Does B2C online logistics service quality impact urban logistics?

This paper reports on an in-progress research study regarding the impact of business to consumer (B2C) online logistics service quality (OLSQ) for shopper satisfaction and loyalty on urban logistics across the UK, France and Germany to also investigate country-specific differences of consumer online shopping behaviour and channel strategies. A two-stage approach is adopted consisting of firstly of qualitative research conducted with managers at the producer/retailer interface and secondly a quantitative survey stage targeting consumers as online shoppers to determine how their expectations of OLSQ and associated activities influence their satisfaction and ongoing loyalty. This study should contribute theoretically by considering a B2C setting for OLSQ, which is the final aspect of point-of-origin to point-of-consumption, as most general literature on these topics has been dominated by business to business (B2B) logistical designs, and also identify any discrepancies between consumer expectations or behaviour as it may affect urban logistics solutions. Further, this study should contribute practically by providing managers with an understanding of the components of OLSQ considered critical by consumers

Strategic adoption of logistics and supply chain management

© 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop a thorough understanding of the adoption of logistics and supply chain management (SCM) in practice, particularly at a strategic level, through an investigation of the four perspectives taxonomy of the relationship between logistics and SCM. Design/methodology/approach: Based on a comprehensive literature review, three specific research questions are proposed. The empirical work addresses these questions and comprised three phases: focussed interviews, a questionnaire survey and focus groups. Findings: The findings provide a usage profile of the four perspectives and indicate a divergence between the understanding and adoption of logistics and SCM principles and concepts at a strategic level in firms. The findings also identify the critical success factors (CSFs) and inhibitors to success in addressing this divergence. Research limitations/implications: The insights generated using the authors’ methodologically pluralist research design could be built upon to include case studies, grounded theory and action research. Replicating the research in other geographical areas could facilitate international comparisons. Practical implications: The findings allow practitioners to compare their perspectives on the relationship between logistics and SCM with those of their peers. The CSFs and inhibitors to success provide a rational basis for realising the strategic potential of logistics and SCM in practice. Originality/value: New insights are generated into practitioner perspectives vis-à-vis logistics vs SCM. A fresh understanding of those factors which drive and hinder the adoption of strategic SCM is also developed and presented

The importance of key supplier relationship management in supply chains

Purpose: This paper investigates the impact of key supplier relationship management (KSRM) – understood as an aggregated supply chain management (SCM) process in the upstream direction – on the overall level of the execution of SCM within organizations. Methodology: A conceptual model is developed from a theoretical framework and proposes the capability to do KSRM as a mediator between internal and external SCM resources and SCM execution. A survey of 174 managers representing different supply chain stages is used to test the model through variance-based structural equation modelling. Findings: The findings reveal that external SCM resources directly affect the capability to do KSRM. Nevertheless, internal resources show a considerable indirect impact through external resources and can thus be considered an indirect determinant. The capability to do KSRM in turn impacts upon the level of SCM execution, measured in terms of the integration of business processes, directly and substantially, as well as mediating the effect between SCM resources and the level of SCM execution. Value: The main contribution of this paper is to empirically demonstrate the potential of KSRM for enhancing the level of SCM execution within organizations and consequently the level of integration in supply chains, leading to higher customer and shareholder value

A model for incorporating a clinically-feasible exercise test in paraplegic annual reviews : a tool for stratified cardiopulmonary stress performance classification and monitoring

To identify and characterize an exercise test for use in routine spinal cord injury clinical review, and (ii) to describe levels of, and factors affecting, cardiopulmonary stress performance during exercise in the chronic paraplegic population in Scotland, UK. Cross-sectional study Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit (Glasgow, Scotland) 48 subjects with chronic paraplegia resulting from spinal cord injury at neurological levels T2-L2 Peak oxygen uptake, peak power output, gas exchange threshold and peak heart rate were determined from an incremental arm-cranking exercise test. Using a general linear model, the effects of gender, high (injury level above T6) versus low paraplegia, time since injury, body mass and age on peak oxygen uptake and peak power output were investigated. All 48 subjects completed the arm-cranking exercise test, which was shown to be practical for fitness screening in paraplegia. Men (n=38) had a peak oxygen uptake of 1.302 +/- 0.326 l.min-1 (mean +/- s.d.) and peak power output of 81.6 +/- 23.2W, which was significantly higher than for women (n=10), at 0.832 +/- 0.277 l.min-1 and 50.1 +/- 27.8 W, respectively. There was large intersubject variability in cardiopulmonary performance during arm-cranking exercise testing, but the overall mean for the Scottish population was lower than reference values from other countries. Arm-cranking exercise tests are feasible in the clinical environment. The motivation for their implementation is threefold: (i) to determine cardiopulmonary stress performance of individual paraplegic patients, (ii) to stratify patients into cardiovascular risk categories, and (iii) to monitor the effects of targeted exercise prescription

