Michael A. McGinnis

A structural equation model assessment of logistics strategy

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess relevance of the three dimensions (process strategy, market strategy, and information strategy) of the Bowersox and Daugherty typology to logistics strategy and organizational competitive outcomes.Design/methodology/approach – Empirical data gathered from US logistics managers were analyzed using second‐order factor analysis to examine the Bowersox/Daugherty typologys relevance to logistics strategy and organizational competitive responsiveness.Findings – The findings identify overall logistics strategy and its effect on logistics coordination effectiveness, customer service effectiveness and organizational competitive responsiveness. Implications for teachers and practitioners of logistics and supply chain management are discussed.Practical implications – The papers findings expand the understanding of logistics strategys role in organizational competitive responsiveness. In addition, the findings of this paper provide a foundation for future research i...

Organisational Environment and Logistics Strategy: An Empirical Study

The responses of 222 logistics managers in manufacturing firms were analysed to identify logistics strategies and evaluate relationships between organisational environment and logistics strategy. The findings were integrated with previous research to develop a contingency model of logistics strategy.

A comparison of the effect of logistic strategy and logistics integration on firm competitiveness in the USA and China

Purpose – The purpose of this manuscript is to empirically compare logistics strategies in Chinese and US manufacturing firms and the outcomes of these strategies to test the underlying factor structure and measurement equivalences of Bowersox/Daugherty model and its relationship with critical success factors.Design/methodology/approach – A structured questionnaire was used to gather data from Chinese and American logistics managers. Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the authors compared the three dimensions of the overall logistics strategy (OLS) – process strategy, market strategy, and information strategy – in two countries. A structural equation model (SEM) was then used to assess the impact of OLS on perceived competitiveness in two countries.Findings – Although the economic, political, and cultural dimensions of the two countries differed substantially, the findings were similar. Data from both countries provided strong support for the three dimensions of overall logistic strategy (OLS). In ...

Market Orientation and Firm Performance: An Empirical Analysis of Ghanaian Microenterprises

ABSTRACT While previous researchers have explored the relationship between market orientation and firm performance in larger organizations, such studies in microenterprises are scarce. This empirical study uses a structural equation model to examine the role of market orientation on firm performance of microenterprises operating in Ghana. To measure market orientation, we used a well-known scale (MARKOR), and the data (N = 347) for this study were collected from Ghanaian microenterprises using personal interviews. Study results indicated that the MARKOR scale provided a good measure of market orientation in Ghanaian microenterprises. The conceptualized model provided a good fit to the relationship between market orientation and the performance of Ghanaian microenterprises, indicating that market orientation as measured by MARKOR had a statistically significant positive impact on performance. However, the explanatory power of the model was relatively low, indicating the potential impact of other factors that were not incorporated in the model. Study implications are discussed.

An empirical study comparing Guatemalan and United States logistics strategies

Purpose – This manuscript aims to empirically examine logistics strategy in Guatemalan firms and compare the findings to recent research into logistics strategy research of USA firms.Design/methodology/approach – Data on logistics strategies and logistics outcomes were gathered from Guatemalan logistics managers and then compared with empirical data gathered from US logistics managers.Findings – While the fundamentals of logistics strategy in Guatemala were similar to those of USA firms, it was found that Guatemalan logistics managers place somewhat less importance on process strategy but greater importance on market strategy and information strategy to achieve logistics coordination effectiveness, customer service commitment, and organization competitive responsiveness. Possible reasons for these differences include culture and size of the economy.Practical implications – The results suggest that logistics strategies in different countries may be affected by differences in culture, the size of an economy...

Military Logistics: Insights for Business Logistics

During the last 30 years the environments faced by the business logistics manager have dramatically increased in complexity. The integration of logistics processes with organizational strategy, increasing complexities of partnership/channel relationships, and the increasingly international scope of business logistics processes are examples of these complexities. The military logistics literature addresses complex issues of integrating logistics with strategy and tactics; co‐ordinating world wide supply operations; co‐ordinating an industrial base with military needs; and managing cycles of mobilization, warfare, and demobilization. Summarizes the development of business logistics thought, reviews the military logistics literature, and develops insights from the said literature that appear relevant to business logistics thought.