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    Enhancing vehicle utilization via a mobile application within the courier industry in New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Supply Change Management at Massey University, College of Sciences, School of Engineering and Advanced Technology, Manawatu, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2015) Luo, Dongwen
    In the New Zealand transport sector, the Owner-Operator is an indispensable part of Logistics industry. Most couriers and road freight companies Owner-Operators as independent contractors for delivery service. Hence, the vehicle utilization of Owner-Operators might directly influence the profitability and service quality of couriers companies as well as their personal incomes. With respect to the inefficient vehicle utilization, it normally represents as underutilized capacities of part-load shipments, empty movements or idle time. In conducting the qualitative research, the researcher has interviewed thirty respondents who consist of Owner-Operators and Operations team staff. According to the relevant qualitative data, the research found that the inefficient activities, such as empty run, unpaired shipments and part load shipments are principally caused by unsteady delivery frequency, lack of business acquisition opportunities and small time window. These causes provide mobile technology with a significant potential to enhance the vehicle efficiency. A Logistical Mobile Application, which is installed in a smart phone or portable electronic devices, offers a cost-effective and real-time information exchange platform between customers and service providers. From the perspectives of respondents, Owner-Operators believe that the mobile app is a new trend of integrating the functions of scanner, GPS and pager. Furthermore, around ninety percent of them perceive that it is a useful tool for improving the vehicle utilization and incomes. However, although the respondents have relatively positive attitudes on this new technology and business model, there are some constraints of its practical effect, due to the boundary and policy of the companies, as well as the population density of New Zealand. KEYWORDS:Mobile Commerce, Mobile App, Owner-Operators, Vehicle Utilization, Logistics Management
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    Reverse logistics optimization-- a research to the uncertainties in the third party reverse logistics : case of New Zealand Couriers Ltd : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Logistics and Supply Chain Management at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2011) Wang, Michael
    During the past decade, there has been an increasing emphasis on supply chain management as a vehicle through which firms can achieve competitiveness in markets (Porter, 1998). A large number of example in the 1990s show how companies have made large investments to streamline their supply chains in order to improve customer satisfaction and increase their internal productivity (Christopher, 1998). The core of this research is to explore the uncertainties in 3PLs reverse logistics. The uncertainty is one of the significant factors, which directly influence the performance of supply chain system (Chopra & Meindl, 2004). There are many researches and theories about the uncertainties in traditional forward logistics; however, there has been limited attention to theory-based research in the returns management arena (Jahre, 1995a; Carter and Ellram, 1998; Daugherty et al., 2001). Managing these returns is known as reverse logistics (Louise, 2010). With the development of economics, the 3PLs reverse logistics will play an increasingly important role in the supply chain system; therefore it is necessary to consider how to improve the 3PLs reverse logistics. This research focuses on the case of New Zealand Couriers, which is Freightways' flagship brand, is positioned as the premier provider of network courier services to New Zealand businesses. Since 1964 New Zealand Couriers Limited has been the leading Courier Company. Case study is one of the significant qualitative research methods, tending to provide in depth information and intimate details about the particular case being studied. This research concerns the reverse logistics in third party logistics companies. Outsourcing already became one of the significant trends in today’s logistics and supply chain industry, and the third party logistics company (3PLs) is originally the outcome of the outsourcing logistics function in businesses. Therefore the findings of researching the third party logistics company could have high level of external validity (Cameron & Price, 2009) and the results can be widely applied in many other companies.