Research on integrated inventory transportation optimization of inbound logistics via a VMI-TPL model of an existing enterprise.

Third-party logistics companies face a challenging task in minimizing inventory transportation costs due to the complexities of managing numerous suppliers. Effectively optimizing costs becomes a formidable problem for such companies. This empirical research has yielded strategies for minimizing the inventory transportation cost specifically for company D. Through a rigorous optimization process, the findings presented in this paper demonstrate an average reduction of 7.18% in company D's inventory transportation cost. By jointly optimizing inbound logistics inventory transportation under VMI-TPL mode, this study extends the theory of supplier managed inventory and improves the inbound logistics mode. The results of this study can provide quantitative support and decision-making references for the project operation management of company D and similar enterprises.

Development of an improvement framework for warehouse processes using lean six sigma (DMAIC) approach. A case of third party logistics (3PL) services.

This study aims at developing an improvement framework of warehouse processes by improving process cycle efficiency using lean six sigma (DMAIC) approach. A case study method was used to illustrate the evaluation of the existing processes in the warehouse of a third party logistics company with a focus on productivity using warehouse lean tools. Data were collected based on warehouse operational areas of suppliers, customers and internally related with a focus on warehouse core processes. The optimization of the warehouse processes was based on established lean tools. Based on the warehouse evaluation, high non-value added activities were observed leading to a low process cycle efficiency of 40%. After the implementation of the lean six sigma approach, the process cycle efficiency improved of up to 70%. An improvement framework was also established for productivity across the warehouse processes to minimise waste. Lean warehousing has been used to illustrate solutions to a real-time problem of productivity which has negatively impacted on management and customer satisfaction. The study has added to lean warehousing focusing on all the warehouse processes using six sigma DMAIC approach, unlike most literature which concentrates on a specific process. Also develop a framework for the improvement of the processes.

Cooperation and coopetition among retailers-third party logistics providers alliances under different risk behaviors, uncertainty demand and environmental considerations.

Optimal profits for third-party logistics providers (3PLs) can be analyzed using the networks model to determine decision-making processes within transshipment and logistics, distribution networks, etc. Increasing academic attention is currently being focused upon fields examining 3PLs' operations within logistics networks. This paper studies cooperative game theory (CGT) of retailers-3PLs that make an alliance with each other with a specified demand function. The logistics network involves several suppliers and retailers-3PLs alliances, a distribution graph consisting of several nodes and arcs as well as multiple customers. Retailers-3PLs purchase the same goods from suppliers and sell to customers after shipping via the network; they also consider environmental issues to reduce pollutants and emissions fines. The proposed nonlinear programming (NLP) model aims to find the best flow and price of goods under cooperation conditions among retailers-3PLs by analyzing their risk levels. Controlling uncertainty in the models is accomplished by Mulvey's robust approach. In a general coalition, fair profit distribution methods are applied to share the profits among retailers-3PLs under different risk situations. We conduct a numerical analysis to present the application of our proposed model and find whether coalitions and cooperation between retailers-3PLs reduce costs and increase profits. Finally, we report the sensitivity analysis results regarding the penalties imposed for pollutant emissions, along with suggestions for future research. The results reveal that since their profit is greater in the coalition mode, they tend to cooperate with each other, whatever the amount of pollution fines be.

Predicting factors affecting the intention to use a 3PL during the COVID-19 pandemic: A machine learning ensemble approach.

The COVID-19 pandemic had brought changes to individuals, especially in consumer behavior. As the government of different countries has been implementing safety protocols to mitigate the spread of the virus, people became apprehensive about traveling and going out. This paved way for the emergence of third-party logistics (3PL). Statistics have proven the rapid escalation regarding the use of 3PL in various countries. This study utilized Artificial Neural Network and Random Forest Classifier to validate and justify the factors that affect consumer intention in selecting a 3PL service provider during the COVID-19 pandemic integrating the Service Quality Dimensions and Pro-Environmental Theory of Planned Behavior. The findings of this study revealed that attitude is the most significant factor that affects the consumers' behavioral intention. Other factors such as customer satisfaction, customer perceived value, perceived environmental concern, assurance, responsiveness, empathy, reliability, tangibility, perceived behavioral control, subjective norm, and perceived authority support, are all contributing factors that affect behavioral intention. Machine learning algorithms, specifically ANN and RFC, resulted to be reliable in predicting factors as they obtained accuracy rates of 98.56% and 93%. Results presented that consumers' attitude, satisfaction, perceived value, assurance by the 3PL, and perceived environmental concerns were highly influential in choosing a 3PL package carrier. It was seen that people would be encouraged to use 3PL service providers if they demonstrate availability and environmental concerns in catering to the customers' needs. Subsequently, 3PL providers must assure safety and convenience before, during, and after providing the service to ensure continuous patronage of consumers. This is considered to be the first study that utilized a machine learning ensemble to measure behavioral intention for the logistic sector. The framework, analysis tools, and findings of this study could be extended and applied among other behavioral intentions regarding transportation worldwide. Managerial insights among service providers are discussed.

