The design of logistics organizations

The design of logistics organizations is examined on several dimensions: (1) the existence of a written mission statement and plan; (2) the number of layers and the span of control; (3) specialization in eight areas; (4) decentralization in eight specific areas; and (5) three types of integrative efforts across departments. (6) For each of these dimensions, we examine whether firm size, production technology routineness and demand uncertainty have any impact on the organization of logistics. In addition, wt: examine a variable rarely studied in the logistics literature: senior logistics executive tenure. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.