PURPOSEAlthough it has been suggested that shippers' demands regarding environmental practices appear to have an impact on the environmental work of LSPs, limited attention has been given to environmental practices in the relationships between LSPs and shippers. The purpose of this paper is to explore how dependencies between LSPs and shippers can influence the way in which environmental practices are coordinated in the relationships between them. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACHFour dyadic case studies, each consisting of one LSP and one shipper, provide the empirical basis for this paper.

PurposeThis paper takes its starting point in the possibilities consumers have to influence the greening of distribution. It focuses on three key actors who can facilitate consumer influence, namely e-tailers, logistics service providers (LSPs) and the consumers themselves. The purpose is to illuminate consumers' possibilities to influence the greening of distribution by exploring the communication between LSPs, e-tailers and consumers.Design/methodology/approachWebsite scans of the 40 largest Swedish e-tailers and ten LSPs were combined with interviews of three e-tailers and three LSPs.FindingsThe findings suggest that consumers at present have limited possibilities to influence the greening of distribution. One reason for this is the limited communication between LSPs, e-tailers and consumers. A gap in communication arises because e-tailers determine how to promote distribution alternatives on their websites, while it is the LSPs who develop and offer green distribution services.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper provides a first step in our understanding of what is needed in order to facilitate green distribution decisions from e-consumers.Practical implicationsE-tailers can gain an increased understanding of their important role as facilitators of environmentally sound decisions for consumers through their design of websites. This study also highlights the need for LSPs to support e-tailers in this work.Social implicationsThe study contributes to the societal striving towards zero greenhouse gas emission by focussing on decreasing environmental effects by using suitable logistics.Originality/valueIn contrast with previous research into the environmental impact of e-commerce distribution, this study investigates the possibilities consumers have to influence green logistics within e-commerce.

In the challenge of making transports and logistics greener, logistics service providers (LSPs) play a central role as the operators of freight transport. Their customers, the shippers, also play an important role in environmental development. Research has identified discrepancies between LSPs and shippers in their environmental practices. This paper takes a relational approach addressing these discrepancies, and the purpose is to develop the understanding of why environmental practices can both flourish and fade in provider-shipper relationships and networks. Paradoxes provide a theoretical lens, while an in-depth case study of two networks provides the empirical basis for the paper. The networks include relationships between LSPs and shippers. Findings show that paradoxes help to raise contextual awareness in the greening of these relationships. Paradoxes in many instances cause environmental practices to fade. One example is when an LSP's environmental ambition gives opportunities for environmental practices, but is limited by the financial goals of the shippers. Findings also indicate that if there are possibilities to relax the paradoxes, environmental practices may instead flourish in the relationships. One example of such a relaxation is environmental competence sustained and cultivated by the LSPs, since such competence can increase the power position of the LSP.

Modal shift to more energy-efficient alternatives, such as from road to rail or sea, is one path to reduce negative environmental effects. Transport providers and shippers have crucial roles in modal choice decisions, and a better understanding of the influence of interorganisational factors on modal shift is needed. The purpose is to increase the understanding of opportunities for modal shifts by exploring the influence of power and trust at the interface between transport providers and shippers. Aspects of power (coercive, reward, legitimate, expert and referent) and trust (contractual, competence and goodwill) influencing modal shifts were identified from interviews with shippers and transport providers in Sweden. During the initiation phase of modal shift, power appears more important, while trust is shown essential for the duration. By proactively suggesting modal shift, transport providers can use expert power to create rewards and referent power, through recognition of their expertise. Building trust, particularly goodwill trust, such as time invested in understanding the other party, transparency about challenges and jointly seeking solutions, is key to establish long-term modal shifts. This paper contributes to modal shift literature with insights on power balances and trust between transport providers and shippers.

PurposeThis study aims to explain how learning occurs in collaborative retailer–logistics service provider (LSP) relationships. The research is guided by two research questions, addressing absorptive and desorptive capacities and the interaction between these capacities.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on a case study of a Swedish, collaborative retailer–LSP dyad. The empirical data are structured around five specific learning situations within the retailer–LSP dyad.FindingsThe findings provide an explanation for how learning occurs within a collaborative retailer–LSP relationship based on subprocesses of absorptive and desorptive capacities. The interaction between these processes is found to rely on two types of support: one-directional and bidirectional. The findings also indicate positive outcomes of learning, such as improved cost efficiencies in warehouse operations, better customer services and improved long-term strategic planning.Practical implicationsThis study shows how retailers and LSPs can learn from each other and together create an improved logistics system for end customers.Originality/valueThis research takes into account absorptive and desorptive capacities in a collaborative retailer–LSP relationship. This study enhances the understanding of inter-organisational learning processes in a retail logistics context.