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The purpose of this paper is to provide a differentiated view of relationship‐specific proactive improvement of logistics service providers (LSPs) that distinguishes between the cost and performance and the effect that these two dimensions of innovation have on three distinct customer loyalty dimensions (retention, extension, and referrals).

A confirmatory empirical study was conducted based on social exchange theory and customer value theory. The survey responses from 298 firms were analysed using structural equation modelling and multi‐group analysis to test for direct effects and moderation.

Both dimensions of relationship‐specific proactive improvement by LSPs (cost and performance) are strong drivers of all three customer loyalty dimensions and, thus, are important to customer relationship management and relevant areas to be considered within innovation management. The effect on customer loyalty is moderated by the dynamism of the customer's market. Proactive cost improvements are more important under high dynamism, while proactive performance improvements, contrary to initial assumptions, are more important when dynamism is low.

Future studies should analyse other cultural settings, differentiate between functional and relationship value provided, consider other services, investigate how LSPs can facilitate proactive improvement and improve innovation management, and explore how customers can foster proactive improvement.

The currently low level of proactive improvement should be increased if LSPs want to enhance customer loyalty. In doing so, LSPs ought to consider the dynamism of their customers' markets.

The paper is the first to provide a differentiated view on the role of relationship‐specific proactive innovation that distinguishes between cost and performance improvements and illustrates their effects on three distinct customer loyalty dimensions.

The purpose of this research is to identify how managers can apply the results of academic research into the concept of business models for creating and evaluating possible models for their businesses.

A review of the literature is followed by two case studies, from the airline and logistics industries, followed by recommendations based on both.

The findings are that there is relatively weak consensus among academics as to the definition and meaning of a business model and its components, and that the notion of generic business model applies better within rather than between industries, but that the discussion is a very fertile one for developing recommendations for managers.

The managerial implications of the study are that in their planning and strategizing, managers should factor in a proper analysis of the business model they currently use and one that they could use.

The study provides a useful addition to the literature on the practical implications of business models.

Developing strategic relationships with third-party logistics (3PL) providers has long been one of the key challenges in automotive supply chains. The purpose of this paper is to propose a new approach for evaluation and indexing 3PL providers using the Kano model.

The statistical population used in this research comprises managers from the Iranian automotive industry. The Kano evaluation approach is used to analyze the data collected and to classify the criteria used in selection of the preferred 3PL providers.

The results suggest that the proposed framework, based on the Kano classification, can be a powerful tool for the automotive industry in evaluating 3PL providers. Moreover, the analyses indicate that 3PL providers need to improve their service offering in aspects that are to be found in the Kano model’s requirements, namely, must-be, one-dimensional and attractive.

This study contributes to the supply chain management literature by being the first to classify selection indices of 3PL providers in the automotive industry using the Kano model.

The concept of third-party logistics service provider (3PLSP) has been considered as an essential organizational philosophy to achieve profits. The purpose of this paper is to analyze and examine the contextual relationship among the critical success factors (CSF) of 3PLSPs practices in the cement manufacturing industry.

In this paper, the total 20 critical selection criteria with nine processes for the 3PLSPs, of an Indian cement manufacturing industry have been identified through an exhaustive literature review and opinions of the experts i.e. academics and industries. Interpretive ranking process (IRP) methodology has been presented to find out the rankings of the individual criteria and the mutual influence in the selection process.

The proposed model establishes the dominance of relationship among identified criteria, which plays a vital role in the 3PLSPs selection process which are experience in similar product, quality of management, information technology capacity, flexibility in operation and delivery, compatibility with the users.

An empirical research approach has not been used to collect primary data to rank different criteria for effective 3PLSPs implementation in the Industry. In this paper, an example of Indian cement industry is presented to show the real world applicability of the proposed model.

This model would help a decision maker to decide the issues related to a selection of 3PLSPs. The third party service provider comprises the use of external companies who controls and delivers logistic activities. The paper discusses very practical issues in an analytical manner, using the case base method.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework for evaluating and selecting the most optimal third-party logistics (3PL) service provider vendor among the available ones. Selection is done based on the performance values of the vendors on certain predefined criteria.

An integrated approach involving data envelopment analysis (DEA), technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) and linear programming (LP) problem has been used to develop a new model for the selection of 3PL vendor. First, DEA is used to evaluate the efficiency of each vendor according to the identified criteria. Second, TOPSIS is applied to rank the maximally efficient vendors. Finally, LP problem is stated and solved to ascertain the quantities to be allocated to each maximally efficient vendor in the context of multiple logistics provider. The proposed DEA–TOPSIS–LP (DETOLP) model is finally tested with real-time industry data for 3PL vendor evaluation and selection. The study, thus, proposes a three-step hierarchical technique for selection of 3PL vendor based on the multiple criteria decision-making approach.

