Abstract—Empirical insights into the implementation of logistics competencies at the top management level are scarce. This paper addresses this issue with an explorative approach which is based on a dataset of 872 observations in the years 2000, 2004 and 2008 using quantitative content analysis from annual reports of the 500 publicly listed firms with the highest global research and development expenditures according to the British Department for Business Innovation and Skills. We find that logistics competencies are more pronounced in Asian companies than in their European or American counterparts. On an industrial level the results are quite mixed. Using partial point-biserial correlations we show that logistics competencies are positively related to financial performance. Keywords—Logistics, supply chain management, content analysis, executive boards, multinational corporations. I. INTRODUCTION OGISTICS and supply chain management have become increasingly important in recent years. The growing internationalization and globalization process has led to a further rise in relevance [1]-[4]. Especially the growing distances between the participating companies result in increasing problems in ensuring a most efficient and effective supply at each value-added step. The same applies for the information flow between the companies involved in an increasingly complex and global supply chain. To ensure an efficient flow of goods and information the alignment of the management is becoming more flow-oriented [5],[6] and is not limited to the single company itself, but rather all strategic important suppliers as well as customers have to be integrated into the decision process [7],[8]. Following the concept of a flow-based process optimization, logistics as an instrument for ensuring an effective and efficient flow of objects is gaining further importance. Therefore logistics is no longer limited to the realization of operative transport, handling, and storage activities, but has emerged in terms of a flow-oriented leadership as a new I. Göpfert is with the Department of Logistics, Philipps-University Marburg (Tel: +49(0)6421-2823919; Fax: +49(0)6421-2823745; e-mail: goepfert@wiwi.uni-marburg.de). M. Stephan is with the Department of Technology and Innovation Management, Philipps-University Marburg (Tel: +49(0)6421-2821717; Fax: +49(0)6421-2828958; e-mail: michael.stephan@wiwi. uni-marburg.de). W. Wellbrock is with the Department of Logistics, Philipps-University Marburg (e-mail: wanja.wellbrock@wiwi.uni-marburg.de). M. Ackermann is with the Department of Technology and Innovation Management, Philipps-University Marburg (e-mail: malte.ackermann@wiwi. uni-marburg.de). management paradigm [9],[10]. Supply chain management – as a new, modern level of logistics – with a clear company overarching orientation is subject to the same developments and is already playing an important role in corporate management. Supply chain management will become even more significant in the future [11],[12]. Multinational corporations are often characterized by very complex international linkages between independent companies. Therefore, the management of the various object and information flows is of particular relevance for these companies and the problems described are especially relevant in this area [13],[14]. The aim of the paper is to analyze how logistics, respectively supply chain management, is established at the top management level of multinational corporations. In this paper we define logistics competencies as the implementation of executive board members being assigned to logistics tasks, leading to the following research question: RQ 1 . To what extent are logistics competencies implemented in the executive boards of multinational corporations? Furthermore we examined if the implementation of logistics competencies on the top management level is related to financial performance indicators: RQ 2 . Is the implementation of logistics competencies related to financial performance? This paper is structured as follows. We are providing a literature review on the subjects of logistics and supply chain management as well as content analyses in this area. In the methodological part we describe the composition of our sample, and the content analysis as a research approach. This is followed by a presentation of the results and a conclusion, providing some academic and practical contributions. II. LITERATURE REVIEW A. Logistics and Supply Chain Management The evolutionary process of logistics can be divided into three main stages [15]. The first stage describes logistics as a functional specialization on activities associated with the spatial and temporal transformation of goods. Logistics departments in companies are mostly aimed directly at operational, material flow-related activities and play only a minor role in the context of strategic planning [16]. The second stage extends logistics to an enterprise-divisional and Ingrid Göpfert, Michael Stephan, Wanja Wellbrock, and Malte Ackermann An Empirical Analysis of the Board Composition Concerning Logistics Competencies L World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Vol:7, No:3, 2013 602 International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 7(3) 2013 scholar.waset.org/1307-6892/2315 International Science Index, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Vol:7, No:3, 2013 waset.org/Publication/2315