Title: An investigation on logistics management in China

Authors: John E. Spillan; Zhixin Kang; Chuanhui Xiong

Addresses: School of Business, University of North Carolina at Pembroke, One University Drive, Pembroke, NC 28372, USA ' School of Business, University of North Carolina at Pembroke, One University Drive, Pembroke, NC 28372, USA ' School of Business, University of North Carolina at Pembroke, One University Drive, Pembroke, NC 28372, USA

Abstract: This research focuses on studying how Chinese logistics managers perceive logistics management in terms of five constructs. These constructs are labelled as logistic integration (LI), company/division competitiveness (CDC), logistics strategies and priorities (LSAP), private warehousing investment decisions (PWID), and company/division external environment (CDEE). Specifically, we investigate the relationships of these five constructs and whether these relationships are affected by firm-specific variables such as ownership, number of employees, revenue, logistics managers' education, and logistics managers' administrative positions. We find that logistics integration imposes significant positive influence on a firm's competitiveness; a firm/division's external competitive environment remarkably influences its logistics strategy and priorities; a firm's logistics strategy and priorities significantly determine its warehousing investment decisions, as well as its logistics integration; a firm's private warehousing investment decision is independent of logistics integration and competitiveness. However, the effects of the firm-specific variables on the relationships of the five constructs are quite mild.

Keywords: China; logistics management; relationships; structural equation modelling; SEM; multi-group analysis; logistics integration; competitiveness; logistics strategies; logistics priorities; private warehousing investment; external environment; firm ownership; employee numbers; revenue; education level; administrative positions.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSCIM.2016.076437

International Journal of Supply Chain and Inventory Management, 2016 Vol.1 No.2, pp.154 - 184

Received: 06 Jul 2015
Accepted: 10 Feb 2016
Published online: 06 May 2016 *

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