John Dinwoodie

Congestion and multimodal transport: a survey of cargo transport operators in the Netherlands

Longer and more frequent traffic jams in the Netherlands are increasing the costs of transporting cargo. Tightly scheduled production systems rely on punctual materials movements, but are congestion-induced delays sufficient to stimulate freight mode switching from road to combined road-rail and road-water movements? A survey of Dutch transport companies revealed an estimated 10% of vehicle operating time spent in congested conditions. The perceived impact on transport operations, consumers and service characteristics are reported. Based on the survey findings, a vehicle cost simulation attributed 7% of transport costs to congestion, increasing the attractiveness of multimodal transport and other solutions.

Quantifying the effectiveness of VMI and integrated inventory management in a supply chain with uncertain lead-times and uncertain demands

This article considers the inventory management problem in a supply chain with uncertain replenishment lead-times and uncertain demands. The optimal integrated inventory management (IIM) policy is developed using stochastic dynamic programming theory. The IIM policy is contrasted with two pull-type vendor-managed inventory policies (VMI-1 and VMI-2) and a traditional retailer-managed inventory policy (RMI). Computational results show that in such stochastic supply chains, IIM performs about 23, 15, and 3% better than the optimised RMI, VMI-1 and VMI-2 policies, respectively, while two VMI policies are about 8 and 20% better than the best RMI. The basestock-based VMI-2 is a very good form of VMI. The ANOVA analysis reveals that the replenishment lead-times have the largest effect on the relative performance between IIM and other policies. Numerical examples demonstrated that the IIM policy has good structural properties and can be characterised by a set of switching curves.

Measuring the competitiveness of container ports: logisticians' perspectives

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present an approach to measuring container port competitiveness, a key but neglected element of channel management in a complex and dynamic logistics environment underpinned by commercial confidence and trust in European supply chains fed with goods from container ports in Northeast Asia.Design/methodology/approach – This study applies a fuzzy methodology to measure port competitiveness based on the expert judgements of logisticians. It applies a trapezoidal fuzzy number to measure their perceptions. The method accepts a linguistic expression of their judgements of five of the worlds top six container ports in terms of container through‐puts, including Hong Kong, Busan, Shanghai, Kaohsuing, Shenzhen. Qindao ranked 16th and Tokyo ranked 20th were also analyzed.Findings – Hong Kong achieved the highest score on port service but on hinterland conditions Shanghai scored highest and Busan the lowest. Hong Kong topped the ratings on the availability factor and the conv...

The impact of innovativeness on supply chain performance: is supply chain integration a missing link?

Purpose – This purpose of this paper is to study the impact of innovativeness on supply chain integration (SCI) and supply chain performance (SCP) and the role of SCI in mediating between innovativeness in the supply chain and SCP. Innovativeness is an accepted driver to leverage firm performance. SCI and SCP require innovativeness in the supply chain, but their interrelationships have rarely been researched empirically. Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire survey and structural equation modelling were used in this work. After a structural and measurement model was devised from existing supply chain literature, the main data were collected in a web-based questionnaire survey of South Korean manufacturers. Structural equation modelling was applied to test proposed hypotheses on the associations between variables, following a hierarchical analysis process. Findings – Innovativeness in the supply chain had a positive impact on both SCI and SCP. However, the direct impact of innovativeness on SCP dis...

Case studies in logistics: a review and tentative taxonomy

This paper reviews an increasingly frequent adoption of case studies as a method within which to frame data gathering in logistics research, particularly in papers reported in this journal. Because case study methods are versatile and accepted within different paradigms, a review and taxonomy is urgently required to clarify why logisticians deploy them. This paper seeks to encourage a more informed approach to this choice by proposing a tentative taxonomy of their role in logistics research designs based on a comprehensive review of recent applications. Published papers reveal studies that have deployed case studies to explore theory, validate models, refine and extend theory perhaps using multiple cases to review theory through multiple comparisons. Despite changing units of analysis and research designs, and with pragmatic reasons for adopting case studies this tentative taxonomy invites further testing to stimulate a more informed and critical adoption of case studies and to support healthy theoretical regeneration.

