Se. Fawcett et al., DELIVERY CAPABILITY AND FIRM PERFORMANCE IN INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS, International journal of production economics, 51(3), 1997, pp. 191-204
In a world where existing competitors are constantly reinventing thems
elves and new competitors are continually emerging, a firm's long-term
success depends on its ability to consistently differentiate itself f
rom the competition. Delivery performance has become a viable differen
tiator. This study empirically examines the impact of delivery on firm
performance as well as the factors that enhance a firm's delivery cap
ability. Delivery capability is found to have a strong positive influe
nce on firm's performance. Similarly, globalization, information avail
ability, and planning sophistication have a significant positive impac
t on the development of delivery as a distinctive competence.