Title: Modularity and customisation in LSPs' service strategies

Authors: Mervi Rajahonka; Anu Bask; Mervi Lipponen

Addresses: Department of Information and Service Economy, Logistics, Aalto University School of Business, P.O. Box 21220, 00076 AALTO, Finland ' Department of Information and Service Economy, Logistics, Aalto University School of Business, P.O. Box 21220, 00076 AALTO, Finland ' Department of Information and Service Economy, Logistics, Aalto University School of Business, P.O. Box 21220, 00076 AALTO, Finland

Abstract: This paper has two objectives. The first is to classify the service strategies that logistics service providers (LSPs) apply. The second is to examine how modularity and customisation are used by LSPs in their implementation of strategies. We use a framework from literature that should help in illustrating different combinations of the degrees of modularity and customisation in service offerings, service production processes and service production networks. We first classify the service strategies of 23 companies. Then, after selecting five case companies from these, we examine in more depth the usability of the framework and develop a measurement system for modularity and customisation. Our preliminary findings show that the service strategies are reflected in differences relating to modularity and customisation in the service offerings, service production processes and service production networks of the LSPs. The results also help to give substance to the previously vague concepts of modularity and customisation in the service context.

Keywords: logistics service providers; LSPs; logistics services; service strategies; modularity; customisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2013.056165

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2013 Vol.16 No.2, pp.174 - 204

Published online: 02 Jul 2014 *

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