The Impact of the Scale of Third-Party Logistics Guaranteeing Firms on Bank Credit Willingness in Supply Chain Finance: An ERP Study.

Supply chain financing guaranteed by third-party logistics (3PL) firms is an effective way to solve the financing difficulties of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Studies have explored factors that affect the willingness of supply chain financial credit providers under guarantee of 3PL firms (e.g., the scale of financing enterprises and credit). However, whether the scale of 3PL firms will affect the bank's credit decision has not been studied, as well as the neural processing of credit decisions. To clarify these issues, this study extracted behavioral and event-related potentials (ERPs) data when participants performed a selection task of judging whether to grant credit to guaranteed financing-seeking enterprises according to the large or small scale of the 3PL guaranteeing firms. The behavioral results showed that under the condition of a large-scale 3PL guaranteeing firm, the willingness to provide credit to SMEs was higher than that under the condition of a small-scale 3PL guaranteeing firm. This finding indicates there was credit scale discrimination against 3PL guaranteeing firms in supply chain finance. The ERP results showed that compared with the condition of a large-scale 3PL guaranteeing firm, a greater N2 amplitude was induced under the condition of a small-scale 3PL guaranteeing firm, which indicated that credit decision makers experienced greater perceived risk and more decision-making conflict. In contrast, a larger LPP amplitude was detected under the condition of a large-scale 3PL guaranteeing firm (as opposed to a small-scale firm), which indicated that large-scale 3PL guaranteeing firms received more positive comments and more positive emotions from credit decision makers than small-scale 3PL guaranteeing firms. Based on these results, this study reveals the cognition process of credit decision makers regarding the impact of the 3PL guaranteeing firm scale on the willingness to provide credit in supply chain finance and explains the theory of credit scale discrimination from the perspective of decision neuroscience.

Research on Co-Opetition Mechanism between Pharmaceutical Enterprises and Third-Party Logistics in Drug Distribution of Medical Community.

Third-party logistics (3PL) has a relatively perfect distribution system in solving the drug distribution of the medical community and optimizing the distribution efficiency of pharmaceutical enterprises, and it has gradually become an indispensable component of drug distribution. By constructing the co-opetition model of "Pharmaceutical Enterprises-3PL", this paper explores the game strategy choice between pharmaceutical enterprises and 3PL for the solution of drug distribution under the condition of information asymmetry, and it puts forward some suggestions to improve the competition and cooperation mechanism between pharmaceutical enterprises and 3PL in drug distribution in the medical community.

Advantages of 3PLs as healthcare supply chain orchestrators.

Given the expansion of the COVID-19 cases and the average infection rate globally, constructing a robust healthcare supply chain system for the crisis is highly crucial. The third-party logistics providers (3PLs), who can match the market demand with reliable manufacturers worldwide, have emerged as orchestrators. In addition to the basic transportation and storage services, some 3PLs can also provide procurement assistance to relatively small retailers. To illustrate the value of the above-mentioned business model, we build a game-theoretic model to capture participants' optimal strategy in a healthcare supply chain consisting of a manufacturer, a 3PL provider, and a retailer. We also investigate the conditions where the performance in this business model outperforms the traditional model. It is concluded that the 3PL's positive effect appears when the decentralized supply chain is characterized by high logistics outsourcing costs and high-level price sensitivity. We further design an incentive mechanism that can coordinate the supply chain. Finally, a series of numerical experiments are carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of our model.

Application of third party logistics for hospital material supply / 中华医院管理杂志

Third party custody system at the Second Affiliated Hospital ot Zhejiang University has reduced hospital costs,raised efficiency and optimized resources.The standardized management system featuring 5S+ 1 achieved such outcomes as +5 and -5,and 0 inventory.A three-year review of the economic performance at the hospital has saved three million yuan of costs,proving that the system can help build an effective material supply system for contemporary general hospitals.