Abstract—On the basis of analyzing the logistics service capability, this paper particularly analyses the logistics capability of the third party logistics. According to the principle of the software Capability Maturity Model (CMM), the Third Party Logistics Service Capability Maturity Model (3PL-SCMM) is put forward. 3PL-SCMM is divided into five ranks, the key logistics capability of each rank is also described. This model can estimate the rank of the 3PL, and can also offer good reference for the making decision to enhance logistics service capability.

Keywords- logistics service capability;3PL; capability maturity model 

 Introduction

The research on the logistics capability started in the 1980s, some scholars have put forward the concept of logistics capability. American scholar Bowersox thought that logistics capability is a relative assessment whether a manufacturer is capable of providing customer service with its competitive advantage at total cost as low as possible [1]. Tan thought that logistics capability is the capability of the logistics service, which the logistics providers provided. She also give two aspect meanings from macroscopic and microscopic angle, the macroscopic logistics capability is the capability of logistics support and service which the national economic departments provided, the microscopic logistics capability is the capability of the logistics service which the logistics service providers provided to the microscopic demand [2].

The Capability Maturity Model applies in the field of software engineering; it’s a concept model used for appraising software capability. According to the principle of CMM, some scholars have put forward several kinds of CMM. In the field of logistics management, YIN built the logistics Capability Maturity Model [3]; LIU built The Model of Studying Supply Chain Logistics Service Capability Maturity [4]. But all these researches are from macroscopic angle, and the research about the capability of the third part logistics’ service is poor.