【正文】
market coverage, as the value of a logistic pany invariably lies in the market coverage of its work. However, to our knowledge, we have not found any prehensive studies reported in the literature focusing on the extent of 3PL by firms in Malaysia. This study aims to fill this gap. Results reported in this study indicate that a number of operating units at many of the Malaysian firms are utilising the services of contract logistics providers, and have been doing so for several years. Many of these organisations employ the services of more than one contract logistics firm to provide a wide variety of services. Furthermore, many nonusers are interested in this approach as evidenced by the 30% who are exploring the operating units utilising contract logistics services providers have substantial experience with this practice as evidenced by about 45% having done so for more than 5 years. The decision to utilise contract logistics firms is almost as likely to originate at the corporate, divisional or local level. However, wherever the idea originates, managers from other functional areas will usually be involved in the decision to outsource. The level of mitment to the utilisation of contract logistics providers has been very encouraging with about 75% of the firms responding to this survey characterising their mitment as moderate to extensive. Additional evidence of this high level of mitment is provided by onehalf of the firms allocating up to 40% of their total logistics budget to contract providers. In almost all cases,senior logistics executives view the use of contract firms as having had a positive impact on logistics costs, logistics systems performance, customer satisfaction, and employee morale. Based on these results, more than 80% of the managers would at least moderately expand their panies’ use of contract logistics firms. To those logistics executives co