Establishing buyer-supplier self-organization through LSP brokered learning and information technologies: The effects on relational performance in logistic service triads

Abstract

Logistics service providers (LSPs) can have a profound impact on other companies operating in supply chains. To investigate the role of LSP, we propose and develop the concept of brokered LSP learning (i.e., supply chain learning run by the LSP) as exploitation and exploration practices imposed by the single actor to run organizational learning among supply chain actors. The research examines how supply chain learning run by the LSP affects self-organization of the buyer-supplier dyad and triadic relational performance. Our results provide insight into whether LSP-brokered learning alone is sufficient to improve triadic relational performance. The study shows that LSP-brokered learning, supported by decentralized technologies, has a positive effect on buyer-supplier self-organization. As a resulting effect, the study also operationalizes triadic relational performance composed of the joint impact of relational performances produced by three dyads in the logistics service triads, which can be improved by buyer-supplier self-organization.