IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i5p1627-d147769.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Environmental Sustainability in Third-Party Logistics Service Providers: A Systematic Literature Review from 2000–2016

Author

Listed:
  • Pietro Evangelista

    (Institute for Research on Innovation and Services for Development (IRISS) National-Research Council (CNR), 80134 Naples, Italy)

  • Lodovico Santoro

    (Institute for Research on Innovation and Services for Development (IRISS) National-Research Council (CNR), 80134 Naples, Italy)

  • Antonio Thomas

    (Department of Engineering-University of Naples Parthenope, 80143 Naples, Italy)

Abstract

Despite the increasing interest toward environmental issues in the freight transport and logistics service sector, a comprehensive and updated assessment of the existing literature is still missing. This paper aims to fill this gap by presenting the results of a systematic literature review of publications in the area of environmental sustainability in third-party logistics service providers (3PLs) between the years 2000 and 2016. The review offers insight into the critical dimensions of green matters in transport and logistics service companies using an analytical framework based on the following five topic areas: influencing factors, green actions and the impact on performance, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools supporting the green actions, energy efficiency in road freight transport and shipper’s perspective and collaboration. The results indicate that, despite the number of published papers having grown significantly from 2008 onward, some areas remain highly under-researched such as ICT and performance measurement. Several research gaps have been identified in each topic area, and a set of propositions forming an agenda for future research directions has been suggested.

