A Causal Model to Find the Relationships Between 3PL Service Providers and the Performance of the Logistics Process in Mexican Manufacturing Companies

The purpose of this chapter is to present the relationship between the external service provider named Third Party Logistics 3PL and the performance of the logistics process in Mexican manufacturing companies, in order to ascertain the contribution of the aspects considered, allowing companies' suggested improvement actions. Through a field research in Ciudad Juarez and making use of an instrument about 3PL, authors considered four variables: transport, transport management, information technologies, and warehouse. To find the causal model with the relationships between the variables, authors used structural equations modelling. That also identified the relevant aspects in 3PL providers companies' manufacturing and collaboration activities realized in the practice. The results indicate that mainly the information technologies and the transport management have a greater influence on the performance of the logistics process in this type of company.