Search results

1 – 10 of 127
Article
Publication date: 9 March 2015

Daniel Ekwall and Björn Lantz

The purpose of this paper is to examine the patterns of reported cargo thefts at non-secure parking facilities in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) with respect to stolen…

1025

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the patterns of reported cargo thefts at non-secure parking facilities in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) with respect to stolen value, frequency, incident category, and modi operandi.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on a system-theoretical approach that emphasizes on a holistic rather than an atomistic view. The research method used in this paper is deductive; the analysis is based on data obtained from the incident information service (IIS), a database of transport-related crimes from the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA) in the EMEA region. The results are analysed and discussed within a frame of reference based on supply chain risk management (SCRM) and criminology theories.

Findings

We found that 97 per cent of all attacks during a stop occur at non-secure parking locations. Cargo thefts at these locations are more of a volume crime than high-value thefts. Seasonal variations were seen in these thefts, and the most common type was an intrusion on weekdays during winter.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited by the content of and the classifications within the TAPA EMEA IIS database.

Practical implications

This paper is directly relevant to the current EU discussions regarding the creation of a large number of secure parking facilities in the region.

Originality/value

This is one of the first papers in the field of SCRM that utilizes actual crime statistics reported by the industry to analyse the occurrence of cargo theft by focusing on the non-secure parking aspect in the transport chain.

Details

International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, vol. 43 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-0552

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 September 2019

Daniel Ekwall and Björn Lantz

The purpose of this paper is to explore cargo theft risk and security for different product types at different locations along a transport chain.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore cargo theft risk and security for different product types at different locations along a transport chain.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on a system-theoretical approach. The research method is deductive, as the analysis is based on secondary data and results from a questionnaire. The results are analysed based on supply chain risk management (SCRM) theories.

Findings

Due to substantial interaction effects, the type of product and transport chain location must be considered to determine the correct level of security. Specifically, the product type is more significant, since the general cargo theft risk is higher. Furthermore, the transport industry has three perspectives on security responses to cargo theft, namely, demanded, needed and actual security, which differ depending on the product type and transport chain location.

Research limitations/implications

This database is structured according to the global Transported Asset Protection Association organisational structure, which implies that there are three main databases: Europe, Middle East and Africa, Americas, and Asia-Pacific.

Practical implications

This study has both research and practical implications, as it examines security within freight transport from three perspectives, linked to general cargo theft risk and goods owners’ requirements.

Originality/value

This study addresses the contemporary SCRM problem of cargo theft using actual crime statistics and the industry understanding of required generic security levels.

Details

The TQM Journal, vol. 32 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2731

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 November 2013

Daniel Ekwall and Björn Lantz

The purpose of this paper is to describe the seasonal patterns of reported cargo theft value and frequency in Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) countries with respect to…

1486

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the seasonal patterns of reported cargo theft value and frequency in Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) countries with respect to different transport chain locations.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on a system-theoretical approach, which emphasizes a holistic rather than an atomistic view. The research method used in this paper is deductive; the analysis is based on the data taken from Incident Information Service (IIS), a transport-related crime database of Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA) EMEA; and the result is analyzed and discussed within a frame of reference based on supply chain risk management and criminology theories.

Findings

There are seasonal variations in cargo thefts at different transport chain locations during particular months of the year as well as days of the week; however, each transport chain location has a different pattern. Indeed, hot spots, modus operandi, theft-endangered objects, and handling methods change frequently during the period under study. However, the basic theoretical frame of reference continues to be the same.

Research limitations/implications

This study is based on theoretical deduction using official statistics regarding antagonistic threats. Its geographical limitation to the EMEA is owing to the limitations of the utilized database, although the frame of reference can be applied to analyze antagonistic threats against transport chains globally.

Practical implications

This study is limited by the content and classification within the TAPA EMEA IIS database; nevertheless, this database is the best available one, with reports originating mainly from the industry itself, as different TAPA members anonymously report their losses.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the first on supply chain risk management that uses actual crime statistics reported by the industry itself to analyze the occurrence of cargo theft by focusing on the value of the vehicle/goods stolen from transport chain locations.

Details

International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, vol. 43 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0960-0035

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 20 November 2020

L. P. Barreto, A. S. Silva and R. C. Ferreira

Identifying and managing supply chain risk is crucial for the competitiveness of a company. However, research focused on the risks of supply chain operations in Brazil is scarce…

Abstract

Identifying and managing supply chain risk is crucial for the competitiveness of a company. However, research focused on the risks of supply chain operations in Brazil is scarce. The purpose of this study is to analyze and assess the risk of cargo theft in the country. The methodology adopted is deductive and based on an analysis of historical data from January 2015 to November 2017, aiming to evaluate risk based on probability and impact. The findings unveil a scenario of criminality of transporting goods in Brazil, where the use of force, violence, and threats to steal goods is most likely to occur en route or when parked in key locations on the way to the distribution center. On the other hand, the higher impact cargo crimes are concentrated en route to the customer. This chapter provides a better understanding of the risks of transporting goods by road in Brazil and contributes to a more efficient supply chain design by identifying the risks and assessing the primary locations of the crimes along with their modi operandi and the period of the day during which the crime occurs.

