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Supply Chain Management research very often involves an analysis of relationships among abstract concepts. For this type of analysis, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is a very powerful technique because it combines measurement models (confirmatory factor analysis) and structural models (regression analysis) into a simultaneous statistical test. The objective of this paper is to show how SEM can be employed in theory testing. We will also describe a process regarding its implementation and show an example of a research paper based on this methodology.

Despite the recent debate on theories, logistics and SCM research still lacks a focus on theory development. Research will undoubtedly advance through rigorous empirical approaches, such as the use of structural equation modeling (SEM) within theory construction. SEM is well established in many fields of economic research, as it allows for validity of the structures and constructs in proposed theoretical models to be tested. This paper discusses the contribution of SEM to theory development and presents guidelines for the application of SEM to analyze both measurement and structural models. It exemplifies the use of SEM to capture and analyze the impact of logistics on the performance of companies. Based on a sample of 245 German companies, it emerges that logistics service levels have a greater impact on the performance of companies than logistics costs.

Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), including Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) is a statistical tool that is becoming increasingly popular in logistics research. The intent of this paper is to demonstrate the application of CFA in logistics research particularly in testing Mentzer et al. (1999) Logistics Service Quality (LSQ) instrument, a scale developed in the United States. This paper displays the value of CFA for scale development and testing with particular reference to dealing with missing data. The study is based on cross-sectoral mail survey of the customers of Third Party Logistics (TPL) providers in the United Kingdom (UK). With some improvement, it demonstrates the generalizability of LSQ scale across industries in the UK.

The practice of outsourcing logistics services is spreading with the increase in globalization and the increasing emphasis on core competence. This so-called third party logistics (3PL) includes various logistics services such as transportation, inventory management, distribution, warehousing services, customs and kitting. Previous studies have shown widespread adoption of 3PL in the USA and Western Europe. The goal of this paper is to explore 3PL in a developing country, Thailand, particularly from a user’s perspective. A survey of 3PL users was conducted in Thailand. Results show that 3PL is gaining acceptance in Thailand, and that users are generally satisfied with the service.

Supply Chain Management is mostly analyzed in the context of private companies as suppliers and private companies or individuals as customers. This article focuses on the specific issues that have to be integrated in an SCM analysis if the end user is a public authority. The presented research project focuses on the specific end user public authority, the specific information flows due to highly standardized structures, specific goods and services relevant for public authorities as end users, and specific critical success factors for companies to gain competitive advantages within a supply chain dominated by public sector issues.

Supply chain management implies that companies cooperate in delivering products and services to customers. As a consequence, related empirical research should collect data from more than one stage of the supply chain. This has rarely been the case so far, as often only one company is approached, implicitly carrying the problem that statements on the supply chain cannot be validated by a view from other participants. Therefore, it is important to select appropriate supply chains and companies for empirical research on supply chain management. One research method that can be applied in such a setting is case study research. This method allows a flexible data collection, which is appropriate for analyzing supply chains and managerial issues therein. While research in supply chain management imposes further difficulties, it also carries the chance to validate collected data by triangulating information obtained at different stages of the supply chain. This paper will outline some basic issues on case study research, and also portray three examples of how such research has been conducted.

This paper describes a case study research proposal designed to explore how and why firms chose to integrate process activities with supply chain partners. Previous quantitative studies suggest that integrating demand management, collaborative forecasting, and demand planning activities can lead to competitive advantage and improved supply chain performance. This qualitative research fills a gap in previous research by exploring the phenomenon of Interfirm Demand Integration in a true supply chain context, garnering perceptions from multiple supply chain partners. Results are expected to contribute to managerial, theoretical, and methodological knowledge.

This article aims to contribute to a better understanding of the use of case-based methodologies when researching supply chains. We first draw on Stuart et al. (2002) as well as other researchers in the operations management (OM) field and pioneering authors (Eisenhardt, 1989; Yin, 1993; Miles & Huberman, 1994) to examine the process of conducting case based research. We proceed from its theoretical foundations to the eventual dissemination of the research findings. We also examine how six other researchers have dealt with each stage of the research process as part of their case studies within supply chains. Finally, we illustrate this by presenting the critical decisions made in our research on supply relationships (inter- and intra- firm) and the key pitfalls we encountered.

This study focuses on possible contributions of the multilevel approach to research in supply chain management. Supply chains consist of multiple organizations comprising different departments with people who are interacting inside and across organizations. Factors at different levels may thus influence chain performance in different ways. What is more, the multilevel approach recognizes that concepts may have different or similar meanings at different levels. Finally, the multilevel approach makes nested data structures, for instance data of ten purchasers nested in a purchasing department, more apparent and analyzable. A multilevel approach to SCM may contribute to this field in at least three ways: (1) conceptually/theoretically, (2) in a methodological sense and (3) in an analytical way. In this paper we will elaborate on these issues and we will apply them to our own research on human behavior in supply chains.

The strategic importance of supply chain management in creating value is attracting the attention of both practitioners and academics. The potential of strategic cost management to support related value creation has been highlighted. However, very little research using case studies has been done to demonstrate how cost management is implemented along supply chains. The few case studies investigating the application of cost management along the supply chain have largely focused on single cases where supply chain participants have a dyadic relationship. In addition, limited research has focused on supply chain relationships in developing countries. This research uses multiple case studies to investigate and gain insight into the manner in which strategic cost management is applied along a product’s supply chain involving both first-tier suppliers, manufacturers, as well as retailers in the developing country of South Africa.