Adriana Rossiter Hofer

An institutional theoretic perspective on forces driving adoption of lean production globally : China vis‐à‐vis the USA

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the current state of implementation of lean production practices in China as compared to the USA. Moreover, an institutional‐theoretic framework is developed that explores the interplay among economic, socio‐cultural and regulative forces that may shape the adoption process of lean production practices in China.Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws its conclusions from an analysis of survey data from samples of Chinese and US manufacturing executives. Lean production implementation is measured via a survey instrument, and the data are analyzed via regression analysis.Findings – The results suggest that the degree of implementation of lean production in China is equal to, if not greater than lean production implementation in the USA. While the results are fairly consistent across industries, they vary across different lean production practice bundles. In light of these findings, an institutional theory perspective is adopted to develop further insigh...

Controlling for logistics complexity: scale development and validation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a basic scale for general logistics complexity that allows researchers to control for this issue in their studies.Design/methodology/approach – The methodology consists of developing the scale based on a literature review and discussion with specialists. The proposed scale is then validated through data analysis from a web‐based survey of logistics managers in Brazil.Findings – The paper provides a valid and reliable scale for general logistics complexity that can be easily incorporated into research surveys. The scale is general enough that it can be used in surveys of firms across diverse industries. In addition, the scale can be further adapted to address more specific logistics complexity issues.Research limitations/implications – Further testing of the scales across multiple contexts is necessary for validity enhancement.Originality/value – Logistics complexity corresponds to a latent construct that has not been systematically developed i...

What gets suppliers to play and who gets the pay? On the antecedents and outcomes of collaboration in retailer-supplier dyads

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to adopt and contribute to the further development of the relational view by examining the drivers of retailer-supplier collaboration and its effect on the performance of both the retailer and the supplier. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws its conclusions from a structural analysis of dyadic survey data collected from consumer packaged goods suppliers and retailers in Brazil. In addition, objective retailer performance measures (retailer in-stock performance) are included in the data set. Findings – The results indicate that a suppliers customer orientation is an important determinant of supplier relationship-specific investments and, ultimately, supply chain collaboration. The empirical results also indicate that retailers stand to benefit the most from a suppliers collaborative efforts. In addition, there is evidence that a suppliers customer orientation is positively related to its own performance. Research limitations/implications – The limited sa...

Spillover effects of a firm's relationship marketing orientation in the logistics triad

– The central tenet of this paper is that a firms efforts to nurture a long-term relationship with a third-party logistics (3PLs) will be influenced by its strategic orientation toward its own customers. The purpose of this paper is to propose that there will be a spillover effect of a firms relationship marketing orientation (RMO) toward its customers on the nature of a firms relationship with its 3PL, positively impacting its logistics performance. , – A survey was administered to logistics managers in Brazilian firms that employ the services of a large 3PL. The model was tested via structural equation modeling. , – Results of this research suggest that a firms RMO toward its customers has a positive impact on the long-term orientation (LTO) toward the relationship with its 3PL, ultimately improving the firms operations performance. Additionally, the findings reveal that the positive effect of RMO on LTO is stronger for higher levels of a firms dependence on its 3PL. , – The results provide initial evidence that when a RMO is embedded in a firms strategies toward its customers, there will be spillover effects on both the nature and outcomes of relationships with other partners, such as 3PLs. Research limitations include the survey implementation in an emerging market, and surveying clients of a single 3PL. , – From the perspective of the 3PL, when selecting new clients, it is important to investigate how these potential clients relate to their own customers. In other words, 3PLs should investigate whether these potential clients embrace RMO toward their downstream customers. If that is the case, the client will be more likely to have LTO with the 3PLs with which it works. , – While most studies in logistics outsourcing demonstrate that interorganizational conditions are key determinants of long-term and collaborative relationships with 3PLs, this study provides initial evidence that when a strategic orientation – RMO – is embedded in a firms strategies and operations toward its customers, there will be spillover effects on both the nature and outcomes of relationships with 3PLs as well.

Masking the bullwhip effect in retail: the influence of data aggregation

Purpose – The accurate measurement of demand variability amplification across different nodes in the supply chain, or “bullwhip effect,” is critical for firms to achieve more efficient inventory, production, and ordering planning processes. Building on recent analytical research that suggests that data aggregation tends to mask the bullwhip effect in the retail industry, the purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate whether different patterns of data aggregation influence its measurement. Design/methodology/approach – Utilizing weekly, product-level order and sales data from three product categories of a consumer packaged goods manufacturer, the study uses hierarchical linear modeling to empirically test the effects of data aggregation on different measures of bullwhip. Findings – The authors findings lend strong support to the masking effect of aggregating sales and order data along product-location and temporal dimensions, as well as the dampening effect of seasonality on the measurement of th...