外文翻译原文:Taxonomyofinformationtechnologystrategyanditsimpactontheperformanceofthird-partylogistics(3PL)inChinaThispaperdevelopsataxonomyofinformationtechnologystrategiesusedbythird-partylogistics(3PL)firmsinChinabasedonaclusteranalysisofsurveydatafrom105ofthese3PLfirms.Theinformationtechnologystrategieshavebeenclassifiedintothreemajorgroups:supportive,technological,andaligned.Thepaperalsoinvestigatestheeffectofinformationtechnologystrategiesoninformationtechnologyadvantage,competitiveadvantage,andHnancialperformance.Theresultsofthestudyindicatethateffortstoimproveinformationtechnologysystemscanonlybeeffectiveiftheinformationtechnologyimprovementsareproperlyalignedwithacompany?soverallstrategy・Itisfoundthatcompaniesthatattempttoimprovetheirinformationtechnologysystemswithouttheproperalignmentofinformationtechnologywiththecompany'soverallstrategycanachieveinformationtechnologyadvantagesrelativetotheircompetitors,butnotcompetitiveadvantagesorimprovedfinancialperformance・ThisstudyisthefirstattempttodevelopaninfoiTnationtechnologystrategytaxonomyfor3PLcompaniesinChina.Itprovidesvaluableguidanceandinsightsformanagersinthedevelopmentofinformationtechnologystrategiesin3PLcompanies.Keywords:Informationtechnologystrategy;Third-partylogistics(3PL);Taxonomy;Competitiveadvantage;China1.IntroductionDuetogrowingpressurestoreducecostsandprovideabetterservice,andtheincreasedcomplexitythatstemsfromexpandedlogisticsrequirements(Sumetal.2001),increasinglymorecompaniesareconsideringoutsourcingtheirlogisticsrequirementstothird-partylogistics(3PL)firms.Burnson(2000)reportsthatmanyTortune50(Tcompanieshaveoutsourcedtheirtransportation,warehouse,andinventorymanagementfunctions.Studieshavedemonstratedthattheuseof3PLfirmsmayreduceinventoryandlead,improvecustomerservic---本文来源于网络，仅供参考，勿照抄，如有侵权请联系删除---e,andcaptureeconomiesofscale(Sumetal.2001).Previousstudieshavereportedthatinformationtechnology(IT)offersagreatopportunityforcompaniestogaincompetitiveadvantages,suchaslogisticalefficiency,effectiveness,andflexibility(e.g.SandersandPremus2002,2005).However,duetothehighcostofadvancedITandalackofexpertise,theITadoptionrateoflogisticsusersislow(Sumetal.2001),whichimpliesthat3PLfirmsmayhaveampleopportunitiestoadoptandexploitIT(Bhatnagaretal.1999).Therefore,in3PLfirms,ITplaysanessentialroleinsynchronizingandcoordinatingcomplexsupplychainactivitiesbetweenlogisticsusersandtheircustomers.Withitshigheconomicgrowthandhugemarketpotential,Chinahasbecomeaglobalmanufacturingcentre.TherapidexpansionofChina，smanufacturingindustrieshasleadtorapidgrowthinthelogisticsindustry.Theaverageannualgrow什irateofthelogisticsindustryinChinafrom1992to2004was22.2%,andlogisticsexpenditureaccountedforanaverageof21.8%ofthegrossdomesticproductduringthisperiod(LogisticInformationCenterofChina2005).AccordingtoareportjointlypublishedbyMercerManagementConsultingandtheChinaFederationofLogisticsandPurchasing(2002),theoutsourcingoflogisticsandtransportationwillcontinuetoexpandatarateofapproximately25%peryear・DespitethegrowingimportanceofthelogisticsindustryinChina,therehasbeennoprevioussolidempiricalresearchintoITapplicationsinChinese3PLfirms,andthereisthereforeanurgentneedforsuchempiricalstudies.TheobjectiveofthisstudyistoinvestigateITstrategypatternsandtheireffectontheperformanceandco...