National Logistics Management Case Study
             ITSM 670 Section 9041: Information Technology Management Capstone
             University of Maryland University College Graduate School
             Use of the Internet and the company's web portal for vendor auction of premium freight transportation space, ordering, tracking, and proactive business partnering have enabled National Logistics Management to fully exploit a niche in the Third Party Logistics Services' market. The owner and sole capital holder of the company is now faced with the decision of either selling to a larger competitor or growing the company using outside capital to remain competitive and expand into the global market. This paper will focus on National Logistics Management use of its infrastructure service provider business model, how it could extend that business model into a more interactive one among more than just one primary business vendor, and how it can prioritize its Information Technology investments, either internally or externally, to achieve growth.
             Scott Taylor has built three successful businesses that are centered on the automotive industry in his hometown of Detroit, Michigan; TopFlite Trucking, Artisan, and National Logistics Management (NLM) (Applegate, Austin, & McFarlan, 2003, p. 165). This case revolves around NLM and its evolution into one of the niche markets of Third Party Logistics Services (3PLS) that, like other 3PLS's, involve distribution services from asset providers or shipper to the customer or receiver. 3PLS's like NLM evolved as a result of outsourcing of traditional supplier logistics functions. They serve as a primary example of Infrastructure Service Providers that offer online/offline services that support a variety of logistics, marketing, and other shared services usually at a demonstrated lower cost to both the shipper and receiver, in the case of 3PLS (Applegate et al., p. 65).
             Since its beginning in 1991, NLM has ex...