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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of logistics service quality (LSQ) on consumer satisfaction and loyalty in an omni-channel retail environment.

An empirical, survey-based approach is used to collect data from consumers about experiences with two different omni-channel retail scenarios: buy-online-pickup-in-store (BOPS), and buy-in-store-ship-direct (BSSD). Participants responded to questions regarding the LSQ, consumer satisfaction, and consumer loyalty relative to their actual experience in one of these situations.

Results suggest that omni-channel consumers are truly unique, and all three dimensions of LSQ (condition, availability, and timeliness) are distinct in their impact on satisfaction and loyalty. Results suggest that in the BOPS sample, consumer satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between condition and loyalty and fully mediates the relationship between timeliness and loyalty. In the BSSD model, consumer satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between timeliness and consumer loyalty.

This research studies LSQ in two different omni-channel scenarios; additional research is needed to explore other omni-channel scenarios and extend the findings to be more generalizable.

Managers should recognize that for omni-channel consumers, timeliness is the essential driver of satisfaction and loyalty. Retailers need to account for this reality and dedicate substantial resources to meet delivery requirements in a timely manner. Logistics service providers need to emphasize speed and reliability of their delivery processes for omni-channel consumers.

This research is the first attempt at conceptualizing LSQ in an omni-channel supply chain, and testing the impact of LSQ on consumer satisfaction and loyalty.

The purpose of this paper is to examine managerial perspectives in both buyer and supplier firms implementing environmental initiatives in their supply chains, and explore the impact of environmental initiatives on buyer-supplier relationships.

A qualitative, grounded theory approach is used as the methodological approach to this research, including 15 in-depth interviews with managers from buyer and supplier firms implementing environmental initiatives in their supply chains to gain multiple perspectives of the buyer-supplier relationships.

The results suggest that implementing environmental initiatives within the supply chain changes the buyer-supplier relationship from transactional to collaborative, shifting from a commodity-focused purchase to a more strategic purchase as environmental initiatives are implemented.

Although both buyer and supplier perspectives were considered, matched dyads were not used; researchers should continue to provide a holistic perspective of the phenomenon with dyadic data. Additionally, the use of a qualitative research approach suggests a lack of generalizability of results, and therefore researchers should further test the propositions.

Implementing environmental initiatives within the supply chain may require different approaches to supply management and development for long-term success. Suppliers should recognize that the capability to implement environmental initiatives with their customers is a differentiator. The nuances involved in managing the implementation of environmental initiatives between firms can be better managed by collaboratively developing metrics specifically related to the environment.

Previous research in environmental supply chain management has examined drivers and barriers of implementing environmental initiatives with suppliers, but fails to address the relationship dynamics involved when implementing environmental initiatives between organizations. This research begins to fill that gap.

The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a dual pathway model whereby addressing the question, “What are the effects of supply chain orientation and organizational identification on internal integration and supplier integration?”.

A survey design was performed to collect data from supply chain professionals regarding their organization’s supply chain orientation (SCO), organizational identification (OI) and achieved states of both internal and supplier integration. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling was performed to test the dual mediating pathways.

The results show that internal integration partially mediates relationships between SCO and supplier integration and for OI and supplier integration. In comparing the mediating effects to test competing theories, the SCO path yields stronger complementary partial mediation. This supports the proposition that SCO and OI mutually exist within an organization and influence achieved integrative behaviors. Additionally, results suggest the behavioral spillover effect exists for an internally integrated organization that has also achieved supplier integration.

This research makes several contributions to extant literature, including finding that SCO contributes to levels of achieved integration. Also, this research theoretically integrates literature on the social dilemma associated with supplier integration and the behavioral spillover effect, suggesting that SCO allows for positive internal integrative behaviors to spillover to integrated suppliers. Finally, this research contributes to research on OI by finding achieved integration is an outcome, which refutes a dominate theory that explains OI facilitates negative behaviors toward external organizations.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical framework to explain how leaders emerge in teams that lack a hierarchical structure. This framework emphasizes the perceptual processes through which team members determine whether or not an individual fits with the task, the group, and the situational context.

This paper builds on prior leadership research to develop a theoretical framework of emergent leadership, a testable model, and research propositions.

The authors suggest that team members’ perceptions of leadership fit depend on the potential leader's domain competence, fluid intelligence, willingness to serve, credibility, and goal attainment. A conceptual framework is developed to suggest these attributes combine to create perceptions of leadership fit that must correspond to the degree of stress in the situational context, which varies according to task criticality and time compression. The framework suggests that an individual perceived by team members to exhibit characteristics that fit with the situation will likely emerge as the leader.

This paper focusses on emergent leadership, but does not address which path to leadership may be best. Future research may also address group dynamics (i.e. cohesion or group potency) and the implications for leader emergence.

This research contributes to the discipline by suggesting a potential path of leader emergence in multiple contexts of situational stress and leader behaviors.

The growth of omni-channel retailing is causing consumers to change their habits and shopping behaviour. It is essential to understand the factors on purchase intention within the consumer context. The purpose of this paper is to explore factors that are influencing consumers to use omni-channel in their shopping behaviour – specifically in the apparel sector in Turkey as an emerging country.

