The purpose of this research was to investigate the barriers to innovation and the factors to overcome those barriers in the 3PL industry. Using primarily depth interviews, data was collected from twenty-five participants from ten companies. Grounded theory methodology was utilized to interpret the data, of which a model was developed that provides a framework for understanding the barriers that 3PLs must overcome in order to successfully innovate on a continual basis.
The findings of the research indicate that innovative 3PLs have specific attributes that enable them to be innovative. The findings also suggest that the 3PL industry faces unique barriers to innovation that may provide a unique environment for innovative initiative when compared to other industries. Specifically, one barrier that emerged as a significant barrier is the unwillingness of customers to participate in innovative initiatives. Factors to overcome these barriers are also identified, as well as unique benefits that 3PLs enjoy as a result of successful innovative initiatives.
Managerial implications and further opportunities for research and a proposed research agenda are provided.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this research was to investigate the barriers to innovation and the factors to overcome those barriers in the 3PL industry. Using primarily depth interviews, data was collected from twenty-five participants from ten companies. Grounded theory methodology was utilized to interpret the data, of which a model was developed that provides a framework for understanding the barriers that 3PLs must overcome in order to successfully innovate on a continual basis.</p> <p>The findings of the research indicate that innovative 3PLs have specific attributes that enable them to be innovative. The findings also suggest that the 3PL industry faces unique barriers to innovation that may provide a unique environment for innovative initiative when compared to other industries. Specifically, one barrier that emerged as a significant barrier is the unwillingness of customers to participate in innovative initiatives. Factors to overcome these barriers are also identified, as well as unique benefits that 3PLs enjoy as a result of successful innovative initiatives.</p> <p>Managerial implications and further opportunities for research and a proposed research agenda are provided.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Williams, Donnie F, Jr"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy in Logistics and Supply Chain Management (Ph.D.)","degree_level":"Dissertation (restricted to Georgia Southern)","degree_discipline":"Department of Marketing and Logistics","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["William Norton","Karl Manrodt","Monique Murfield"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2014-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:28:00Z","subjects":["ETD","logistics innovation","third-party logistics","relational view","strategic human resource management","barriers to innovation","Business Administration, Management, and Operations"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1152","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["William Norton","Karl Manrodt","Monique Murfield"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Williams, Donnie F, Jr"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2015-07-15T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Department of Marketing and Logistics"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation (restricted to Georgia Southern)"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy in Logistics and Supply Chain Management (Ph.D.)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["ETD","logistics innovation","third-party logistics","relational view","strategic human resource management","barriers to innovation","Business Administration, Management, and Operations"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1152"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this research was to investigate the barriers to innovation and the factors to overcome those barriers in the 3PL industry. Using primarily depth interviews, data was collected from twenty-five participants from ten companies. Grounded theory methodology was utilized to interpret the data, of which a model was developed that provides a framework for understanding the barriers that 3PLs must overcome in order to successfully innovate on a continual basis.
The findings of the research indicate that innovative 3PLs have specific attributes that enable them to be innovative. The findings also suggest that the 3PL industry faces unique barriers to innovation that may provide a unique environment for innovative initiative when compared to other industries. Specifically, one barrier that emerged as a significant barrier is the unwillingness of customers to participate in innovative initiatives. Factors to overcome these barriers are also identified, as well as unique benefits that 3PLs enjoy as a result of successful innovative initiatives.
Managerial implications and further opportunities for research and a proposed research agenda are provided.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["An Investigation of the Barriers to Innovation and the Factors Necessary to Overcome those Barriers in Third-Party Logistics Service Providers"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["William Norton","Karl Manrodt","Monique Murfield"],"dc:creator":["Williams, Donnie F, Jr"],"dc:date.available":["2015-07-15T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this research was to investigate the barriers to innovation and the factors to overcome those barriers in the 3PL industry. Using primarily depth interviews, data was collected from twenty-five participants from ten companies. Grounded theory methodology was utilized to interpret the data, of which a model was developed that provides a framework for understanding the barriers that 3PLs must overcome in order to successfully innovate on a continual basis.
The findings of the research indicate that innovative 3PLs have specific attributes that enable them to be innovative. The findings also suggest that the 3PL industry faces unique barriers to innovation that may provide a unique environment for innovative initiative when compared to other industries. Specifically, one barrier that emerged as a significant barrier is the unwillingness of customers to participate in innovative initiatives. Factors to overcome these barriers are also identified, as well as unique benefits that 3PLs enjoy as a result of successful innovative initiatives.
Managerial implications and further opportunities for research and a proposed research agenda are provided.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1152"],"dc:subject":["ETD","logistics innovation","third-party logistics","relational view","strategic human resource management","barriers to innovation","Business Administration, Management, and Operations"],"dc:title":["An Investigation of the Barriers to Innovation and the Factors Necessary to Overcome those Barriers in Third-Party Logistics Service Providers"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Department of Marketing and Logistics"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation (restricted to Georgia Southern)"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy in Logistics and Supply Chain Management (Ph.D.)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:28:00Z"}