title: Dynamics of supply chain relationships: A qualitative study of logistics triads

authors: Luo, Wen

subjects: Triadic Relationship

abstract: In recent years, a growing number of organizations have outsourced logistics services to logistics services providers (LSPs). Consequently, the outcome of logistics outsourcing is significant in determining the outcome of contemporary supply chains. To account for greater interconnection between organizations, supply chain relationship is crucial for achieving successful logistics outsourcing. Because organizations need to continuously change their decision-making in outsourcing, relationships among organizations in outsourcing are dynamic. Further, because logistics outsourcing has created more SCRs among suppliers, LSPs, and customers, managers need to use a network perspective to manage multiple relationships in the process of outsourcing. The triadic relationship is recognized as the smallest network structure. Researchers have therefore suggested that studying triadic relationships can help expand the knowledge of managing network structures in supply chains. As a result, the primary goal of this research is to study dynamics of supply chain relationships in logistics outsourcing from a view of triadic relationship. This relationship is called a logistics triad and consists of a supplier, a logistics service provider (LSP), and their common customer.

Balance theory is a theory that was specifically developed for studying triadic relationships. Balance theory has been used in this thesis as a theoretical lens to develop a conceptual framework and research propositions in order to study logistics triads. Because only a few supply chain studies have adopted balance theory so far, there is a lack of a well-designed research instrument to investigate the research target that the present study explores. To rectify this paucity, qualitative research was conducted using multiple case studies to explore why and how a logistics triad transitions between different triadic relationship structures.

The present research was carried out in two stages. The first stage collected triadic cases from LSPs. To improve validity and reliability, the second stage used a deductive process to test findings of the first stage by collecting triadic cases from suppliers and customers. Results of the comparison between the two stages provided verified research findings because the two stages exhibited close similarity.

In stage one, the findings indicate that balance theory on its own is insufficient to explain the stability and dynamics of logistics triads. This led to the identification of factors that influenced the relationship dynamics in logistics triads. Among these factors, the combined effects of purchasing volumes, resource capability, and focal firm can override influences from other factors to determine stability and dynamics of logistics triads. The influence from the focal firm demonstrates that the supply network model is more useful than balance theory to study logistics triads.

Overall, this thesis makes four major contributions to the knowledge of supply chain relationships: developing an integrative model of triadic relationship dynamics, identifying control approaches used by organizations to dominate triads, comparison between balance theory and supply network model, and demonstrating organizations' mediating effects on dyadic relationships within triads.

text: Dynamics of supply chain relationships: A qualitative study of logistics triads In recent years, a growing number of organizations have outsourced logistics services to logistics services providers (LSPs). Consequently, the outcome of logistics outsourcing is significant in determining the outcome of contemporary supply chains. To account for greater interconnection between organizations, supply chain relationship is crucial for achieving successful logistics outsourcing. Because organizations need to continuously change their decision-making in outsourcing, relationships among organizations in outsourcing are dynamic. Further, because logistics outsourcing has created more SCRs among suppliers, LSPs, and customers, managers need to use a network perspective to manage multiple relationships in the process of outsourcing. The triadic relationship is recognized as the smallest network structure. Researchers have therefore suggested that studying triadic relationships can help expand the knowledge of managing network structures in supply chains. As a result, the primary goal of this research is to study dynamics of supply chain relationships in logistics outsourcing from a view of triadic relationship. This relationship is called a logistics triad and consists of a supplier, a logistics service provider (LSP), and their common customer.

Balance theory is a theory that was specifically developed for studying triadic relationships. Balance theory has been used in this thesis as a theoretical lens to develop a conceptual framework and research propositions in order to study logistics triads. Because only a few supply chain studies have adopted balance theory so far, there is a lack of a well-designed research instrument to investigate the research target that the present study explores. To rectify this paucity, qualitative research was conducted using multiple case studies to explore why and how a logistics triad transitions between different triadic relationship structures.

The present research was carried out in two stages. The first stage collected triadic cases from LSPs. To improve validity and reliability, the second stage used a deductive process to test findings of the first stage by collecting triadic cases from suppliers and customers. Results of the comparison between the two stages provided verified research findings because the two stages exhibited close similarity.

