1,720,973 research outputs found
Designing global trade and logistics channels: a focus on the Chinese food and beverage market
Full text linkinternationalisation ventures entail a close relationship between the trade channel (TC) and the logistics channel (LC), but few studies address simultaneously TC and LC design. This study investigates how TC can influence LC design and explores the role played by related contextual factors. Abductive reasoning is adopted within middle-range purposes, elaborating previous theory with multiple case studies considering European food manufacturers tackling a specific empirical context (i.e., the Chinese food and beverage market). The study lends contingency theory elements and leverages them to develop nine propositions that can open to further inquiries about the influence of TC on LC design and the impact of the identified contextual
factors. Moreover, it proposes the behavioural theory as a theoretical lens to approach LC (and not only TC) design. Lastly, it provides practitioners with insights that can be useful to improve their understanding of the Chinese food and beverage market
A call to action: a stakeholder analysis of green logistics practices
Full text linkPurpose: There is a growing body of literature discussing the green logistics practices (GLPs) that companies could introduce to reduce the logistics environmental impact. Current approaches also identify several influencing factors within firms that could serve as barriers to, or enablers of, GLPs. However, less is known about the role of extra-firm stakeholders, even though these are crucial to operationalizing green logistics effectively. This study merges current theoretical understanding with empirical evidence to provide a detailed stakeholder analysis of GLPs. Design/methodology/approach: Using stakeholder theory as a theoretical lens, the authors aimed at offering a mid-range contribution by conducting multiple embedded case studies examining Italian logistics service providers and shippers. GLPs and the related influencing factors were examined as sub-units of analysis within broader companies' environmental sustainability strategies. Findings: The authors identified cascading effects among factors influencing the adoption of GLPs (e.g. key economic factors are affected by external factors which also influence organizational and collaboration factors). These effects are moderated by interdependencies between primary and secondary stakeholders, and the study highlights the prominent involvement of secondary stakeholders, such as final consumers. Originality/value: This paper contributes to better understanding how and why companies adopt GLPs, emphasizing the wide set of stakeholders involved and illustrating how different stakeholders impact on GLPs adoption by affecting a set of influencing factors. By combining insights from the available literature with contemporary empirical data, the authors emphasize how Logistics Service Providers (LSPs) and shippers can no longer address the adoption of GLPs as “focal companies”, but only as part of a “focal network of interconnected stakeholders”, all of them influencing GLPs adoption
Assessing the environmental impact of logistics sites through CO2eq footprint computation
Full text linkThe environmental sustainability of logistics facilities is widely acknowledged as an important issue, but a comprehensive standardised methodology for assessing their environmental impact is lacking. This study proposes a structured model for quantifying both consumptions and generated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, adopting a three-phase methodology that combines multiple methods. A literature-based conceptual framework was leveraged to design an analytical model, and in-depth interviews with 11 senior logistics managers were conducted. The study offers a replicable methodology that considers heterogeneous sources of consumption and related end-use types, further splitting consumptions and emissions by warehouses' functional areas. It offers a set of Environmental Performance Indicators (EPIs) that could bolster a clearer understanding of the warehouse environmental performance. A robust tool is offered to managers to support their decision-making processes, allowing for both internal assessments and benchmarking with competitors or other players along the supply chain, thus contributing to shape company's, or even supply chain, sustainability strategies
Global distribution network design: exploration of facility location driven by tax considerations and related cross-country implications
Full text linkMultinational corporations (MNCs) are moving not only their headquarters but also their logistics operations to low-tax jurisdictions to minimise the tax burden. However, the logistics and fiscal domains are guided by different principles. This study aims to explore the cross-country implications of locating facilities in low-tax jurisdictions to take advantage of tax arbitrage. A single case study is developed, considering a fashion MNC that moved its European warehouse from Italy to Switzerland.
