Abstract
Considering its strong environmental impact, logistics plays a critical role in green supply chain management. It provides strategic links in the supply chain and is an essential function in the delivery of green products to the consumer. There is a general consensus on the fact that more environmentally sustainable companies may be achieved only if transport and logistics activities also become greener. To achieve this objective, buyer companies need to incorporate green considerations in the purchasing of transport and logistics services. This appears particularly challenging for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) because of their traditional lack of managerial, organisational and financial resources that often result in failure to adopt an environmental perspective. In the extant literature, green purchasing has received increased attention over the past decade and the strategic importance of introducing green aspects into purchasing practices has been recognised. However, little has been written in relation to purchasing green transport and logistics services. The aim of this paper is to explore practices in the buying of green transport and logistics services and to derive implications for small buyer companies. The paper analyses how general environmental company ambitions and environmental purchasing practices are reflected when green transport and logistics services are purchased in three different European countries (Italy, Ireland and Sweden) using a multiple case study research approach. The results of the paper indicate that while the case companies show a relatively high concern for green issues at corporate level, a lower importance is attributed to green issues at the purchasing function level. When green concerns in the purchasing of transport and logistics services are analysed the level of importance decreases further. Thus, a conflicting attitude is evident between the overall corporate level and the purchasing of transport and logistics services specifically. This suggests that there is potential for improvement especially in the area of green collaboration in buyer and supplier relationships.Riferimenti bibliografici
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Evangelista, P., 2011. ICT Diffusion in SMEs. An Investigation on the Italian Transport and Logistics Service Industry, Collana di Ingegneria Economico-Gestionale, No. 43, ESI, Naples, Italy.
Foerstl, K., Reuter, C., Hartmann, E., Blome, C., 2010. Managing supplier sustainability risks in a dynamically changing environment - Sustainable supplier management in the chemical industry, Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 16: 118-130.
Foster, S.T., Sampson, S.E., Dunn, S.C., 2000. The impact of customer contact on environmental initiatives for service firms, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 20(2): 187-203.
Green K., Morton, B., New, S., 1996. Purchasing and environmental management: implications, policies and opportunities, Business Strategy and the Environment, 5, 3.
Harris, I., Sanchez Rodrigues, V., Naim, M., Mumford, C., 2010. Restructuring of logistics systems and supply chains, in McKinnon et al. (eds) (2010) Green Logistics: Improving the environmental sustainability of logistics, Kogan Page: 101-123.
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Klassen, R.D., Vachon, S., 2003. Collaboration and evaluation in the supply chain: the impact on plant-level environmental investment, Production & Operations Management,
12(3): 336-352.
Kohn, C. Huge-Brodin, M., 2008. Centralised distribution systems and the environment: how increased transport work can decrease the environmental impact of logistics International Journal of Logistics: Research and Applications, 11(3): 229-245.
Large, R., Gimenez Thomsen, C., 2011. Drivers of green supply management performance: Evidence from Germany, Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 17: 176-184.
Su-Yol Lee., 2008. Drivers for the participation of small and medium-sized suppliers in green supply chain initiatives, Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 13(3): 85-198.
Lieb, K. Lieb,, R., 2010. Environmental sustainability in the third-party logistics (3PL) industry, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, 40(7): 524-533.
Luken, R., Stares, R., 2005. Small business responsibility in developing countries: a threat or an opportunity?. Business Strategy and the Environment, 14: 38-53.
Maack, C. Huge-Brodin, M., 2010. Logistics companies’ potential in greening their offered services, in proceedings of the 17th EUROMA Conference, paper No. SSC11, June 6-9 2010, Porto, Portugal.
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McKinnon, A., 2010b. Increasing fuel efficiency in the road freight sector, in McKinnon et al. (eds) (2010) Green Logistics: Improving the environmental sustainability of logistics, Kogan Page: 229-241.
McKinnon, A., 2010c. Product-level carbon auditing of supply chains, Environmental imperative or wasteful distraction?, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, 40(1/2): 42-60.
Panayides, P.M., 2005. Logistics service provider-client relationships, Transportation Research Part E (Logistics and Transportation Review), Vol. 41(3): 179-200.
