Factors Determining Adoption of Outsourcing Logistics Functions: A Study of Manufacturing and Trading Sectors in Sri Lanka

This study aims at identifying the determinants of adoption of outsourcing logistic functions in Manufacturing and Trading companies in Sri Lanka. After careful review of the existing literature perceived cost effectiveness, quality concerns of logistics outsourcing, perceived risk and perceived professionalism of logistics service provider were identified for the study as their high theoretical and empirical importance in determining outsourcing decision. Primary data was collected by means of semi structured questionnaire from 60 organizations that carry out manufacturing and trading businesses in Sri Lanka. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and simple and multiple linear regression analysis. Initial simple linear regression analysis proved the statistically significant impact that each of the identified variables have on the adoption of outsourcing. However the multiple regression estimated in this study to analyze the collective effect of the suggested model concludes that the decision makers perception about the cost effectiveness of outsourcing and their perception of risk of outsourcing better explain the adoption of outsourcing in Manufacturing and trading sector in Sri Lanka. Hence, the outsource decision depends on the careful assessment of the decision-making company on its cost effectiveness and possible risk. Therefore, the findings of the present study suggest that outsourcing partners should be carefully selected in order to get the benefit of outsourcing.