Logistics Service Provider: Foundations, Innovation and Future Research Avenue

Abstract

The involvement of Logistics Service Provider (LSP) in supply chain activity has a far reaching impact on the development and the performance of the main channel member such as manufacturer, supplier and retailers. Logistics is the key elements for supply chain success. The LSP helps organization to understand key metrics for their business sustainability and long term goals of their supply chain so that they can ensure they can get the right item at the right place and at the right time. Research on LSP has received significant response among the academician and practitioners in the recent decade. The purpose of this research is to provide general review as a sound foundation to promote future research in logistics service provider (LSP) study. The general review covers three main areas namely the notion and evolution of LSP, the provision of LSP, as well as the current innovation of LSP namely Halal Logistics service provider (HLSP). Modern logistics has been moved to the new shape of activity namely Halal logistics service. HLSP is regarded as innovation in the logistics industry worldwide. The review of previous work on LSP and HLSP spans the years from 1980s to 2019. This paper used content analysis method for general review. The review indicates the three main area for future research direction on LSP. The main contribution of this paper to the literature review are twofold. Firstly, it extend the discussion from conventional logistics to Halal logistics service practice. Second, it advances the existing perspective of 3PL and highlights on the future logistics research opportunities.