The present research investigates antecedents of safety performance in warehouses. Specifically, we study what factors influence the number of accidents that have occurred in the past three and a half years in 78 Dutch warehouses. Based on prior research in (behavioral) operations management, safety management, and organizational behavior, we identify hazard reducing systems (HRS), safety‐specific transformational leadership (SSTL), and safety consciousness (SC) as potential predictors of safety performance. Path analysis on data from a survey among 78 warehouse managers and 1033 warehouse employees shows, in line with prior research, that HRS is a strong predictor of safety performance. Importantly, our results also suggest that SSTL may be an even more important predictor of safety performance than HRS. SSTL affects safety performance directly (contrary to our expectations SC does not mediate this relationship) and strongly predicts safety performance even after controlling for the effects of HRS. SSTL also mediates some of the effects of HRS on safety performance. Subsequently, we propose that leaders are critical in fostering safety on the work floor.

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Price and quantity indices are important, much-used measuring instruments, and it is therefore necessary to have a good understanding of their properties. When it was published, this book was the first comprehensive text on index number theory since Irving Fisher's 1922 The Making of Index Numbers. The book covers intertemporal and interspatial comparisons; ratio- and difference-type measures; discrete and continuous time environments; and upper- and lower-level indices. Guided by economic insights, this book develops the instrumental or axiomatic approach. There is no role for behavioural assumptions. In addition to subject matter chapters, two entire chapters are devoted to the rich history of the subject.

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W e report on a cross-sectional and longitudinal comparison of European distribution centers in the Netherlands. European distribution centers are responsible for the distribution of a manufacturer's (mostly Asian or American) products over customers in a large part of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, often with strict service-level agreements. In total, 65 physical warehouses, containing 140 European, Asian, and American European distribution center operations, in combination with different outsourcing relations (own-account, dedicated outsourced, and public outsourced), were benchmarked in 2000 and monitored over the period 2000-2004. We conclude that both in 2000 and 2004, European warehouses are more efficient than Asian and American warehouses, and outsourced operations (particularly public warehouses) are more efficient than own-account operations. Over the period 2000-2004, efficiency appears to have declined substantially; the most distinct differences are to be found among public outsourced warehouses and, because many European distribution center warehouse operations of European origin are run by public service providers, among European warehouses. This decline in efficiency also led to a decline in productivity, in spite of the fact that overall the available technology has improved. We conjecture potential causes for this decline.

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Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to compare efficiency scores from the benchmarking exercise with those of previous studies and to discuss the reasons behind diverging results. Design/methodology/approach -This paper uses data envelopment analysis (DEA) on primary data of large container terminals. Findings -The results differ strongly from those available in the literature. Causes for these differences are: public (secondary) data are not always accurate; different terminal types are compared; terminals of different scale are compared; and terminals are mixed with ports. Practical implications -DEA may be appropriate for container terminal benchmarking, but only if better quality and additional input and output data can be obtained. In its application, the analysis should be controlled for terminal types. Originality/value -Summary of the state of play in the use of DEA methodologies for comparing the efficiency of container terminals at ports.

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