Table Of ContentAlexander de Grahl
Success Factors in Logistics Outsourcing
GABLER RESEARCH
Essays on Supply Chain Management
Edited by
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Evi Hartmann
Chair of Supply Chain Management
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
This series publishes new research in logistics and supply chain management.
It comprises outstanding dissertations that deal with scientifi cally-based,
management-relevant questions. The publications provide important scientifi c
fi ndings about current practice-relevant questions, using qualitative and quanti-
tative research methods.
Alexander de Grahl
Success Factors
in Logistics Outsourcing
With a preface by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Evi Hartmann
RESEARCH
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Dissertation Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 2011
1st edition 2011
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Foreword V
Foreword
In today’s global and dynamic business environment, competition no longer only takes
place between firms, but rather between supply chains. Further, based on the strategic
focus on core competencies, there has been a worldwide, significant growth in the
utilization of logistics outsourcing over the past decade. Firms across industries
increasingly pass on to outsource specific logistics tasks or even complete parts of
their logistics function to external service providers. Based on this development and
the general importance of a well-functioning logistics in a supply chain, business
relationships between customer firms and their logistics service providers (LSPs) gain
crucial importance for the competitiveness of a supply chain. For this reason, the
question regarding the success factors of such logistics outsourcing relationships is
highly relevant for the management practice. While some research regarding the
success factors in logistics outsourcing has already been carried out, this research
question clearly deserves further attention.
The Chair of Supply Chain Management at the Friedrich-Alexander-University of
Erlangen-Nürnberg focuses on performing excellent research in the area of Supply
Chain Management, which includes the relevant and interesting field of logistics
outsourcing. This dissertation addresses this area of research and the above stated
research question regarding the success factors in logistics outsourcing with three
theory-based and empirical papers.
The three papers assess the research question from different perspectives. Paper one
takes a LSP perspective by analyzing the role of flexibility as a source of competitive
advantage for an LSP and thus as a success factor from the LSP’s perspective. In the
second paper, a customer perspective is adopted and the role of several dimensions of
customer partnering behavior in the successful management of a logistics outsourcing
relationship is assessed. Finally, the third paper takes a mutual perspective by
examining the role of selected dimensions of relational behavior of the customer and
its LSP in the development of a successful logistics outsourcing relationship.
Combined, based on the three different perspectives, this dissertation provides a very
holistic view with respect to the research question and results in interesting and
relevant insights for both the management practice and the research community.
VI Foreword
The utilization and importance of logistics outsourcing is likely to even further
increase in the future, which underlines the relevance of this dissertation. The Chair of
Supply Chain Management will continue its research in the field of logistic
outsourcing to deliver further high quality research on this topic.
I would like to congratulate Mr. de Grahl on this exceptional research and I wish him
well for his personal future.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Evi Hartmann
Acknowledgements VII
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my doctoral adviser, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Evi Hartmann, for her great
guidance, her support and her confidence in me and my research project. Working
together with her was instructive, inspiring and fun.
Further, I want to thank my fellow doctoral candidates for creating such an enjoyable
working environment. It was their company that really motivated me to work on my
dissertation day after day.
However, most of all, I would like thank my parents and my sister for all their love
and support. Without them, I would not be where I am now in my life.
Alexander de Grahl
Table of Contents IX
Table of Contents
Foreword............................................................................................................................V
Acknowledgements........................................................................................................VII
Table of Contents............................................................................................................IX
List of Figures.................................................................................................................XI
List of Tables................................................................................................................XIII
List of Abbreviations.....................................................................................................XV
I. Introduction.................................................................................................................1
II. The Flexibility of Logistics Service Providers and its Impact on Customer
Loyalty – An Empirical Study.................................................................................7
1. Introduction......................................................................................................9
2. Literature Review...........................................................................................11
3. Theoretical Background and Conceptual Model.............................................18
3.1.The Resource-based View.......................................................................18
3.2.Conceptual Model...................................................................................19
4. Research Methodology...................................................................................26
4.1.Sample Design........................................................................................26
4.2.Respondents............................................................................................27
4.3.Measurement Scales................................................................................28
4.4.Results.....................................................................................................29
5. Discussion......................................................................................................35
5.1.Results Interpretation...............................................................................35
5.2.Managerial Implications..........................................................................37
5.3.Limitations and Future Research.............................................................38
6. References......................................................................................................40
7. Appendix.......................................................................................................49
III.Logistics Outsourcing Interfaces: The Role of Customer Partnering
Behavior.....................................................................................................................53
1. Introduction....................................................................................................54
2. Theoretical Background and Conceptual Model.............................................55
X Table of Contents
2.1.Customer Partnering Behavior.................................................................55
2.2.Logistics Outsourcing Performance.........................................................56
2.3.Conceptual Model and Research Hypotheses...........................................56
3. Research Methodology...................................................................................60
3.1.Sample Design and Respondents.............................................................60
3.2.Measurement Scales................................................................................61
3.3.Results.....................................................................................................62
4. Results Discussion.........................................................................................65
5. Managerial Implications.................................................................................68
6. Limitations and Future Research....................................................................70
7. References......................................................................................................72
8. Appendix.......................................................................................................77
IV.Relational Behavior in Logistics Outsourcing Relationships............................79
1. Introduction....................................................................................................80
2. Theoretical Background.................................................................................81
2.1.The Norms Concept and Relational Behavior..........................................81
2.2.Logistics Outsourcing Performance.........................................................83
3. Conceptual Model and Research Hypotheses.................................................83
4. Research Methodology...................................................................................87
4.1.Sample Design and Respondents.............................................................87
4.2.Measurement Scales................................................................................88
4.3.Results.....................................................................................................89
5. Discussion......................................................................................................92
5.1.Results Interpretation...............................................................................92
5.2.Managerial Implications..........................................................................94
5.3.Limitations and Future Research.............................................................95
6. References......................................................................................................96
7. Appendix.....................................................................................................102
V. Final Conclusion......................................................................................................105
List of Figures XI
List of Figures
Figure I I-1: Conceptual Model and Hypotheses......................................................26
Figure II-2: PLS Analysis Results – Structural Model............................................34
Figure III-1: Conceptual Model...............................................................................57
Figure IV-1: Conceptual Model...............................................................................84
Figure IV-2: PLS Analysis Results – Structural Model............................................92