The study offers theoretical insights about cross-country logistics network reconfiguration, formalising three possible scenarios and deepening the related implications. A quantitative evaluation of those scenarios is proposed, updating logistics cost items by including fiscal specifics and exploring the mutual interdependence between logistics and fiscal elements. To improve the study’s managerial contribution, the influence of contextual parameters is also investigated, showing that facility location for tax purposes does not necessarily lead to maximise net income after taxes
Supply chain resilience for small and medium enterprises: a protection motivation perspective for Italian firms
No full textRecent unpredictable events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic or the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, have triggered new business conditions across supply chains characterised by increasing vulnerability and risk severity. This highlights the need to improve supply chain resilience. To foster resilience and anticipate and/or manage risks, proactive approaches have been often seen as beneficial, also because they contribute to develop dynamic capabilities. However, little clarity exists on the reasons why companies adopt (or not) a proactive or reactive approach to supply chain resilience. . This especially applies to the context of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), for which this topic is largely underexplored. Consequently, this study aims to investigate the attitude of SMEs towards supply chain resilience by interpreting the adoption of proactive or reactive approaches through the lens of the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT). We leveraged the two dominant mediating processes at the core of PMT, i.e., coping appraisal and threat appraisal. Coping appraisal evaluates the action taken to prevent damage to the supply chain, whereas threat appraisal evaluates the maintenance of the status quo. We analysed resilience enablers, i.e., entrepreneurial orientation, innovativeness, and risk management culture, to improve the current understanding of how coping and threat appraisal affect companies’ dynamic capabilities to develop resilience.
To achieve the objective of our research, we conducted multiple case studies involving a sample of five Italian manufacturing SMEs. Theoretically, our work advances previous knowledge on supply chain resilience by combining the PMT with the dynamic capabilities theory to explain how SMEs develop supply chain resilience. From a practical perspective, we provide SMEs with an understanding of the reasons behind the adoption of proactive or reactive approaches and the establishment of dynamic capabilities, highlighting the influence that entrepreneurial orientation, innovativeness, and risk management culture have on resilience development
Integrating fiscal issues in global distribution network design
No full textGlobal distribution network design (GDND) is currently facing a phase of substantial changes, since logistics decisions need to consider also fiscal and legal aspects. Although the adoption of an integrated approach may create new opportunities for GDND, logistics and fiscal domains are based on different principles and frictions may arise, creating distortions in the optimal logistics configuration and eventually involving cross-country flows. This issue is still under-represented in the academic literature, despite the rising debate in the practitioners’ community. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap by investigating the available configurations in GDND, focusing on a location problem for a single distribution layer. A multinational corporation (MNC) may consider shifting the optimal logistics location of a central warehouse (CW) in a close low-tax jurisdiction, although additional cross-border transports may occur. A three-phase methodology was adopted. First, available cross-country logistics configurations were formalised and modelled by means of interviews with MNCs. Then, a cost-based model was developed, combining logistics and fiscal cost functions, with the aim of maximising after-taxes bottom-line results. The model was applied to a MNC willing to distribute in the European market from a Swiss warehouse. A sensitivity analysis was performed, varying annual demand, product value, operating expenses, exchange rate and Swiss corporate tax rate. Results confirmed the impact of taxation on GDND, and highlighted the importance of including fiscal issues when designing global distribution networks. A cross-country logistics configuration may turn out as the most suitable, if the reduction in corporate income taxes overcomes the increase in logistics cost, and corporate tax rate emerges as the main element driving network design
Estimating the national logistics outsourcing market size: a multi-method approach and an application to the Italian context
Full text linkPurpose: Today logistics is an ever-growing multi-billion-dollar business, and logistics operations have been increasingly outsourced to specialised players. The intended aim of this paper is to offer a multi-method approach for estimating the size of the national logistics outsourcing market by building upon financial-reporting data of logistics service providers (LSPs). Design/methodology/approach: The proposed approach is structured into four steps, clustered around two main stages: framework setting and data collection, and processing. A combination of methods is offered, including a review of academic literature and secondary sources, focus groups, interviews and data extractions from national databases. Findings: The proposed approach is meant to be replicable in different countries, thus allowing for comparison amongst markets. With reference to a specific country and year, the following outputs are provided: market size in terms of the number of players and generated turnover – total and split by LSPs type – and market concentration measures. A practical application of the proposed approach to a specific context, i.e. Italy is finally offered. Originality/value: The study focusses on the logistics outsourcing market and considers financial-reporting data from LSPs, avoiding the need for introducing assumptions about the value of logistics operations for shippers. The proposed approach can contribute to strengthening the accuracy of LSPs' market analyses, and supporting the development of national policies by local governments. The adoption of multiple methods brings rigour and reliability to the study. Finally, high flexibility is ensured, as the method may be adaptable over time to cope with future changes in the logistics landscape