Promoting Development through Multimodal Freight Transport in Bangladesh

Abstract Development emanating from international trade and investment in many least‐developed economies is impeded by inland freight transport systems that restrict multimodal transport. Increasing international trade may raise gross domestic product, generating increased demand for internal containerized cargo movements, but the requisite transport infrastructure is lacking. The paper explores impediments to developing effective multimodal transport and possible solutions in Bangladesh, which is an extreme case in point. It reports applications of Delphi techniques that explored local expert opinions regarding policies required to tackle such impediments. A panel of corporate executives perceived a changing inland transport system poorly suited to efficient origin‐to‐destination cargo movements in international supply chains. To promote further development, customs procedures must be streamlined and Bangladeshi shippers must adopt a door‐to‐door transport system.

Weighting the competitiveness factors for container ports under conflicting interests.

AbstractGenerally, an evaluation of container port competitiveness is regarded as a multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem which involves various stakeholders with conflicting interests. To solve MCDM problems, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method has been popular, but problems arise in managing uncertainty among decision makers, and contradictory opinions. The key issue discussed in this paper is how to obtain compromise weights (CWs) using a combined AHP procedure. This procedure incorporates Dempster-Shafer theory for eliminating uncertainty in the evaluation, and a levelling process for adjusting the contradictory opinions of each group, a so-called multiple decision-making group problem. For an empirical analysis, container ports located in Northeast Asia, known to exhibit severe port competition, were selected. Using an adoption of the methodology, the matrix of CWs was obtained. Using this matrix permits an exact evaluation of competitiveness in the sampled container ports.

Electronic shipping documentation in China's international supply chains

Purpose – Before Chinas opening and reform policy transformed foreign trade, personal relationships characterised mainly domestic trade. Burgeoning international supply chains (ISC) require efficient document transfers to accompany large cargo shipments, but Chinas users of bills of lading (BOLs) increasingly experience delays or fraud. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential for an internet‐based, third‐party (IBTP) internet service provider (ISP) offering electronic (e)BOLs and shipping documentation services.Design/methodology/approach – An exploratory attitude survey of BOL users compared trader, middlemen and shipping group perceptions’ of current problems and potential for eBOLS.Findings – Accuracy, security and speed subsumed cost considerations for BOL users. Major concerns were delays, typing errors and excessive paperwork. EBOLs proffer speedier documentation, better management information and savings on postage. Concerns for secure data with legal integrity signify mistrust,...

The perceived importance of employment considerations in the decisions of students to enrol on undergraduate courses in Maritime Business in Britain

In recent years, external pressures on maritime businesses have increased their need to employ high calibre personnel, educated to respond effectively to these pressures. Set against this requirement, the onus of acquiring a university education has shifted to the individual, as state subsidies to individuals seeking to undertake higher education in British universities have declined, and many corporate training programmes have been aimed at meeting the needs of an organization rather than the individuals within them. If the future supply of graduates is to match ongoing industrial requirements, one needs to understand why students enrol on particular courses, and how importantly they perceive employment considerations to be when making their decisions. This paper reports on a survey of why students at several British universities chose to enrol on undergraduate courses in Maritime Business, and considers the implications of its findings for ensuring that an adequate supply of suitably educated graduates will continue to be available to meet industrial needs.

Motivational profiling of logistics Master’s students in Great Britain

Ponders the elemental role of professionally skilled logisticians on sustained corporate success in global supply chain networks and the obligation of human resources managers and academics to advance professional competence. Considers the perceived importance of enhanced knowledge and employment prospects in motivating logistics Master’s students in Great Britain. Investigates the appeal of Master’s qualifications to enrolled and latent logisticians at several British universities and reports a statistical discriminant analysis of previously unknown groupings of motivations for undertaking study. Contrasts the basic motivations of domestic students with the combined basic and academic motivations of non‐British Europeans and the concerns of non‐European students for reputation and teaching quality. Relates the discriminating power of the importance of study abroad and a practical course and the perceived influences of study in English, a relevant academic system, and teaching methods. Explores the implications of the findings for course planning and marketing, professional development and further research.