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This paper aims to elaborate on current research on fourth party logistics “4PL” by offering a taxonomy that provides a deeper understanding of 4PL service offerings, thus drawing clear frontiers between existing 4PL business models.

The authors collected data using semi-structured interviews conducted with 60 logistics executives working in 44 “4PL” providers located in France. Using automatic analysis of textual data, the authors combined spatial visualisation, clustering analysis and hierarchical descending classification to generate the taxonomy.

Two key dimensions emerged, allowing the authors to clearly identify and distinguish four 4PL business models: the level of reliance on interpersonal relationships and the level of involvement in 4PL service offering. As a result, 4PL providers fall under one of the following business models in the taxonomy: (1) The Metronome, (2) The Architect, (3) The Nostalgic and (4) The Minimalist.

The study focuses on investigating 4PL providers located in France; thus, future studies should explore the classification of 4PL business models across different cultural contexts and social structures.

The findings offer valuable managerial insights for logistics executives and clients of 4PL to better orient their needs, the negotiations and the contracting process with 4PLs.

Using a Lexicometric analysis, the authors develop taxonomy of 4PL service providers based on empirical evidence from logistics executives; the work addresses the existing confusion regarding the conceptualisation of 4PL firms with other types of logistical providers and the role of in/formal interpersonal relationships in the logistical intermediation.

Herbert A. Simon and Alan Newell won the Turing Award jointly in Computer Science for foundational work on Artificial Intelligence. Simon also won the Nobel Prize in Economics for the concept of “bounded rationality.” In both cases, the same heuristic was deemed fundamental: “Search till a satisfactory solution is found.” We argue that behavioral strategy can learn a great deal from the Theory of Computational Complexity and Artificial Intelligence. These fields can provide a sounder theoretical grounding for bounded rationality and for the necessity and usefulness of heuristics. Finally, a concept of “organizational intractability” based roughly on the metaphor provided by the Theory of Computational Complexity may be useful in determining what analytical decision technologies are actually intractable in real organizations with constraints on time and managerial attention.

The purpose of this research is to understand the value a fourth‐party logistics provider (4PL) can create within an organisation and to identify an appropriate measure of such value creation.

The paper presents a conceptual model that is based on research of 4PL implementations within the alcoholic beverage industry.

This paper presents a framework by which contribution by 4PL's to organisations might be valued.

Future research may be widened to include financial and service measures within customers and suppliers thereby considering the wider value chain for a given commodity where a 4PL is involved in facilitating delivery of the goods or services.

The paper assumes that 4PL providers have the requisite skill set to manage and deliver added value versus an in‐house solution.

This paper offers insights into the pre‐requisite conditions for a company to consider outsourcing to a 4PL provider, the conditions/attributes that contribute to securing a 4PL relationship, the value that can be created through use of a 4PL and a method by which to assess the creation of value.

User poll picks ‘best’ business databases In an effort to determine which of more than fifty business‐oriented online databases yielded the ‘best’ information, Washington Researchers Ltd., polled hundreds of participants in its Researching Company Information Seminars held throughout the country over the past year.

The dynamic evolution and new direction of nonprint media in the information professions continually change the emphasis and character of activities, services and equipment. It is essential for libraries and other information agencies to keep abreast with the latest developments in the field.

Researcher Highlight: Dr. Carter G. Woodson (1875–1950)

The purpose of this paper is to sketch a comparative account of NPD approaches between registered New Zealand food companies that are doing some sort of functional foods (FF) development (Group 1) and those that are not (Group 2); to generate a better understanding of differences and commonalities in their NPD approaches from resource-based view of competitive advantage.

This paper opted an exploratory approach using a quantitative survey across food manufacturing companies in New Zealand. The primary foci of this empirical investigation were: orientation towards the NPD, innovation processes, collaborative NPD links and routes to commercialisation.

The results (based on a 22 per cent response rate) show a significant difference (p<0.05) in the aims and mode of NPD between Groups 1 and 2. Further it was observed that food companies in Group 1 have significantly (p<0.05) more diverse external collaborations with broader aims to collaborate, in comparison with food companies in Group 2.

This study was conducted in New Zealand and thus generalisability of the findings may have to be interpreted carefully.

The traditional NPD approach (independent and closed NPD), with loose intellectual property protection practices, dominates the food manufacturing industry in New Zealand. Research-oriented collaborations need to be strengthened in their scope and content to develop the innovative capabilities and capacities of small and medium enterprises (SME's) within future value-added food productions.

This research provides the comparative narration of innovation process of food manufacturing companies with reference to FFs development.

It will flame out, like shining from shook foil.Gerard Manley Hopkins, “God's Grandeur”As Emerson asserts, seeing people as benevolent and virtuous is, in fact, the most accurate way to see them.Mary Rice