Parcel shipping: Understanding the needs of business shippers

Research on carrier selection addresses how shippers choose carriers. To date, this extensive research stream has not adequately addressed a known and significant shipping segment: business parcel shippers. In this research, input from 374 business parcel shippers was captured and analyzed using Maximum Difference Scaling. The respondents were asked to evaluate the importance of 17 carrier selection variables in regard to choosing a parcel carrier. The overall results indicate that delivery promises, transit times, rates, pick-up promises, and tracking are the most important attributes when a parcel shipper makes a carrier selection. In addition, the results of attribute importance were used classify the parcel shippers into four unique segments

Identifying critical skills for logistics professionals: Assessing skill importance, capability, and availability

The purpose of this research is to identify critical skills needed in the logistics profession now and in the future. This study uses survey research, means tests, and importance analysis to explore a multi-factor framework that identifies critical supply chain skills perceived by 176 experienced supply chain professionals from manufacturing, transportation, and retail/wholesale segments. Results indicate significant differences exist between current and future needed skills, among current capabilities and current availability of skills, and among skill needs utilizing a multi-factor index. Identifying needed skills based on importance is common. Considering more factors than just importance offers a more thorough assessment that reduces potential oversights and inefficiencies that can occur if decision makers focus on one factor when planning key processes, such as recruiting, hiring, and training, in a talent management program