Transport is needed throughout the whole supply chain being the link between
supply chain members. Because demand and supplies have become international
processes short lead time is especially important for companies that operate in international
or global environment. Consequently quality of transport service affects
the competitiveness of the entire supply chain. The challenge is to achieve competitive
advantage in the context of rapid and unpredictable changes of markets.
Over the past years it had place a growing focus on service quality improvement
and reduction of inventory. The highly competitive environment along with customers’
demands for tailored products and services has forced companies to continuously
evaluate, improve and reengineer their logistics operations. These operations
have a noticeable contribution in companies’ efforts to meet customers’ expectations
(Gotzamani et al. 2010).
Managing companies in this increasingly demanding environment has made
many firms to look for logistics service provider. They are used for many logistics
functions, such as transport or warehousing. Logistics activity (purchasing, warehousing,
transport and distribution, inventory management) can be realized more efficient
than by manufacturing companies. The source of competitive advantage is the
capability to adapt, integrate, and reconfigure internal and external organizational
skills, resources, and functional competences to match the requirements of a changing
environment (Teece et al. 1997). Manufacturing is the industry with the highest
demands regarding logistics services and consequently it is judged as the most appropriate
industry for comparisons within the logistics context (Gotzamani et al. 2010).
Cooperation between manufacturers and logistic service provider has a leading role
in supply chains. This factor has influenced the purpose of this paper, which is identification
the drivers that determine the outsourcing decision in logistics.
The paper contains four stages. In the first stage, a literature review on the logistics
outsourcing was undertaken. In the second stage, survey was undertaken in
Polish companies (manufacturers). The basic question concerned kinds of logistics
activities which were outsourced in furniture, electromechanical and food industry.
What decision-making criteria were considered by manufacturers when outsourcing
these logistics activities? In the third stage, an exploratory survey was undertaken to
identify the reasons and consequences of transport outsourcing and to specify other
factors. In the fourth stage, there is a review of techniques and rules of starting the
cooperation with logistics service providers. There are also methods of their selection
and evaluation.