Chinese Business Review, January 2016, Vol. 15, No. 1, 1-7 doi: 10.17265/1537-1506/2016.01.001 Characteristics of Supply Logistics: A Research on Mersin Free Zone Mehmet Miman, Köksal Hazır, Linda Küçük Toros University, Mersin, Turkey Edvar Mum Mersin Free Zone Operator Inc., Mersin, Turkey This study investigates the relationship between demographic characteristics (company type, company ownership, company operating years, and sector) and supply logistics characteristics (source of supplies, average number of suppliers for their products, replenishment frequency for their orders, and relationship with their suppliers) of companies that are operating in Mersin Free Zone along with their supplier selection criteria based on the 36 companies selected through convenience sampling. The finding implies that the relationships of company type—replenishment frequency, company type—relationship among suppliers, and company ownership—source of supplies are significant at the 95% confidence level. Besides, the most significant three supplier selection criteria are found to be quality, price, and delivery time respectively, while the least important three ones appear to be nationality (foreign/domestic) and the reputation of the supplier respectively. Keywords: supply logistics, supplier selection criteria, Mersin Free Zone, statistics Introduction This study investigates the characteristics of supply logistics of companies that are operating in Mersin Free Zone. Specifically, the effects of company’s demographic characteristics (company type, company ownership, company operating years, and sector) on their supply logistics characteristics (source of supplies, average number of suppliers for their products, replenishment frequency for their orders, and relationship with their suppliers) and the criteria that they are used most to select their suppliers are investigated. Koban and Keser (2013) indicated that supply logistics deals with the fundamental activities that add value to the enterprise and defines supply logistics as all of the activities that regulate the purchasing, planning of uninterrupted entrance of materials from suppliers to producers, warehouses, or retail warehouses, and ensuring the products flow. Supplier selection has a significant place in supply logistics, when it has considered along with its impacts on characteristics of finished products, such as cost, quality, manufacturability, design, and so on (Burt, 1984). Liu and Hai (2005) claimed that an effective supplier selection decision is very important for an organization to be successful in today’s competitive environment. Criteria that are used for examination of Mehmet Miman, Ph.D., assistant professor of industrial engineering, Toros University, Mersin, Turkey. Köksal Hazır, Ph.D., associate professor of international trade and logistics, Toros University, Mersin, Turkey. Linda Küçük, instructor/bachelor in logistics, Toros University, Mersin, Turkey. Edvar Mum, general director/bachelor, Mersin Free Zone Operator Inc., Mersin, Turkey. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Mehmet Miman, Toros University, 45 Evler Kampüsü, Bahçelievler Mahallesi, 16. Cadde, No. 1/7, 33140 Yenişehir, Mersin, Turkey. DAVID PUBLISHING D