Logistics Managers' Learning Environments and Firm Performance

Abstract

Rapid change in the business environment, constant breakthroughs in information technology, and higher customer expectations mean that firms' successes will be increasingly dependent on learning (Baldwin, Danielson, and Wiggenhorn 1997). The notion of leveraging superior learning processes as a source of competitive advantage is well established (Baker and Sinkula 1999;Day 1994;de Geus 1988de Geus , 1997 Narver 1995, 2000;Slocum, McGill, and Lei 1994;Stata 1989). In fact, Stata suggests that "the rate at which individuals and organizations learn may be the only source of sustainable competitive advantage" (p. 64).Concurrent with the notion of leveraging learning for competitive advantage is the emergence of the learning organization concept (Garvin 1993(Garvin , 2000Marsick and Watkins 1999;Pedler, Burgoyne, and Boydell 1991;Senge 1990; Marsick 1993, 1996). Learning organizations focus on the importance of acquiring, processing and disseminating knowledge, facilitating and making use of individual learning, and modifying behavior and practices to reflect the learning (Applebaum and Reichart 1998). The overall premise of the learning organization concept is that the firm can improve performance by developing the learning skills and harnessing the knowledge of its employees.Learning organization characteristics may help logistics managers develop systems thinking, information sharing, and collaborative teamwork skills to improve firm performance (Drew and Smith 1998). The current business environment has raised the performance bar substantially for today's logistics manager who must "maintain an organizational lightness of foot never before seen" (Mississippi State University 1999, p. 4). As the "quarterbacks" for supply chain initiatives, logistics managers are expected to get closer to the customer and become conversant with information technology (Quinn 1997), break down traditional intra-organizational barriers

Managing Logistics Outsourcing Relationships: An Empirical Investigation in China

“…Based on RBV, our conceptual model proposes that focusing on the management of rare, inimitable, non-substitutable, and valuable internal and external human capital resources improves supply chain collaboration between outsourcing partners. In addition, our study contributes to the emergent stream of theorybased research suggesting supply chain management practices can be enhanced through the growth and development of logistics personnel (Ellinger, Ellinger, and Keller 2002;Ellinger at al. 2008;Gowen and Tallon 2003), and that human resource management issues are crucial to the socialization and success of supply chains (McAfee, Glassman, and Honeycutt 2002;Scarbrough 2000).…”

Learning orientation, integration, and supply chain risk management in Chinese manufacturing firms

“…In perhaps the first research study to link learning with SCM-related performance, Drew and Smith (1998) suggest that organisational learning helps logistics managers develop systems thinking, information sharing, and collaborative teamwork skills to improve performance. Subsequent empirical studies document the positive influence of learning on multiple aspects of firm performance (Ellinger, Ellinger, and Keller 2002), marketfocused SCM and end customer satisfaction (Spekman, Spear, and Kamauff 2002), and on supply chain cycle time (Hult, Ketchen, and Slater 2004). Collectively, this stream of literature indicates that learning favourably influences SCM-related performance.…”

Linking improved knowledge management to operational and organizational performance

“…Since they interact with customers, third parties, and suppliers, LO personnel are uniquely positioned to capture important inbound and outbound knowledge of the business environment (De Treville et al, 2004;Rosenzweig and Roth, 2007). They are among the few nonmarketing and non-sales personnel that actually ''touch'' the customer and are often the last ''touch'' the customer has with the organization (Ellinger et al, 2002), and thus are enabled to gather demand knowledge not accessible to others (Frohlich and Westbrook, 2002). For example, a route delivery driver may spend more time face-to-face with key customer representatives than any other firm employee (Bowersox et al, 2000).…”