Title: Greening logistics outsourcing: reasons, actions and influencing factors

Authors: Pietro Evangelista; Lodovico Santoro; Jukka Hallikas; Anni-Kaisa Kähkönen; Katrina Lintukangas

Addresses: Research Institute on Innovation and Services for Development (IRISS), National Research Council (CNR), Via G. Sanfelice, 8 – 80134 Naples, Italy ' Research Institute on Innovation and Services for Development (IRISS), National Research Council (CNR), Via G. Sanfelice, 8 – 80134 Naples, Italy ' School of Business, Lappeenranta University of Technology, P.O. Box 20, FIN-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland ' School of Business, Lappeenranta University of Technology, P.O. Box 20, FIN-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland ' School of Business, Lappeenranta University of Technology, P.O. Box 20, FIN-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland

Abstract: This paper explores the environmental practices carried out in the transport and logistics industry. The study assumes the third-party logistics (3PLs) provides perspective and it examines reasons, green initiatives and factors affecting such initiatives. The research involved a case study analysis conducted on 31 Italian 3PLs. The approach used assumes that green initiatives implemented by 3PLs depend from different reasons. Accordingly, three clusters of companies characterised by different environmental sensitivity were identified. The results indicate that each of the three clusters is characterised by different environmental sensitivity, significant differences about the adoption of green initiatives and different influencing factors. The study findings allow to draw a number of managerial recommendations for improving the environmental sustainability of logistics outsourcing and potential future research avenues.

Keywords: logistics service providers; reasons; green actions; drivers; inhibitors; Italian logistics service market; case study analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLSM.2019.103084

International Journal of Logistics Systems and Management, 2019 Vol.34 No.3, pp.269 - 296

Received: 05 Jun 2017
Accepted: 18 Feb 2018
Published online: 15 Oct 2019 *

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