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Logistics and supply chain management has been elevated to a strategic level whereby firms can simultaneously achieve differentiation and low cost for sustained competitive advantage. Empirical studies have often concentrated on logistics management in developed Western countries, displaying a bias towards the USA. This study applies the competency approach to explore logistics in Taiwan. A survey of 1,200 manufacturing firms was undertaken in order to examine the relationships between logistics competency, logistics performance, and financial performance, using exploratory factor analysis and the structural equation modelling technique. Four logistics competencies, namely, integration and knowledge competency, customer focused logistics competency, measurement competency, and agility competency were identified. The research findings revealed that (1) logistics competency was significantly related to logistics performance but not significantly associated with financial performance, and (2) logistics performance was positively associated with financial performance. These findings also implied that logistics competency has an indirect effect on financial performance through logistics performance. This finding confirmed the “world-class” logistics competencies (i.e. positioning, integration, agility, and measurement) as identified by MSUGLRT (1995). In addition, it suggests that logistics competency in a huge geographic area such as America can have the same effect in a smaller geographic area such as Taiwan.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of collaboration and information technology (IT) on the reverse logistics competency of firms. Through collaboration firms can improve their ability to handle returns, but this research introduces IT as providing a moderating influence over the impact of collaboration in the advancement of a reverse logistics competency.

A survey was administered to employees involved with supply chain relationships. Empirical evidence from 267 respondents is analyzed with structural equation modeling.

Support is found for the positive moderating influence of an IT competency on the relationship between collaboration and a reverse logistics competency. Additional benefits for logistics performance are also realized.

This research provides theoretical implications for the development of a reverse logistics competency through an application of resource-based theory/resource-based view of the firm. The study is limited to the selected research questions and sample of predominantly US firms.

This research assists managers as they attempt to develop a reverse logistics competency to address the growing problem of returns through collaboration with supply chain members and the development of an IT competency.

The framework developed in this research provides insights regarding the handling of product returns. Specifically, the moderating influence of an IT competency is addressed as it enhances the impact of collaboration on the development of a reverse logistics competency.

The purpose of this paper is to identify and prioritise competencies of Indonesian third-party logistics (3PL) managers from the perspective of multinational corporations (MNCs) and local firms.

Underlined by the theory of action and job performance (competency model), the study proposes a framework that consists of management, logistics, business and information and communication technology competency categories, with 15 competencies. Data are collected from five MNCs and five local 3PL firms operating in Indonesia. The analytic hierarchy process method is used to calculate the priority weights and to prioritise the competencies.

Results indicate that both the local and MNC 3PL providers emphasise logistics as the “most important” competency category. In the “moderately important” competency group, MNCs prioritise competencies in the management competency category while local firms prioritise competencies in the business competency category.

Results obtained in this study focus on 3PL firms in Indonesian businesses, which may not be applicable to other nations and other industries.

3PL firms, industry peak bodies (e.g. Indonesian Logistics Association) and education providers can benefit from incorporating the findings of this study in developing curricula for higher education and training programmes for certification designed to improve managerial competencies.

By including the perceptions of the MNCs and local 3PL providers, this study advances the literature on 3PL managerial competencies by extending such knowledge to the global environment.

Though resource based view (RBV) has been applied extensively in supply chain studies to examine how firms utilize logistics resources to attain superior performance, relatively little attention has been directed to exploring the effects of operational routines on logistics and supply chain (L&SC) competencies. The purpose of this paper is to examine the causal linkages between operational routines and L&SC competencies of Chinese logistics service providers (LSPs).

A conceptual model on the relationships between operational routines and L&SC competencies was developed based on RBV. In total, 76 valid responses from a survey of Chinese LSPs provided the empirical data for the testing of the formulated hypotheses. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to develop the constructs for the model and hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed to test the hypothesized relationships.

Not all operational routines were drivers of L&SC competencies in the Chinese logistics market. Processes for increasing responsiveness are most important in contributing to building positioning, distribution support and agility competencies. Processes for increasing flexibility are only effective in developing positioning competency, while performance benchmarking has little contribution to competency building in the Chinese market. ICT support strengthens the relationship between performance benchmarking and distribution support, but weakens that between processes for increasing flexibility and distribution support as well as that between processes for increasing responsiveness and agility.

