Abstract:The case study approach is adopted toanalyze the information service platforms of 3PLs. The characteristics ofover-emphasis on function integrity of the supply chain and logistics services butdisadvantage to information service outsourcing of the current informationservice platforms of the 3PLs are pointed out. The concept of detachable informationservice component for information services is put forward by analysis of thecurrent status of information service of 3PLs, which can not only enhance theflexibility of 3PLs’services, but alsoeliminate trust barriers between the 3PLs and customers. Namely, business data,resources required and business controlsof the customer enterprise are detached to ensure thecustomer enterprise to retain and control its core business data and businesssecurity as much as possible. In the mean time, the customer enterprise canshare the resources and capacity of decision-making on information with the3PLs. Customer enterprise can try, rent or purchase the detachable informationservice components of 3PLs, and make full use of the service control andresource capacity provided by 3PLs to improve the efficiency of enterprise. Whilethe 3PLs might improve their own information integration and reusability by thedetachable information service components, and gain more business opportunitiesand benefits by providing customers with more flexible and efficient services, achievinga win-win in the benefit of all parties.
Key Words: Logistics Outsourcing, Component, Information Service, CML
Introduction
A. Connotation of Logistics Outsourcing
Logisticsoutsourcing is an operation that the production or sale enterprise entrustsits logistics business to aprofessional third party logistics (3PL) business by contract in order toenhance its core competitiveness [1]. Essentially,the logistics outsourcing, logistics alliances, third-party logistics andcontract logistics are conceptsof substitutability, only different inits emphasis in the process of logisticsoutsourcing. Some focus on the provision of services, some focus oninter-organizational relations, and some focus on the performance [2].
Forlogistics outsourcing, a further explanation will be given from the folowingtwo aspects: logistics outsourcing business (3PL)and its customer. From the angleof the logistics outsourcing serviceprovider 3PL, Magnus Berglund et al. [3],based on the survey of 3PL enterprises, suggested that the 3PL companies shouldpay attention to the value-added services based on basic logistics business, whilethe creation of added value can be divided into four progressive stages, namely,the efficient implementation of operations, customer business integration,horizontal or vertical integration, and the entire supply chain integration, andthey also stated that the creation of added value dependedon the technology of IT andintegration and optimization.