How to align logistics environmental sustainability with corporate strategy? An Italian perspective
Full text linkLogistics environmental sustainability is a priority for practitioners and policymakers, but companies lack clarity about how to align it with strategic purposes. As this prevents them from coherently turning sustainability into action, this paper focuses on how companies can align logistics environmental sustainability with corporate strategies. We conducted multiple embedded case research involving logistics service providers (LSPs) and shippers operating in the Italian context. We selected 13 companies (6 LSPs and 7 shippers) and conducted semi-structured interviews to contextualise and elaborate the extant theory. Results highlight that companies seem more motivated by the need to comply with regulations or to protect their environmental reputation than by a genuine understanding of the actual need for sustainability. A framework is proposed to foster the alignment of logistics environmental sustainability with corporate strategy, underpinned by five main dimensions: degree of awareness, degree of formalisation, measurement systems, governance and accountability, and budget allocation
Estimating the national logistics outsourcing market size: a multi-method approach and an application to the Italian context
No full textPurpose – Today logistics is an ever-growing multi-billion-dollar business, and logistics operations have been
increasingly outsourced to specialised players. The intended aim of this paper is to offer a multi-method
approach for estimating the size of the national logistics outsourcing market by building upon financialreporting
data of logistics service providers (LSPs).
Design/methodology/approach – The proposed approach is structured into four steps, clustered around
two main stages: framework setting and data collection, and processing. A combination of methods is offered,
including a review of academic literature and secondary sources, focus groups, interviews and data extractions
from national databases.
Findings – The proposed approach is meant to be replicable in different countries, thus allowing for
comparison amongst markets. With reference to a specific country and year, the following outputs are
provided: market size in terms of the number of players and generated turnover – total and split by LSPs type –
and market concentration measures. A practical application of the proposed approach to a specific context, i.e.
Italy is finally offered.
Originality/value – The study focusses on the logistics outsourcing market and considers financial-reporting
data from LSPs, avoiding the need for introducing assumptions about the value of logistics operations for
shippers. The proposed approach can contribute to strengthening the accuracy of LSPs’ market analyses, and
supporting the development of national policies by local governments. The adoption of multiple methods
brings rigour and reliability to the study. Finally, high flexibility is ensured, as the method may be adaptable
over time to cope with future changes in the logistics landscape
Integrating fiscal issues in global distribution network design
No full textGlobal distribution network design (GDND) is currently facing a phase of substantial changes, since logistics decisions need to consider also fiscal and legal aspects. Although the adoption of an integrated approach may create new opportunities for GDND, logistics and fiscal domains are based on different principles. Also, the potential trade-off between logistics and fiscal issues is still under-investigated in the academic literature. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap by considering the location problem for a single distribution layer. In particular, the addressed problem refers to a multinational corporation (MNC) that considers shifting the optimal logistics location of a central warehouse (CW) in a close low-tax jurisdiction, although additional cross-border transports may occur. A three-phase methodology was adopted. First, two available cross-country logistics configurations were formalised and modelled by means of interviews with MNCs, as well as through literature review. The identified configurations imply a traditional or a bonded CW in a close low-tax jurisdiction. Then, a cost-based model was developed, combining logistics and fiscal cost functions, with the aim of maximising after-taxes bottom-line results. Finally, the model was applied to a MNC willing to distribute in the European market from a Swiss warehouse. A sensitivity analysis was performed, varying annual demand, product value, operating expenses, exchange rate and Swiss corporate tax rate. Results confirmed the impact of taxation on GDND, and highlighted the importance of including fiscal issues when designing global distribution networks. A cross-country logistics configuration may turn out as the most suitable, if the reduction in corporate income taxes overcomes the increase in logistics cost, and corporate tax rate emerges as the main element driving network design
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