Research Report: Evaluating 3PL Readiness for Fruitvale in Malaysia

This report assesses the readiness of third-party logistics (3PL) providers in Malaysia to serve a fruit distributor, Fruitvale. The research employs a quantitative approach, utilizing a questionnaire survey of 60 registered members of the Federation of Malaysia Freight Forwarders Association (FMFF). The methodology justifies the choice of focusing on Fruitvale's expectations towards 3PL, considering factors like population, data collection methods, measuring instruments, variable operationalization, and qualifying questions. The study outlines the research procedures, including data collection, analysis using Microsoft Excel, and ethical considerations, ensuring confidentiality and informed consent. Limitations include the scope being restricted to Malaysian 3PL providers and the sample size, which may affect the generalizability of the findings. The report concludes by summarizing the research design, instruments, and ethical measures taken, setting the stage for data collection and presentation in subsequent chapters to address the research question of evaluating 3PL readiness to serve Fruitvale.

Chapter 3: Research Designs / Methodology
3.1 Introduction
This chapter presents the dissertation research design/ methodology justification, the target
respondent, research procedures, research instrument, ethical considerations, research design
limitations, and interview guide. In this section, a quantitative research design will be used,
particularly by carrying out a questionnaire survey. A clear justification of the methodology
adopted in terms of population, qualifying questions, variables operationalization, and research
instruments will be done. Also, this section will highlight the research procedures including the
statistical techniques and method of analysis employed by the researcher in this study. The
ethical considerations surrounding this study’s research design and methodology will also be
detailed. Last, the limitations surrounding this study’s research design and methodology will be
properly stated and analyzed.
3.2 Justification for the methodology (population, method of data collection, measuring
instruments, operationalization of variables, qualifying questions)
To justify the choice of the researcher’s methodology, this study will use a unique approach of
sticking to one Malaysia local fruit distributor, Fruitvale. The expectations of Fruitvale towards
third-party logistics will be the key factor to control the researcher’s methodology. Also, the
study’s methodology is designed to ensure that Fruitvale understands the roles of third-party
logistic to ensuring that it survives or maintains its position in this competitive fruit distribution
industry (Yang, 2015, p. 16).
In the context of the study topic, “to evaluate the level of readiness among third-party logistic
service provider in Malaysia to serve a fruits distributor – Fruitvale,” the methodology chosen in
this study needs to consider a smaller sample of target respondents (Alan & Steve, 2017, p. 80).
In justifying this study methodology, the researcher will use different study deliverables namely
population, method of data collection, measuring instrument, operationalization of variables, and
qualifying questions as below:
3.2.1 Population

Mainly, this study focuses on the 3rd party service providers in Malaysia in the fruit distribution
industry, particularly for Fruitvale. In this subsection, the researcher will justify the target
population used for the study. According to (Haleen, 2019, p. 280), a target population refers to a
group of people, businesses, or market that the researcher finds to have the desired characteristics
of his or her study. The target population to be sampled by the researcher in this study is the
registered members of Federation of Malaysia Freight Forwarders Association (FMFF). The
FMFF is formed by third-party logistic service providers in Malaysia, and thus forming the target
population. The researcher will use a sample of 60 respondents and the qualification is being a
fully registered member of the FMFF. The researcher considers this target population (FMFF)
and the sample size (60 respondents) to be good enough in providing sufficient and appropriate
information or data that is relevant and reliable in justifying the goals and objectives of this
study.
3.2.2 Method of Data Collection
In the process of gathering data, one set of quantitative survey questionnaire will be generated by
the researcher. Kwong et al., (2012, p. 750) defines a questionnaire survey as a quantitative data
collection technique in which a researcher asks questions to people who therein provide answers
to the questions in a predetermined / chronological order. In our study, the survey questionnaire
was administered in two forms; open ended and close ended questions. In this questionnaire
survey, the respondents will answer questions that particularly surround Fruitvale’s third party
logistics partners, outsourcing needs by the company, the perishable warehousing, the features of
fruit logistic, and distribution and expertise of Fruitvale in both Malaysian and global market.
3.2.3 Measuring Instruments
As explained above, questionnaire survey and google survey will be the two instruments the
researcher used to measure test scores of the study. The questionnaire survey instrument will
consist of a series of questions (both open and close ended) to assist the researcher gather the
desired information from the 60 respondents. The google survey form will be either in form of
WhatsApp or email for purposes of reaching the respondents who will fill in the form online and
submit back using the method used.
3.2.4 Operationalization of Variables