Suggested Citation

  • Pietro Evangelista & Lodovico Santoro & Antonio Thomas, 2018. "Environmental Sustainability in Third-Party Logistics Service Providers: A Systematic Literature Review from 2000–2016," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-34, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:5:p:1627-:d:147769
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/5/1627/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/5/1627/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rafaa Mraïhi & Riadh Harizi, 2014. "Road Freight Transport and Carbon Dioxide Emissions: Policy Options for Tunisia," Energy & Environment, , vol. 25(1), pages 79-92, February.
    2. Pieters, Reinder & Glockner, Hans-Heinrich & Omta, S.W.F. (Onno) & Weijers, Stef, 2012. "Dutch Logistics Service Providers and Sustainable Physical Distribution: Searching for Focus," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 15(B), pages 1-20, December.
    3. Liimatainen, Heikki & Nykänen, Lasse & Arvidsson, Niklas & Hovi, Inger Beate & Jensen, Thomas Christian & Østli, Vegard, 2014. "Energy efficiency of road freight hauliers—A Nordic comparison," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 378-387.
    4. Y. H. Venus Lun & Kee-hung Lai & Christina W. Y. Wong & T. C. E. Cheng, 2014. "Green shipping practices and firm performance," Maritime Policy & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(2), pages 134-148, March.
    5. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
    6. Karin Isaksson & Maria Huge‐Brodin, 2013. "Understanding efficiencies behind logistics service providers' green offerings," Management Research Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 36(3), pages 216-238, March.
    7. Zhu, Qinghua & Sarkis, Joseph & Lai, Kee-hung, 2008. "Green supply chain management implications for "closing the loop"," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 1-18, January.
    8. Min, Hokey & Ko, Hyun-Jeung, 2008. "The dynamic design of a reverse logistics network from the perspective of third-party logistics service providers," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(1), pages 176-192, May.
    9. A.M.A. El Saadany & M.Y. Jaber & M. Bonney, 2011. "Environmental performance measures for supply chains," Management Research Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 34(11), pages 1202-1221, October.
    10. Hassini, Elkafi & Surti, Chirag & Searcy, Cory, 2012. "A literature review and a case study of sustainable supply chains with a focus on metrics," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(1), pages 69-82.
    11. Chieh-Yu Lin & Yi-Hui Ho, 2011. "Determinants of Green Practice Adoption for Logistics Companies in China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 98(1), pages 67-83, January.
    12. Niklas Arvidsson & Johan Woxenius & Catrin Lammgård, 2013. "Review of Road Hauliers' Measures for Increasing Transport Efficiency and Sustainability in Urban Freight Distribution," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(1), pages 107-127, January.
    13. Heekyung An, 2008. "The Construction of Green Supply Chain Management System," International Journal of Information Systems and Supply Chain Management (IJISSCM), IGI Global, vol. 1(3), pages 70-79, July.
    14. Harris, Irina & Wang, Yingli & Wang, Haiyang, 2015. "ICT in multimodal transport and technological trends: Unleashing potential for the future," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 88-103.
    15. Alan C. McKinnon, 2016. "Freight Transport Deceleration: Its Possible Contribution to the Decarbonisation of Logistics," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(4), pages 418-436, July.
    16. Liu, Yang & Zhu, Qinghua & Seuring, Stefan, 2017. "Linking capabilities to green operations strategies: The moderating role of corporate environmental proactivity," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 182-195.
    17. Marasco, Alessandra, 2008. "Third-party logistics: A literature review," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(1), pages 127-147, May.
    18. Venus Lun, Y.H. & Lai, Kee-hung & Wong, Christina W.Y. & Cheng, T.C.E., 2015. "Greening propensity and performance implications for logistics service providers," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 50-62.
    19. Steffen Maas & Tassilo Schuster & Evi Hartmann, 2014. "Pollution Prevention and Service Stewardship Strategies in the Third‐Party Logistics Industry: Effects on Firm Differentiation and the Moderating Role of Environmental Communication," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(1), pages 38-55, January.
    20. Liimatainen, Heikki & Stenholm, Pekka & Tapio, Petri & McKinnon, Alan, 2012. "Energy efficiency practices among road freight hauliers," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 833-842.
    21. Mohd. Rizaimy Shaharudin & Suhaiza Zailani & Mahazir Ismail, 2015. "Third-party logistics strategic orientation towards the reverse logistics service offerings," International Journal of Management Practice, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 8(4), pages 356-374.
    22. Peter Oberhofer & Maria Dieplinger, 2014. "Sustainability in the Transport and Logistics Sector: Lacking Environmental Measures," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(4), pages 236-253, May.
    23. Robert J. David & Shin‐Kap Han, 2004. "A systematic assessment of the empirical support for transaction cost economics," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(1), pages 39-58, January.
    24. Alan McKinnon, 2014. "The possible influence of the shipper on carbon emissions from deep-sea container supply chains: An empirical analysis," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 16(1), pages 1-19, March.
    25. Rondinelli, Dennis & Berry, Michael, 2000. "Multimodal transportation, logistics, and the environment: managing interactions in a global economy," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 398-410, August.
    26. Vieira, José Geraldo Vidal & Mendes, Juliana Veiga & Suyama, Suzi Sanae, 2016. "Shippers and freight operators perceptions of sustainable initiatives," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 173-181.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Enrico Massaroni & Alessandra Cozzolino & Mario Calabrese & Ewa Wankowicz & Maura Fiore, 2016. "Reporting di sostenibilit? degli operatori logistici in Europa: analisi degli indicatori," ECONOMIA E DIRITTO DEL TERZIARIO, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2016(2), pages 303-334.
    2. S. Maryam Masoumi & Nima Kazemi & Salwa Hanim Abdul-Rashid, 2019. "Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the Automotive Industry: A Process-Oriented Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-30, July.
    3. Piera Centobelli & Roberto Cerchione & Emilio Esposito & Shashi, 2020. "Evaluating environmental sustainability strategies in freight transport and logistics industry," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 1563-1574, March.
    4. Kumar, Aalok & Anbanandam, Ramesh, 2022. "Assessment of environmental and social sustainability performance of the freight transportation industry: An index-based approach," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 43-60.
    5. Dongwook Kim & Sungbum Kim, 2017. "Sustainable Supply Chain Based on News Articles and Sustainability Reports: Text Mining with Leximancer and DICTION," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-44, June.
    6. Ahmed Hussein Ali & Ani Melkonyan & Bernd Noche & Tim Gruchmann, 2021. "Developing a Sustainable Logistics Service Quality Scale for Logistics Service Providers in Egypt," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-15, April.
    7. Noorliza Karia, 2022. "Antecedents and Consequences of Environmental Capability towards Sustainability and Competitiveness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-16, September.
    8. Bang-Ning Hwang & Chi-Yo Huang & Chih-Hsiung Wu, 2016. "A TOE Approach to Establish a Green Supply Chain Adoption Decision Model in the Semiconductor Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-30, February.
    9. Holden, R. & Xu, B. & Greening, P. & Piecyk, M. & Dadhich, P., 2016. "Towards a common measure of greenhouse gas related logistics activity using data envelopment analysis," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 105-119.
    10. Ruifeng Gong & Jian Xue & Laijun Zhao & Oleksandra Zolotova & Xiaoqing Ji & Yan Xu, 2019. "A Bibliometric Analysis of Green Supply Chain Management Based on the Web of Science (WOS) Platform," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-18, June.
    11. Sini Laari & Juuso Töyli & Lauri Ojala, 2018. "The effect of a competitive strategy and green supply chain management on the financial and environmental performance of logistics service providers," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(7), pages 872-883, November.
    12. Chieh-Yu Lin, 2011. "A Review of Research on Environmental Issues in the Logistics Industry," Information Management and Business Review, AMH International, vol. 3(1), pages 19-26.
    13. Volker Frehe & Frank Teuteberg, 2017. "Information and communication technology in green logistics: status quo and research gaps," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 67(2), pages 65-96, April.
    14. Steffen Maas & Tassilo Schuster & Evi Hartmann, 2018. "Stakeholder Pressures, Environmental Practice Adoption and Economic Performance in the German Third-party Logistics Industry—A Contingency Perspective," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 88(2), pages 167-201, February.
    15. Barbosa-Póvoa, Ana Paula & da Silva, Cátia & Carvalho, Ana, 2018. "Opportunities and challenges in sustainable supply chain: An operations research perspective," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 268(2), pages 399-431.
    16. Yusuf, Yahaya Y. & Gunasekaran, A. & Musa, Ahmed & El-Berishy, Nagham M. & Abubakar, Tijjani & Ambursa, Hafsat M., 2013. "The UK oil and gas supply chains: An empirical analysis of adoption of sustainable measures and performance outcomes," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(2), pages 501-514.
    17. Chin-Shan Lu & Kuo-Chung Shang & Chi-Chang Lin, 2016. "Examining sustainability performance at ports: port managers’ perspectives on developing sustainable supply chains," Maritime Policy & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(8), pages 909-927, November.
    18. Amer Saeed & Yun Jun & Saviour Ayertey Nubuor & Hewawasam Puwakpitiyage Rasika Priyankara & Mahabaduge Prasad Fernando Jayasuriya, 2018. "Institutional Pressures, Green Supply Chain Management Practices on Environmental and Economic Performance: A Two Theory View," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-24, May.
    19. Shen, Bin & Xu, Xiaoyan & Guo, Shu, 2019. "The impacts of logistics services on short life cycle products in a global supply chain," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 153-167.
    20. Jyoti Dhingra Darbari & Devika Kannan & Vernika Agarwal & P. C. Jha, 2019. "Fuzzy criteria programming approach for optimising the TBL performance of closed loop supply chain network design problem," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 273(1), pages 693-738, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:5:p:1627-:d:147769. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.