On using a pyroclastic deposit as a manned lunar base site

Hawke et al. (1990) suggest that ilmenite found in Apollo 17-type pyroclastic glass may provide feedstock for the hydrogen reduction of ilmenite process for producing lunar oxygen. They also suggest that the ilmenite may help retain solar wind hydrogen and helium which can be extracted for use at a lunar outpost or even transported back to Earth for fusion fuel in the case of helium-3. Therefore, they suggest that ilmenite-rich material may be the best candidate. Here, researchers propose a somewhat different approach. They propose that the pyroclastic glass can be reduced directly to produce oxygen and one or more metals. Sulfur would be another important byproduct of the processing. This process would eliminate the need for having specific minerals such as ilmenite or for doing any mineral concentration. The bulk pyroclastic would provide the feedstock. Some recent experiments at the Johnson Space Center suggest that an iron-rich composition would be the most suitable for this direct feedstock reduction and that the titanium content may not be important. Also, the lunar pyroclastic deposits would be extremely useful in constructing and supporting a lunar base

The Consumer Direct Services Revolution in Grocery Retailing: an exploratory investigation

Purpose - To provide empirical evidence and explanation of the phenomenon that providers of home delivery of groceries are still of minor importance in highly concentrated retail markets. Design/methodology/approach - Based on a critical literature review three propositions were set up. A web based survey was conducted with two prospective consumer groups for home delivery providers: time starved consumers and consumers with Internet affinity. A structural equation modeling analysis was applied in addition to uni- and bivariate analysis. Findings - In contrast to some assumptions in the literature shopping in stores for groceries was not generally perceived to be an annoying activity. Respondents were aware of their own shopping logistics efforts in terms of spatial and temporal distance when shopping in stores but were unable to convert these efforts into costs. Any perceived inconvenience connected with shopping for groceries had no impact on respondents’ willingness to pay for home delivery services or their future intentions to use such services. Research limitations/implications - The study only investigated two specific consumer groups within highly concentrated urban grocery retail markets. However these groups may be considered typical of most western European countries and thus the study’s findings are of importance to retailers. Practical implications - The major findings suggest that in general home delivery service may not be considered a strategic competitive advantage in grocery retail markets. Other marketing issues such as pricing, assortment and store personnel still substantially affect a consumer’s choice of retail formats. This leads to the conclusion that home delivery providers should either appeal to niche markets and/or offer additional differential criteria compared to traditional retail formats. Originality/value - The paper argues for a different viewpoint for researchers investigating the topic of Internet-based distance retailing. Further, the reintegration of logistical tasks from consumers should not be considered detached from other format choice criteria

The implementation of supply chain management theory in practice:an empirical investigation

Purpose: The purpose of the research described in this paper is to disentangle the rhetoric from the reality in relation to supply chain management (SCM) adoption in practice. There is significant evidence of a divergence between theory and practice in the field of SCM. Design/methodology/approach: Based on a review of extant theory, the authors posit a new definitional construct for SCM – the Four Fundamentals – and investigated four research questions (RQs) that emerged from the theoretical review. The empirical work comprised three main phases: focussed interviews, focus groups and a questionnaire survey. Each phase used the authors’ definitional construct as its basis. While the context of the paper’s empirical work is Ireland, the insights and results are generalisable to other geographical contexts. Findings: The data collected during the various stages of the empirical research supported the essence of the definitional construct and allowed it to be further developed and refined. In addition, the findings suggest that, while levels of SCM understanding are generally quite high, there is room for improvement in relation to how this understanding is translated into practice. Research limitations/implications: Expansion of the research design to incorporate case studies, grounded theory and action research has the potential to generate new SCM theory that builds on the Four Fundamentals construct, thus facilitating a deeper and richer understanding of SCM phenomena. The use of longitudinal studies would enable a barometer of progress to be developed over time. Practical implications: The authors’ definitional construct supports improvement in the cohesion of SCM practices, thereby promoting the effective implementation of supply chain strategies. A number of critical success factors and/or barriers to implementation of SCM theory in practice are identified, as are a number of practical measures that could be implemented at policy/supply chain/firm level to improve the level of effective SCM adoption. Originality/value: The authors’ robust definitional construct supports a more cohesive approach to the development of a unified theory of SCM. In addition to a profile of SCM understanding and adoption by firms in Ireland, the related critical success factors and/or inhibitors to success, as well as possible interventions, are identified

Characterization of paralic paleoenvironments using benthic foraminifera from early Cretaceous deposits (Scotian Shelf)

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