The focus of this sub-section is operationalizing quantitative variables to ensure that the data the
researcher collects is valid and reliable in the study. In the context of the research problem, “to
evaluate the level of readiness among third-party logistic service provider in Malaysia to serve a
fruits distributor – Fruitvale,” the key variables in this study include objectives of outsourcing,
characteristics of fruit logistic; extend of outsourcing, warehouse management, freight cargo
consolidation, information technology system, and the expertise of Fruitvale employees
(Mahammadreza, 2017, p. 1580).
3.2.5 Qualifying Questions
The questionnaire survey form has three options which a respondent can use in responding to the
questions, in essence a YES, NO, or I DO NOT KNOW options. The other option will be the
freedom to write down in the questionnaire survey form what the respondents find it worthwhile
like in questions that require personal option. In the last section of the questionnaire survey, the
respondents will be asked if they have any other suggestions, opinions, or ideas which they will
list down to help the researcher in writing down recommendations to the management of
Fruitvale.
These qualifying questions include:
 Does third-party logistics play any important role to improving Fruitvale’s survival and
competence in the marketplace?
 Do third-party logistics industries in Malaysia serve Fruitvale well, optimally, and as
agreed?
 What are the expectations of Fruitvale towards third-party logistics in Malaysia?
 Why do you think that third-party logistic selection is the right choice for Fruitvale in
Malaysian market?
 What changes can Fruitvale take to increase supply chain efficiency and profitability?
 How effective is third-party logistics service provision in Malaysia in terms of handling,
storage, distribution, display, packaging, serving, and fruit products labelling?
 What changes could increase third party service quality for Fruitvale in Malaysia?
3.3 Research procedures including method of analysis, and statistical techniques employed

This sub section mentions the data collection procedures which the researcher will use in the
gathering of information he needs to analysis. The method of data analysis and the statistical
techniques employed by the researcher are also to be stated. Prior to starting this study, the
researcher obtained an introductory letter from the college supervisor and then took it to
Fruitvale to seek for permission from the company manager (Rakesh, 2018). The permission by
Fruitvale’s management was enough consent to conduct a survey (questionnaire and google) on
the company’s third-party logistic service providers in Malaysia. In the field, the researcher
presented the signed letter to the respondents for security purposed.
Immediately the process of data collection through questionnaire survey administration to the 60
respondents is completed, the researcher will analyze the data. In data analysis, Microsoft Excel
software will be used (David, 2016, p. 120). The data collected from the questionnaire will be
grouped in numbers, using a certain set of variables that relate to the qualifying questions where
the researcher adds responses of same nature in the different questions. Data in terms of numbers
(1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etc.) will be keyed into Microsoft Excel cells. The researcher will thereby use this
data in generating tables, figures, and diagrams.
3.4 Ethical Considerations
In this study, ethical approval was given by the Ethics Committee, the Federation of Malaysia
Freight Forwarders (FMFF), Faculty of Business and Management and Research institutes in
Malaysia in order to do this study. The title for this study was approved by my professor/
instructor as per the guideline and requirements of the university.
Also in the study, the confidentiality and privacy of the 60 respondent’s personal information
and responses was highly preserved. In the questionnaire survey, the researcher did not require
any respondent to write his or her name to the questionnaire or email thread (Gattorna, 2003, p.
22). Permission from the relevant authority, employer of the respondents was granted prior to
commencing this exercise.
In addition, the respondents were served with detailed information leaflets that clearly explained
the purpose of the study as well as the study methodology procedures. This information leaflet,
which covered anonymity and confidentiality, and protection against harm, was explained by the

researcher to individual participants, allowing them to confirm consent with the management on
if to participate in this data collection exercise or not (WenWen, 2017, p. 30).
3.5 Limitations
The leading limitation in this study is its scope, as the researcher will concentrate on only the
third-party logistic service providers and Fruitvale in Malaysia. This means that administration
of questionnaire survey will be limited to the domestic 3rd party logistics that are only registered
with the Malaysian Freight Forwarders (FMFF). This is a limitation since the literature review
covered domestic and global references for instance academic books, journals, conference
reports, case studies, and peer reviewed scholarly journals (Anas, et al., 2016, p. 570). Sticking
to once country; Malaysia is thereby a limiting factor to this study’s reliability, relevance, and
usability.
Another limitation of the study is the number of respondents. Initially, the proposed number was
80 respondents from 40 Malaysian companies; each company was to contribute two respondents
provided they are registered under FMFF. However, the researcher has chosen to use 60
respondents, this could potentially limit the accuracy of results and thus make Fruitvale make
poor decisions as far as third-party logistics services are concerned.
3.6 Conclusion
In conclusion, this section has presented the researcher’s research design, target population and
size of the sample, research instruments of questionnaire survey and google survey, research
procedure, qualifying questions, ethical considerations, and study limitations. A quantitative
research design has been used by the researcher, and this will be used in the next chapter for data
collection and presentation. All these sub sections have been answered in the context of our
research question, “to evaluate the level of readiness among third-party logistic service provider
in Malaysia to serve a fruits distributor – Fruitvale.” Using these techniques, the researcher will
collect and present data in the next chapter to ensure easy analysis and discussion to justify the
research problem and arguments presented herein the second chapter, literature review.

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