第三b方物流 英文.docx

The use of third-party logistics services by European industryAbstractLogistics managers in Europe’s leading manufacturing and commercial organisations were surveyed regarding their use of third-party logistics (TPL) services. Their responses provide insights intothe depth and scope of logistics outsourcing in Europe. Areas speci?cally addressed in the European survey include; services being used, related implementation problems, the bene?ts that have emerged and the impact of third-party services on costs, customer satisfaction and employees. The results indicate that logistics outsourcing, at least for basic services, has become well established in Europe. Emphasis on logistics cost reduction, service improvement and ?exibility of response are at the centre of most logistics outsourcing decisions. On the downside there is a mixed response on employee morale associated with outsourcing.Keywords: Logistics outsourcing; outsourcing; third-party logistics; contract logistics; Europe.1. A CHANGING MARKET FOR THIRD-PARTY LOGISTICSProviders of third-party logistics (TPL) services in Europe face major changes in the foreseeable future. The range of services, organisational structure, scale of operations and geographical reach will be affected by rapid developments in the European market place. In turn users can contemplate new logistics strategies which are supported by new capabilities from third-party providers. Not much new in that you say, except that in Europe the market place for logistics services is dynamic due to two driving forces. Manufacturers are rapidly recon?guring their production and distribution facilities as they move towards pan-European structures and secondly, ongoing deregulation is fundamentally altering the transport industry. The research described in this paper forms part of a joint study into the use of TPL services in the United States(Northeastern University) and Europe (Cran?eld University) and was sponsored by Mercer Management Consulting I