This paper proposes guidelines for improving logistics performance in terms of cost efficiency and on-time delivery in shipper–third-party logistics (3PL) provider relationships within an offshore outsourcing context. A conceptual framework is constructed based on a thorough literature review. Empirical data are collected through semi-structured interviews in a single-case study with a dyadic perspective, examining the 3PL relationship between Ericsson of Sweden and Aramex of Saudi Arabia. Accordingly, a revised framework is proposed after illustrating the case and merging the literature with practice. The findings highlight the impact of communication, trust, culture, system compliance, work agreements, and standardisation on cost efficiency and on-time delivery performance. The developed framework illustrates a sequential order for working on these factors to achieve performance improvement. This research is one of the first to propose guidelines for performance improvements within offshore outsourcing of 3PL services. 

This paper applies institutional theory to analyse the institutional pressures (regulatory, market, competitive) experienced by two actors within supply chains: shippers (i.e. logistics buyers) and logistics service providers (LSPs). Both actors are subject to institutional pressures to adopt green supply chain management practices, which could drive shippers to purchase green logistics services from LSPs, and LSPs to provide them. Also, the two actors are influenced by various factors that moderate the level of pressures on them and the responses they undertake. This study examines these pressures and moderators in detail to analyse how they influence green logistics purchasing/providing decisions. Empirical data were obtained from eight individual cases of three shippers and five LSPs. Accordingly, we compare these pressures and moderators based on the actors’ different roles in the supply chain. The findings aim to contribute to advancing the theory through (i) incorporating the roles of the moderating factors and (ii) providing further applications within specific shipper-LSP contexts. Further, this paper aims to assist managers within shipper and LSP organisations by demonstrating how their firm and market characteristics moderate the pressures exerted on them to buy or provide green logistics services, while providing insights on issues influencing their responsiveness.

This paper explores shippers’ (i.e. logistics buyers) and logistics service providers’ (LSPs) perceptions of green concerns under diverse contractual settings during the key phases of the lo-gistics purchasing process: request for proposal, negotiations, contracting and execution. Accordingly, it derives recommendations that could increase the actors’ inter- and intra-organisational alignment on green targets throughout these phases. Empirical data are obtained from eight individual cases of three shippers and five LSPs, representing the buyer/seller roles within logistics arrangements. Contrary to previous literature holding the view that setting more green demands by shippers would guarantee green outcomes, the findings show that shippers’ green demands may hinder green logistics applications due to impediments to LSPs’ asset-sharing strategies. Also, a deadlock situation is revealed in the negotiations phase, where both actors await each other to introduce additional demands/offers - calling for further regulatory intervention to release this deadlock. Moreover, this paper shows how a mismatch of interests in contractual periods between shippers and LSPs can obstruct green investments - signalling that the green criterion is not the decisive factor in shaping shippers’ outsourcing strategies. The findings also stress a lack of follow-up efforts by shippers on green measures that were specified pre-contract, attributing this to contrasting intra-organisational objectives within shippers’ firms. This paper contributes to the green logistics purchasing literature by revealing how different contractual settings play an important role in shaping shippers’/LSPs’ perceptions of green concerns during the logistics purchasing process. Further, it is one of the first studies to provide phase-specific recommendations to increase the actors’ alignment on green targets.

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to measure the gaps between the engagements of shippers (i.e.logistics buyers) and logistics service providers (LSPs) in different green logistics practices (GLPs)throughout the key phases of the logistics purchasing process: request for proposal, negotiations, contractingand execution.

Design/methodology/approach – A large-scale survey of shippers and LSPs in Sweden was conducted.Respondents were 331 firms (169 shippers, 162 LSPs). Mean values of the actors’ perceptions were analysedusing independent- and paired sample t-tests.

Findings – While this study supports previous research indicating that LSPs engage more extensively inselling GLPs than shippers do in buying them, it shows that this conclusion does not uniformly apply to allGLPs nor all purchasing phases. Three patterns emerged for the gaps between the actors’ buying-sellingengagements throughout the purchasing process: (1) steady and wide gaps, (2) steady and narrow gaps and(3) emergent gaps. Distinct GLPs were associated with each pattern. It is also shown that the prioritisation ofGLPs is fairly aligned between shippers and LSPs.

Research limitations/implications – This study contributes to the green logistics purchasing literature bysystematically and simultaneously creating three types of distinction, between (1) shippers and LSPs, (2)different GLPs and (3) different logistics purchasing phases. Future studies could replicate the analysis incountries other than Sweden.

Practical implications – Managers of shipper/LSP firms learn tips to spot the GLPs that their partnersprioritise, enabling them to modify their purchasing/marketing strategies accordingly.

Originality/value – The three types of distinction represent a novel approach in the green logisticspurchasing literature.

The contract logistics literature implicitly suggests that establishing advanced relationships between shippers (logistics buyers) and logistics service providers (LSPs) plays a role in facilitating green logistics practices. We systematically test this claim through surveying 335 companies (170 shippers; 165 LSPs) in Sweden. Using factor- and multiple regression analyses, we confirm that implementing green logistics practices is influenced by advanced relationships settings, but not all practices adhere to this. Also, a distinction is made on whether relationship advancement is expressed by the contract design or the degree of integration between the partners; the former better explains the implementation of the practices.