This paper reports on the use of different approaches for measuring the efficiency of major Brazilian port terminals. Two of the most important approaches, DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) and SFA (Stochastic Frontier Analysis), were performed on data collected from 25 terminals. The findings indicate that the majority of Brazilian terminals are running short on capacity due to the export boom that has occurred over the past few years and due to the lack of investment in capacity expansion. Furthermore, efficiency measurements derived from a reduced model with only one input and one output were explained based on variables such as type of cargo handled (container or bulk), connectivity of the terminal to railroads, and control (state or private) of the terminal. Implications and directions for future research are explored.(soy, iron ore, oil, frozen orange juice, petrochemicals, coffee, sugar, ethanol, pulp, etc.); the other half was due to manufactured products (processed meat, automobiles, steel, aircraft, appliances, auto parts, etc.).According to Curcino (2007), the Brazilian Federal Law 8630-amended in 1993 and also known as the 'Port Modernization' Law-was the path for port privatization, leasing of terminals, installation of local port authorities, and labour deregulation, breaking up with the state monopoly on the sector. Although investments in capacity expansion have been minimal from that period to these days, the comparison of several ports in terms of their overall efficiency has become an essential part of the Brazilian microeconomic reform agenda for sustaining economic growth based on foreign trade (Fleury and Hijjar, 2008). For example, in 2006, a federal authority linked to the Transportation Ministry was created to monitor operational bottlenecks and to allocate investments among Brazilian ports and terminals. Since then, performance measurements of ports and terminals are conducted on a more systematic way by Brazilian authorities, albeit they are still based on several traditional single output/single input productivity indexes.Traditionally, the performance of ports and terminals has been variously evaluated by numerous attempts at calculating and seeking to optimize the operational productivity of cargo handling at the berth and in the terminal area . In recent years, approaches such as DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis), FDH (Free Disposal Hull) (Cullinane et al., 2005), and SFA (Stochastic Frontier Analysis) (Cullinane and Song, 2003; have been increasingly utilized to analyse production and performance of ports and terminals. It must be noted, however, that FDH and SFA are less frequently used than DEA, the technique that presents the largest amount of applications in this sector (see Panayides et al., 2009, for a comprehensive list of references). Within port operations, the use of DEA is increasing, while the application of FDH remains low.Despite its original shortcomings, such as not allowing for error or random shock measurement 1 and not being capable to account for the impact of cont...

PurposeTo investigate the relationship between the choice of integrated or functional logistics providers by Brazilian shippers and: the type of their manufacturing process structure, and the level of sophistication of their logistics function, as well as the impact on that choice of possible interactions between these two characteristics of the shippers.Design/methodology/approachData were collected in a comprehensive survey on the use of 3PL service providers in Brazil using a sample of 93 large Brazilian shippers; The analysis tests three research questions on the individual and combined relationships of logistics sophistication, measured on a logistics sophistication index (LSI), and process type (according to Goldratt's V‐A‐T classification for materials flow analysis) with the choice of type of 3PL provider; the methods of analysis were cluster and logistics regression analysis.FindingsThe paper finds: support for an association of sophisticated logistics functions and a preference for integrated 3PLs; support for an association between the A‐type production process structure and preference for integrated 3PLs; and of V and T types for functional 3PLs. However, it also finds that shippers with type T process structure and more sophisticated logistics tend to favor integrated 3PLs.Research limitations/implicationsOne limitation is that logistics performance is not considered; future studies may further refine the proposed framework for segmentation.Practical implicationsThe paper advocates the use of models by providers to segment their customers, and better understanding by shippers of prevailing trends in logistics outsourcing according to their process structure and characteristics of their logistics function.Originality/valueThe paper unveils significant relationships between shipper sophistication of logistics function, manufacturing process structures, and the choice of type of 3PL. It also proposes a new framework for segmenting the 3PL service provider market in terms of sophistication of the logistics function and the logistics task implied by the type of operation.

A strong link has been established between operational excellence and the degree of sophistication of logistics organization, a function of factors such as performance monitoring, investment in Information Technology [IT] and the formalization of logistics organization, as proposed in the Bowersox, Daugherty, Dröge, Germain and Rogers (1992) Leading Edge model. At the same time, shippers have been increasingly outsourcing their logistics activities to third party providers. This paper, based on a survey with large Brazilian shippers, addresses a gap in the literature by investigating the relationship between dimensions of logistics organization sophistication and drivers of logistics outsourcing. To this end, the dimensions behind the logistics sophistication construct were first investigated. Results from factor analysis led to the identification of six dimensions of logistics sophistication. By means of multivariate logistical regression analyses it was possible to relate some of these dimensions, such as the formalization of the logistics organization, to certain drivers of the outsourcing of logistics activities of Brazilian shippers, such as cost savings. These results indicate the possibility of segmenting shippers according to characteristics of their logistics organization, which may be particularly useful to logistics service providers.

This paper reports an attempt to explore the relationships between logistics complexity and supply chain management (SCM) objectives and decision areas in large manufacturing companies operating in Brazil. Literature review is conducted, followed by survey research data (using a sample of 108 large companies operating in Brazil) analysis using cluster analysis, factor analysis and binary logistic regression. Results suggest that the level of logistics complexity of companies is a driver of management choices in supply chain objectives and decision areas, confirming our initial proposition that a contingency approach for supply chain management would be more appropriate than the "best practice" one. At the end of the article some further conclusions are drawn and opportunities for further research are discussed.

Brazilian exporters: exploratory study on the perceptions about logistics infrastructure quality RESUMO O objetivo desta pesquisa é avaliar as percepções de diferentes segmentos de exportadores sobre a qualidade da infraestrutura logística de exportação. Para isto, foram defi nidas e operacionalizadas, com base na revisão de literatura, as principais dimensões de segmentação de exportadores: tipo de carga (contêiner ou granel) e criticidade da operação portuária. Foram enviados questionários para os 250 maiores exportadores brasileiros do ranking da AEB (Associação de Exportadores Brasileiros). A partir dos 101 questionários recebidos foi possível identifi car que exportadores de carga a granel tendem a considerar o escoamento e o acesso aos portos uma difi culdade logística mais crítica que os exportadores de cargas em contêineres. Já com relação à criticidade da operação porto-a-porto, os exportadores do setor de insumos industriais percebem a piora da qualidade da infraestrutura física do modal marítimo e da burocracia para exportação como refl exo de limitações na sua capacidade de produção. PALAVRAS-CHAVEExportadores, qualidade, infraestrutura, logística. ABSTRACTThe objective of this research is to evaluate the perceptions of different trading fi rms about the quality of the logistics infrastructure for the foreign trade. Based on the literature review, the major dimensions regarding these fi rms were defi ned and operationalized: type of load (container or bulk) and criticality of port operation. A survey was conducted with the 250 largest Brazilian fi rms ranked at the AEB list (Brazilian Foreign Trade Firms Association). Based on the 101 questionnaires returned, it was identifi ed that the bulk traders tend to consider the access to ports a bigger logistical shortcoming than the container traders. With regard to the criticality of port operation, fi rms of the intermediate goods industry perceive the decay of the physical infrastructure and the foreign trade bureaucracy as a consequence of their limited production capacity. KEY WORDSForeign trade fi rms, quality, infrastructure, logistics.