Virtual Logistics Enterprise Alliance Partner Selection

In allusion to the partnership issues in the Virtual Logistics Enterprise Alliance (VLEA),the article mainly studied the methods of partner selection and partnership management ofVLEA, based on the analysis of the characteristics of VLEA.Retrospection the evolution of VLEA and depicting its inevitable appearance, it isargued that the traditional way for pier selection is no longer suited for the ever-changing era.By reviewing recent achievements on partnership and partner selection at home and abroad,several issues needed for further research are indicated. According to the study emphasis andexisted achievements, the article further analyses the principle concepts, alliance features,successful foundation and operation process of VLEA. It discusses the form and operatingmodel of VLEA from static and dynamic aspects and points out that VLEA is an unitorganization based on core Logistics Competence (LC), which vital principle of partnerselection is LC principle, which operation is an interval co-operation based on the long-terrypartnership. With the concepts of co-operation network and operation network from VE field,it summarizes the general piers selection model of VLEA.In the aspects of choosing methods, aimed at different choosing stages, the article putsforward homologous strategies of search, synthesize, evaluation, sieve, resourceoptimization and flexibility management. First, it proposes the concept of logisticscompetence of companies and its consulting evaluation index system according to the LCprinciple. Making use of search strategy which is based on mission needs and logisticscompetence, qualified candidate partners are chosen from numerous latent colleagues.Secondly, it classified the LC of candidates partner again by DEA method. Fourthly, itevaluates and sieves the candidate partners using the selection method based on DEA.Finally, from integral efficiency, it builds up a model of heredity calculation which canoptimizes the co-operation partners.In the aspects of choosing models, first, it analyses the choosing process of VLEApartner from resource integration, and proposes resource selection model which aims atoptimizing the utilization rate of entire resources. Then according to the choosingassignments and process characteristics of VLEA partners, it combines the individualdirection and relationship direction of partners and proposes the four-process-model ofpartner selection. Finally, according to the characteristics of VLEA, the article points out thatwe should construct an index system of comprehensive evaluation candidate partner from the four-index-system of efficiency, competence, relationship and restriction. Borrowed from theexisting achievements, it also puts forward IR calculation method respectively according tothe characteristics of different indexes.