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International audience The logistics services market has evolved over the last 30 years and the LSPs has been expanding their role in the logistics chains, but shippers benefit from considerable negotiating power and constantly evaluate the relative advantages of subcontracting or performing the work themselves in-house. The threat that shippers may reintegrate logistics activities, which has always existed, has become more acute in Europe over the past two years.The management of information, expertise and knowledge is according to us a major strategical factor for LSPs to avert a major swing back to in-house operation. Information management is vital as shippersneed to exert tight control over their logistical operations and to maintain their expertise in this area. Skills management is important for LSPs either to differentiate their services and/or to develop complex or innovative logistics services.The management of LSPs, like that of all businesses, depends on three inter-related dimensions of competence : action, expertise and knowledge; and the need for effective collection, communication and processing of information exists on each dimension. In managing information, LSPs must establish congruence with the shippers' systems that can be achieved on one or more of the dimensions. This highlights the importance of the design of LICS and the supporting information and communication technologies to the furure competitiveness of LSPs. Close integration of the information systems of LSPs and shippers will be essential to maintain the mutual trust necessary for long term relationship and to maintain their ability to adapt to the changing business environment.

PurposeTo empirically examine the usefulness and value of supply chain mapping (SC mapping), which has been neglected despite its importance in research and practice.Design/methodology/approachBased on three combined theoretical perspectives, we conducted a case study on a car manufacturer's managers mapping their downstream supply chain (SC). We conducted semi-structured interviews and a mapping exercise with them, followed by a focus group.FindingsWe find differences between individual and corporate SC maps and between how managers define the outbound SC, the SC map they draw and what they say when mapping. The three theoretical perspectives allow us to enrich SC mapping thinking. We focus on boundary objects to formulate propositions. SC mapping and maps are discussed with respect to contemporary SCs and SCM.Research limitations/implicationsBased on a single case study on one firm's outbound SC. Research could be expanded to the company's external partners and follow the development and use of maps in real time.Practical implicationsHighlights the usefulness and difficulties of SC mapping, for individuals and organisations. For the company, it opens avenues for further development and use of SC mapping to improve inter-functional and inter-organisational collaboration.Social implicationsConfirms the need for SC mapping competences in SCM and consequently the usefulness of teaching SC mapping courses in logistics and SCM programs.Originality/valueHighlights the usefulness of SC mapping and rekindles interest in SC mapping and maps in SCM. Introduces boundary objects into SCM research.

AbstractFor many decades, governments in Western countries have attempted to control health costs. One of the strategies used is through purchasing groups, since consolidated needs generate additional savings. Although various aspects of purchasing groups have been studied, performance measurement has been neglected; due to the lack of proper measures, tensions between the purchasing group and its members can't be addressed with more objective information. However, appropriate performance indicators are considered a prerequisite to successful collaboration. Using the in‐depth case of a Canadian purchasing group in the health care sector, this article suggests a set of performance indicators to measure results considering dimensions of the purchasing process and the interactions between the purchasing group and its members (who are also its customers). © 2018 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PurposeIn the literature authors state that there is a positive relation between supply chain integration (SCI) and performance. They claim that this relation is widely discussed and supported empirically. Other authors, however, suggest that integration might be more difficult in practice than in theory, that it should be differentiated and that it is more rhetoric than reality. As integration has been core of logistics and supply chain management since the 1980s, the purpose of this paper is to investigate these somewhat contradictory statements and analyse prior studies regarding definitions and measures of integration and performance as well as the reported empirical evidence on their relation.Design/methodology/approachBased on an extensive and systematic review of integration articles within four highly ranked academic journals in logistics, supply chain and operations management, this paper presents and discusses the results of prior empirical studies on relations between integration and performance.FindingsThe analysis of the relevant articles indicates that empirical evidence cannot permit to clearly conclude and that integration as well as performance is defined, operationalised and measured in different and often limited ways. This might be a problem and the paper concludes with a provoking question of whether SCI might be the Emperors' New Suit of business.Originality/valueThe paper's departure point is a controversial hypothesis: the contribution of SCI is not as obvious as logistics and supply chain researchers usually think. The rigorous selection and analysis of previous studies contributes with systematic knowledge within an important question.

PurposeCompanies that try to build sustainable supply chains or that have to reengineer their supply chains to face sustainable development issues are confronted with such a complex and uncertain context that scanning their environment becomes more than ever necessary. This paper makes up the first stage of a research program. It aims to find an adequate scanning approach for sustainable supply chain design.Design/methodology/approachThe research follows a two‐steps methodology. First, it looks for appropriate scanning frameworks by reviewing the dedicated literature. Second, it gathers ideas and knowledge combining an analysis of sustainable supply chain empirical studies with the collection of experts' scanning know‐how, by means of semi‐structured interviews.FindingsThis first stage of the research program suggests use of a multi‐and interrelated levels scope for sustainable scanning with a network perspective. The renewed target approach it promotes results in modifying scanning priorities. The overall findings shape up the first draft of a sustainable scanning framework, including a multi‐levels scope of analysis, a list of sustainable targets and a first contribution concerning scanning methods and attitudes.Research limitations/implicationsThe relevance of our scanning framework needs further testing to validate its usefulness and provide recommendations for managers.Practical implicationsThe paper proposes a scanning framework and a list of targets that could be implemented by professionals.Originality/valueThe contribution in this paper is to link environmental scanning and sustainable development adding a supply chain orientation, and to propose a conceptual "sustainable scanning framework". It is hoped that further research will prove that it has interesting managerial implications for companies challenged by sustainable development issues.

PurposeLogisticians have always viewed standards as solutions for improving operational compatibility and coordination. This paper aims to contribute to a greater understanding of how standards, upon which logistics systems are designed, developed and coordinated, interact with each other and with other resources in a logistics network for the purpose of improving efficiency and effectiveness.Design/methodology/approachThe literature review permits: defining standards as a coordination mechanism focusing on development, use and evolution of interconnected standards; pointing out the importance of standards for logistics efficiency and effectiveness; and analysis of interrelatedness referring to increasing returns, basic technology and dominant design. The empirical evidence is based on a meta‐case from the automobile industry with information collected from nine case studies based on observations, documents, drafts of standards and interviews.FindingsThe case study illustrates major points in prior literature and provides new propositions that enrich the theory and have important managerial implications. Main findings include a better understanding of how standards interact over time, and how they help, as well as hinder technological development in logistics networks. Being exploratory in nature, the paper concludes with theoretical propositions for further research.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the understanding of an issue is been important, but still not much addressed in prior logistics literature: the use of standards. The combining of literature from three streams of research: logistics, industrial networks and technology development provides interesting insight on which the case analysis is based and from which further research can be developed.