Performance evaluation of carriers by North American companies

According to the trade press, performance evaluation in North America is well underway. This paper reports the findings of a research study to examine the assessment of carrier performance by users and suppliers of North American transport services. As a descriptive study, it examines the approaches of cargo suppliers (manufacturers) to the evaluation of their transport suppliers' performance-incidence of monitoring, methods, responsibility for and use of findings - to understand the business practices taking place. These findings are then contrasted with similar elements from the points of view of carriers and logistics service firms. The paper does not explore the issue of performance assessment from a macro-economic focus but rather from one of firm-specific programme implementation. It concludes that the perception advanced by the trade press is not the reality reported by companies in the marketplace.