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The purpose of the present research is to explore the current situation and future expectations on whether to self‐manage or outsource logistics operations in centralized healthcare networks, and to analyse and quantify the relationships between logistics outsourcing, costs and performance.

The paper is based on a thorough study of a local Italian healthcare network, which evaluated the economic sustainability of logistics outsourcing. The data were collected using interviews, documentation and observations in hospital pharmacies and wards, and by referring to public information available on the internet. A system dynamic simulation followed by a sensitivity analysis was used to investigate the impact of changing key variables as well as the advice of logistics providers.

The sensitivity analysis demonstrates that logistics outsourcing is often the most economical choice.

Performance‐oriented concepts applied to healthcare have many pros in terms of sustainable delivery of quality healthcare at affordable costs.

While there are numerous studies on logistics outsourcing in many industries, when it comes to the healthcare sector literature is scarce, probably due to the great changes this sector has faced in recent times: thus, the paper's quantitative findings should be seen as a first attempt to assist the “make‐or‐buy” decision process toward sustainable development of the healthcare sector.

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First to identify economic activities and broader spatial logistics functions that characterise an urban setting, and second to delineate significant spatial logistics employment clusters to represent the underlying regional geography of the logistics landscape.

Using the four-digit Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification, industries “explicitly” related to logistics were identified and aggregated with respect to employment. A principal component analysis was conducted to capture the functional interdependence of inter-related industries and measures of spatial autocorrelation were also applied to identify spatial logistics employment clusters.

The results show that the logistics sector accounts for 3.57 per cent of total employment and that road freight, postal services, and air and space transport are major employers of logistics managers. The research shows significant spatial clustering of logistics employment in the western and southern corridors of Melbourne, associated spatially with manufacturing, service industry and retail hubs in those areas.

This research offers empirically informed insights into the composition of spatial logistics employment clusters to regions that lack a means of production that would otherwise support the economy. Inability to measure the size of the logistics sector due to overlaps with other sectors such as manufacturing is a limitation of the data used.

The research offers policymakers and practitioners an empirically founded basis on which decisions about future infrastructure investment can be evaluated to support cluster development and achieve economies of agglomeration.

The key value of this research is the quantification of spatial logistics employment clusters using spatial autocorrelation measures to empirically identify and spatially contextualize logistics hubs.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of agritourism as a development model which enables the diversification of agriculture and targets the utilization of endogenous approaches in an effective manner to distribute benefits for the majority of the community. The logistics hub is a channel by which sustainability of this model can be achieved.

This explorative study used survey methodology to gather data from a cross-section of stakeholders: an influential group consisting of 20 directors and senior directors, and 146 farmers, extension and assistant extension officers from rural agriculture development agency (RADA). The study was explored in terms of six proposed sustainability indicators as demonstrated by the Mandel Model for sustainable rural poultry farming.

The presence of the logistics hub made possible environmentally friendly infrastructural development, quality control of agritourism services, availability of financial resources and improved publicity and promotion of services. Arising from this, economics, socio-cultural and environmental benefits are likely to be achieved.

Although the research has achieved its aims, there are some limitations. First, this research was conducted in seven of the fourteen parishes of Jamaica. Second, a broader-based longitudinal study is best suited to research of this nature.

Participating rural communities are likely to experience increased economic activity and development and ultimately a better standard of living. This must be seen in the context of the need for citizens in rural Jamaica to achieve cultural and educational change.

This study has implications for the development and maintenance of public services and for local customs and cultures.

It is estimated that more than 100,000 Jamaicans could improve their standard of living and ultimately this would benefit all Jamaicans.

As the global freight transport network has experienced high vulnerability and threats from both natural and man-made disasters, as a result, a huge amount of data is generated in freight transport system in form of continuous streams; it is becoming increasingly important to develop sustainable and resilient transport system to recover from any unforeseen circumstances quickly and efficiently. The aim of this paper is to develop a stream processing data driven decision-making model for higher environmental performance and resilience in sustainable logistics infrastructure by using fifteen dimensions with three interrelated domains.

A causal and hierarchical stream processing data driven decision-making model to evaluate the impact of different attributes and their interrelationships and to measure the level of environmental performance and resilience capacity of sustainable logistics infrastructure are proposed. This work uses fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs) and fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) techniques. A real-life case under a disruptive event scenario is further conducted.

The result shows which attributes have a greater impact on the level of environmental performance and resilience capacity in sustainable logistics infrastructure.

In this paper, causal and hierarchical stream processing data decision and control system model was proposed by identified three domains and fifteen dimensions to assess the level of environmental performance and resilience in sustainable logistics infrastructure. The proposed model gives researchers and practitioners insights about sustainability trade-offs for a resilient and sustainable global transport supply chain system by enabling to model interdependencies among the decision attributes under a fuzzy environment and streaming data.

Transshipment points in container transport are a vital part of the functioning and competitiveness of global logistics systems. However, competition between different geographical locations is ongoing and therefore competitive landscape and leading actors are continuously changing. The purpose of this paper is to understand one of world's leading transshipment points, Singapore, and its competitiveness in the future as lower‐cost alternative locations try to challenge its position.

Observations are based and mostly drawn upon qualitative case study interviews among 11 key companies involved in Singapore's transshipment business. Along with this, second‐hand national statistics are used to support the findings.