Piecyk, M., 2010. Carbon auditing of companies, supply chains and products, in McKinnon et al. (eds) (2010) Green Logistics: Improving the environmental sustainability of logistics, Kogan Page: 49-67.
Robson. C., 2003. The Real World Research - A Resource for Social Scientists and Practitionerresearchers. Oxford, Blackwell Publications.
Schaper, M., 2002. Small firms and environmental management: predictors of green purchasing in Western Australian pharmacies. International Small Business Journal. 20(3): 235-51.
Theyel, G., 2001. Customer and supplier relations for
environmental performance, Greener Management International, 35: 61-69.
Vachon, S., Klassen, R., 2006. Extending green practices across the supply chain: the impact of upstream and downstream integration, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 26(7): 795-821.
van Hoek, R.I., Johnson, M., 2010. Sustainability and energy efficiency. Research implication from an academic roundtable and two case examples, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, 40 (1/2): 148-158.
Walker, H., Di Sisto, L., McBain, D., 2008. Drivers and barriers to environmental supply chain management pratices: Lessons from the public and private sectors, Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 14: 69-85.
Wolf, C., Seuring, S., 2010. Environmental impacts as buying criteria for third party logistical services, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 40(1): 84-102.
Woodburn, A. Whiteing, A., 2010. Transferring freight to ’greener’ transport modes, in McKinnon et al. (eds) (2010) Green Logistics: Improving the environmental sustainability of logistics, Kogan Page: 124-139.
World Economic Forum, 2009. Supply chain decarbonisation. The role of logistics and transport in reducing supply chain carbon emissions.
Zsidisin, G., Siferd, S., 2001. Environmental purchasing: a framework for theory development, European Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 7(1): 61-73.
Ashenbaum B., Maltz A.B., Rabinovich E., 2005. Studies of trends in third-party logistics usage: what we can conclude?, Transportation Journal, Vol. 44(3): 39-50.
Björklund, M., 2010. Benchmarking tool for improved corporate social responsibility in purchasing, Benchmarking: An International Journal, 17(3): 340-362.
Björklund, M., 2011. Influence from the business environment on environmental purchasing - drivers and hinders of purchasing green transportation services, Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 17: 11-22.
Carter, C., Kale, R. and Grimm, C., 2000. Environmental purchasing and firm performance: an empirical investigation, Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 36(3): 219-228.
Carter, C. Jennings, M., 2002. Social responsibility and supply chain relationships, Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transport Review, 38(1): 37-52.
Eglese, R. Black, D., 2010. Optimizing the routing of vehicles, in McKinnon et al. (eds.) (2010) Green Logistics: Improving the environmental sustainability of logistics, KoganPage: 215-228.
Easterby-Smith, M.P.V., Thorpe, R., Jackson, P., 2008. Management Research: Theory and Research. Sage, London.
Evangelista, P., Huge-Brodin, M., Isaksson, K., Sweeney, E., 2012. The environmental sustainability attitude of 3PLs. Implications for purchasing transport and logistics services.
In Folinas D. (ed.) Outsourcing Management for Supply Chain Operations and Logistics Services, IGI Global, USA, (in printing).
Evangelista, P., Huge-Brodin, M., Isaksson, K., Sweeney, E., 2011. The impact of 3PL’s green initiatives on the purchasing of transport and logistics services: an exploratory study. Proceedings of the 20th Annual IPSERA Conference Vision 20/20 - Preparing today for tomorrow’s challenges, 10th-13th April, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Evangelista, P., 2011. ICT Diffusion in SMEs. An Investigation on the Italian Transport and Logistics Service Industry, Collana di Ingegneria Economico-Gestionale, No. 43, ESI, Naples, Italy.
Foerstl, K., Reuter, C., Hartmann, E., Blome, C., 2010. Managing supplier sustainability risks in a dynamically changing environment - Sustainable supplier management in the chemical industry, Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 16: 118-130.
Foster, S.T., Sampson, S.E., Dunn, S.C., 2000. The impact of customer contact on environmental initiatives for service firms, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 20(2): 187-203.
Green K., Morton, B., New, S., 1996. Purchasing and environmental management: implications, policies and opportunities, Business Strategy and the Environment, 5, 3.
