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Logistics and marketing are both corporate functions that are critical for the competitive position of an organisation. Traditionally, logistics has been seen as a passive tool supporting marketing, while more recent research publications have stressed the strategic importance of logistics. Here the focus is on: showing the impact logistics has on competitive advantage; identifying the key interfaces between logistics and marketing; stressing the need of integrating the two functions to avoid permanent friction between them; and providing an approach to developing an integrated logistics/marketing strategy.

This study aims to draw on the strategy–structure–performance framework to investigate baseline supply chain (BSC) practices as a function of how firms structure logistics and marketing mix activities to achieve market share in the emerging market (EM) supply chain ecosystems.

The authors validate the study’s conceptual framework with survey data collected in two contrasting EM supply chain ecosystems. They include supply chains in EM economies with an advanced logistics/distribution infrastructure such as China and those in economies with poor logistics/distribution infrastructure such as Ghana. The authors use ordinary least squares regression and structural equation modeling analysis to examine the relative market share outcomes of different configurations of logistics-marketing practices (logistics-affordability marketing, logistics-accessibility marketing, logistics-acceptability marketing, logistics-and awareness and full integration into BSC).

Key findings confirm that the integration of logistics with marketing activities into BSC practice is more pervasive in EMs with high logistics performance index, such as China than in firms in EMs with low logistics performance index, such as Ghana. Moreover, the authors confirm that integrating logistics and marketing into BSC generates higher market share performance than logistics- or marketing-only practices in China and Ghana. These differences are driven more by the firm’s strategic orientation than the demands of competitive market conditions.

The study focuses on BSC integration activities in the logistics and marketing functions because researchers have not updated this issue for the past two decades.

The study results provide managers with much-needed empirical evidence of the strategic benefit of BSC integration under different supply chain ecosystems in the EMs.

Linking BSC activities in logistics management and marketing management mix activities within the 4As marketing mix framework provides evidence to support the argument that the 4As marketing mix is an appropriate planning framework for EMs’ unique ecosystems.

This monograph progresses from a consideration of definitional issues to the development of a conceptual model for marketing‐logistics interaction and finally to a discussion of the issues of implementation of the model within the context of marketing strategy. Thus, following an introduction, Part II begins with definition of the field and examines the position of physical distribution in relation to marketing. Part III discusses the relationship of physical distribution and macro‐marketing, and is thus concerned about the social, aggregative goals of logistics systems, including the costs of distribution. Part IV continues this argument, examining specifically the influence of physical distribution on channel structure. Part V then focuses on the assumptions underlying the customer service function, asking how physical distribution can influence final demand in the market place. Part VI presents a conceptual model of marketing‐logistics demand stimulation. The operational issues concerned with its implementation are shown in Part VII; and a summary of the relevant points is presented in Part VIII. The concern has been not with presenting either new computational models nor empirical data but with presenting a new perspective on the marketing‐logistics interface. There is a need to reduce the barriers between these fields and to present more useful ways for co‐operation.

Focuses on the logistics‐marketing interface and possible mechanisms for enhancing co‐ordination between the two functions. A comparison of both logistics and marketing practitioners reveals that there were minimal differences in the usage of 14 co‐ordination‐enhancing techniques. The results also suggest that improvements in the relationship between marketing and logistics can be made relatively quickly and at a relatively low cost. Concludes with a discussion of managerial implications.

The paper seeks to examine the changing landscape of supply chain management, marketing channels of distribution, logistics and purchasing.

The authors examine and take stock of the changing nature and landscape surrounding the related disciplines of supply chain management, marketing channels of distribution, logistics and purchasing. This examination highlights the considerable evolution and significant advances occurring within and between these disciplines.

The authors find that this new landscape provides both opportunities and challenges for future scholarship and practice in these related disciplines.

The examination and findings should be of value to those attempting to understand the evolving nature and interrelationship of these fields, and those who currently practise within them.

