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The aim of this research is to undertake a comparative analysis on the use of third party logistics (3PL) services by manufacturing firms in Singapore and Malaysia.

This study is based on a questionnaire survey conducted in Singapore and Malaysia in 1998 and 2000, respectively. The paper addresses key issues relating to the extent of usage of 3PL services, specific contract logistics services used, benefits for the user firms, obstacles encountered in implementing contract logistics relationships, impact of the use of contract logistics services on logistics costs, customer satisfaction, and employees of the user firms and the future plans of current users of contract logistics services.

Analysis shows that there are similarities on the use of contract logistics services in Singapore and Malaysia. These include the proportion of firms utilising contract logistics, the extent of involvement of functional managers, budget allocation and activities outsourced. Notable differences between the two countries include the decision‐making process, and the benefits to the firms from the use of contract logistics.

Limited sample size and the generalisation of results to all manufacturing firms in Singapore and Malaysia manufacturers ignoring possible regional differences in each context are the two limitations in this study.

This study identifies the scope for 3PL services in Singapore and Malaysia. With the enhanced usage of contracting logistics, the study provides 3PL services providers who are considering Asia Pacific as a potential market, a comprehensive analysis of the current situation in Singapore and Malaysia.

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.

During the last several decades, logistics has increasingly emerged as a source of sustainable competitive advantage. This article incorporates recent work in services marketing on customer information acquisition, with research on industrial buying behavior to help logistics service providers understand and manage their customers’ information acquisition and purchase activities for logistics services.

Third party logistics services have a significant role to play in the current trend of outsourcing of the logistics function. From the third party logistics service provider’s perspective, the provider must seek to manage itself strategically in order to win an increasing share of the outsourcing pie. In this paper, we extend the Hayes‐Wheelwright framework for strategic manufacturing management to the strategic management of third party logistics service providers. A Singapore‐based case example is provided within this context to illustrate the relevance of the Hayes‐Wheelwright framework. The case also gives a glimpse into the strategic thinking and practices of a leading Singapore‐based service provider in terms of its vision and strategy in building the logistics superhighway within the Asia Pacific Region.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the main reasons for spare parts logistics failures and address logistics distribution design in order to achieve the desired level of after-sales maintenance service.

This research is based on an empirical case study on a large corporation providing worldwide with retail banking hardware, software and services. The case study focuses on the automated teller machine (ATM) part of activities, with a focus on the spare parts distribution and after-sales service network in the Eastern Europe.

The proposed network solution of multiple distribution centers with short-cut distance saving approach will enable the case study company to redesign their spare part logistics architecture in order to achieve short response time. Research findings reveal possible spare parts delivery delays and thus the service-level agreement failures with clients in the case study company.

This research covers a particular supply chain environment and identified research gaps. It discusses a time-based responsive logistics problem and develops a conceptual framework that would help researchers to better understand logistics challenges of installed equipment maintenance and after-sales service.

This case study research shows the “big picture” of spare parts logistics challenges as vital part of installed equipment after-sales and maintenance service network, as well as emphasizes how the unique context of a market like Russian Federation can set-up a distribution network efficiently. Strategies applied to handle such service-level failures, reverse logistics aspects of repairable and non-repairable spare parts to such large ATM after-sales service network based on this longitudinal case offer value for similar scale companies.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the quality factors influencing customer satisfaction in the electronic commerce (e-commerce) context using a triadic view of customer-e-retailer-third-party logistics provider, and to investigate the impacts of service quality on customer satisfaction and loyalty in the e-retailing supply chain.

A literature review is used to determine the conceptual model and develop the measurement scales. Data are collected through a web survey mainly conducted in China. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze the collected data and test the research hypotheses.

The results verify the proposed service quality framework, consisting of two dimensions (electronic service (e-service) quality and logistics service quality), in the e-commerce context. The results indicate that e-service quality and logistics service quality are strongly linked to customer satisfaction; that is, with e-service and logistics service, respectively. e-Service quality positively impacts customer satisfaction with logistics services, but logistics service quality negatively impacts customer satisfaction with e-services. Moreover, customer satisfaction with e-services is positively associated with customer loyalty for both e-services and logistics services. However, customer satisfaction with logistics services has no direct impact on related customer loyalty, and negatively impacts customer loyalty with e-services.

