Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how a systematic application of middle-range theorizing, which pays particular attention to contexts and mechanisms, can be used to extend current knowledge on logistics customer service (LCS) in a number of critical areas....

Highlights insights gained from five years of operating experience in a logistics partnership between a large US retailer and a provider of international logistical service. The insights gained from this partnership show that a third‐party logistics provider can help a firm achieve substantial...

Automatic replenishment systems that restock inventory based on actual demand triggers rather than relying on long‐range forecasts and layers of safety stock have been implemented in a great number of firms in recent years. Now these same firms are taking supply chain cooperation to another...

Purpose – The paper extends a central paradigm of the strategy literature to the supply chain environment to foster a better understanding of the elements characterizing strategic decisions that lead to supply chain structural development and performance. Design/methodology/approach –...

Many of today's most successful companies have decided to focus on their core business and purchase other functional needs from outside vendors. Time and resource constraints make utilization of public or contract warehousing providers an attractive option. Because of their specialized...

Organizational structure significantly influences firm performance. A recent survey of logistics professionals revealed that centralized structures accommodated logistics system integration better than decentralized structures. Also, centralized firms spent a lower percentage of net sales on...