Designed as exploratory research, this study used four different focus groups. Focus groups were conducted with university students who have experienced the company’s omni-channel applications. The study sample included a total of 30 purposefully selected university students in Izmir, Turkey, who previously shopped at the same store. The selected retail store is the leading domestic shopping brand and the pioneer in omni-channel in the apparel and fashion sector in Turkey. The participants were given three company-related scenarios which were used to help the students to better understand omni-channel applications of the company. Then, they were asked to discuss their perceptions and intentions towards omni-channel shopping. Content analysis was used for analysing transcripts.

The findings of the focus groups have revealed 12 themes about the intentions of the university students towards omni-channel shopping. Among 12 themes, it is observed that 6 of them have similarities with the variables of the UTAUT2 model. The findings of the study showed that, beside the additional themes, the predetermined variables of the UTAUT2 model within the literature; which are “performance expectancy”, “effort expectancy”, “facilitating conditions”, “hedonic motivation”, “habit” and “price value” have affected purchasing intentions towards omni-channel shopping. This study proposed six additional themes which were not revealed in the previous studies on purchase intentions in an omni-channel shopping in apparel sector. The six additional themes proposed in this study are; “perceived trust”, “situational factors”, “perceived risk”, “anxiety”, “need for interaction” and “privacy concern”.

This study is limited to the focus group interviews held in only one university with students from the same programme. The findings are obtained also only valid for the relevant retail store and city, and cannot yet be generalised.

The relationships suggested in this exploratory study can further be analysed by quantitative study. It is also claimed that the findings of this study can act as a framework to extend the UTAUT2 model by integrating perceived trust, situational factors, perceived risk, anxiety, need for interaction and privacy concern. This model will enable retailers to understand consumer expectations towards omni-channel shopping and to focus on integrating these factors through whole purchasing process in order to increase omni-channel sales.

The literature on omni-channel has concentrated on the retailers’ perspective, whereas this study aims to reveal an insight from the consumer perspective. The contribution of the study is to provide a framework for understanding the themes on consumer viewpoint in the omni-channel shopping behaviour.

This paper aims to explain how the dynamics of inter-firm relations between small and large firms can, in the case of some behaviours, be interpreted as inter-organizational bullying.

This paper draws on a qualitative approach adopting the critical incident method to explore the subjective experiences of 13 individual managers and owners of small service businesses in dealing with the representatives/executives of the large corporations they serviced. The method facilitated an investigation of the significant occurrences identified by the small-firm respondents about the undue advantage taken by the large firms. This was found to be more than simple occasional opportunistic or unfair business practices perpetrated by representatives of the large firms but, instead, involved bullying.

The results revealed that large corporations actively, though covertly, sought to take advantage of their small service providers by resorting to bullying practices. Intimidation, opportunism, use of deceitful or unfair business practices, as well as abuse of power, were manifestations of inter-organizational bullying committed by the large and powerful corporations. The contrasting characteristics of size, access to resources, economic and market power were identified as strong impediments against building effective ethical relational exchanges between the large corporations and their small service providers.

The study's findings provide valuable insights into the root causes and consequences of inter-organizational bullying. However, it is crucial to interpret these results in the context of this specific study. It is worth nothing that these findings primarily represent the self-perception of inter-organizational bullying among small service providers and may not capture other viewpoints or aspects of the industrial sector. Replicating this study in different sectors could enhance the generalizability of the conclusions drawn.

This analysis is valuable in understanding what constitutes the phenomenon referred to as inter-organizational bullying. It also assists to understand the conditions when large firms exhibit such behaviours and their implications on the well-being of relevant stakeholders.

Firstly, the business partners should maintain a healthy relationship if they want to avoid incidents of bullying, which can harm the performance of the relationship. In doing so, they need to reduce the level of uncertainty in their business relationships through the transparent information exchange, formulating commonly agreeable contracts and enhancing communication procedures. They also need to put aside their self-interest, but rather strive for achieving results that will be beneficial to both parties.

This exploratory study offers a novel and unexplored way of theorizing inter-organizational bullying, as well as uncovering its antecedents and impacts on the welfare of small businesses, particularly small service providers.

As the global focus on supply chain management has shifted toward the importance of digitalization, resilience and sustainability to ensure viability, this paradigm merits special consideration in the industrial supplier selection process in a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world. Additionally, the increasing geopolitical challenges further complicate the industrial supplier selection process, necessitating robust decision-making frameworks. Thus, this paper aims to present a decision-making system using a fuzzy inference system (FIS) for industrial supplier evaluation and selection, considering a new criterion: viability.

Fuzzy set theory, particularly a FIS, is used to address the subjectivity of decision-makers’ preferences. The suggested method’s validity is evaluated using a real automotive case study for industrial supplier selection situations.

Seventeen key criteria for viable industrial supplier selection were identified and used to evaluate and select the case study firm’s industrial supplier. The chosen supplier (B) demonstrated superior resilience, sustainability and digitalization capabilities, making it preferable to others. Specifically, supplier (B) exhibited exceptional adaptability to disruptions, a strong commitment to sustainable practices and advanced digital integration that enhances operational efficiency.

This study provides valuable insights for researchers and professionals by proposing a comprehensive industrial supplier selection system. Integrating diverse criteria is essential for viable performance in supply chains that enhances robustness and adaptability, supporting more strategic decision-making in supplier evaluation amid global and network-related challenges.

This novel paper introduces a new criterion, i.e. viability, in the industrial supplier selection process in the VUCA environment. In addition, it proposes a decision-making system for viable supplier performance evaluation. Furthermore, it validates the proposed FIS in an automotive case study.