Impact of On-Time Delivery on Supply Chain Stakeholders: A Qualitative Litera-ture Review
Mia, Md Rasel (2026)
2026
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202603164391
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202603164391
Tiivistelmä
This thesis examines the growing importance of On-Time Delivery (OTD) in contemporary supply chain man-agement, examining the changing dynamics of logistics performance from a functional activity to a key driver of customer retention. As the "last mile" increasingly represents the pivotal point of the e-commerce experi-ence, this thesis examines the intricate balance between efficiency and the qualitative degradation of stake-holder trust that results from failed deliveries. Using a Qualitative Systematic Literature Review (SLR) ap-proach that strictly followed the PRISMA guidelines, this research combined the results of 30 top-ranked peer-reviewed articles published between 2019 and 2026. To promote rigorous selection, a new semantic rele-vance algorithm was used to select literature on the basis of weighted constructs, giving preference to strate-gic relationship aspects and operational drivers rather than mere reporting.
Theoretical analysis, based on the SERVQUAL framework and Expectation-Confirmation Theory (ECT), indi-cates that delivery delays create a ripple effect across the supply chain ecosystem. From an operational per-spective, a low OTD level is a trigger for the Bullwhip Effect, compelling organizations to absorb high costs associated with buffering excess inventory and reverse logistics. From a psychological perspective, the re-search indicates that trust is based on the currency of reliability, and delivery failure is a violation of the psy-chological contract, fueling negative Word of Mouth (WoM) and customer dissatisfaction. Nevertheless, the research indicates that proactive communication and real-time transparency are effective service recovery strategies, alleviating customer anxiety. The thesis ends with a conceptual framework that encourages logis-tics managers to shift from a "cost-optimization" paradigm to a "value-optimization" approach, recognizing that information flow is a strategic asset of equal value to the physical flow of goods.
Theoretical analysis, based on the SERVQUAL framework and Expectation-Confirmation Theory (ECT), indi-cates that delivery delays create a ripple effect across the supply chain ecosystem. From an operational per-spective, a low OTD level is a trigger for the Bullwhip Effect, compelling organizations to absorb high costs associated with buffering excess inventory and reverse logistics. From a psychological perspective, the re-search indicates that trust is based on the currency of reliability, and delivery failure is a violation of the psy-chological contract, fueling negative Word of Mouth (WoM) and customer dissatisfaction. Nevertheless, the research indicates that proactive communication and real-time transparency are effective service recovery strategies, alleviating customer anxiety. The thesis ends with a conceptual framework that encourages logis-tics managers to shift from a "cost-optimization" paradigm to a "value-optimization" approach, recognizing that information flow is a strategic asset of equal value to the physical flow of goods.