• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.93-116
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• 2009

As the popularity of logistics service outsourcing has been continuously growing, one of the most frequently addressed issues is how to estimate the effect of cost reduction for users and profit gains from outsourcing contract for providers. Many manufacturing companies agree that logistics outsourcing helps to reduce their operating costs, but some other companies still do not achieve the cost saving or do not trust logistics service providers, so they keep up in-house logistics operations. On the other hand, logistics service providers have low profitability from domestic business activities since they should meet the requirements for highly customized and diverse services from customers and unstable market situation. This study provided the status report dealing with logistics service contracts in Korea. From the focused group interview with logistics professionals, we found out that service scope, scale and cost structure are the most influential factors affecting logistics service contracts. Also, logistics service providers are more sensitive than users regarding value-added logistics service, contract duration and process. Moreover, this study also proposed the standard clauses for logistics service contract and types of logistics contract applied in current logistics fields. As a result, it is expected that these achievements from this study can be utilized to improve the satisfaction of logistics outsourcing in upgrading service quality and customer service level.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.151-178
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• 2016

This study is based on precedent research on contract fairness to prevent irrational contract practices and enable long term mutual interests between logistic firms and shipper. Actual unjust contract examples were identified in order to help create this positive partnership. An analysis on the difference of perspective proved that while the logistics companies believed on the positive effects of the presence of additional expense clauses & potential risk clauses, the very same companies believed that the concretization of procedural & distributional equitability clauses will cause positive effects on the partnership between the logistics companies and the shipper. On the other hand, concretizationof the expense clauses brings about a negative effect for the shipper company. Also, the perspective of a logistics company appears that such results were identical to the empirical study which had a positiveeffect. However, the shipping company had a negative and a rather opposite point of view. These researches prove that there should be an alteration in perception for the shipper company. It is believed that the comparison of the results of this research and the leading researches may provide grounds for thought-provoking suggestions that must be concretized and also for those in need for further settlement for drafting the standardized logistics contract and its logistics.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.129-153
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• 2012

Even though logistics service outsourcing becomes widespread in manufacturing and service industries, logistics service providers encounter fierce competition and lower profit. Decreased profit has negative impact on service providers' competitiveness, which in turn threats successful relationship with shippers. In this paper, we investigate the factors which influence the performance of service providers. Factors related to service contract are examined and we test an effect of concreteness and fairness of service contract. PLS (Partial Least Square) modeling method is applied and validated using data from logistics service providing companies in Korea. In the model, service contract clauses are classified into two categories including cost and risk sharing terms. PLS analysis shows that partnership and performance of service relationship is improved when contract clauses are specified in detail. This study will contribute in providing an operational direction in effectively establishing a positive relationship between the logistics service provider and the shipper.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.281-306
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• 2012

Global competition has resulted in companies' expectations to heighten competitiveness and enhance customer service through ownership companies' reduced investment on logistics costs, in turn focusing on the development of core competence, in addition to logistics companies' increased tendencies to satisfy customers' needs and requirements through logistics outsourcing. However, a partial perspective of the logistics contract exists due to its flexible characteristic in order to act accordingly in times of sudden changes and uncertainty. Therefore, this study is designed to test through a survey the standard of desired format of logistics contract in comparison to the currently existing format based on the results of researcher's previous study on the specific clauses in the logistics contract and its effect on the logistics outcome. A hypothesis has been designed to test the differences of perspective between two test groups, and a t-test &IPA (Importance-Performance Analysis) was performed. As a result, firstly, there was a significant difference of perspective between the ownership companies and logistics companies when dealing with the logistics contract; secondly, a significant difference of perspective was also expressed between the two groups on how to guide and re-direct the present standard of logistics contract. In addition, the two groups also showed a difference of expectations between the current and future service standard. Therefore, this study is designed to specify the difference of perspective and expectations between the ownership companies and the logistics companies in order to provide a gateway for the two groups in order to further develop and enhance the field of logistics.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.35-65
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• 2013

In December 2012, the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs and Ministry of Knowledge Economy held a commission and distributed a standardized logistics contract between the shipper and the logistics companies in order to spread and to promote contract standardization. With such background in place, this study examines the leading research on different types and attributions in present logistics contracts in order to propose guidelines for creating contract clauses that would lead to a win-win relationship among the parties involved in the logistics outsourcing relationships. This study further compares and contrasts the concreteness of local and international logistics contracts through case studies, and provides practical thought-provoking points on concretization of clauses on potential risks and additional expenses for local logistics companies when signing logistics contracts. Firstly, the composition and contents of both local and international logistics contracts are similar in the way that both deal with the basic principles between the concerned parties such as the following: contract terms, validity, scope of work, operational procedures, payment terms, and dispute resolutions. Secondly, for flexibility of potential dispute resolution, both logistics contracts define the definition of dispute and follow the classical contractual approach of dispute resolution through third-party arbitration. Thirdly, compared to local contracts, international logistics contracts provide more concretized and specific clauses on the occurrence of potential risks and hazards; on the other hand, compared to international logistics contracts, it seemed that local contracts contained more clauses in favor of the shipper. This research then suggests ideas to eliminate the classic tradition - logistics companies enduring the damages that occur as a result of the structural differences between the shipper and the logistics companies - through efforts to actively negotiate in advance the predictable problems and risks and by reflecting the mutually agreed points in the contract, and further offers guidelines on contract concretization for distribution of standardized logistics contracts in the future.