Coping with the postponement boundary problem: an empirical investigation in global food supply chains

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dc.contributor.authorPrataviera, Lorenzo Bruno
dc.contributor.authorMoretti, Emilio
dc.contributor.authorTappia, Elena
dc.date.accessioned2022-03-03T10:17:37Z
dc.date.available2022-03-03T10:17:37Z
dc.date.issued2022-03-02
dc.description.abstractPurpose – The postponement boundary problem entails that duties and cross-border trade complexity can lead companies to geographically postpone operations to downstream global facilities. The present study aims at investigating the problem to provide insights into the drivers behind the choice of different postponement strategies for global food supply chains. Design/methodology/approach – A single case study was conducted considering an Italian company exporting olive oil toward the United States. Two global postponement strategies, previously formalized in the literature, were tailored for food supply chains. A multi-methodological approach was adopted, combining data obtained through exploratory case research with empirically-grounded analytical modeling. A sensitivity analysis was also performed, to investigate outcomes related to the considered problem when changing key parameters. Findings – Bulky and heavy packing materials account for a big percentage of finished products’ volume and weight, and this can deeply affect strategies’ cost-effectiveness. Postponing packaging operations could allow for taking advantage of lower tariffs levied on bulk goods, contributing to significantly lower duties to be paid. However, important trade-offs could arise related to the required investments, and the fiscal regulatory frameworks must be carefully examined. Originality/value – This study offers an empirical investigation of the postponement boundary problem, which is largely unexplored in the current literature. It also tackles an understudied empirical context as global food supply chains. It summarizes the drivers behind and explores the costs related to the implementation of different strategies, offering an original quantitative approach that could support practitioners’ decision-making. Lastly, it formalizes five propositions that could pave the way for further research inquiries.en_UK
dc.identifier.citationPrataviera LB, Moretti E, Tappia E. (2022) Coping with the postponement boundary problem: an empirical investigation in global food supply chains, The International Journal of Logistics Management, Volume 33, Number 2, 2022, pp. 687-711en_UK
dc.identifier.issn0957-4093
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1108/IJLM-10-2021-0508
dc.identifier.urihttp://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/17621
dc.language.isoenen_UK
dc.publisherEmeralden_UK
dc.rightsAttribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International*
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/*
dc.subjectPostponement boundary problemen_UK
dc.subjectFood supply chainsen_UK
dc.subjectDutiesen_UK
dc.subjectCase studyen_UK
dc.subjectAnalytical modelen_UK
dc.titleCoping with the postponement boundary problem: an empirical investigation in global food supply chainsen_UK
dc.typeArticleen_UK

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