Inter-firm customer knowledge sharing in logistics services: an empirical study

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine customer knowledge sharing between a buyer of a logistics service and the logistics service provider (LSP). The authors attempt to fill the gap in current research by investigating inter-firm customer knowledge sharing.Design methodology approach - A...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of physical distribution & logistics management 2011-01, Vol.41 (10), p.956-971
Main Authors: Rollins, Minna, Pekkarinen, Saara, Mehtälä, Mari
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Collaboration
Communication
Customer relationship management
Customer satisfaction
Customer services
Data collection
Design engineering
Empirical analysis
Explicit knowledge
Hypotheses
Information sharing
Investments
Knowledge management
Knowledge sharing
Logistics
Logistics management
Marketing
Outsourcing
Regression
Studies
Supply chains
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Summary:Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine customer knowledge sharing between a buyer of a logistics service and the logistics service provider (LSP). The authors attempt to fill the gap in current research by investigating inter-firm customer knowledge sharing.Design methodology approach - A survey study was conducted. Data were collected from buyers of logistic services. Confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regression were used to analyze data and test hypotheses.Findings - Results suggest that open and fluent communication mediates the relationship between customer knowledge sharing and satisfaction with a logistics service provider. In addition, the close relationship with the logistics service provider is needed to strengthen the relationship between customer knowledge sharing and satisfaction with the logistics service provider.Research limitations implications - This study provided new empirical evidence concerning inter-firm customer knowledge sharing. The authors suggest that logistic service providers should be incorporated into the customer knowledge management process to ensure open and fluent communication about customers.Practical implications - This study provides practical insights for companies that sell logistic services.Originality value - Customer knowledge sharing has been largely studied in an intra-firm context, for instance information sharing between marketing and research and development departments. This research extends the concept of customer knowledge sharing to the inter-firm context.
ISSN:0960-0035
1758-664X
DOI:10.1108/09600031111185239