World‐class logistics: Australia and New Zealand

This paper reports on a study of the logistics and supply chain practices of Australian and New Zealand firms.

The research uses the Supply Chain 2000 Framework developed at Michigan State University as a basis for analyzing logistics/supply chain capabilities and competencies of Australian and New Zealand firms. A mail survey instrument was used in both countries.

There are indeed Australian and New Zealand firms who are operating at world‐class levels with respect to logistics/supply chain capabilities. The majority of firms, however, still focus their efforts on internal logistics integration issues, compared with external integration issues. A comparison of industry groups shows that the motor/transport and the chemicals/petroleum sectors perform the best, while there is much room for improvement in the food, clothing/textile and primary industry sectors.

This research takes a snapshot of Australian and New Zealand businesses at a point in time, and uses a framework developed in North America to assess the logistics competencies of the ANZ firms. These two issues can be considered research limitations, in that businesses are constantly evolving, and thus future research should be conducted to evaluate the evolution of ANZ firms as they continue to develop their logistics capabilities. Additionally, the business environment of North America is considerably different from the environment found in Australia and New Zealand. Thus, future research should also consider the logistics competencies within the specific context of the ANZ environment.

This research provides a baseline for ANZ managers to assess their logistics competencies and capabilities, and provides a framework for developing further logistics capabilities.

From a practical perspective the research enriches understanding of the state and practice of logistics in Australia and New Zealand, about which very little has been previously published. Theoretically, the study extends a conceptual framework in an international setting.