MEASURING PHYSICAL DISTRIBUTION SERVICE QUALITY

The quality of the physical distribution service industrial purchasers receive from suppliers has been shown to be an important consideratio n in industrial purchasing decisions. To better understand the criteri a used to assess physical distribution service quality the authors exa mined the literature on physical distribution and service quality and conducted interviews with purchasing managers. Based on the results of the literature reviews and interviews, plus a two-step data-gathering process, a valid and reliable measurement instrument for perceptions of physical distribution service quality (PDSQ) was developed and refi ned.