Understanding close and long-term relationships between shippers and logistics service providers

The main goal of this dissertation is to gain a comprehensive understanding of close and long-term relationships between shippers and logistics service providers (LSP). Three shortcomings of previous logistics research inspired this objective: (1) an often missing dyadic perspective exploring both relationship partners and a widespread neglect of the influence of (2) contextual factors and (3) time on logistics relationship building and development. Relationships are explored by means of a case-based research design involving three shipper-LSP case studies. To avoid methodological shortcomings of previous case-based logistics research, a comprehensively operationalized theoretical framework based on two organizational theories, transaction cost economics (TCE) and resource dependence theory (RDT), is used to structure the case analyses. Derived from the thesis' theory-driven research approach, the second objective of this dissertation is to comprehensively understand the explanatory power gained by using TCE and RDT in exploring close and long-term shipper-LSP relationships. By testing the core predictions of both theories in those relationships, it is aimed to explore theory-related shortcomings of previous works including a general lack of theoretical foundation in logistics research, mixed results with regard to the predictions of TCE's core determinant asset specificity, and an insufficient use of RDT in a logistics context.