This study explores the individual and joint effects of operations, marketing, and logistics functions on the level of business performance. The main purpose is to test whether the business performance achieved when logistics function is in complete coordination with operations and marketing functions is superior to the performance when the functions operate in a less coordinated manner.

Study hypotheses regarding the links between coordinated and non‐coordinated performances and overall business performance are evaluated through a survey of automobile manufacturers in northwest Turkey. Separate regression analyses are conducted to test the hypotheses.

It is shown that overall business performance achieved when there exists an effective coordination between the functions can be well above the performance achieved when the tasks are performed individually. Specifically, results from regression analyses performed to test the validations of study hypotheses indicate two important implications: coordination between operations and logistics functions in the specific sample is the most prominent issue for achievement of high performance; and logistics function carries an important role in linking the two most important functions of a company namely, operations and marketing.

This study adds some value to the current literature such that it empirically shows the links between coordinated and non‐coordinated functional performances and overall business performance, and eventually raises the importance of logistics function in a manufacturing‐oriented business environment.

Investigates performance relationships for interfunctional process integration and specific logistics interface capabilities. The results indicate that competitive advantage is more likely to emanate from interfunctional process integration than individual function (sub) optimization. Also identifies logistics’ unique role as a boundary‐spanning interface between marketing, production, and new product development, as a potential source of competitive advantage. In terms of overall business performance, logistics followed by new product development are shown to have the greatest impact on profitability and growth. Further, logistics interface capabilities of customer service and logistics quality have the greatest independent impacts on business performance. In total these results imply that logistics, new product development, and demand‐management capabilities may provide firms with that extra competitive edge which shows up in “bottom line” performance. States that the relatively neglected areas of logistics boundary spanning and production customer service also deserve attention.

Explores and describes the close interrelationship between marketing and logistics, i.e. the marketing activities and the logistics activities in a marketing channel. The author acknowledges that marketing and logistics were united in the beginning of the twentieth century, but that the two disciplines were in part separated from each other during the evolution of the last century. The topic is a business philosophy that may contribute to the re‐integration of the research disciplines. Usually, from a logistics perspective, the disciplines are treated as separate from each other, while from a marketing perspective the opposite is often acknowledged. In the 1980s, the potential re‐integration between the disciplines from a logistics perspective emerged through the business philosophy labeled as supply chain management (SCM). Both scholars and practitioners in the field of logistics have popularized this business philosophy in recent years. Argues that SCM contributes to the re‐integration of marketing issues in the field of logistics theory and practice.

The marketing literature has emphasised the importance of marketing orientation as a means of achieving organisational objectives. A number of studies that have examined the marketing orientation and business performance relationship have found mixed results culminating in inconclusive evidence. This paper examines the marketing practices and investigates the marketing strategy‐business performance relationship across logistics companies in the Asia‐Pacific region. The exploratory analysis suggests a positive relationship between market segmentation and performance. Differentiation and market orientation do not seem to be significantly associated with improved performance, although cross‐functional customer focus shows a significant relationship. Further discriminant analysis of the significant predictor variables suggests that two variables, viz. market segmentation and positioning, and cross‐functional customer focus are useful in differentiating between high and low performers. Managerial and further research implications for this increasingly important industry in the Asia‐Pacific region are discussed.

The purpose of this paper is to establish relationship marketing practice aspects, their prevalence and opportunities in Lithuanian logistics organizations.

By applying a standardized questionnaire, Lithuanian logistics organizations were examined. Mostly executives, organizations' owners and logistics specialists were key informants.

The findings indicated that cooperation is a fundamental element in the organizations. Depending on the developed relationship type in the organizations the significance attached to relationship marketing elements differ, level of satisfaction of long‐term relationship different too.

A suggestion for further research is to adapt the study in other Lithuanian industries business relationships.

This study is of managerial interest, as the framework may be applied by logistics organizations and if necessary modified considering the main aspects of customer relationships.

This paper makes a contribution to relationship marketing aspects and customer management analysis in Lithuanian logistics organizations.