Concerns the definition and measurement of performance in logistics research. A review of the literature reveals a variety of constraints which make it difficult to draw broad inferences from the literature about the relationship between a given logistics strategy and performance. Discusses low...

Information is generally believed to be a key component in creating corporate responsiveness, i.e. being able to anticipate or respond quickly to customer requests. Most firms are well aware of the need to become more responsive to customers in order to develop and maintain long‐term close...

Discusses a survey which was administered to a group of manufacturers wherein they were asked to evaluate the performance of their domestic and international distributors. These evaluations were then compared to ascertain potential problem areas for international distributors and those...

Looks at the impact of performance improvement initiatives on logistics people, as well as performance. Two of the most popular programs – EDI and outsourcing – have profound impact on people in logistics. Both outsourcing and EDI require cooperative relations to reach their full potential....

Any firm participating in external (or inter‐firm) benchmarking anticipates at least two benefits: useful statistics on how it performs relative to the other participating firms; and guidance in identifying promising performance improvement actions. Using data from a five‐year benchmarking...

Considerable emphasis is put on service to customers of Engineering Polymers (Du Pont) making rising logistics increasingly important. The current supply chain serving customers in the UK and Eire was developed when service was considered less important. Analysis of this supply chain revealed...

This article reviews some of the key debates in the area of just‐in‐time operation and implementation, and identifies 13 research issues. These issues include: information systems for JIT; organisational structures; performance measurement; the management of the...

Purpose – To identify the risk of poor performance measurement including the fact that executives can easily develop bottom‐line myopia where performance is judged solely on monthly or quarterly numbers, to the exclusion of all other indicators of performance. The paper also identifies why...

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to consider managers' and society's approaches to organisational performance. Design/methodology/approach – The paper utilizes an approach informed by Lefebvre's theory of space, and presents a Lefebvrian analysis of organisational performance. Findings –...