size fits all’ tool in current environmental supply chain reporting and thus a clear divergence between theory and practice

Using environmental reporting tools in the supply chain : perspectives from UK, Finland and Thailand

Paper delivered at the 21st Logistics Research Network annual conference 2016, 7th-9th September 2016, Hull. Abstract Purpose: Supply chain performance measures and reporting tools must evolve as new societal challenges are met, and the natural environment has become one of today’s most significant challenges. An inter-disciplinary interest in the field of environmental supply chain management has grown amongst researchers and practitioners in recent years as a potential source of competitive advantage due to climate change issues, diminishing raw materials, excess waste, and increasing levels of pollution. Measurement of environmental performance has also developed as a related topic and environmental management systems (EMS) within a logistics context have garnered some attention in the literature. However, little work has been done to assess the use of appropriate environmental reporting tools or the adoption of extant standards such as ISO14001 or EMAS in which to position and report environmental performance measures in the logistics sector. This paper builds on work presented by Shenin and Grant at the 2015 LRN conference to compare and contrast the adoption and use of environmental reporting tools in the UK, Finnish and Thai logistics sectors and identify key drivers and barriers. Research Approach: This is a new area of research and thus exploratory tools were used to collect data from different perspectives. The study used a combination of semi-structured interviews, focus groups and two large scale industry surveys. Findings and originality: The study found that the two most commonly known EMS are ISO 14001 and EMAS. However, they have been inconsistently adopted across the various sectors. For example, many UK logistics practitioners have developed their ‘own company designed’ reporting tools. Further, logistics and supply chain practitioners in all countries indicated a lack of understanding of environmental management systems (EMS), with small firms demonstrating no reporting at all. Key drivers and benefits for adoption of reporting tools were financially linked to customer requirements, to reduce waste and be more operationally efficient. Additionally, a lack of standard ESCPM reporting and measurement tools and government direction, and the complexity of the supply chain were seen as key barriers to effective implementation. Research Impact: Reporting tools widely discussed in the academic literature such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Balanced Scorecard (BSC) and Green SCOR were not found to be extensively used in the three logistics sectors. There appears to be ‘no one size fits all’ tool in current environmental supply chain reporting and thus a clear divergence between theory and practice

Using mixed methods in logistics and supply chain management research:current state and future directions

Purpose: Mixed methods research is useful to enhance theoretical and practical research contributions. However, single methods have predominated much logistics and supply chain management (LSCM) research. This paper presents a review of mixed methods research across ten years in LSCM to determine their usage, identify benefits and inhibitors, and provide suggestions for LSCM researchers to realise the benefits from using mixed methods. Design/methodology/approach: This paper adopts a mixed methods approach through a quantitative analysis of methods used in six leading LSCM journals, an e-mail survey of mixed methods article authors during the review period, and four published case studies that used mixed methods.Findings: Only 144 (ten percent) of all empirical articles were published using mixed methods during the review period. A range of benefits and inhibitors regarding mixed methods adoption were found. Suggestions for LSCM authors include research training in mixed methods use and developing a project-specific research design due to the specificity and complexity associated with mixed methods research.Originality/value: LSCM is at a critical juncture, shaped by new contexts, themes and challenges, and would benefit from different research approaches and methods. This paper contributes to the LSCM domain through analysing the current state, benefits and inhibitors of mixed methods research in LSCM journals to provide a renewed call to action and guidelines for mixed methods LSCM research, and suggesting research design adaptation to enable agile and resilient research when investigating rapidly changing and complex phenomena.</p