The paper focuses on assessing the performance of 26 vendors using a combined approach of DEA, TOPSIS and LP. It is observed that vendor V4 outperforms all the considered vendors, which exactly corroborates with the present scenario within the company.

Exclusion of qualitative criteria for 3PL vendor selection and the judgment of weights for TOPSIS can be considered as the limitations of the present work. The study has significant practical implications for organizations belonging to any sector or industry. It can help them in evaluating the existing 3PL vendors and selecting the most efficient among them.

This paper deals with a framework modeled for 3PL vendor selection. It is the first attempt to utilize an integrated approach, i.e. DETOLP model for evaluation and selection of 3PL. For assessment of the model, real data from an Indian company has been taken to analyze the result and compare it with the present scenario within the company.

This paper aims to purport deeper understanding of, and instigate theoretical elaboration to, multidimensional value created through different reverse supply chain (RSC) relationships.

By capturing the relationships (and their differences) constituted and embedded in three “extreme” case studies from global used clothing supply chain, the sources of multidimensional values are explored in line with Dyer and Singh’s (1998) relational theory.

In the RSC, when downstream relationships are typically more opportunistic, value is created using inter-personal ways of knowledge sharing and through use of informal safeguards. In contrast, the upstream RSC relationships are more symbiotic, and value is created through more seamless (and routinized) knowledge sharing practices, and additional use of more formal transaction-specific controls or financial incentives as safeguarding instruments.

The use of consolidated case studies may affect the consistency in the findings presented. Another limitation relates to deriving propositions per each source presented in relational theory.

Practitioners particularly from industries whose global RSCs include different natures of relationships and multiple value incentives can be benefited through this study.

The paper extends the original sources of value creation prescribed in relational theory by contextualizing them in RSCs. It depicts how multidimensional values are created relationally by dyadic partners as the nature of relationship differs between upstream and downstream.

There is an increasing trend of outsourcing maintenance activities of heavy equipment, including belt conveyor installations. However, there are numerous challenges in maintenance outsourcing. This paper aims to identify and analyze various challenges of outsourcing maintenance activities associated with belt conveyor installations.

This paper identifies maintenance outsourcing challenges of belt conveyor installations through literature review, field visits and expert opinion. An integrated structural hierarchical framework of the identified challenges is developed through analytic hierarchy process and decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory.

The paper has identified eight challenges, namely, attainment of organizational strength by contractors, legal and financial challenges for contractors, attainment of necessary technician skills by contractors, maintenance data acquisition and analysis challenges, facilitation with modern equipment, gadgets and instrumentation, service quality challenges, health, safety and environment-related challenges and spares supply chain management challenges. The segregation of driver and dependent challenges, including their hierarchical framework had been established in this work.

A comprehensive list of challenges and their prioritization in maintenance outsourcing of belt conveyor installations had been established. This will help the organizations who own and operate these installations to make judicious decisions regarding outsourcing maintenance.

This paper significantly contributes to the literature on maintenance outsourcing of heavy machinery installations like a belt conveyor system based on the input of different stakeholders. This study will lead to the development of frameworks for maintenance contractor selection for such installations.

The purpose of this research is to first explore various third party logistic service provider supply chain enablers. Thereafter the interrelationship amongst the various supply chain enablers has been studied using ISM Methodology. Despite the complex relationships third party logistic service providers (3PLs) share with their clients or firms, they often attract a demand owing to the flexibility and competitive edge they provide to their client firms in adapting to the rapidly changing market conditions, focusing on their core competencies and developing long-term growth strategies for them. Choosing and evaluating the right third-party logistic service provider is an important responsibility for logistic managers. This largely depends on selecting appropriate 3PLs supply chain enablers that assess the 3PLs on different fronts.

This paper presents an ISM approach for studying the interrelationships between various 3PLs enablers and accordingly constructing a hierarchical structure of them.

The results suggest that delivery, service reliability and risk and uncertainty factors have the highest importance.

Selection of the 3PLs is a critical issue when they are required to be selected by the company at the global level. This often requires doing a comparative study for both domestic as well as global service providers. Choosing appropriate supply chain enablers as the basis for selection of 3PLs therefore will serve as a research topic to be further explored both by researchers as well as company managers. Further studying the inter-relationships amongst various supply chain enablers will provide basis to managers to justify their choice.

The novelty of the research lies in the application of methodology to the case of third-party logistic service provider selection

This paper seeks to offer some unity in a new and evolving discipline. The aim is to provide clear and unambiguous foundations to aid development of operations strategy as a field of study. Using empirical evidence and theoretical reasoning, it seeks to clarify the nature of operations strategy: its lineage, composition and purpose. In so doing, it is able to asseverate that such strategies develop and evolve through both market and resource influences – they shape both the composition and architecture of such strategies. In so doing, it is possible to demonstrate that these strategies can be customised to the exigencies of the situation.