Prospects and transformation factors of the institute of logistics providers in the Russian Federation

The selected topic of the analysis is relevant, since the restoration of the chains disturbed by the COVID-19 pandemic is possible on the basis of digitalization and consolidation of the logistics services market, increasing the innovative mobility of its entities. That is why the purpose of our paper we have chosen to make the analysis of the prospects and problems of the logistics provider development as a special subject of the logistics services market in the terms of contemporary challenges. In the course of working on the paper, the methodology of systems analysis, analysis methods, synthesis and comparative analysis were used. As a result of a comparative analysis of the main 3PL and 4PL providers, the competitive strategic advantages of the latter were revealed. In this regard, the authors have developed a hypothesis: as the time lag of uncertainty increases, the demand for 4PL provider services will grow. The paper considers the structure of the modern competitive environment, in which, according to the authors, the point of growing the domestic 4PL providers and increasing their innovative mobility will be the 3PL providers partnership with startups and their acquisition of new players in specific process areas. At the end of the paper, some barriers are specified that may prevent the implementation of the strategic partnership between the entities of the logistics services market. Conclusions: Formation of the 4PL providers institution is an advance tool for increasing the logistics industry resistance to stress. The scope of the analysis results can be advisory for logisticians, logistics intermediaries and public authorities