As Singapore is the largest container sea port in the world, it has several advantages at its disposal to defend its position against the others. These are mainly due to connectivity around the world, and second, the high frequency of these connections. However, even though the customs procedures are generally argued to be smooth and state of the art, in some comments from real life actors, problematic areas and further room for improvement were inferred. Longitudinal statistics from national consensus also show, for example, that the electronics industry transshipment volumes are on the decline, and the main reason could possibly be due to the relocation of manufacturing sites to China or Vietnam, changing in turn the transshipment point in Asia. For future consideration, Singapore should enhance its capabilities in localization of value‐added services or manufacturing while goods are in‐transit, and also invest in technologies enabling higher container fill rates for airline shipments.

In most qualitative research, amount of observations is always limited and this work is not an exception with this regard. However, reliability caveat is tried to be covered with careful selection of interviewed organizations and using second‐hand national statistics to verify the interviewees' inputs.

This research has value for all countries with high‐cost transshipment points, in building their operations to sustain against new lower‐cost entrants. Also, the functioning of global supply chains with respect to cost, lead time and technical capability are better understood through this case study, as all the examples are drawn from real life.

The paper shows how global logistics networks have changed significantly in recent decades, and it is increasingly in line with case study findings after major sea ports such as Dubai and Shanghai have grown into leading position throughout the world.

The purpose of this paper is to examine traditional, current and emerging roles played by ports in the context of logistics and supply chain management practice and strategy. The paper also seeks to elaborate the emerging concept of port‐centric logistics.

The paper draws its insights and conclusions from a review of the literature, and an analysis of current trends and data concerning the ports and maritime transport sector.

The paper shows that ports can play a variety of different roles within supply chains and that they are not restricted to their traditional role of simple transhipment point for freight.

While the paper reviews the roles played by ports in logistics and supply chain management generally, a useful next step would be to analyse specific flows and activities at/through ports within selected supply chains, thus allowing validation of a framework of roles for ports in the context of various supply chain strategies.

The paper highlights the potential, which in many cases is still latent, for ports to engage in port‐centric logistics activities.

The paper both highlights (given the fact that the vast majority of freight at some point transits ports) and extends the understanding of the role(s) of ports within supply chains.

From the theoretical perspectives of both multi-agent systems and smart business networks, empirical studies analyzing agent-based inter-organizational systems (ABIOS) in a real-life business setting are rare. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of ABIOS on the performance of business networks.

This study presents a theoretical conceptual model portraying the influence of ABIOS on clients’ coordination structure and information architecture; and the impact of those structural alterations on business network performance in terms of the coordination, agility, and informational performances. To validate the model, a cross-case analysis was conducted in three logistics cases, namely, warehousing, freight forwarding, and intermodal transportation.

The application of ABIOS requires adjustments to the information architecture or the coordination structure, or both. Subsequently, those structural adjustments will stimulate improvements in the coordination, agility, and informational performances.

The assessment of the clients’ performance improvement is done at the company level not at an aggregate network level. Moreover, the study only covers cases from the logistics sector.

This study explains the structural consequences of ABIOS applications. The adoption of an inter-organizational system is a strategic decision that requires support from multi-stakeholders. While the applications of ABIOS can offer performance improvement opportunities, adjustments must be made to the existing coordination structure or the information architecture, or both.

This study contributes to the smart business network literature and the ABIOS literature by presenting a validated conceptual model explaining the interplay among ABIOS, the coordination structure, informational structure, and business network performance, namely, the coordination, agility, and informational performances.

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 develop a theoretical framework involving dependence, relationship commitment, logistics outsourcing and service quality to exhibit the roles of the relational factors involved in logistics outsourcing and their outcomes.

Based on data collected from 361 companies in Greater China, the authors use the structural equation model approach to examine the hypothesized relationships.

Both normative and instrumental relationship commitment are necessary for third party logistics (3PL) users to cope with their goal dependence on 3PL providers. However, only normative relationship commitment is necessary when users perceive switch dependence. Normative relationship commitment also plays a more important role than instrumental relationship commitment in facilitating the adoption of 3PL logistic outsourcing. In addition, both basic and advanced outsourcing practices have a positive effect on service quality.

This study contributes to both 3PL theories and practices by clarifying how relationships between 3PL users and providers in China are managed.

Humanitarian disasters strike overnight causing urgent demands for assistance in complex environments. Attending to the needs of the beneficiaries requires highly trained and knowledgeable staff. However, humanitarian agencies can neither afford, nor keep on standby full‐time staff with a wide range of knowledge and expertise to meet all possible needs. Some agencies have gained access to additional trained staff through partnership agreements with the private sector. These secondments augment the capacity of humanitarian agencies placing corporate managers in a different setting where they can test their knowledge and skills. The purpose of this paper is to provide arguments to build a business case for corporate managers to be seconded to humanitarian relief operations.

The paper uses case study research and academic literature.

The paper provides a list of the managerial roles of humanitarian logisticians to identify the learning opportunities available to seconded staff operating in disaster relief operations. The list of roles may be considered learning opportunities for corporate managers in a different context and setting.

The paper shows that there is a possibility to augment the response capacity of humanitarian agencies with corporate managers during a disaster.

The paper focuses on the value of learning during emergency operations for corporate managers.