Involvement, knowledge sharing and proactive improvement as antecedents of logistics outsourcing performance

The purpose of this article is to present the research results of a study on the impact of the drivers of logistics outsourcing performance: involvement, knowledge sharing, and innovation. The sample was derived from companies in the Slovenian market who choose to outsource their logistics services to logistics service providers. The article also attempts to contribute to the theoretical and methodological findings and managerial implications in logistics outsourcing discussions. On the basis of the existing literature and some new arguments derived from in-depth interviews with logistics experts, the measurement and structural models were empirically analysed on a sample of manufacturing and retail companies involved in an ongoing relationship with a logistics service provider. Measurement scales for the constructs, their development, refinement and measurement for validity and reliability were performed. Multivariate statistical methods (EFA, CFA and SEM – Partial Least Squares) were utilised. Five hypotheses were tested and confirmed. The logistics outsourcing performance (the goal achievement and the goal exceedance) is well explained by involvement, knowledge sharing, and innovation.