This study raises more questions than it attempts to answer, opening up a number of horizons for further research into the logistics market of China. Several follow‐up studies have been suggested, including a multiple case study on how Chinese LSPs contrive their operational routines to respond to the exigencies of market situations.

Findings from this study have significant managerial implications in resource investment and competency building to generate competitive advantage in the Chinese logistics market.

This research sheds new insights on the routine‐capability‐competency building chain in China's fragmentary logistics industry. It indicates that despite over three decades of economic reform, and ascension to the World Trade Organization, China remains a distinctively unique market environment with ingredients for operation success vastly different from those of the developed economies.

Managing container shipping logistics requires people with good competencies, especially in the time of new challenges. The purpose of this paper is to validate a new framework of competencies for container shipping logistics professionals.

The competency framework was proposed through a comprehensive literature review process followed by in-depth interviews with senior maritime logistics executives both in Singapore and South Korea. It contains three groups of business-, logistics- and management-related competencies, with each group further being classified into generalist and maritime-specific skills and knowledge. A confirmatory survey was also conducted in both countries. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software and thematic analysis technique.

It was found that all competencies proposed in this framework are important and perceived to contribute to work performance of container shipping logisticians. Findings also revealed that those competencies related to management are more important and can contribute to work performance of container shipping logisticians more than those of logistics and business nature.

The proposed and validated framework is original as it is the first framework for container shipping logisticians. This lays the background for future research on competency-based education and training programs for logisticians in container shipping logistics and other sectors of the maritime supply chain. Findings of this research can help senior management identify important competencies which are critical for container shipping logisticians to acquire, and design subsequent training and education programs accordingly.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse professionals’ competencies in supply chain management (SCM) in the mid-sized supermarket sector in Brazil as a way of broadening the understanding of the importance and the use of competencies in business development.

The survey was conducted with 60 managers from 34 companies in the mid-sized supermarket sector in the metropolitan region of Natal, Brazil. The managers evaluated the importance and use of a set of 24 general and specific competencies related to SCM. The gaps between importance and use were identified and analysed.

The results showed that the level of use was below the level of importance for all competencies, and the general competencies somehow received more attention than specific competencies in the development and execution of SCM activities. Moreover, the overall average of the gaps between levels of use and importance calculated for the general competencies was less than the general average of the gaps calculated for the specific skills.

The research was carried out with a sample of mid-sized supermarkets in a particular region. Therefore, it is recommended that the research be extended to other contexts and supermarket companies of other sizes.

The calculated gaps between managers’ expectations or attributed importance and the perceived levels of competence use in supermarket organisations revealed important lines of action for correcting the course in human resources policy.

The present paper elaborated on an opportunities matrix, gaps × importance, showing how managers can set priorities to fill competence gaps and improve the companies’ human resources. Besides, it compares levels of importance and uses for two groups of competencies, general and specific related to SCM.

This paper considers third party logistics (TPL) from a resource and competence perspective. New competencies are developed in the relationship between the shipper and the TPL provider. A typology of TPL relationships is developed going from market exchanges to joint logistics solutions. Here, the article will concentrate on the highest level – joint logistics solutions. The theoretical grounding of competence development will be outlined. Two case examples will illustrate the learning process in TPL arrangements. Finally, the article will discuss managerial implications and implications for future research in TPL.

The purpose of the research paper is to provide the humanitarian logistics community with an overall picture about competencies and skills in humanitarian logistics and if there is a lack of professionalization of the logistics function in humanitarian context from an international perspective. Further this research elaborates practical approaches how the skills and competencies can be enhanced and developed for international education programs.

An empirical survey as approach was used. Hereby a descriptive analysis provides in a comprehensive way education, skills and competencies in humanitarian logistics. The respondents are from different countries and continents as well as from different humanitarian sector, e.g. humanitarian organizations (HOs), logistics service providers, military services and researchers.

