Impacts of Information and Communication Technology on Logistics System

信息和通信技术（ICT）的价格已经大幅下降，因此私营企业和消费者现在正在改变他们的行为，毫无疑问，它影响了物流系统。一种情况是，电子商务将使消费者很容易从家里购买产品，然后直接送货上门。为满足送货要求而增加的货运车辆数量将加剧交通拥堵和环境问题。另一种情况是它对交通的积极影响。通过互联网监测消费者需求，使生产和运输货物只按需进行成为可能。此外，民间企业也将借助互联网和智能运输系统（ITS），寻求从第三方物流（3PL）实时采购运输服务等解决方案。本研究在对以往相关文献进行综述的基础上，构建了ICT对物流影响的评估框架，并进行了案例分析。有证据表明，ICT和ICT和ITS对物流系统的影响很大。特别是，通过将物流服务外包给具有信通技术能力的快递公司和第三方物流公司，以及通过发展电子物流和电子车队管理，可以减少货运量。然而，关于物流服务市场，尚不能确定它们是否满足规避风险的托运人的严格要求。信息和通信技术也将使政府有机会有效执行物流政策。政府应提供基本的交通和信息基础设施，如数字地图和交通信息数据库。

The prices of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have been reduced dramatically so that private firms and consumers are now changing their behaviors, and without doubt it has influenced the logistics system. One scenario is that e-commerce would make it easy for the consumer to purchase products from his home and then them delivered right to his door. The increased volume of freight vehicles required to fulfill delivery requirements would aggravate traffic congestion and environmental problems. Another scenario is concerned with its positive impact on transportation. Monitoring consumer demand through the Internet makes it possible to produce and transport goods only on demand. Furthermore, the private sector will try to find solutions with the help of Internet and Intelligent Transport System (ITS) ; for example, real-time procurement of transportation services from third party logistics (3PL).In the research we built a framework to evaluate the impacts of ICT on logistics based on review results on the past literatures concerned, and conducted case studies. The evidences indicates that the ICT and ICT and ITS highly influence the logistics system. In particular freight traffic can be reduced by outsourcing logistics services to the couriers and 3PL with ICT ability, and by development of e-logistics and e-fleet management. Concerning marketplaces of logistics services, however, it is uncertain whether they would satisfy the risk-averting shipper's strict requirements. ICT will give the government opportunities to effectively implement the policies on logistics as well. The government is expected to provide the fundamental transportation and information infrastructure, such as the databases of digital map and traffic information.