Conventions de qualification et technologies de l'information : une analyse appliquée à la relation prestataires logistiques – clients

The evolution of information and communications technologies (ICT) and their integration within logistical provider services have brought costs cuts and led to a better communication between these providers and theirs customers within a supply chain. ICTs have also had great consequences on the level of quality both offered and expected on a market. We show that using the qualification convention concept (Gomez, 1994). This convention, we argue, has been profoundly changed since ICTs are more and more used in a logistical service provider / customer relationship. Both complexity and consistency of this convention have evolved, revealing the following paradox in this relationship: on the one hand, relatively formal and rigid coordination mechanisms (such as a contract) are needed to control the relationship, but on the other hand, it needs to be flexible so that supply qualitatively matches demand.