In general, the findings of the research paper present valuable insights of mandatory contents of education in humanitarian logistics as well as competencies and skills on different levels based on European Qualification Framework (EQF). This research paper explores these and offers suggestions to improve and promote market and professional competencies and skills for the humanitarian logistics sector and to minimize their impacts.

The field survey was due to access and motivation restriction mainly answered by academics in the field of humanitarian logistics or by leadership personnel with very high academic merits (MA/PhD). Further the objective of this research paper was purposefully limited to describing the education requirements, not gap analysis with existing education offers or development of new curricula content – this should be a task for further research setups.

Specific requirements regarding negotiation and legal competences are named in the survey as well as the objective of specific, country-related adaptions and the time schedule form of education trainings in humanitarian logistics (during a professional career with as much time absent for learning as feasible).

The paper highlights the increasing demand and still existing gap regarding education and training in humanitarian logistics in the field. All included institutions and persons have to re-evaluate their prioritization and budgeting in order to support further education and training for personnel in humanitarian logistics according to the results of the survey and addressing the need of logisticians in the humlog management and operations.

This paper adds to the knowledge about the implications of education and training and measurement of skills and competencies based on EQF for theory and practice. Further the humanitarian logistics community requires rudimentary humanitarian logistics education to enhance the logistics operation in case of disaster toward the affected people.

The purpose of this paper is threefold. First, it describes the general characteristics of studies on logistics and supply chain education (L&SCE). Second, it classifies identified papers on the basis of their main research methods and issues. Finally, it proposes some meaningful directions for future research.

Seventy-three papers published since 2000 in international peer-reviewed journals were reviewed using a systematic review methodology. The collected papers were analyzed and classified on the basis of research methods and issues.

It was found that most papers on L&SCE were published in journals in the logistics and supply chain management field and were conducted by either a single or mixed-method approach. The survey-based approach was the most preferred method. The contribution of this study is twofold. First, the identification of the five competencies and 49 skills required of logistics and supply chain talents was performed along with the analysis of the 42 courses and the teaching methods. Second, this study revealed some important aspects that have received inadequate attention in the literature and proposed potential research directions.

This paper provides academics and practitioners alike with a guide to extant literature. The proposed framework of the competencies and skills required of talents could be a guide to develop competence in both students and employees. The summary of the curriculum and the matrix of relationships between the relevant courses and competencies can be used by educators to improve L&SCE. Finally, the proposed research directions are meaningful for academics.

The study provides an evaluation of the knowledge and skills importance covered in the degree of Logistics and Supply Chain Management (LSCM) as well as the knowledge and skills gap of graduates entry-level.

The study used both descriptive and exploratory research designs. The study adopted a self-administered questionnaire. The sample size is 41 logistics industry mid-managers of six organizations selected from the main operators of Sohar Port in Oman.

The findings reveal that logistics professionals agree on the importance of all the learner attributes, knowledge and cognitive skills, and general competencies identified in a university degree with a major in LSCM. Furthermore, the results identified moderate levels of gaps in five knowledge areas and six soft and hard skills of graduates at the entry level.

Further research can be built on this study findings by evaluating the perception of logistics and supply chain industry professionals in different global contexts and investigate the effectiveness of different training and educational programs in enhancing the knowledge and skills of logistics professionals in various regions.

This study may extend beyond Oman and have important implications for LSCM practices in other developing countries. Universities' management in developing countries can use this study findings to identify the key skills required by entry-level logistics professionals and incorporate them into their curricula to better prepare graduates for the workforce. In addition, the skills identified in our study, such as decision-making skills, managing stress, negotiation skills and critical thinking, are relevant to logistics professionals in other developing countries with similar socio-economic and industry characteristics.

Unlike the prior studies that focused on the mismatch between educational degrees and job requirements without considering study specializations and industry, this paper lays a nuanced understanding of the knowledge and skills gap associated with entry-level graduates of the logistics and supply chain industry. As such, the paper offers inputs for the LSCM academic degree related to knowledge and skills needed by logistics and supply chain industry.