De-greening of logistics? – Why environmental practices flourish and fade in provider-shipper relationships and networks

• Published in: Industrial marketing management 2018-10, Vol.74, p.276-287
• Main Authors: Sallnäs, Uni, Huge-Brodin, Maria
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Environmental practices; Green logistics; Logistics service providers; Networks; Paradoxes; Supply chain relationships
• ISSN: 0019-8501; 1873-2062; 1873-2062
• DOI: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2018.07.001

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 an LSP, since such competence can increase the power position of the LSP. •Paradoxes often cause environmental practices to fade in LSP-shipper relationships.•Relaxing paradoxes can make environmental practices flourish in the relationships.•Environmental practices can flourish by choosing the right counterparts.•Environmental practices can flourish by cultivating environmental competence.