A Holistic approach for selecting third-party logistics providers in fourth-party logistics

In a fourth-party logistics concept, the supply network is organized, administrated and managed by a fourth-party logistics service provider. The selection of third-party providers is a crucial step for fourth-party logistics enterprise to implement logistics function. This study aims to efficiently assist the fourth-party logistics enterprise in determining the “most appropriate” third-party logistics provider using a two-phase model based on genetic algorithm and fuzzy logic in a holistic manner. A numerical example is also included in the study to demonstrate the steps of the proposed model.