Current and Future Trends of Information Technology and Sustainability in Logistics Outsourcing

Abstract

Sustainability awareness across various economic sectors requires firms to use logistics outsourcing to reduce logistics-related emissions with compliant logistics service providers (LSPs). LSPs apply advanced information technologies to help achieve high efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability goals. While logistics outsourcing has received considerable attention from researchers, limited research has identified the elements of logistics outsourcing and established research trends regarding technology and sustainability aspects of logistics outsourcing. This study aims to establish trends in technology and sustainability in logistics outsourcing and identify the important elements of logistics outsourcing. A bibliometric analysis technique using the Biblioshiny package in R. A SCOPUS search resulted in 2019 documents. Research on technology and sustainability in logistics outsourcing is growing, especially in developed countries, with little or no research from developing countries. Sustainable supply chains and third-party logistics themes dominated the past research. Current research is on reverse logistics, circular economy, and green logistics; the latter is likely to dominate the future, focusing on risk management, pollution control, and innovation through advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data. Essential elements of logistics outsourcing are identified as maintaining a good relationship based on trust and cooperation, LSP multi-selection criteria that include sustainability and technology capabilities, proper contract management, and an appropriate in-house versus outsourcing balance for competitiveness. LSP managers are advised to develop sustainability and technology capabilities, including reverse logistics. The paper contributes to logistics management theory by identifying the elements of logistics outsourcing and presenting a bibliometric result to guide future research on sustainability and technology capabilities in logistics outsourcing.