Harris, I., Sanchez Rodrigues, V., Naim, M., Mumford, C., 2010. Restructuring of logistics systems and supply chains, in McKinnon et al. (eds) (2010) Green Logistics: Improving the environmental sustainability of logistics, Kogan Page: 101-123.
Hollos, D., Blome, C., Foerstl, K. Henke, M., 2010. Antecedence and performance implications of supplier coordination for sustainable business practices, proceedings of the 17th EUROMA Conference, paper No. SSC3, June 6-9, Porto, Portugal.
Isaksson, K, Huge-Brodin, M., 2013. Understanding the efficiencies behind logistics service providers’ green offerings. Forthcoming in Management Research Review, 36(3).
Klassen, R.D., Vachon, S., 2003. Collaboration and evaluation in the supply chain: the impact on plant-level environmental investment, Production & Operations Management,
12(3): 336-352.
Kohn, C. Huge-Brodin, M., 2008. Centralised distribution systems and the environment: how increased transport work can decrease the environmental impact of logistics International Journal of Logistics: Research and Applications, 11(3): 229-245.
Large, R., Gimenez Thomsen, C., 2011. Drivers of green supply management performance: Evidence from Germany, Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 17: 176-184.
Su-Yol Lee., 2008. Drivers for the participation of small and medium-sized suppliers in green supply chain initiatives, Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 13(3): 85-198.
Lieb, K. Lieb,, R., 2010. Environmental sustainability in the third-party logistics (3PL) industry, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, 40(7): 524-533.
Luken, R., Stares, R., 2005. Small business responsibility in developing countries: a threat or an opportunity?. Business Strategy and the Environment, 14: 38-53.
Maack, C. Huge-Brodin, M., 2010. Logistics companies’ potential in greening their offered services, in proceedings of the 17th EUROMA Conference, paper No. SSC11, June 6-9 2010, Porto, Portugal.
McKinnon, A., 2010a. Environmental sustainability: a new priority for logistics managers, in McKinnon et al. (eds) (2010) Green Logistics: Improving the environmental sustainability of logistics, Kogan Page: 3-30.
McKinnon, A., 2010b. Increasing fuel efficiency in the road freight sector, in McKinnon et al. (eds) (2010) Green Logistics: Improving the environmental sustainability of logistics, Kogan Page: 229-241.
McKinnon, A., 2010c. Product-level carbon auditing of supply chains, Environmental imperative or wasteful distraction?, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, 40(1/2): 42-60.
Panayides, P.M., 2005. Logistics service provider-client relationships, Transportation Research Part E (Logistics and Transportation Review), Vol. 41(3): 179-200.
Piecyk, M., 2010. Carbon auditing of companies, supply chains and products, in McKinnon et al. (eds) (2010) Green Logistics: Improving the environmental sustainability of logistics, Kogan Page: 49-67.
Robson. C., 2003. The Real World Research - A Resource for Social Scientists and Practitionerresearchers. Oxford, Blackwell Publications.
Schaper, M., 2002. Small firms and environmental management: predictors of green purchasing in Western Australian pharmacies. International Small Business Journal. 20(3): 235-51.
Theyel, G., 2001. Customer and supplier relations for
environmental performance, Greener Management International, 35: 61-69.
Vachon, S., Klassen, R., 2006. Extending green practices across the supply chain: the impact of upstream and downstream integration, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 26(7): 795-821.
van Hoek, R.I., Johnson, M., 2010. Sustainability and energy efficiency. Research implication from an academic roundtable and two case examples, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, 40 (1/2): 148-158.
Walker, H., Di Sisto, L., McBain, D., 2008. Drivers and barriers to environmental supply chain management pratices: Lessons from the public and private sectors, Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 14: 69-85.
Wolf, C., Seuring, S., 2010. Environmental impacts as buying criteria for third party logistical services, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 40(1): 84-102.
Woodburn, A. Whiteing, A., 2010. Transferring freight to ’greener’ transport modes, in McKinnon et al. (eds) (2010) Green Logistics: Improving the environmental sustainability of logistics, Kogan Page: 124-139.
World Economic Forum, 2009. Supply chain decarbonisation. The role of logistics and transport in reducing supply chain carbon emissions.
Zsidisin, G., Siferd, S., 2001. Environmental purchasing: a framework for theory development, European Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 7(1): 61-73.
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