The Impact of Integrated Logistics Relationships on Third-Party Logistics Service Quality and Performance

Third-party logistics has been an efficient organisational adjustment to the needs of clients for logistics solutions and improvement in supply chain performance. Examination of logistics performance has mainly been focused on operational measures. There has been less attention placed on the influence of organisational factors, despite the advocated need for greater inter-organisational integration among supply chain partners. This study examines empirically the influence of relationship orientation in third-party logistics and its impact on logistics service quality and performance. Data were collected via a large-scale industrial survey and structural equation modelling was used to examine the causal hypotheses. The findings suggest that relational exchange can have a positive effect on logistics service quality and performance in third-party logistics. Research and managerial implications are discussed. Maritime Economics & Logistics (2005) 7, 36–55. doi:10.1057/palgrave.mel.9100123