Diane A. Mollenkopf

World‐class logistics: Australia and New Zealand

Purpose – This paper reports on a study of the logistics and supply chain practices of Australian and New Zealand firms.Design/methodology/approach – The research uses the Supply Chain 2000 Framework developed at Michigan State University as a basis for analyzing logistics/supply chain capabilities and competencies of Australian and New Zealand firms. A mail survey instrument was used in both countries.Findings – There are indeed Australian and New Zealand firms who are operating at world‐class levels with respect to logistics/supply chain capabilities. The majority of firms, however, still focus their efforts on internal logistics integration issues, compared with external integration issues. A comparison of industry groups shows that the motor/transport and the chemicals/petroleum sectors perform the best, while there is much room for improvement in the food, clothing/textile and primary industry sectors.Research limitations/implications – This research takes a snapshot of Australian and New Zealand bus...

Improving chemical industry performance through enhanced railcar utilization

Purpose – The chemical industry is struggling to improve its supply chain performance, and improved asset utilization may help get the industry headed in the right direction. Since most chemical firms own or lease their rail fleets, rail utilization can have a substantial impact on overall asset utilization. The paper aims to focus on current managerial processes and situational factors that impact railcar asset performance.Design/methodology/approach – Rail car cycle data are analyzed, focusing on major sources of variation in transit inventory as railcars move from plant to customer and back.Findings – Findings include the importance of establishing and adhering to policies regarding supply chain practices; substantial differences exist between hopper and tank car performance; distance is not a major predictor of total cycle time variance; and vendor‐managed inventory relationships can operate with less customer inventory.Research limitations/implications – This paper addresses only one component of sup...