In stage one, the findings indicate that balance theory on its own is insufficient to explain the stability and dynamics of logistics triads. This led to the identification of factors that influenced the relationship dynamics in logistics triads. Among these factors, the combined effects of purchasing volumes, resource capability, and focal firm can override influences from other factors to determine stability and dynamics of logistics triads. The influence from the focal firm demonstrates that the supply network model is more useful than balance theory to study logistics triads.

Overall, this thesis makes four major contributions to the knowledge of supply chain relationships: developing an integrative model of triadic relationship dynamics, identifying control approaches used by organizations to dominate triads, comparison between balance theory and supply network model, and demonstrating organizations' mediating effects on dyadic relationships within triads.

year: 2015

title: Does respondent perception of the status quo matter in non-market valuation with choice experiments? An application to New Zealand freshwater streams

authors: Marsh, Dan

subjects: choice experiments

abstract: In environmental valuation studies with stated preference methods, researchers often provide descriptions of status quo conditions which may differ from those perceived by respondents. Ignoring this difference in utility baselines may affect the magnitude of utility changes and hence bias the implied estimates of benefits from the proposed environmental policies. We investigate this issue using data from a choice experiment on a community’s willingness to pay for water quality improvements in streams. More than 60 percent of respondents perceived the description of the quality of water in streams to be better than the one we provided in our scenario. Our results show that respondents who could provide details of their perception of the status quo displayed stronger preferences for water quality improvements - hence a higher marginal willingness to pay - than their counterparts. Respondents who opted for their own status quo description displayed a higher inclination to remain in the status quo, while their counterparts displayed the contrary. We argue this might be linked to the amount of knowledge each group displayed about the status quo: a kind of reluctance to leave what one knows well.

text: Does respondent perception of the status quo matter in non-market valuation with choice experiments? An application to New Zealand freshwater streams In environmental valuation studies with stated preference methods, researchers often provide descriptions of status quo conditions which may differ from those perceived by respondents. Ignoring this difference in utility baselines may affect the magnitude of utility changes and hence bias the implied estimates of benefits from the proposed environmental policies. We investigate this issue using data from a choice experiment on a community’s willingness to pay for water quality improvements in streams. More than 60 percent of respondents perceived the description of the quality of water in streams to be better than the one we provided in our scenario. Our results show that respondents who could provide details of their perception of the status quo displayed stronger preferences for water quality improvements - hence a higher marginal willingness to pay - than their counterparts. Respondents who opted for their own status quo description displayed a higher inclination to remain in the status quo, while their counterparts displayed the contrary. We argue this might be linked to the amount of knowledge each group displayed about the status quo: a kind of reluctance to leave what one knows well.

year: 2010-07

title: Assessment of fish populations in Lake Horowhenua, Levin

authors: Tempero, Grant Wayne

subjects: Lake Horowhenua

abstract: Lake Horowhenua (Waipunahau) is of substantial historical, cultural and recreational value to the people of the Horowhenua region. However, water quality and biodiversity within the lake has been in decline for a number of years. As part of lake restoration efforts by Horizons Regional Council and the Lake Horowhenua Trustees, a survey of fish species in Lake Horowhenua was conducted by the University of Waikato using boat electrofishing and fyke netting. A lake restoration plan had previously identified invasive fish species such as koi carp (Cyprinus carpio) and European perch (Perca fluviatilis) as being potential barriers to rehabilitation of the lake. The purpose of this survey was to determine the abundance and diversity of fish species within the lake and to ascertain if pest fish species were present at biomasses high enough to be negatively impacting on lake ecology. Recommendations would then be made as to the potential methods and necessity for pest fish removal.

text: Assessment of fish populations in Lake Horowhenua, Levin Lake Horowhenua (Waipunahau) is of substantial historical, cultural and recreational value to the people of the Horowhenua region. However, water quality and biodiversity within the lake has been in decline for a number of years. As part of lake restoration efforts by Horizons Regional Council and the Lake Horowhenua Trustees, a survey of fish species in Lake Horowhenua was conducted by the University of Waikato using boat electrofishing and fyke netting. A lake restoration plan had previously identified invasive fish species such as koi carp (Cyprinus carpio) and European perch (Perca fluviatilis) as being potential barriers to rehabilitation of the lake. The purpose of this survey was to determine the abundance and diversity of fish species within the lake and to ascertain if pest fish species were present at biomasses high enough to be negatively impacting on lake ecology. Recommendations would then be made as to the potential methods and necessity for pest fish removal.

year: 2013