Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to generate a greater understanding of the interrelatedness of new business models in the truck market and developments in the road transport sector.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a three year research project in cooperation with a European heavy vehicle manufacturer, we present short case descriptions showing some of the main developments in the European trucking and transport markets. 

Findings

New business models emerge both in the heavy vehicle and transportation markets, in complex ways involving multiple actors.  The impetus for the models can come from several direction but the final impact must be negotiated and cannot be planned by a single actor.

Research limitations/implications

The research looks at a selection of cases and business models to demonstrate changes and the relations between the markets, and does not claim to be exhaustive in terms of the different business models in the European market. 

Practical implications

There is a distinct trend to greater specialization and the need for innovation to survive given the strong pressures in the commoditized transport market. Our findings show conflicting trends in terms of social implications, with improved ecological impact but the risk of worse conditions for driver. 

Original/value

The paper considers the development of new business models and implications on the market from the point of view of the firms actually using the business models.  This shows how different business models can co-exist and involve different types of rationalities.

Purpose – The purpose is to describe and analyse a methodology for studying the practice of logistics and supply chain management (SCM), namely the mystery methodology.

Design/methodology/approach – Many SCM and logistics researchers share methodological presuppositions concerning the ‘reality status’ that are usually unspoken and deviating from presuppositions of the methodology here investigated. By proposing an alternative methodology the paper stimulates further ideas that will advance the discussion of research methodologies in SCM.

Findings – The methodology facilitates exploration and elaboration of anomalies in theory and in practice. The mystery construction process facilitates SCM research in three ways, (1) as a consistent methodology for practice research, (2) for learning and responsiveness to new insights and (3) with the problem of bounding the case.

Research limitations/implications – The methodology is delimited by its constructivist/interpretivist assumptions, in order to provide accurate representations. But, it makes possible richer insights and meaning of SCM phenomena in which social action can be understood in an intelligible way.

Practical implications – Construction of mysteries opens up for learning during the research process by refining the research question and the literature base. Under the assumption that the researcher is knowledgeable about the literature in a variety of areas, the methodology implies rigor and relevance in SCM research.

Originality/value –This paper is grounded in contemporary supply chain integration problems and develops the discipline further with its alternative approach in which practice of action is in focus.

Much research has been done on outsourcing. However, we still know little about outsourcing based on a social process view on innovation. Outsourcing is an innovation as a logistics-related process that is perceived as new by the adopter. We will explore and analyse an outsourcing idea, its development and implementation, from an innovation perspective. The development is studied in a qualitative, long-term process study. The analysis draws on Hoholm’s (2009) model of innovation processes. It extends the applicability of this innovation model and its methodology of following the action into logistics and supply chain management (SCM) research. The outsourcing process is an innovation that develops in a rational way based on the incremental process because of its actor-network and simultaneous reflection. Interactions and confrontations come about because of involved contrary forces such as competing objectives. The model explains the practice of SCM innovation and increases the understanding of dynamics and complexity. The process study brings insights to cause-effect relations in the development of outsourcing that are consequential to innovative logistics and SCM.

Kundorderstyrning är ett viktigt inslag i såväl industriell som kommersiell logik. I den industriella logiken är fokus på att effektivisera produktion och distribution till kunder. Den kommersiella logiken handlar om att bättre anpassa sig till kundens olika behov och att öka intäkterna. Allt fler aktiviteter i industrins förädlingskedjor kundorderstyrs för att öka kundorienteringen. Kundens krav på fler varianter och modeller har samtidigt medfört allt större komplexitet och svårigheter att prognostisera framtida efterfrågan.

Problemen med kundorderstyrningen skiljer sig mellan olika industrier beroende på hur företagen i en förädlingskedja är integrerade och hur komplex produktionen är.

I kapitlet identifieras flera sammanhang, där kundorderstyrningen sätts ur spel. Så utgör t ex är ägarnas påtryckningar för att förbättra kapacitetsutnyttjande, öka försäljningen och bonussystemens uppbyggnad ett dilemma för verksamheten.

Supply chain development is debated in terms of whether lean and agile supply chain strategies will work simultaneously and whether “leagile” strategies are possible. This study explores complexity and dynamics of the mixed strategy in a longitudinal automotive industry case study and contributes with four propositions related to the debate and practices of supply chain strategies.