Small And Medium-sized International Freight Forwarding Business Overseas Agent Network Construction,

Along with the tendency of economic globalization, international freight forwarding industry developed very quickly. Some new organizational model has been created. Many freight forwarders gradually developed from independent entity into strategic alliance. Under the help of strategic alliance, they can extend their operation network and strengthen their competitiveness. This kind of organization is the overseas agent network of freight forwarders, i.e. freight forwarders' strategic alliance.Strategic alliance has been proved to be a very effective organizational model. At present, China's freight forwarders, especially the small and medium-sized freight forwarders are developing at the primary stage. Their capability, operation network, and service level are lagged far behind their foreign competitors. Establishing overseas agent network to strengthen core competency has become the best choice for China's freight forwarders.This thesis firstly explained the definition of overseas agent network, and then analyzed its history, character, causation, and advantages. Next, it explained the causation of the formation of strategic alliance from the perspective of Economics and Management.This thesis analyzed the current status of overseas agent network of freight forwarders, pointed out the big gap between China's freight forwarders and foreign competitors. Then it picked out two most important issues: The evaluation of foreign agents, risk analysis and prevention. Based on the real experience of LT Freight Forwarding Company, the thesis deeply analyzed these two issues and pointed out some solution.On the issue of evaluation of foreign agents, it firstly listed the problems of China's freight forwarders and the bad consequences, then, it analyzed the standards of qualified foreign agents and the evaluation procedure. Finally, it introduced a set of evaluation method used by LT Freight Forwarding Company.On the issue of risk analysis and prevention, the thesis firstly pointed out the limitation of China's freight forwarder. Then, it analyzed the risks and risk causations faced by overseas agent network. Finally it gave China's freight forwarders some suggestion on risk prevention. Finally, the thesis summed up the conclusions made in the thesis and gave some overall suggestions to China's freight forwarders.