How companies evaluate the service quality of the motor carriers: four-case study in Italy

Evolution of real-time information and communication technology increases the opportunities to monitor transportation service providers and facilitates the setup of performance indicators. Our objective is to investigate how companies evaluate the service quality of motor carriers. The real evaluation of the motor carriers in a company is the result of a delicate equilibrium between the quantitative data collected via the available electronic systems and the qualitative human judgment (direct judgment or indirect combination of quantitative data). We adopt a multiple-case study approach to provide insight into this important operational level of logistics processes.