Logistics outsourcing: an application in Antalya Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Wholesaler Market

Logistics activities are among the business activities that have been intensively outsourced by companies in recent years. The main factors that are effective in this situation can be expressed as; the effect of logistics activities on product and service costs, these activities not being part of the core competences for most firms, and that these activities requiring serious capital and infrastructure. Besides the important benefits provided to the firm, logistics outsourcing carries significant risks and can lead to unrecoverable problems such as loss of basic competence, confidentiality and security vulnerabilities, and customer dissatisfaction, if it is not managed well enough. In the context of all of the above information, this thesis focuses on the applications of logistics outsourcing in the fresh vegetables and fruit sector. In this study, the benefits provided to the firm by logistics outsourcing are addressed through an exploratory approach in terms of the problems related to the process and the selection criteria of the outsourcing company. Although similar studies on different sectors for logistics outsourcing are available in the literature, there is no study in this direction focusing on the fresh vegetables and fruits sector. Firms are able to control product quality and quantity losses considerably with logistics outsourcing. This strategy also makes it possible for companies to better meet international market demands and expectations. It is not possible to fulfill logistics processes and activities in a sufficient and efficient way with the limited resources and facilities of the firms. On the other hand, these companies can provide significant contributions to their strategic partners through logistics process optimizations, cold chain activities and value added logistics services. In order for firms to benefit from the logistics outsourcing process at the highest level, it is necessary for the company managers to take the necessary care and attention to process management and strategic partner selection.