Details

Supply Chain Management and Logistics in Emerging Markets
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83909-333-3

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 February 2017

Pei-Ju Wu, Mu-Chen Chen and Chih-Kai Tsau

Cargo loss has been a major issue in logistics management. However, few studies have tackled the issue of cargo loss severity via business analytics. Hence, the purpose of this…

2530

Abstract

Purpose

Cargo loss has been a major issue in logistics management. However, few studies have tackled the issue of cargo loss severity via business analytics. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to provide guidance about how to retrieve valuable information from logistics data and to develop cargo loss mitigation strategies for logistics risk management.

Design/methodology/approach

This study proposes a research design of business analytics to scrutinize the causes of cargo loss severity.

Findings

The empirical results of the decision tree analytics reveal that transit types, product categories, and shipping destinations are key factors behind cargo loss severity. Furthermore, strategies for cargo loss prevention were developed.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed framework of cargo loss analytics provides a research foundation for logistics risk management.

Practical implications

Companies with logistics data can utilize the proposed business analytics to identify cargo loss factors, while companies without logistics data can employ the proposed cargo loss mitigation strategies in their logistics systems.

Originality/value

This pioneer empirical study scrutinizes the critical cargo loss issues of cargo damage, cargo theft, and cargo liability insurance through exploiting real cargo loss data.

Details

International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, vol. 47 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0960-0035

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 January 2009

Daniel Ekwall

The aim of this paper is to analyze and explain why cargo theft continues to occur in the transport network despite all implemented countermeasures.

2415

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to analyze and explain why cargo theft continues to occur in the transport network despite all implemented countermeasures.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is based on a logical deductive hypothesis using theories from several scientific fields. This hypothesis is then tested empirically. Credibility is substantiated with the use of several independent official statistical sources and verified with both open‐ended qualitative interviews and a quantitative, comparative, geographically controlled survey.

Findings

Theft risk arises from different theft opportunities that will always be present in the transport network. The theory of crime displacement provides one likely explanation as to why the absolute reduction, instead of a theft pattern alteration, is very difficult to achieve. The result in this paper substantiates research results in criminology that indicate that causality in crime displacement is hard to establish.

Research limitations/implications

This research is limited by the lack of reliable information sources about criminal activities against logistics business. Secondary sources, like official crime statistics, are at best untrustworthy but more likely filled with large parts of hidden statistics.

Practical implications

The common‐sense feeling about the crime displacement theory that exists in the logistics business needs to be modified. This paper maintains that the understanding of the relationship between potential perpetrators and theft preventing measures is a key issue to reduce theft problems within the transport network.

Originality/value

This paper is a step towards bringing theories from criminology into the scientific field of logistics and supply chain risk management.

Details

International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, vol. 39 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0960-0035

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 May 2015

Chia-Hsun Chang, Jingjing Xu and Dong-Ping Song

The purpose of this paper is to explore and analyse the risks in container shipping operations from a logistics perspective. In the paper, risks associated with the three flows in…

3994

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore and analyse the risks in container shipping operations from a logistics perspective. In the paper, risks associated with the three flows in logistics − information, physical, and payment flow are identified and analysed.

Design/methodology/approach

The use of case study method was first explained and justified. Second, risk identification was started with supporting references, several interviews were then conducted to identify and validate the potential risks in container shipping operations. A questionnaire was deployed to collect related data; and the impacts of the risks were then assessed and ranked using the method of risk mapping.

Findings

The paper has identified a total of 35 risk factors and classified them into different categories. The paper has also revealed that the risks associated with physical flows have more serious risk impacts than the other types of risks; however, one of the risk factors associated with information flow (shippers hiding cargo information) is the most significant one among all the factors.

Originality/value

Although many studies have been conducted on container shipping operational risks, no studies so far have approached this issue from a perspective that inclusively examines all the possible risks and comprehensively evaluates the relative importance of each of them. This study has identified the risks in container shipping operations, and analysed and ranked the level of these risks. The research further “refines” the findings of some previous studies by placing the risk factors addressed therein in a full “risk picture” which was developed systematically.

