Coopetition in the supply chain between container liners and freight forwarders: a game theory approach

ABSTRACT

A common objective of container liners is to expand to both ends of the supply chain, thereby providing customers seamless access to a wider range of logistics. There are many overlaps between the service provided by container liners and freight forwarders, which may affect their relationships. However, there is a lack of research on this issue. This study attempts to analyze the basis for cooperation, the causes of conflict, and the means to achieve sustainable relationships in the supply chain. It is based on container liners’ strategy to extend end-to-end service and improve layout through acquisition and investment. The study fills the gap in the current literature on the relationship between container liners and freight forwarders. It is also one of the few studies to apply game theory to coopetition in the shipping industry. The results have practical significance in terms of learning how to improve cooperation in the supply chain.

KEYWORDS:

• Game theory
• coopetition
• container liners
• freight forwarders
• supply chain

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the reviewers for their constructive comments and editorial suggestions. We also thank the editorial service from Taylor & Francis Editing Services.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).