Auction logistics in perishable supply chain trading: A research agenda

A perishable supply chain is a network of enterprises that perform functions from production, harvest or slaughter, through elementary manufacturing, to storage and distribution, to retail sale or use by end consumers for perishable products whose value diminish over time. This paper focuses on perishable products of perishable agriculture products. An examination of the existing studies shows that there is an emerging literature on perishable supply chain trading or its equivalents. However, the literature review for the auction-oriented logistics operations is very limited and most of recent studies focus on general food supply chains in manufacturing and distribution industry. In order to fill the gap, this paper makes an early attempt to study it systematically. Auction Logistics incorporates trading functions under a logistics environment, to be more specifically, in a centralized logistics center. It plans, implements, and controls the efficient, effective flow and storage of products, services and related information in order to meet customers' requirements, considering specific constraints of auction environment, product internal characteristics and operational decision processes via auction logistics centers. Several aspects will be introduced as follows in this paper: firstly, a framework of auction logistics is presented by introducing overall structure, operation flows and a decision cycle of auction logistics center; secondly, several research frontiers across three food industries are identified and surveyed. A list of emerging issues and strategy/operation principles are discussed.