Details

The International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. 26 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-4093

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 August 2016

Luca Urciuoli and Juha Hintsa

Supply chain stakeholders may perceive security risks differently and thereby misalign mitigation strategies. Hence, causing weak spots in supply chains and thereby disruptions…

1114

Abstract

Purpose

Supply chain stakeholders may perceive security risks differently and thereby misalign mitigation strategies. Hence, causing weak spots in supply chains and thereby disruptions. The purpose of this paper is to determine whether supply chain companies actually perceive security risks and effectiveness of mitigation strategies differently.

Design/methodology/approach

Two survey studies measuring perception of security risks and effectiveness of measures have been developed and used to collect data from European and Latin American companies, grouped as cargo owners and logistics companies.

Findings

The findings of the surveys unveil that only two (out of six) security risks, namely, violation of customs non-fiscal regulations and illegal immigration, show significant differences between the two groups of companies. In addition, the surveys show that companies perceive equally the effectiveness of security measures. This study concludes that supply chains seem to have good visibility over the security risks of their partners. Hence, in terms of security, supply chain companies seem to have achieved a common understanding of risks and furthermore are able to act jointly to secure assets and operations.

Originality/value

Previous research claim supply chain stakeholders may perceive risks differently and thereby may fail to correctly align mitigation strategies. Yet, to the authors knowledge, previous research has not empirically demonstrated these differences in perceptions of risks and mitigation strategies.

Details

The International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. 27 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-4093

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 July 2023

Kenyth Alves de Freitas, Barbara Bechler Flynn, Ely Laureano Paiva and Amrou Awaysheh

This paper investigates how companies become resilient to supply chain (SC) piracy through using transactional and relational governance mechanisms to develop strategies effective…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper investigates how companies become resilient to supply chain (SC) piracy through using transactional and relational governance mechanisms to develop strategies effective in environments characterized by weak regulative institutions and mistrust.

Design/methodology/approach

This study developed case studies of nine large manufacturers with operations in Brazil.

Findings

The companies employed transactional and relational governance mechanisms to learn from past incidents, anticipate, and respond to the threat of SC piracy, becoming more resilient over time. Transactional governance mechanisms reduced risk triggers through technology, while relational governance mechanisms enhanced trust between SC and non-SC members, allowing the members to build social capital.

Practical implications

The authors provide practical guidance for managers and policymakers in developing risk management strategies based on technology and collaboration to reduce SC piracy in environments characterized by mistrust.

Social implications

SC piracy is a serious problem for global operations and SCs in many low-cost manufacturing locations. Besides the cost and service level consequences, the authors also highlight worker safety consequences, including the potential for kidnapping, psychological trauma, injuries, and death.

Originality/value

This study focuses on the little-researched topic of SC piracy. The authors examine the negative effects of a weak institutional environment, while most prior research focuses on the positive effects of a strong institutional environment. The authors position transactional and relational governance mechanisms as essential elements of SC risk resilience.

Article
Publication date: 3 August 2015

Suhaiza Hanim Zailani, Karthigesu Seva Subaramaniam, Mohammad Iranmanesh and Mohd Rizaimy Shaharudin

The security issue in supply chains is among the most pressing concerns that firms are currently facing. As a preliminary attempt to address this lack of empirical research, the…

3104

Abstract

Purpose

The security issue in supply chains is among the most pressing concerns that firms are currently facing. As a preliminary attempt to address this lack of empirical research, the primary purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between security practices and the security operational performance with respect to security culture as a moderator.

Design/methodology/approach

With the resource-based view of the firm as the theoretical underpinning, the study utilizes survey data to test the propositions derived from the security literature and partial least squares for the analysis.

Findings

The research reveals four crucial practices of supply chain security that collectively affect a firm’s security operational performance among Malaysian service providers. It is also interesting to observe that security culture positively moderates the relationship between facility management and the security operational performance of the firm.

Research limitations/implications

Firms in emerging countries need to realize that supply chain security practices can result in significant benefits to their firms that can give them additional incentives to adopt these initiatives. This study may also help policymakers in emerging countries, in general, in setting appropriate policies and strategies, and Malaysia, in particular, for ensuring that it is a secure location for exporting cargo and giving assurance to the local and international investors to continue their investment.

Practical implications

This study will assist supply chain managers and logisticians to re-examine their existing supply chain security model by considering the selected supply chain security practices, which have a significant impact on supply chain security operational performance. Individual firms need to strategize their business model with the inclusion of security aspects, which will surely create a competitive advantage over other players in the logistics industry. Firms can develop the best appropriate supply chain security model that will benefit the firm, customers, and business partners, such as suppliers and local authorities.

Originality/value

The study highlights is the important role of the supply chain security practices to deliver high quality of service in terms of supply chain security operational performance in emerging countries. In addition, it offers an empirical analysis of the moderating role of security culture on the relationship between supply chain security practices and security operational performance.

Details

International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, vol. 45 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0960-0035

Keywords

1 – 10 of 127