SUPPLY CHAIN PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM OF LOGISTICS SERVICE PROVIDERS. A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK AND RESEARCH AGENDA

Abstract

Currently, intensified globalization and consequent competitive pressures have reemphasized the importance of logistics service providers (LSPs) in managing logistics processes as well as customer and supplier relationships within the supply chain management. This requires them to develop their business performance measurement systems (BPMSs) towards supply chain performance measurement systems (SCPMSs) a scope of which depends on the LSP advancement thus whether it operates as a third-party logistics (3PL) provider, a lead logistics provider (LLP) or a fourth party logistics (4PL) provider. However research on the topic of LSP SCPMSs remains scarce as it usually concentrates on SCPMSs of the focal companies orchestrating the whole supply chain (SC). At the same time LSPs have an exceptional impact on SC performance as the operators connecting the SC links, and since they operate within a portion of or the whole supply chains of the sectors they serve, they need to develop not only the internal BPMSs, but also the external SCPMSs. The present paper aims to consolidate knowledge on supply chain performance measurement systems perceived and developed from the perspective of LSPs and makes a three-fold contribution to the discussion. First, it proposes the LSP SCPMS definition. Second, it develops a research framework that distinguishes key issues which need consideration when examining the LSP SCPMSs, namely the LSP advancement, the LSP SCPMS components such as applied subsystems, approaches, ICT technologies and metrics including methods for metric selection followed by the LSP SCPMS adoption consequences, characteristics and life cycle and finally contextual factors constituting stimuli and barriers for the LSP SCPMS development. Then a research agenda is presented to guide future research on the LSP SCPMSs. This work is designed to inspire researchers to continue expanding the knowledge about how to develop high-performing SCPMSs for different supply chain players including LSPs.