The integrated management of logistic chains in the white goods industry. A field research in Italy

After having devoted many efforts and investments in improving their internal capacity to produce the right product at the right price at the right time, companies are now starting to discover that much of the value they deliver to their customers depends not only on their own performance, but also on the performance of all the other companies that belong to the same logistic chain. Thus, the integrated management of logistic chains has gained a large attention in the latest years, as one of the most effective tools to achieve an overall improvement in the economic as well as in the logistic value that is embodied in each product. This paper presents some results of a field research focused on logistic chain management, carried on by means of direct interviews on a sample of Italian companies, shops and final customers belonging to the white goods industry. Questions highlight the main cost and logistic effects that arise among different tiers of the chain when they interact. Here we illustrate the used methodology. Moreover, we discuss some of the empirical results achieved, with the aim of assessing the improvement potential that a tighter integration could achieve. In particular, it is shown that wide space for improving companies profitability is available both by reducing costs and by increasing sales.