New Frontiers in Logistics Research: Theorizing at the Middle Range

• Author: John E. Bell,Joonhwan In,Theodore P. Stank,Daniel A. Pellathy,Diane A. Mollenkopf
• Published date: 01 March 2017
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/jbl.12151
• Date: 01 March 2017

New Frontiers in Logistics Research: Theorizing at the Middle

Range

Theodore P. Stank

1

, Daniel A. Pellathy

2

, Joonhwan In

3

, Diane A. Mollenkopf

1

, and

John E. Bell

1

1

University of Tennessee

2

Grand Valley State University

3

California State University

Logistics has evolved from a description-based discipline to one based upon theoretical grounding from other business disciplines to define,

explain, and understand complex interrelationships, resulting in the identification of the discipline’s primary domain and major concepts—

the “what’s”of logistics. General theories, however, lack the domain specificity critical to understanding the inner workings within key relation-

ships—the how’s, why’s, and when’s—that drive actual outcomes. Middle-range theorizing (MRT) enables researchers to focus on these inner

workings to develop a deeper understanding of the degree to and conditions under which logistics phenomena impact outcomes as well as the

mechanisms through which such outcomes are manifested. This study seeks to spur logistics research at the middle-range level by presenting a

context and mechanism-based approach to MRT, outlining a process with guidelines for how to theorize at the middle range, and providing a

template and examples of deductive and inductive MRT.

Keywords: theory; middle-range theorizing; logistics; logistics customer service

INTRODUCTION

Logistics as an academic discipline has evolved from a predomi-

nantly descriptive discipline to one based upon solid theoretical

grounding to define, explain, and understand complex interrela-

tionships among phenomena in the logistics domain (Georgi

et al. 2010). The prevalent theories used for such grounding have

been adopted from other disciplines such as strategic manage-

ment, marketing, economics, the broader social sciences, and

engineering (Stock 1997). Researchers have successfully applied

general theories to develop broad frameworks that identify and

define the discipline’s primary domain and major concepts as

well as promote a better sense of the primary antecedents and

outcomes of these concepts (Defee et al. 2010).

However, a “general theory”approach to research limits the

depth of insight that can be gained regarding intricate interrela-

tionships among phenomena within the logistics domain. General

theories, by their nature, lack specificity and thus remain mute

on contextual specifics that are critical to further development of

the logistics discipline (Schmenner et al. 2009). While general

theories have helped researchers identify the foundational build-

ing blocks of the logistics domain (the “what”of logistics), the

inner workings among the contexts and mechanisms that drive

actual outcomes—the “how, why, and when”—remain “black

boxes”(Astbury and Leeuw 2010).

Focusing on these inner workings can enable logistics

researchers to develop a deeper understanding of the degree to

and conditions under which logistics phenomena impact out-

comes as well as the mechanisms through which such outcomes

are manifested (Weick 1974, 1989). Such research efforts will

enable observation of logistics phenomena across a range of con-

ditions and settings to provide new, testable insights into how

and why logistics core concepts influence outcomes in specific

conditions. This approach is consistent with the development of

what the sociologist Robert Merton called “theories of the middle

range”(Merton 1968). Middle-range theories are built upon years

of empirical research on particular problems within a field of

study, and they allow scholars in a maturing discipline to synthe-

size and apply the rich accumulation of empirical findings to

current problems.

Researchers in management strategy, operations management,

and marketing have increasingly emphasized a middle-range

approach to investigating business phenomena, including knowl-

edge-based strategies (Hult et al. 2006), interfirm relationships

(Kim et al. 2009), customization and responsiveness (Tenhi€

al€

a

and Ketokivi 2012), information processing (Turkulainen et al.

2013), citizenship behaviors and social exchange (Konovsky and

Pugh 1994), and branding (Brodie and de Chernatony 2009).

Ketokivi (2006), for example, takes a middle-range approach to

understanding manufacturers’flexibility strategies within the con-

text of a specific task environment. He notes that “middle-range

theorizing [is] the appropriate way of developing managerially

relevant theories, because application always occurs in a specific

context”(Ketokivi 2006, 217). While not yet accepted as an

established norm in logistics research, calls for middle-range

theorizing (MRT) in logistics are increasing, as evidenced by

recent editorials in both Journal of Business Logistics (Frankel

and Mollenkopf 2015) and Transportation Journal (“Announce-

ment: Transportation Journal,”2015).

The purpose of this study is to spark a discipline-wide discus-

sion on the merits of MRT within the logistics discipline, and

ultimately to spur research at the middle range. Thus, the study

seeks to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in logistics

in three ways. First, it contributes to the maturation of the

Corresponding author:

Theodore P. Stank, Bruce Chair of Business Excellence, University

of Tennessee, 316 Stokely Management Center, Deptartment of Mar-

keting and SCM, Haslam College of Business, 37996-0530 Knox-

ville, TN, USA; E-mail: tstank@utk.edu

Journal of Business Logistics, 2017, 38(1): 6–17 doi: 10.1111/jbl.12151

© Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals