Logistics Essays (Examples)

Logistics difference goals military business logistics term management, operations, design administration.
Military and Business Logistics

The difference between the goals of military and business logistics in terms of management, operations, design and administration

The planning, conceptualization and administration of military and business logistics are similar in many respects but there are marked difference in terms of their aims, orientations and objectives. Many management centered business processes and logistical methods have in fact been adapted from the military. However, the aims and goals in business are very different in certain cardinal ways to those of a military establishment. The following discussion will outline the main aspects of both military as well as business logistics as they pertain to management planning and processes. The central factors in each context will then be compared and contrasted to establish the main differences in terms of management, operations, design and administration.

Definitions

A business definition of logistics is as follows:

Logistics…

Their legacy is in traditional multi-tier distribution channel management, where the location of the warehouses had to coincide with the locations of retailers and corporate accounts. Yet today the company is increasingly moving towards could computing which frees them from the location-specific requirements, which the majority of their business is predicated on (Casacchia, 2012). Ingram Micro is in the middle of a multi-year strategic shift from having logistics entirely located near retailers and larger customers to being more virtual. While Ingram has grown through acquisition globally, the locally-based approach to distribution in California and New York continue to be the foundational structure of the logistics systems of the company.
Walmart is the retailer included in this analysis and has a logistics model that is the most customer-centric of all three the role of each Walmart Supercenter is to also serve as a distribution center with the majority of employees being…

Logistics Network Design for a Single Warehouse
Logistics network design primarily encompasses the decision to determine the number and place of warehouses and manufacturing plants, as well as the overall recognition of the client needs for the warehouses, and the appropriation of warehouses to manufacturing plants. The ideal setup should have the ability to provide the items to the clients at the least expense (frequently utilized goal) while pleasing the service degree requirements. In many logistics network design models, the consumer need is exogenous and specified as a consistent amount for each item. Such a consistent need does not make use of the possibility that various consumers have various concerns with the distribution and lead-time structures. For example, in the chemical dye sector, little fabric mills often tend to be based more on the lead-time structure while the larger fabric mills are more price-sensitive, and would be attracted by cost discount…

Logistics: Logistics and Globalization
Fierce competition has driven business entities to focus and invest in logistics networks, also referred to as supply chains. Advancement in transportation and telecommunication technologies has played a crucial role in propelling this growth right from the tactical, through to the operational level. A logistics network is made up of retail outlets, warehouses, suppliers, raw materials, work-in-progress stock, finished products, and distribution centers. To this end, logistics link producers and consumers, and integrate the different functional entities of an organization. Logistics management is about shaping a network so that it is able to indirectly meet the needs of the customer. It focuses on integrating the different elements of the network so that products are delivered to customers at the right time and place, in the right quantities, and at the right price. In a competitive marketplace, success depends on an enterprise's ability to identify and effectively capitalize…

Logistics
Why the Southern U.S. Has Emerged As an Attractive Logistics Location for the Auto Industry

The many cost-based, human resources, locational advantages, supply chain and long-term tax advantages of locating and operating auto industry-specific logistics strategy in the Southeastern U.S. are explored in this analysis. Of the many advantages to auto manufactures of having logistics centers and operations in the Southeastern U.S., the most significant are the long-term tax incentives that drastically reduce operating expense for new ventures, as Mercedes was able to negotiate with the Alabama state government for example (Camp, 1994). The tax incentives are also a central catalyst that fuels the development of auto industry-specific distribution and logistics hubs that (King, 2005).

Cost-ased Advantages of Southeastern U.S. Logistics Centers

The most significant costs for many logistics providers are salaries and benefits, followed by the costs of doing business in a specific region including real estate, taxes and any additional local…

Logistics
Causes of Logistics Problems

Companies like Bradstar are not alone; many companies today experience logistics complications, the causes of which include growing supply chains, increasing demand for the products Bradstar provides to their customers, and an inefficient delivery system. Bradstar provides rush delivery which is not organized in a fashion that provides customers with guaranteed product delivery. There is no system of checks in balances in place to ensure customers get the products they requested. Customers require above all else on-time delivery (Macdonald 2007) and one of the reasons Bradstar's demand has grown is because they offer fast delivery of their products. However, that delivery is not always reliable, though the quality of the product is decent. The provider reacts to the customer's needs rapidly, which allows Bradstar to remain in business. However, Bradstar has outsourced delivery, which has raised the cost of delivering products significantly. This would ordinarily create synchronization…

These technologies will need to be integrated into collaborative supply chain processes that will need to be put into place first however. The use of FID as a tracking technology will also help to alleviate out-of-stocks as perishable products that have a relatively high level of orders will trigger re-orders in real-time, alleviating the need to re-order manually. FID will also make it possible to create more effective audit trails of specific products over time to measure supplier quality levels and adherence to contracts that are commonplace in perishable products. Tesco's expertise in supply chain metrics of performance will need to also include the use of FID accuracy and order transaction velocities over time to measure the eturn on Investment (OI) of investments in these technologies over time as well.
ecommendations

In determining which factors are most critical in the development of a logistics and supply chain system, Tesco must begin…

There are also the cultural constraints which can be very significant across borders, as evidenced by the Cultural Dimensions Model as defined by Dr. Geert Hofstede (Minkov, Hofstede, 2011). The five cultural dimensions he has defined have a direct impact on the overall performance of a supply chain at the communication and collaboration level. Managers given the task of creating a multinationally-based supply chain need to pay attention not only to supplier performance but also the cultural factors that can significantly impact their operations for years to come.

The most important factor for companies operating a supply chain domestically or internationally across borders is the need for managing all relationships and dependencies to Demand Forecast Accuracy (Hofman, 2004). The ability to orchestrate the more fundamental aspects of supply chain performance including order cycle times, Work in Process and Finished Goods inventories and plant utilization to Cash-to-Cash Processes and finally attainment of…

Logistics & SCM
LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN Management

Euro Cast is currently experiencing the effects of a global supply chain trend that has vast implications for its industry. The trend is that more and more clients are expecting their downstream supply chain to absorb a greater amount of their internal business functions so that they can apply a lean approach to their own internal operations. This trend seems to be working its way downward throughout the entire supply chain. As a consequence of this trend, forward thinking supply chain analyst are beginning to examine the entire supply chain from a more holistic approach to see if allocation of various production functions really make sense in the grand scheme. This paper will provide an overview of some of the issues that are currently facing Euro Cast's supply chain's decision making processes.

Introduction

Euro Cast is one of the world's leading manufacturers of metal and plastic…

ABC pricing strategy would match the distribution fees with the services rendered by the company so that the hospitals and clinics could use more efficiently the ordered products. In this way, the waste of financial and time resources will he highly reduced, so O&M can better analyze the actual incurred costs, and on the long-run it can run on enhanced profits.
In order to have a clearer image on the advantages presented by the ABC approach and its reduced expenses for both commercial entities, we chose to select Exhibits 4 and 5 from the Case Study.

In Exhibit 4 the case for Cost-plus pricing technique is presented. It is computed that at 150,000 dollar-order, the distribution fee and commission represent and extra margin of 22,500 dollars. After adding the extra expenses, like administrative, order processing, general and other expenditures, the Total operating expenses end up at the level of 30,759. On…

Logistics of Building a Lunar Greenhouse
"A spacecraft approaches the lunar pole, spits out a pod from which sprout several tubular arms it uses to bury itself in the soil, where it begins growing plants in preparation for man's return to the moon"

Dan Sorenson (¶ 1).

One way to grow food to prepare for man's return to the moon, according to Dan Sorenson in the newspaper account, "Greenhouses for the moon and mars: Team project would get key plants started ahead of explorers' arrival," could be to program/manipulate a spacecraft to plant a prepared pod to plant in the moon's "soil" to begin to grow plants. Another complementary method could be to build a lunar green house, where astronauts will grow plants; fruits etc. while they reside on the Moon during space travel. The overall logistics to building a Lunar Green House, the focus for this study, explores:

The overall concept of building…

From the year 1991, environmental considerations have come to be an important standard with regard to Nestle's renovation and innovation of packages and that of the packaging materials. eduction with regard to the amount of packages and packaging materials which are required for a product and at the same time making conditions for protecting safety and quality is an ongoing important primary objective and priority. Nestle's 'No Waste at Work' program helps the 'shop floor' staff at their offices, warehouses and factory sites with the knowledge, skills and tools to develop and carry out waste minimization plans to ensure reduction of not just solid waste, but also energy and water usage. The program continued to be implemented and utilized by sites across the area during the period from 2003-2004 with huge success in not just reducing the amount of waste but in developing an empowered amount of shop-floor culture. (Nestle…

If the cost values satisfy the symmetry, such that for any I and j ? V, cij = cji, then the problem is said to be symmetric VRP, else, it is called an asymmetric VRP. In several practical cases the cost matrix satisfies the triangle inequality, such that cik + ckj ? cij for any i, j, k ? V." (Toth and Vigo, 1998, cited in Vural (2003).
Vural (2003) states that the primary attributes within the configuration of the majority of VRP problems are those as follows:

(1) Number of vehicles;

(2) Vehicles homogeneity/heterogeneity;

(3) Time windows;

(4) ackhauls;

(5) Splitting/Unsplitting of Load;

(6) Single Depot/Multi Depot;

(7) Static/Dynamic Service Needs; (8) Precedence/Coupling Constraints. (Vural, 2003)

Heuristic and Meta-heuristic Models

The work of adr (nd) Solving Dynamic Vehicle Routing: An Alternative Metaheuristic Approach" states that Dynamic Vehicle Routing Problem (DVRP) can be considered a good example of a distribution context, because of the fact that intelligent manipulation of…

When one considers that the aforementioned modifications to Colleen's system have certainly benefited the customer, it becomes apparent that it is only solid business sense to make adjustments that will benefit *****. The principle area in which the company can decrease costs is by changing its policy in regards to re-handled orders. Again, it is noteworthy to mention the fact that the number of these orders has been substantially decreased -- from 40,000 to 10,000 orders per year -- meaning Colleen is only losing 1,500 customers as opposed to 6,000 on an annual basis. However, ***** should certainly revise its re-handling policy in light of the boons its 98% fill rate are giving customers. Ideally, the company will want to modify the numbers that its 8,500 customers who need an order reshipped will receive.

In the old model, those numbers include a $15 re-handle charge to the company on a per…

In fact it would have been better to have included convex transportation networks (473) and a corollary for just-in-time inventory management and constraints-based inventory optimization for make-to-order manufacturing (Hadas, Cyplik, Fertsch, 2009).
Product definition ambiguity, manufacturing scheduling variations, supply chain incremental costs due to lack of accuracy in the form of rush charges and inventory management costs and the latency of serial vs. network-based supply chains for make-to-order manufacturing define the models used for cost-based metrics according to benchmarking analysis by Guiffrida, Jaber and zepka (150). Make-to-order manufacturing's profitability needs to be defined more thoroughly as a metric, with Guiffrida, Jaber, and zepka having set the foundation for this analysis (149). Theories of constraint applied to the wide variation in product certainty vs. ambiguity, presence or absence of serially-based vs. convex network-based supply networks, stock upper bounds and the often-used assumption of unimodal production costs all need greater clarification in…

The mean absolute deviation measures how much off from the projections the actual sales were under the three different forecasting techniques. This measures the amplitude of the forecast error for each month to determine how much each technique was off each month.
Thus, according to these figures, the best-performing system for forecasting is the simple moving average method. This method, with no weights or smooth, outperformed. In a sense, this is not particularly surprising. While in the real world the tire business varies by season, in this example the demand numbers appear to have been randomized. Each of these methods is essentially the same, but for the weights of the months in question. However, since the demand function is not experiencing linear growth, none of these approaches can be expected to be particularly strong with respect to the forecast. Simple moving came closest to predicting the actual demand, so in…

Recommendations

In the past decade, new auto plants have pursued a different strategy to increase line efficiency and reduce logistical problems: have the major parts suppliers build their plants next door to the main auto assembly plant. This was pioneered at Opel's Eisenach (Clarke 2005), Jeep's Toledo (Clanton 2004), and Smart's Hambach (France) plants (Lewis 2004). In each case, the suppliers shared in the investment in product development, the capital cost of the plant, and the risk of new model introductions. In return, the suppliers received a long-term contract at a rate that guaranteed that they would make money -- as long as the autos were a success.

Porsche faces some difficulty in performing the same feat in Zuffenhausen for two reasons: (1) it is still a niche manufacturer, with fewer than 100,000 total units (even counting production in Leipzig and ratislava), and (2) the Zuffenhausen plant is difficult to expand, and…

Erring either way can have many drawbacks. Other companies may not require a TMS at all, if they deal mostly with outside parcel carriers such as FedEx or DHL. Companies also have to be careful that they do not fail with their TMS once it is implemented because they made one of the common errors. For example, some companies go through the expense of installing TMS programs without top-to-bottom involvement. Senior management needs to support such an approach, otherwise it can not work properly or at all. Also, once the decision is made to look at process improvements, do not stall. The longer one waits for analysis, the better the chance that changes have been made, especially in a fast-moving industry. In addition, organizations do not need at TMS that is specifically designed for its product/service sector. Companies share numerous similarities in transportation issues and do not need a…

Mapping logistics technologies to the service strategies and objectives of the university will accelerate our organization to its e-commerce objectives while increasing customer satisfaction (Wells, Phaal, Farrukh, Probert, 2004). Technologies aligned to services objectives can deliver an exceptional increase in e-commerce user experience and customer satisfaction. This ability to streamline the potential student experience online can be augmented and accelerated using logistics systems and providers in the back-office systems of the university to ensure only the most valuable and relevant information and services are provided. The ability to orchestrate a diverse set of information assets to a common vision of service excellence and deliver memorable, valuable experiences to prospects and students alike is critical success factors that can help our university excel even further (Cho, Ozment, Sink, 2008). This aspect of logistics performance on the financial performance of the university is so essential to our growth that it must…

Logistics on Amazon's Organizational Structure
Examine the impact of logistics on an Amazon and how logistics fits into the organizational structure

Amazon is one of the multinational corporations with coveted and successful operations on the global market. The Amazon is a lucrative and performing online retailer handling diverse consumer products. The influence and activities done within Amazon are considered to be of global trend in their make and functionalism making it a global operator. With the use of logistical exemplifications and other technological approaches in the market, Amazon has stood out to be a competitive entity. There are many avenues of performance that have been matched or created and intensified within Amazon. The impacts of logistical practices and applications are an identity of the business in the market together with the many other activities that are done in order to foster equitable management of the company's resources in the market. The…

Logistics in the Corporate Environment
Logistics provides for a company a flow of goods and services from its beginning point to the point the consumer obtains the product. Without the use of logistics, a company may not be able to identify how their product moves, where their product is in their supply chain, or be able to measure the success of their logistic effectiveness (Princeton.edu, 2011).

The way in which a product is moved throughout the company should reflect the corporate strategy. For instance, Wal-Mart is focused on cost reduction, and therefore their products must move in a way that is consistent with an emphasis on the company's goal to lower costs. To ensure that Wal-Mart has cost reduction, it is also beneficial for them to have proper flow of the movement of the product. If the product does not move with a proper flow, then they will have an imbalance…

Logistics and Obstacles Operation United Assistance was set out and sent to Liberia in the year between mid-2014 and mid-2015 and delineates a suitable instance of the manner in which a Joint Force can offer support to a lead federal agency to bring a culmination to the rampant endemic of Ebola Virus disease. Notably, the Ebola endemic outbreak started at the outset of 2013 when a small child about the age of two years old died as a result of hemorrhagic fever. A short while after, several of the child’s relatives and their affiliates that subsisted across the region also became sick and fell to their demise. At the start of 2014, a team hailing from the Institu Pasteur which is situated in France made the confirmation that the spreading disease was the Ebola Virus Disease. The purpose of this paper is to identify logistics obstacles that were faced by United…

Abstract A highly efficient, cost effective and free flowing supply chain signifies the basis of every successful company. It permits every other operation of the company to get going and move forward devoid of any encumbrances or concern for a deficiency in materials, provisions or parts. There are various factors that have to be taken into consideration when selecting a logistics service provide and these comprise of cost, scalability, proven track record, innovativeness and financial stability and history of payment. Concerning the selection and use of logistics service providers, a key approach that is more often than not utilized by logistics managers is to give a big fraction of the business to one carrier, and the small fraction to a rival carrier. The advantages of this approach are twofold. One, in the event of existing problems with the primary carrier, then it is possible to change and shift traffic to the…

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic review of the relevant literature concerning global transportation and logistics management. While the current trade war with China remains at the forefront of the challenges that are faced by the global transportation industry, the research that follows makes it clear that international trade is the key to economic growth. The major findings that emerged from this review included the enormous growth that is being experienced by the global transportation industry which is expected to nearly double in revenues by 2023, as well as innovations in technologies that have improved the efficiencies and effectiveness of logistic management. In addition, more goods are transported over roadways than waterways, and these trends are expected to continue well into the foreseeable future. Finally, the research that follows also makes it clear that the global transportation industry practitioners must remain vigilant to identify additional technological…

Revenue vs Income Revenue is a top line measure, while income is lower down an income sheet. When analyzing a financial statement, revenue is just the money that was earned from sales, but income takes into account the different costs that went into gaining those sales (Boyte-White, 2017). There are actually many different types of income when analyzing financial statements, including gross income, operating income and net income. Net income is the bottom line measure once all the different expenses have been accounted for. So costs are the key differentiator between the two. In theory – and it happens often enough – a company can increase its revenues but lower its income, if costs rise faster than revenues do.
Capital vs. Expense
When considering a company's cost structure, there are two main types of cost. These are capital and expenses. So capital expenditures are outlays for major items that have a long life…

Logistic Planning and Collaboration in Complex Relief Operations by teven J. Romano
It seems to me that Romano is addressing his article to the Department of Defense (DOD) pointing out various issues in their humanitarian missions that he thinks need addressing. I found the article heavy and intense, although it is lightened up, to some extent, by photographs. Nonetheless, I wondered how the photographs were related to the issue at hand.

Romano is unhappy with the way that the DODF conducts its humanitarian missions saying that the DOD violates many logistical concerns in their operations:

Most humanitarian assistance/disaster relief (HA/DR) operations are characterized by rapidly changing circumstances and a lack of clear and accurate information; they are also distinguished by substantial pressure to quickly provide relief supplies and materiel to an affected area.

Romano maintains that DOD does have "the airlift capacity, disaster funding, critical supplies, and logistics systems to be an effective interagency…

Salee Company Limited suffers this setback. Therefore, it should align itself in a position to maximize profits by looking in to the ways of reducing the loss. Mr. Somsak Pruksawan of the Salee Industry Public Company Limited admits that every organization, large or small businesses suffers various types of obstacle when performing businesses. Their problem is the management of the waste and the plastic defects. The management of the company notes that the company faces various difficulties. These problems range from the upstream of supply chain processes to the end customers or the consumers of their products. The material cost varies with the mass of material that that facilitates the process and the price unit of that material. The heaviness of material is vividly a result of the proportion volume and material density. However, the fraction's maximum wall widths play a role (Lindsay, 2010, p.57).
The weight of raw material…

logistic processes of Wal-Mart that can be improved over a course of short time span. The three processes which are identified for this assignment are discussed in detail with the recommendations to improve performance of the overall organization.
The organization that has been chosen for this project is Wal-Mart. It is an American retail corporation that operates on a global level. Wal-Mart is a large warehouse store and operates a number of large retail chain stores all over the world. Wal-Mart is chosen for this assignment because it is one of the largest public corporations and employs around two million people all over the world. It is indeed the biggest retailer in the world. Wal-Mart is one of the most valuable businesses in the world despite the recent decline in their profits in some of the global operations.

Wal-Mart was founded in the year 1962 by Sam Walton. It was listed…

e if he considers some to be more important tthan others). If the reverse is the case, it can confuse him.
3. The Stepwise method

Here is where John can use the forward selection, the backwards elimination, or a combination of both.

In the forward selection, John tries out the variables one by one (starting with none at all) and including those that are statistically significant. In the backward elimination, the reverse occurs; John starts with all variables, tests them for significance and eliminates those that lack significance. John can also amalgamate both methods for greater security.

This method is advantageous for a study that yields a large number of possible explanatory variables, but there is no underlying theory which John can use to base his selection. Given the huge amount of potential candidates, screening out the variables that are significant can be helpful to John. He may be able to see some pattern…

Logistics Report Template to Alberta Government on Test Oil Rig Deployment-Team Employment Environmental Issues
The Alberta government is currently under severe pressure to manage the environmental impact of the drilling for oil in environmentally sensitive sites. For this reason, this report will have much the same format as environmental compliance report that will be issued later. This will include the consideration of issues such as waste management, land use, and air and water pollution resulting from the extraction/processing of oil. Additionally, combustion and thermal processing produce waste material. These must be disposed of. Harmful atmospheric emissions (CO2) will also be captured, stored and recycled or disposed of in order to qualify for Canadian and Alberta carbon credits which may financially offset waste disposal/recycling costs. On site experimental conversion processes and carbon capture/storage technologies may reduce some of these costs in the future (more carbon credits), but may raise others, such…

logistics planning more important than any other type of business planning? Explain and be sure to make a good argument for your position.
Stressing the importance of logistics planning is not intended to discount the importance of other types of planning for an organization. However, without logistics planning, the company's other types of planning -- strategic planning and creative planning -- cannot be leveraged to their maximum potential. Logistics planning allows for cost savings, first and foremost, and other types of planning for the organization must take into consideration logistics given that if something is not logistically feasible in terms of transport or the supply chain, even attractive and effective plans cannot be brought to fruition.

Still, logistics planning is a relatively new concept. "Logistics as a business concept evolved in the 1950s with the increasing complexity of supplying businesses with materials and shipping out products in an increasingly globalized supply…

Apple: Supply Chain Management System
Today, Apple is regarded not only one of the most successful, but also one of the most innovative companies in the world. The company has in the past raked in significantly higher returns than its peers, thanks to its unique approach to doing business. As a matter of fact, when it comes to supply chain management, Apple is regarded a market leader by most analysts.

Apple's Logistics and Supply Chain Management System

The company's supply chain management system could be broken into four general parts. These include, sourcing, manufacturing, warehousing, distribution and finally, return. It is important to note, from the onset, that Apple sources most of its raw materials from diverse locations -- particularly Europe, China, and the United States. The most critical raw materials for the manufacture of the company's numerous electronic devices include integrated circuits, the appropriate optical drives, microprocessors, and LCDs (Crandall, Crandall, and…

Reverse Logistics
There were no case studies presented in Chapter 3. The author cites a few, and provides one- or two-sentence descriptions, but nowhere in Chapter 3 does the author illustrate a complete case study from which conclusions about reverse logistics methodology can be drawn. Instead, Chapter 3 was a review of case studies, wherein the author utilized studies found in academic journals, rejecting what is actually being done by people with money in the game in reverse logistics. This methodology has its merits -- the author is correct that academic case studies will follow a fairly similar format that is reliable and theoretically free from bias. The author also found that academic case studies are sufficient in number to draw conclusions. For example, the author cited under IT for reverse logistics four case studies for "customer," two for "manufacturing" and three for "distribution." While I disagree that it makes sense…

Supply Chain Logistics
SUPPLY CHAIN

The objective of this study is to provide an example of the relationship between the four supply chain objects: (1) products; (2) facilities; (3) vehicles; and (4) routes and what tradeoffs can be made between these four objects to get lower overall supply chain costs.

Logistics Strategies

It is reported that logistics strategies and specifically decisions about transportation "can be considered as key factors to increase supply chain effectiveness." (, p. 1) Transportation services play a key role in the supply chain seamless operations and specifically "moving in-bound materials from supply sites to manufacturing facilities, repositioning inventory among different plants and distribution centers and delivering finished products to customers." (Geospatial World, 2014, p. 1) Reported is that there is spending by organizations on new technologies and software that provide for "seamless integration of the supply chain, to increase overall supply chain profitability." Geospatial World, 2014, p. 1)

II. Geographic Information…

Linear, Logistic or Multiple Correlation/Regression Proposal
Objective of this paper is to use the statistical test to investigate whether the middle income earners in developing countries are capable of becoming home owners. The paper uses Nigeria as a case study. Unlike the developed countries such as the United States and United Kingdom where middle income earners can become house owners, however, the issues are different in developing countries because various factors prevent middle income earners from purchasing housing units compared to middle income earners in developing countries. Typically, a level of income plays a critical role in homeownership. While different governments in developing countries have implemented various policies in assisting people to become homeowners, nevertheless, factors such as corruption, inflation, and poor implementations have made the policy non-realizable. In Sub-Sahara African countries, nearly 62% of people live in slums, and per capital income of most developing countries are less than…

Westminster Company case study to analyze the firm's logistics. Aspects like supply chain, cost factors, and design of the company's logistics system will be discussed. isk definitions are also included among other aspects evaluated in the paper.
Instituted in the year 1923, Westminster Company is among the largest 'consumer healthcare product' producers. The company, its logo, and the merchandise it produces, are renowned locally, and worldwide. The firm's active living groups comprise a healthcare center, residential living, and support services. Westminster has offices in Latin America, Pacific im, and Europe, as well.

With globalization and market expansion, the firm is now faced with fresh challenges with regards to customer satisfaction (Case Study Images Provided by Customer). Consequently, three alternative strategies may be applied to deal with this issue, namely, Point of Sale (POS) information system, individual customer specifications, and reduction of order cycle duration. The following question will have to be…

Logistics in Aviation
Aviation logistics: Competitive advantage and technological innovation

Prelude

In the modern era, the worldwide logistics and supply chain is very cut throat and keeping an edge over others is important for all the firms in operation. Worldwide competition in aviation logistics business is cut throat with numerous firms. Firms in this business survive only when they maintain an edge over their rivals in the business in order to keep the clients in check. Most of the firms are very lenient to their clients as they listen to their client's needs and requirements, complaints along the way, implementing long-term marketing programs as well as short-term. Companies also make use of their resources in order to acquire competitive edge over their rivals in the marketplace which leads to satisfactory profits (Sakchutchawan, 2011). The resource advantage theory stipulates that having edge in resources paves way for competitive edge in the market. The resources…

Logistics Facilities
The decision of a new logistics facility or distribution center involves putting various factors into consideration and considering numerous details. The best way to start this process is by examining the elements that combine in order to support the needs of the business. Manufacturing and raw materials have a major role to play when it comes to the selection of a logistics facility. One factor to be put into consideration is the nature and characteristics of the goods that have to be stored. An important factor when it comes to the nature of the goods is the volume of goods. The volume of goods that have to be stored is something that has to be thoroughly thought of. The logistics facility that is chosen has to be big enough or the right size which the goods will fit.

There is no need of going for a facility whereby once you…

Logistics Cost Benefits
Drake Nash

LMT 305 Cost and Benefits Analysis in everse Logistics-- Fall 2015

Ayers

When it comes to a company that moves any sort of raw material, products or shipments in general, the subject of logistics is a very important one. Whether one is speaking of forward logistics or reverse logistics, there should be a fairly constant amount of cost/benefit analysis used and harnessed so as to maximize profit and logistical capacity. Indeed, there is almost always more than one way to do something form a logistical standpoint but the benefits of each method as well as the costs should always be assessed to make sure the proper method is used. Both cost and benefits need to be taken into full account because both matter a great deal.

Logistics Cost/Benefit

Some people might be confused by forward logistics as compared to reverse logistics. However, the subjects are actually fairly easy to absorb and…

Wal-Mart maximize its logistics efficiency through facility location planning
Logistics today is much more than transfer or delivery of goods as the investigation of the systems of Wal-Mart would show. Logistics is intertwined with a lot of things like infrastructure, information and system planning based on the type of industry and the motives of the organization. In the case of Wal-Mart, the system has to be very cost effective and for this they take the supply side seriously. They have also put in one of the best information infrastructure and created the necessary physical infrastructure with independent management for the outlets. This with the company's planning for supplies even in extreme conditions including disasters has made its system robust.

Logistics and facility planning are intertwined. One cannot exist without the other. Facility planning is necessary for distribution and logistics is the method of taking the wares to the facility. The location…

Many argue if Gen. Patton truly made the above remarks, but he had a clear understanding of the importance of logistics. After the Normandy landing that occurred in the year 1944 in August as the allied forced France against Germany offensively, the third Army of General Patton went short of fuel and they had to cut short their advance (Neubauer, 2011).
According to Martin Van Creveld, several operations of the allied in the European theater, in the course of the Second World War, were implemented and frequently cancelled with reasons of logistics. This clearly displayed how logistics can limit the operations of the military if they are not well and managed properly. Operations of the military rely on logistics on all the existing levels, tactical, strategic, and operational. Strategic logistics usually assist the government with information useful in building, projecting and sustaining the power of military over time using its…

Repatriation of profits have proven to be a problem as well. Fourth, as stated by Staff (2004) is the challenge presented by poor training in the sector which is stated to be "...weak both at a practical level as well as at a higher strategic level" and the problem has only been exaggerated due to the government and other regulatory authorities in China to promote logistics programs." (Staff, 2004) the fifth challenge stated is in relation to "information and communications technology" in China characterized by a: "...lack of it standards and poor systems integration and equipment. At a very basic level, the consistent supply of energy is also problematic leading to interruptions to communications through power outage." (Staff, 2004) Sixth presenting in the way of a challenge is the "undeveloped domestic industry" due to fragmentation of the logistics sector in China that is: "...dominated by commoditized and low quality…

Some types of business however prefer a higher visibility of goods, which entails lower transportation and overall storage costs. The choice of balance between the two should be the result of careful analysis in order to achieve cost optimization.
Because inbound logistics can become very complicated and interfere with optimal operations, some companies prefer to outsource their non-core functions to third-party logistics services providers. These providers then focus upon analyzing the supply and demand flows within the industry. Warehousing and lead times can then be optimized according to predictions resulting from these analysis.

IT systems are often used to help with this by analyzing information sets and yielding optimal inbound logistics programs. By using these systems, third party logistics suppliers then save time and money by consolidating and analyzing all the fragmented information available for inbound logistics. In this way, an optimal lead time is combined with optimal storage options. The…

Many people think only of weapons when they think of military supplies, but these individuals have all of the same basic needs as everyone else, and these needs must be met or these soldiers will not be able to defend the country to the highest degree possible (Taylor, 2004). Anticipatory logistics, therefore, helps not only the soldiers that get what they need when they need it, but also makes the whole country less vulnerable.
Because supply chain management, in its modified form, works so well for the military, it is only logical that the anticipatory logistics, in a modified form, would work well for the corporate world. The similarities between the anticipatory logistics and the supply chain management are already very strong, and therefore they can both be adjusted to suit the needs of the opposite groups. ith some small changes to focus on profit instead of mission completion, anticipatory…

One of the most important factors in the success and profitability of a business in relation to its supply chain management is logistics management. Logistics incorporates the flow of raw materials and information throughout supply chain processes of an organization. In the past few decades, logistics management has gained significant attention because of the emergence of new technologies and strategic alliances that are geared towards enhancing an organization's competitive advantage. For global companies like Mcdonalds Corporation, logistics management is vital for gaining access to new markets, taking advantage of technological competencies for overseas operations, and enhancing production efficiencies. This paper examines the importance of effective logistics management with regards to smoothing material flow, lessening inventory costs, and enhancing responsiveness across the supply chain. This analysis is done using Mcdonalds Corporation and challenges in its modern supply chain.
McDonalds' Modern Supply Chain Problems

McDonalds' Corporation, which is the largest fast food service provider…

Improvements to Target's Logistics Processes
As one of the leading retailers in North America, Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) has one of the most advanced logistics, supply chain management and planning systems and series of processes in the retail industry. Target has specifically designed their entire value chain to deliver higher-end electronic products that can compete with WalMart, specifically in the areas of flat screen televisions, laptop computers and increasingly, Apple-branded iPads and iPod products. Target is also using their advanced supply chain processes including Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and eplenishment (CPF) to compete in the high-end women's clothing lines that WalMart is not choosing to compete in (Target Investor elations, 2012). At the close of their latest fiscal year, Target was operating approximately 1,760 stores in 49 states. Target finances its operations through its retail and credit card business units, using the profits from those two operations to finance the operations of 37…

Logistics refers to all the move and store actions from the point of raw materials attainment to the point of final use. Effective and efficient logistics management is a key to the success of business firms as well as to Just in time (Lai and Cheng, n.d.).
Logistics management is so crucial for JIT because the entire premise is that a company orders just the product that it needs and it is supposed to arrive just as they need it. If the product does not arrive on time them the company has no product to sell and if they product arrives too early then they more than likely will have storage issues in regards to the product.

eferences

Azaria, Erez. (2009). Supplier Consolidation in Weakening Economy. etreived May 20, 2010,

from Supply Excellence Web site:

http://www.supplyexcellence.com/blog/2009/03/09/supplier-consolidation-in-weakening-economy/

Fernie, John and Sparks, Leigh. (n.d.). etail logistics: changes and challenges. etreived May

20, 2010, from Web site:

http://www.sclgme.org/shopcart/Documents/etail%20Logistics%20-

%20Change%20and%20Challenges.pdf

Glossary of Terms.…

Development of technology has also improved the management of global logistics by encouraging firms to implement the EP systems. The global logistics planning as well as execution processes are still behind mostly when it comes to logistic management and supply chain. Therefore, creating a web-based system (EP) will create interactions with people around the world when purchasing goods and services online. The system created will also help the firms in managing the global transportation carriers, rates and execution in an environment.

Technology has improved the management of global logistics by impacting on the supply chain processes. The customers are now digitally connected by allowing the firms to have their personal portals updated again and again with the tracking numbers put in place.

Technology has also contributed to transparency in a supply chain, improving the links in the firms' chain, a trend that should be replicated among al big logistics companies or companies…

Why would 3 PLs consider a 4PL strategy, bearing in mind the nature of the 3PL industry?
Innovations in the logistics services business has resulted in the emergence of fourth-party logistics (4PL) providers. Generally, 4 PLs are involved in not only managing the physical movement of goods, but also more critical management and planning processes such as coordinating the movement of those goods. Despite intense competition in the industry and other inherent challenges, 3 PLs can consider a 4PL model for a number of reasons. First, a 4PL model offers an additional stream of revenue. Also, the 4PL model is less asset intensive compared to the 3PL model (Hoek, 2014). With cost being an emerging significant consideration, this may be detrimental to the bottom line. More importantly, as 3 PLs often boast lengthy operational experience, they enjoy strong relationships with their customers (Hoek, 2014). These customers are likely to embrace 4PL…

This allows for greater levels of planning and cooperation, and fills in the information gap that currently exists between the factory floor and the rest of the supply chain.
Lexmark provides an example of waste. Recently, the company found itself with more than $1 million in scrap from one lot. Engineers had insufficient information to isolate and fix the problem, so were instead relegated to crisis control. With more accurate data from each step of the operation, the engineers could have been more involved in the process and made improvements along the way before it became a large-scale crisis.

Through web-based business applications, engineers can now examine a defective printer cartridge and then use a thin client to put a hold on the entire batch if necessary, regardless of its physical location (anywhere in the world)

In conclusion, it is apparent that e-business is making its mark on the business world. In…

Improvement:
An effective logistics strategy is crucial for an organization that operates in the business of providing a range of products and services. The logistics strategy is important for such organizations because of its role in the company's health in relation to maintaining service levels at the highest levels at all times. The strategy is also vital for bigger companies with complex organizational and operational structures in order to ensure an effective and efficient supply chain management system. In this case, logistics is a term that refers to the network of systems or processes that control the flow of resources from one company to another through a supply chain or production process. As the increased competition has become a characteristic of modern business world, companies have been forced to change their approaches towards supplying products and services to customers. This change of focus has made logistics personnel and departments to…

Third Party Logistics Provider
TLMT 352 Briefly describe role Third Party Logistics Provider (3PL). What advantages 3 PLs bring? Are disadvantages a company outsourcing logistics functions a 3PL?

A third party logistics provider is an independent company that provides single or multiple logistics services to other companies or shippers. The third party logistics provider will offer warehousing, freight weight negotiation, forecasting, transportation management software, in-depth reporting, and freight bill auditing (Hertz & Alfredsson, 2003). Currently 3 PLs provide strategic coordination for their clients supply chain. This means that they not only offer transportation and warehousing services, but they also offer on-time delivery of goods to the clients customers, and packing at reduced costs. 3 PLs offer value added services to the supply chain, which give the client a competitive advantage over their rivals. By outsourcing their supply chain activities, a client is able to focus in their core business and not worry…

Business Studies
eflection on Logistics Module

Logistics is a critical consideration in strategy development; creating and marketing the greatest products, and stimulating a high demand with an effective strategy will provide a firm with little value unless there is the ability to satisfy the demand created. The satisfaction of that demand requires a suitable logistics strategy, with the firms' ability to manage the inflow of inputs required to create products and then manage the outward flow so that the customers will be able to access the finished goods. The study of logistics has highlighted the degree to which this is often overlooked as a key competition of strategy formulation, with the logistics processes taken for granted.

Logistics is an interdependent competent of general strategy creation, a little research on the topic shows that it has the potential to play an important supporting role in major strategies; the Toyota method of production which is…

In addition, outsourcing is seen as one way of freeing HR professionals within the client organization from more mundane and time-consuming tasks so as to better concentrate on core competencies and provide a more consultative and strategic role (Cooke 186). Although the growth of HR outsourcing business has been dramatically facilitated by the introduction of innovations in information and communication technologies (ICT) throughout China in recent years, many companies also report an increasing use of e-HR in-house. For example, in some large Chinese organizations, employees are encouraged and even expected to use e-HR to update their personnel records as a cost-saving initiative (Cooke 186).

Based on the available evidence from secondary sources of data, the outsourcing of HR in general remains relatively limited in China; however, there are trends of the increasing use of external providers for their services such as recruitment and training (Cooke 186). According to the atson yatt's…

inventory to logistics. A company's inventory consists of its raw materials as well as finished and unfinished goods that have yet to be sold. As inventory components progress through various phases, a company uses logistics to manage the flow of materials and goods from suppliers, through the organization, and to the customers. This flow must be maintained with priority on efficiency and cost effectiveness, which requires inventory optimization, thus the relationship between inventory and logistics.
One of the key determinants of inventory levels is the need for a company to provide customer service. In considering the quality of their customer service efforts, companies recognize that customer service is a key competitive differentiation point as they attempt to create value for their end consumers. Given this competitive environment, firms must hold inventory at sufficient levels to meet customer demand. On the other hand, they must still manage costs. So, on the…

supply chains continue to gain in importance as a core attribute of current and future business models across nearly every industry, the need for using IT resources more effectively in orchestrating each transportation mode becomes essential. Orchestrating supply chain processes from transaction to fulfillment provides third party logistics providers (3PLs) with the opportunity to manage and modify manual processes to gain greater performance on a consistent basis (Gilmore, 2002). In the article Global logistics solutions: A Guide to the problems Shippers face (MacDonald, 2007) the author provides an overview of how supply chains need to be managed as a strategic series of process and system assets, with specific attention paid to the orchestration of transportation modes. Four critical problems supply chains face are also discussed including a lack of supply chain visibility and forecasting, the need for continual quality improvement at the process level, more optimization of transportation network…

4-4. Describe the Hierarchical and Matrix Organizational Design.
The hierarchical organizational theory has its roots in the command and control of the military institution. In such a structure, decision making and communication follow a top-down pattern. Employees are expected to respond to their supervisors. In a matrix design, employees have cross-functional responsibilities. Therefore, employees report to different supervisors in different departments such as logistics, marketing, and production (Murphy & Knemeyer, 2014).

4-10. Discuss The Reasons Why Logisticians Might Be Concerned With Theft.

Theft is a global issue affecting not only logisticians but also business owners and consumers alike. Nowadays, the sourcing of raw materials and manufacturing of goods happens in every corner of the globe just as the warehousing, shipping, and consumption of the finished goods. However, cargo theft can occur at any given point in between hence compromising product availability and integrity. Although their insurance provider may reimburse a company for the…

Contemporary Logistics
1. Is this a customer service problem? Why or why not?

A well designed customer service that is satisfactory is essential in business progress. Customers are driven by the satisfaction of their need from the market. In the scenario, indeed, there is a customer service problem. For the first reason that the customers are not supplied with homogenous products across the market of the Handy Andy company. Some customers are charged more for similar products sold at lesser prices in different states. This can bring customer-company mistrust which is not good for success of business.

The second issue is that the personnel handed the responsibility of installing the acquired compactor by the customers are very impolite and unprofessional in the manner that they conduct their duties. It is the realm of their role to satisfactorily make the customers aware of how to operate the compactor to avoid any misuse. They have…

Week 3 Chapter Questions
Question 7-1
Demand management refers to the strategy a firm employs to determine the exact wants of customers. On the contrary, order management describes the various related processes such as organizing and tracking in the instances where clients place orders to when the final goods or services are delivered to them. Customer service points to the attempts by companies in ensuring that the clients are satisfied through the provision of additional facilities. Customer service and order management describes the firms’ determination of whether or not the clients receive what they wanted. Overall, the three terms point to the approaches firms used to ensure that customers access their intended goods or services.

Question 7-2
First, the cause and effect forecasting model assume the interrelation between one or more factors to aspects of demand. Further, it presumes that the cause and effect relationship can be employed for approximating the future demand. Examples…

Army has been modernizing its logistics function for the past half century, and a wide range of legacy systems remain in place. For example, logistics automation systems, collectively termed the Standard Army Management Information Systems (STAMIS) have been deployed by the combat service support community to provide improved logistics support to warfighters. Although these systems have proven valuable to warfighters in the field, supporting these legacy systems has become a challenge for Army logisticians due in large part to their lack of interconnectability. These legacy systems also have a number of limitations that require updating and efforts have been underway to replace these systems with more efficient approaches to provide warfighters with the materiel and information they need to prosecute military actions on the 21st century battlefield. The purpose of this study was to provide empirical observations and views from Army subject matter experts to determine what constraints may be…