Logistics Outsourcing Practices in the US: An Exploratory Analysis of the Third-Party Logistics Service Users

摘要

Ongoing global recession forced many firms to change the direction of their business strategicthinking. This change in a strategic thinking includes the reassessment of "self-sufficient" businesspractices that may not necessarily add the highest value to the supply chain process and may notbring the highest possible return from the allocated resources. As such, outsourcing strategywhich allows the firm to focus on its core competency has gained popularity over the years. Oneof the supply chain activities that are often outsourced is logistics as evidenced by a continuedgrowth of the third-party logistics industry. To help firms formulate wise logistics outsourcingstrategy, this paper examines the common logistics outsourcing practices among the U.S. firmsand identifies key determinants for their logistics outsourcing decisions. It also explores thecurrent logistics outsourcing trends in terms of customer value propositions.