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The purpose of this research is to investigate how logistics outsourcing performs activities that have been traditionally carried out within the outsourcer’s company. The study examines the characteristics of logistics and transport services, which are important in cooperation with service providers. Two groups were formed according to the average values of the characteristics of logistics activities. ‘Cost, quality and response’ are important for the first group, while ‘logistics, environment and the ability to adapt to client processes’ are important for the second group. The results of the survey carried out in Slovenian enterprises show that both groups are primarily interested in express freight and shipment services, the difference lying in the understanding of logistics, mutual trust and brand recognition. The findings will be useful both in business practice and for managers, providing them with a better understanding of the performance of logistics outsourcing.

Historically, very few logistic trends have caught the attention of academics and practitioners to the same extent as outsourcing. A comprehensive literature review reveals two reasons for this continual topicality. The problem complexity and the business environment dynamics – including an interaction with other main trends in logistics and modern supply chains – both led to a permanent literature gap, indicating the need to explore some new aspects of logistics outsourcing (LO). In this paper, a new LO research perspective has been explored by identifying some weaknesses in the main LO research streams and related common viewpoints which led to six ‘logistics outsourcing research paradoxes’. Each of these paradoxes is briefly described and their links with research streams and common views on LO discussed. Finally, the nature of some known opportunities for further research is better explained and some overlooked research opportunities are highlighted.

The author presents the results of the research in five parts,which are interconnected. After the introduction, in part two,entitled A Framework for Logistics Outsourcing Decisions,theoretical characteristics of outsourcing are presented. Partthree, Core Competences and Outsourcing, describes the logisticscompetences. Part 4, Transp011 and Logistics Outsourcingin Europe, discusses the trends in logistics development andoutsourcing. The paper will assist managers responsible for thedevelopment of logistics strategies. The paper offers a uniquebuyer-supplier pwtnership framework by proposing that the logisticsoutsourcing will increase the competitive advantage ofmanufacturing firms.