An exploration of relationship structures, their integration and value in maritime logistics networks

• Main Author: Lin, Shang-Min
• Published: Cardiff University 2015
• Subjects: 658.7; HE Transportation and Communications
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.685507

Maritime logistics plays a critical but often unnoticed role in global supply chains. Management of buyer-supplier relationships is central to the success of SCM. Therefore, as the essential part within the global supply chain relationships, it is important to study the inter-organizational relationships in maritime logistics network. The dominant consideration of relationship management research in maritime logistics has been focused on a dyadic level, and little research has looked at this issue from a network view. In addition, bringing about higher value through the process of complex exchange in business has been recognized, but seldom been examined empirically, neither has been the relevance between service complexity and the relationship strength. This thesis thus aims to explore the relationship structure and the value generated within the maritime logistics from a network perspective, mainly considering the service complexity within a varied of influential factors. Mixed methods approach has been adopted, using semi-structure interviews, quantitative questionnaire survey and social network analysis. The research framework based on logistics triad is established, and rich insights were obtained from industry. This leads to the evaluation of the relationship strength in maritime logistics networks, the association between service complexity and the nature of relationship in them, and the value generated in the networks, by using three-level analysis and six-dimensional measurement for relationship strengths. In terms of the major findings, this research identifies that not every link has the same level of integration in the network. A range of contingency factors affecting relationship strength are recognised. There is generally a positive correlation between service complexity and relationship strength, although some links do not demonstrate this. Likewise, there is an affirmative correlation between service complexity and value perceived. Nevertheless, only the values perceived by freight forwarders in each types of service are statistically significant. Until now, there has been very little consideration of using network perspective to measure and analyse the relationship dynamics and value generated in line with different service complexity in the maritime logistics, and therefore this thesis represents a clear contribution to the literature.