Abstract
This paper aims to analyze the potential future of the 4PL concept based on expert opinions with special regard to the influence of digitalization coming with a disruptive trans-formation of supply chains. Service arrangements, provider capabilities and benefits resulting from a 4PL partnership are compared in current and future configurations. The research follows an explorative mixed methods approach with semi-structured interviews followed by an expert panel. This builds a basis for an online survey questionnaire to inquire on important future aspects for the 4PL concept by a sample of respondents from multinational companies. Our results show a clear trend away from simply organizing transportation and logistics activities towards the provision of an IT platform as well as further value-added service activities such as planning, analytics and monitoring. Along with this, IT capabilities appear to be an important differentiator for 4PL providers in the future. Moreover, relationships between 4PL providers and their clients become closer and more strategic, which leads to a customer valuing not only direct cost reductions but rather improvements resulting from optimized operations through superior analysis and planning functions.
Highlights
About 20 years ago, Andersen Consulting ( Accenture) coined a novel concept of logistics outsourcing called fourth party logistics (4PL) as a modern solution to supply chain challenges [1].This is complementing third party logistics (3PL) well established in the industry today with 3PL providers (3PLP) offering a large variety of standardized solutions [2]
The aim of this paper is to explore current advancements of the 4PL concept in practice and make make predictions about how future 4PL configurations may evolve under the influence of predictions about how future 4PL configurations may evolve under the influence of digitalization
The questionnaire was accessed at a total of 73 times while most respondents that got beyond the introductory page, finished the survey
Summary
About 20 years ago, Andersen Consulting ( Accenture) coined a novel concept of logistics outsourcing called fourth party logistics (4PL) as a modern solution to supply chain challenges [1]. This is complementing third party logistics (3PL) well established in the industry today with 3PL providers (3PLP) offering a large variety of standardized solutions [2]. We look at three areas directed at analyzing the adoption of 4PL services in practice services in practice today as well as the 4PL concept of the future.
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