The survey focusses only on China; future data should verify whether different cultural backgrounds will impact the research results.

The results show that e-retailers should not only focus on e-service quality, but also logistics service quality, which is critical to the success of e-commerce.

A two-dimensional (e-service and logistics) service quality framework is proposed and empirically assessed in the context of the e-retailing supply chain. These impacts of the path of service quality on customer satisfaction and loyalty are highlighted.

Recently, inland Chinese regions have become the major manufacturing base for most manufacturing firms. Accordingly, with this change, many shipping companies attempted to provide proper logistics service activities to maintain their business. Hence, this study aims to empirically examine the logistics service preference segments for Chinese landlocked regions from a manufacturer's perspective. By understanding these attributes, not only shipping companies but also logistics companies can provide proper service to their customers.

The preliminary logistics service attributes are determined using an interview and in-depth questionnaire with logistics experts from the local private and government sectors in southwest China and few international logistics coordinators. This study conducted importance-performance analysis (IPA) and used a customer dissatisfaction attitude index to evaluate the priorities for improving logistics service attributes. Cluster analysis is subsequently performed to group respondents on the basis of their factor scores.

Five crucial logistics service dimensions were identified by the factor analysis, namely, packing and storage, logistics supporting, logistics information, transportation planning and information inquiry. The results also revised the IPA model. The top five service attributes that needed to be improved were carrier selection, ship scheduling inquiry, route planning and inquiry, cargo receiving station and freight forwarding. By applying the factor analysis, this study reduced the 27 logistics attributes derived from the literature review to five underlying critical factors.

This study contributes to the inland logistics by investigating the preferences of manufacturers in Chinese landlocked regions. Moreover, in land logistics in China is lacking in the literature; hence, several important implications can be derived from this study's results.

The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the body of logistics customer service (LCS) research published in leading logistics journals from 1990 to 2017. Specifically, the paper presents a call to arms for logistics and supply chain researchers to address new and emerging issues impacting customer service in the age of omnichannel and e-commerce retailing.

The authors reviewed academic journals to identify articles focusing on LCS from 1990 through 2017. The authors noted trends in academic research activity/focus and supplemented the findings by examining more recent trends covered in trade publication articles.

The authors observed a large amount of LCS research in the early 1990s and 2000s, but noticed a substantial decline in coverage within academic journals since the late 2000s while industry continues to give customer service issues even greater attention. The difference between the level of coverage within academic journals and the increased importance firms place on customer service represents a critical gap and opportunity for scholars. This research represents a “call to arms” to address this gap. With particular emphasis on observed customer impatience and escalating requests, within omni- and e-commerce channels of distribution, we suggest greater theoretical insights into customer service strategies and their role in successfully navigating today’s changing logistics service environment are needed.

The review serves as a call for more attention to customer service issues within leading logistics journals. Suggestions for research into new and emerging topics are offered.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the process of enhancing logistics performances in Korean exporters’ utilizing “third-party logistics” (3PL) in area of delivery service to overseas buyers.

A research model was designed on the mechanism of Korean exporters’ utilizing 3PL and the collaborative relationships (CR) between exporters and “logistics service providers” (LSPs) in supply chain management context. The mechanism means what triggers the Korean exporters to choose LSPs in overseas trade. Conclusions were drawn from survey data gathered from 146 exporters in Korea. Structural equation model with partial least square was employed to measure the statistical significance of the hypothesized model paths.

This study provides evidence that exporters’ evaluation on the customization of LSPs’ service capacities, the reasonability of LSPs’ service fees and the information sharing are three important prerequisites to CR between exporters and LSPs. This study is focussed on exporters’ performance such as consistency of secure delivery (SD), exporters’ logistics cost savings (CS) and exporters’ satisfaction. The results show a strong support for this study, with positive and significant effects of CR on the consistency of SD, exporters’ logistics CS and exporters’ satisfaction.

This study proves that exporters’ performance derived from the CR results in exporters’ loyalty to LSPs, which means LSPs’ performance.

There are very few studies on utilization of 3PL related to delivery of export goods to overseas buyers and relevant exporters’ performance. However, this study has particularly explored the mechanism in the relation of exporters’ using 3PL and its performance.