Evaluating innovation obstacles in the logistics services sector during economic downhill

Abstract

The economic crisis in Greece has created -first of all- a serious crisis in demand. The consumption was dramatically decreased, every form of trade was downscaled, and inevitably, shipping and export were seriously damaged. One of the pillars of the trade (and the consumption) is the management of logistics activities. Logistics’ management includes the effective and efficient management of all the activities for the storage, handling and movement of products from the point of origin to the point of consumption. Many academics and practitioners argue that the companies in the logistics’ services sector have been affected by the economic crisis more than any other sector in the country. Furthermore, the findings of several researches revealed that the companies in the logistics’ services sector postponed investments especially in ICT and personnel training. This paper aims to answer the following question: “What is keeping logistics service providers from innovating?” It presents and analyses the findings of a questionnaire-based research, asked managers at the examined sector to evaluate the significance of the innovation obstacles. Managers can use the findings of this study in order to overcome potential difficulties and obstacles that might face in the near future regarding innovation initiatives.