New Frontiers in Logistics Research: Theorizing at the Middle Range

Self Cite

The centrality of cross‐functional integration (CFI) to supply chain theory and practice has long been recognized. Yet researchers continue to struggle with consistently defining or measuring the CFI construct, thus limiting the utility of CFI research. This research develops (1) a comprehensive definition of CFI that synthesizes previous supply chain research and (2) a valid set of scale items that measure the conceptual domain outlined by this definition. The goal is to build a common foundation for extending knowledge on CFI's antecedents and consequences, and ultimately to improve scholars’ ability to guide a broader practitioner community still struggling to achieve integration in their organizations.

Section: A Middle‐range Definition Of Cfi For Supply Chain Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cross‐Functional Integration: Concept Clarification and Scale Development

Pellathy

Mollenkopf

Stank

et al. 2019

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“…(), given its greater applicability to practitioners (Stank et al. ). As such, our first task is to translate the concepts from more abstract theories—specifically the theory of strategic purity and information processing theory—to the motor carrier industry.…”

Section: Theory and Hypothesis Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strategic Purity and Efficiency in the Motor Carrier Industry: A Multiyear Panel Investigation

Muir

Miller

Griffis

et al. 2019

Two questions facing motor carrier managers are (1) whether carriers should specialize in providing full truckload (TL) or less‐than‐truckload (LTL) services vis‐à‐vis offering mix of both and (2) whether this decision is contingent on carrier size. Yet, the literature provides little guidance because research to date has offered contradictory theoretical predictions and inconsistent empirical findings. Drawing on the theory of strategic purity and information processing theory, we explain why service specialization is likely to increase carriers' technical efficiency and why size will have a more pronounced effect on technical efficiency for carriers specializing in LTL services versus TL services. To test our theory, we assemble a panel data set from archival government sources regarding general freight motor carriers' provision of LTL and TL services. We measure carriers' technical efficiency using data envelopment analysis and test our hypotheses by fitting a series of panel data mixed‐effects models. Our results indicate that carriers are most technically efficient when they specialize in one service type. We also find that size positively affects technical efficiency but only for carriers specializing in LTL services; no returns to scale with regard to technical efficiency exist for carriers specializing in TL services.

“…), allows us to devise middle‐range theory (Merton ; Stank et al. ) that postulates asymmetric effects of carriers’ growth or contraction on different dimensions of safety tracked by the FMCSA as part of the Compliance, Safety, and Accountability (CSA) program. In particular, we explain why carriers’ growth will have a more detrimental effect on their driving safety than their vehicle maintenance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Motor Carriers’ Growth or Contraction on Safety: A Multiyear Panel Analysis

Miller

Schwieterman

Bolumole

2018

Motor carrier safety remains a highly relevant issue for supply chain managers and scholars because carriers’ safety affects supply chains as well as the welfare of the motoring public. This article enriches understanding regarding this topic by investigating how motor carriers’ growth or contraction since the start of the Compliance, Safety, and Accountability (CSA) program in 2010 affects their safety performance. Drawing on core principles from theories regarding internal adjustment costs from economics and nonscale free capabilities from management, we explain why carriers’ growth or contraction should differentially affect various safety metrics tracked by the CSA program. To test our theory, we assemble a multiyear panel data set for over 1,000 of the largest for‐hire motor carriers operating in the United States by melding together several different governmental data sources. We fit a series of multivariate seemingly unrelated regression models to test our hypothesized effects. Our results corroborate our theorized predictions and are robust to alternative model specifications. We conclude by detailing how this work contributes to extant theory, summarizing managerial and policy implications, highlighting limitations, and suggesting directions for further pursuit.