Reviews the literature of purchasing and transportation management to identify factors in the purchasing and transportation processes that influence a firm’s ability to reduce total cycle time. Presents a model of these factors to establish a framework for guiding research into comprehensive,...

The focus of this paper is on purchasing and supplier involvement in the firm. Using the resource‐base view of the firm, hypotheses are developed concerning purchasing/supplier involvement, strategic purchasing and firm’s financial performance. A model of the hypothesized relationships is...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore a manufacturer's strategy to coordinate efforts of multiple suppliers' involvement in the product development process. The paper also proposes critical factors in determining the appropriate coordination strategy. Design/methodology/approach...

Since the early 1980s, the diffusion of Just-In-Time (JIT) manufacturing from Japanese manufacturers to U.S. manufacturers has progressed at an accelerated rate. At this stage of the diffusion process, JIT implementations are more common and more advanced in large U.S. manufacturers than in...

Surveys the importance of logistics services attributes to small and large international shipping firms (shippers/sellers). It appears that service priorities of international shippers are consistent with the findings of previous (US domestic) carrier selection. Reliability, transit time and...

Recent literature indicates there has been an absence of top management involvement in the development of customer service policies and integration of these policies into the organizational decision making process. This paper discusses the importance of integrating customer service activities...

American management traditionally has not paid much attention to the way competitors do business despite the success of many foreign companies in U.S. markets. The Japanese have been especially successful competing in world markets, and much can be learned from both their industrial development...