【正文】 ts fulfilled Likerttype scales and numerical questions. The questions were designed to obtain descriptive information on logistic practices, while avoiding the disclosure of sensible financial information. The sample and profile of the firms A total of 384 logistics providers and users were initially contacted, with 31 responses received by February 1999. The low proportion of responses (8 per cent) is about average for Venezuela, where many panies do not have formal information services, or are suspicious of disclosing information. Respondents are representative of the industrial and service sectors, employ 820 persons in average with annual sales close to US $ 35 million, and exports of about 15 % of total sales. They tend to have large organizational structures for their sizes, averaging six hierarchical levels. This article continues the exploratory study previously performed by Diaz and Perez (2020). The raw data obtained was processed with standard statistical methods (including correlation and factor analysis), to study the relationship patterns among the variables in the survey1. Strategy Among key results it was found that logistics strategy is mainly concerned with the integration of th supply chain: Longterm relationships with customers and suppliers, onsite services and delivery dependability, as shown in Figure 1. This is in line with the Megatrends reported by Bowersox, Closs and Stank (2020).Figure 1. Key strategic considerations in Venezuelan logistics. Response speed was described as more valuable than transportation costs, suggesting that efficacy is preferred to efficiency, a usual trend in protected development of proprietary distribution channels is thought of as safer than outsourcing –implying the absence of reliable thirdparty main perceived threats to logistics in Venezuela are economic uncertainty (due to shortterm economic policies), infrastructure limitations and human resources ’ selection policies reveal the behavior of Venezuelan managers: quality, price and dependability were reported as the key influential characteristics. This looks again as a consequence of the use of hierarchies –instead of markets and conglomerates (subcontracting with firms owned by the same economic 4 group). factors in the logistic strategy The respondents’ opinions about key elements in logistics were processed using factor analysis. Table 1shows the association among low transportation costs (COSTS), reliable providers work (NET) and ownership of the distribution channel: outsourcing is viewed as positive (3PCHANN) and total ownership as negative (OWNCHANN). This factor could be named “Costs view”. Another interesting relationship showed is among after sales services (AFTSALES), reliable work suppliers and longterm relationship with clients (CLIENTS). This shows longterm downstream mitments. Table 1. Factor Analysis results for key elements in logistics (Rotated Component Matrix) The association among low transportation costs, short leadtimes (DELIVERY) and after sales services suggest a mitment to customer satisfaction. Most of the variance is collected by the three factors described above, as shown in appendix 2 (table A1, explained variance of key logistic strategy factors). A clearly marked relationship between longterm relationship with clients and after sales service was expected. This is empirically proved in Table 2 where results of a linear regression became significant at standard confidence 2. Linear Regression between CLIENTS and AFTSALES. 2. Threats to logistics development in Venezuela Conducting a similar analysis, the perceptions of actual and future threats to the development of logistic practices in Venezuela were obtained. The resulting factors can be described as external and 2. Threats to the development of logistics in Venezuela. Factor analysis results are included in Table 3. The respondents related the lack of transport infrastructure (INFRAEST), foreign petition (COMPETIT), and difficulties identifying foreign markets to export (UNKNOWN). This factor was called external environment, as firms have little control on it. The other relevant factor includes macroeconomic uncertainty (ENVIRON), lack of adequate custom services (SERVICE), and absence of qualified personnel (PERSON). This factor was called internal, or national, 3 Factor Analysis for threats to logistics development. The total explained variance, showed in appendix 2 (Table A2) is approximately 57% 5 suggesting some limitations in the explanatory power of the factor analysis. Successive tests were done but each new factor only contains one variable. The relations obtained in internal environment suggested additional studies, as the variable qualified personnel does not contain an identifiable pattern. This lead to calculate the correlation between those variables, presented in Table 4. Correlation between variables (internal environment factors) There appears to be a significant correlation between ENVIRON and each of the other two variables, but no relation between SERVICE and PERSON. It looks like a case of structural dependency linking the latter pair wi