The effect of green logistics service quality on Thai logistics service provider performance

Grant, David; Chaisurayakarn, Siriwan

Abstract

Paper delivered at the 21st Logistics Research Network annual conference 2016, 7th-9th September 2016, Hull. Abstract Purpose: The emergence of environmental or green issues in global supply chains has made it an essential practice to measure the performance of organisations of not only from their financial and management perspectives but also their environmental performance, particularly logistics service providers (LSPs). There has been little work done linking the topics of green service quality (GSQ) and logistics service quality (LSQ), particularly in a developing economy such as Thailand. However, the Thai government has established a Thai logistics performance index (TLPI) for the logistics sector and is focussing more on environmental or green aspects related to transportation and logistics. Given this context, the purpose of this paper is to investigate issues pertaining to GSQ and LSQ, and their impact on the TLPI that will affect Thai LSPs. Research approach: The empirical research for this paper was based on an extensive literature review in three key areas: LSP performance, LSQ, and GSQ. For this study, GSQ has been defined from perceptual service quality or SERVPERF constructs as the environmental initiatives crucial to operational service quality, particularly in logistics service provision. The empirical study used a rigorous three-phase methodological framework originally developed for the marketing discipline for item and scale development, and which has been applied more recently to logistics research. An interview and a survey from the perceptions of LSPs and LSP customers were used as appropriate methods for this explanatory study and were discussed at the LRN in 2013 and 2014 (Chaisurayakarn et al. 2013; 2014). Findings and Originality: LSQ has a positive and significant effect on the TLPI, and that effect is more pronounced when GSQ measures are included. The findings also propose a final set of twenty-eight important GSQ and LSQ variables for LSP performance perceived by Thai LSPs and their customers and which are generally related to green safety, regulations and collaboration; time and services; order service quality; and order procedure competencies. Research impact: This paper provides a contribution to the GSQ, LSQ and LSP debate by extending service quality theory in the logistics services sector in the context of GSQ and integrating GSQ competencies into extant LSQ frameworks. A limitation is that this paper only reports preliminary findings of an ongoing study. Practical impact: A practical contribution for both LSPs and their customers is an understanding of how LSPs can focus on GSQ to perform better, which is important to customers, and hence better compete with rivals. Moreover, it explores that an area of the effects of green logistics service quality (GLSQ) on the LSP’s performance.

Citation

Grant, D., & Chaisurayakarn, S. The effect of green logistics service quality on Thai logistics service provider performance

• Deposit Date: Nov 24, 2016
• Journal: Proceedings of the 21st logistics research network annual conference 2016
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• ISBN: 9781904564522
• Keywords: Logistics service quality, Green service quality, Logistics service provider performance
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/445738
• Publisher URL: The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport website is available at https://www.ciltuk.org.uk.
• Contract Date: Nov 24, 2016