Procurement of advanced logistics services: proposition of a reasoned action model of individual buying behavior

Abstract

For 30 years, supply management academics have demonstrated extensive interest in relations between sellers and buyers of logistics services. This interest can be explained by the development of outsourcing strategies by manufacturers and large retailers, which has given rise to powerful logistics service providers. Prior research favors a holistic vision, based on the management of supply chain interfaces between companies, without addressing the perspective of the purchasers of logistics services. This paper aims to understand better the intention of individuals to purchase logistics services based on factors related to attitudes, norms, and behavioral control. For this purpose, the authors rely on the theory of reasoned action and the theory of planned behavior, both used in social psychology to analyze human behaviors, and propose a simplified reasoned action model for logistics services purchasing.