Search results

Product returns management (PRM) is a core supply chain management process. Though the importance of value creation and appropriation is acknowledged, extant studies on value in product returns tend to be limited to the residual asset value (cost recovery) of the returned products. Further, value discussion in PRM is limited to the value implications for a single party in the returns transaction rather than all the product returns chain entities. The purpose of this paper is to explore value creation and appropriation in a triad of supplier-retailer-3PL in the product returns chain.

The study uses an inductive qualitative approach. Semi-structured interviews with executives in a triad of organisations formed the primary data source for the study.

The paper identifies six value drivers and develops a value creation and appropriation framework. It shows that facilitation, value orientation, process alignment and relational factors are key drivers of value creation and appropriation in PRM.

The findings reinforce the view that value creation and appropriation are the outcomes of multi-party interactions in a product return chain. The framework presented contributes to the literature by showing the linkages amongst key drivers.

The findings show the important role of external process facilitation and how a 3PL contributes to value creation in a triadic relationship.

Research based on a triadic product returns chain is a unique dimension of this study.

Category management has been promoted as a mechanism to achieve closer working relations between suppliers and retailers. The premise has been that category management should result in a reduced reliance on the use of power as an element of the relationship and increased levels of cooperation. However, power is an element of any relationship and exists even when not activated. Further, the premise rests on the notion that cooperation is a polar opposite of power. This research confirms that food industry managers perceive the use of power in solely negative terms. Power can be defined operationally as the ability of one channel member to influence the marketing decisions of another channel member and hence must be related to cooperation. This paper reviews the nature of dependence, power and cooperation and explores the role of these constructs in the practice of category management. The results of continuing research in the area of category management relationships are reported.

This paper reports on a study of the logistics and supply chain practices of Australian and New Zealand firms.

The research uses the Supply Chain 2000 Framework developed at Michigan State University as a basis for analyzing logistics/supply chain capabilities and competencies of Australian and New Zealand firms. A mail survey instrument was used in both countries.

There are indeed Australian and New Zealand firms who are operating at world‐class levels with respect to logistics/supply chain capabilities. The majority of firms, however, still focus their efforts on internal logistics integration issues, compared with external integration issues. A comparison of industry groups shows that the motor/transport and the chemicals/petroleum sectors perform the best, while there is much room for improvement in the food, clothing/textile and primary industry sectors.

This research takes a snapshot of Australian and New Zealand businesses at a point in time, and uses a framework developed in North America to assess the logistics competencies of the ANZ firms. These two issues can be considered research limitations, in that businesses are constantly evolving, and thus future research should be conducted to evaluate the evolution of ANZ firms as they continue to develop their logistics capabilities. Additionally, the business environment of North America is considerably different from the environment found in Australia and New Zealand. Thus, future research should also consider the logistics competencies within the specific context of the ANZ environment.

This research provides a baseline for ANZ managers to assess their logistics competencies and capabilities, and provides a framework for developing further logistics capabilities.

From a practical perspective the research enriches understanding of the state and practice of logistics in Australia and New Zealand, about which very little has been previously published. Theoretically, the study extends a conceptual framework in an international setting.

Despite the necessity of close integration between marketing and sales, managers report less than satisfactory results in this area. This paper aims to examine what keeps the two functions apart. It proposes going beyond surface level behavior to examine the different sub‐cultural mental frames that characterize the two functions.

A total of 44 salespeople and marketers across four different organizations in different industries were interviewed.

The research finds that conflicts between marketing and sales are driven by differences in beliefs about the valid scope and focus of activity, time focus, valid sources of knowledge, differences in perceived status, and the relationship to the business environment.

Managers need to focus on removing implied status barriers between sales and marketing, provide sales with a strategic voice, and attend to structural issues that drive the two functions apart.

Research on the sales‐marketing interface remains scarce. The paper examines this from a cultural point of view and identifies a number of basic cultural frames that explain behavioral differences between the two functions. Critically, it also identifies significant points of difference on which to build greater understanding between the two functions.

Category management has been introduced in the grocery industry as a mechanism for managing relationships between retailers and their suppliers. Examines the nature of relationship concepts of power, trust and commitment within the category management framework based on the findings of exploratory research carried out with Australian and UK firms in the grocery industry. Reveals varying interpretations of category management (CM) in the two countries. The different levels of retailer concentration may be a contributing factor to these differences. More importantly, the research reveals a shift in management attitudes and behaviours from conflictual relations to trust‐based relations.

Explores the development and operations of Benetton, an Italian‐based fashion designer and manufacturer. In order to maintain its fast response time – a necessity to stay a leader in the highly transient world of international fashion – Benetton has developed unique relationships and operational processes, and employs state‐of‐the‐art technology. It still manages, however, to keep logistics costs contained.

Over the last two decades, a large number of studies have been conducted in the field of outsourcing third‐party logistics (3PL) services and the field is growing. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which 3PL services are outsourced by Australian firms. Specifically, it investigates the motivation for outsourcing, the average length of 3PL contracts, types of logistics services used and the impact of the use of outsourcing logistics services on customer satisfaction, logistics costs and employee morale of the user companies.

This study is based on a questionnaire survey conducted in Australia. The sample was drawn from companies listed in Dun & Bradstreet's 500 largest Australian firms. Banks and other financial firms, insurance companies and real estate companies were excluded from the list of firms and a total of 210 firms were identified for this study. Data were collected against a number of items pertaining to the extent of 3PL use and its impact on performance.

The results revealed that the most frequently used logistics functions are warehouse management, order fulfillment and fleet management. The top three factors that motivated the firms to outsource are cost reduction, reduction in capital investment, and enhanced operational flexibility. The level of satisfaction with 3PL service providers is high at 86 percent and is reflected in the indication to continue their use in the future. However, employee morale has been adversely affected in 50 percent of 3PL users.

The paper contributes to the current 3PL practices and the trends in 3PL services for achieving improved business results.

Provides information relating to the experiences of Australian firms using third party logistics services (outsourcing of logistics functions being a business dynamic of growing importance in Australia). Presents conclusions from a survey showing that many of Australia’s largest firms utilize the services of contract logistics providers and some other firms are considering doing so. Provides insights in planning for implementation, for example, the need to educate the third party logistics services provider about the firm’s requirements and also information for the providers of the services.

States that more firms are locating operations in Australia to serve the domestic market and as a base for entering other Asian markets. Many of these firms will outsource at least part of their logistics function and this is a growing trend throughout the world. Describes how a mail survey of the major operating units at the largest firms in Australia was conducted to determine the current extent of logistics outsourcing in Australia. Provides the results from this survey together with responses from earlier studies on the usage of contract logistics services in the USA and Western Europe for comparative purposes.