1. The Definition of Logistics
物流的定義
After completing a commercial transaction, logistics will execute the transfer of goods from the supplier( seller) to the customer( buyer) in the most cost-effective manner. This is the definition of logistics. During the transfer process, hardware such as logistics facilities and equipment( logistics carriers) are needed, as well as information control and standardization. In addition, supports from the government and logistics association should be in place.
在完成商業交易之後,物流將以最低成本和最高效益的方式執行將商品從供應商(賣方)流轉到顧客(買方)的過程。這就是物流的定義。在物流過程中,既需要諸如物流設施和設備(物流運輸工具等)的硬件,也需要對物流實施信息化管理進行物流標準化。此外,政府和物流組織的支持也不可或缺。
Three major functions of logistics
物流的三大主要功能
(1) Creating time value: same goods can be valued different at different times. Goods often stop during the transfer process, which is professionally called the storage of logistics. It creates the time value for goods.
(1)創造時間價值:同種商品因所處時間的不同而有著不同的價值。在商品流轉過程中,往往會處於某種停滯的狀態,物流的專業術語就稱之為儲存。儲存創造了商品的時間價值。
(2) Creating location value: same goods can be valued differently at different locations. The value added during the transfer process is the location value of logistics.
(2)創造場所價值: 同種商品因所處位置的不同而有著不同的價值。這種因商品流轉過程中而產生的附加增值稱之為物流的場所價值。
(3) Distribution processing value: sometimes logistics create distribution processing value, which changes the length, thickness and packages of the goods. Like popular saying, “ cutting into smaller parts” is the most commonly seen distribution processing within logistics create added value for goods.
(3) 同配送加工價值:有時,物流活動也能創造配送加工價值,這種物流加工主要改變商品的長度、厚度和包裝形態。物流中經常提到的“分割成更小的部分”就是配送加工中最為常見的形式。大多數物流加工都能創造商品的附加價值。
2. Logistics is a new commercial area, developing from the traditional stage to a modern one. The main differences between these two stage include:
物流作為新興的商務領域,經歷了從傳統物流向現代物流發展的兩個階段。這兩個階段的不同主要體現在以下兩個方面:
(1) Modern logistics adopts containerization techniques. The goods transfer process starts with packaging, followed by transportation, storage and distribution. The whole process is operated under logistics standards. Based on the logistics base module of 600×400mm, from the logistics module of 1,200×1,000mm, and enlarge to the size of 2,591×2,438mm-the size of high×wide of the container. It can be adjusted to the standard sizes of containers for trains, trucks and ships.
(1)現代物流采用了集裝技術。商品物流往往從包裝開始,而後經歷運輸、儲存和配送等過程。整個過程始終在物流標準化的前提下運行。以物流基礎模數尺寸600×400MM為基礎,制定出物流模數尺寸1200×1000MM,並將其放大至2591×2438MM,即形成集裝箱的高度與寬度標準尺寸。並能調整成適合鐵運、汽運和船運的集裝箱標準規格尺寸。
(2) Information technologies are most important for modern logistics. Bar Code, POS, EDI and GPS systems dramatically improve the efficiency and accuracy of the logistics activities. Internet further assists the market development, operation and management of the logistics industry.
(2)信息技術在現代物流中尤其重要。條形碼、銷售時點系統、電子數據傳輸系統、全球衛星定位系統的使用,極大地提高了物流活動的效率和精確程度。而互聯網更加有助於物流管理的市場開發、運營和管理。
3.International Logistics
國際物流
An increasing number of companies are involving in international markets through exporting, licensing, joins ventures, and ownership. This trend should continue. With such expansion there is a need to develop worldwide logistics networks. Integrated logistics management and cost analysis will be more complex and difficult to manage.
很多企業正通過出口、許可、合營或跨國經營涉足國際市場。這種趨勢仍將持續。隨著這種趨勢的發展，開發國際物流網絡成為必須。整合物流管理和成本分析將更加復雜和困難。
There are some future trends in internationalization:
國際化將呈現出以下未來趨勢：
(1) More logistics executives with international responsibilities
(1)物流將更多地承擔起國際義務
(2) Expansion of the number and size of foreign trade zones.
(2)對外貿易區的數量和規模的擴大
(3) Reduction in the amount of international paperwork and documentation
(3)國際有紙作業和單據制作的數量的減少
(4) More foreign warehousing is owned and controlled by the exporting firm
(4)更多的涉外倉儲業務由出口企業經營和控制
(5) Increasing number of smaller firm
(5)小企業的數量增長
(6) Foreign ownership of logistics service firms, e. g., public warehousing and transportation carriers.
(6)物流服務企業的涉外經營，如公營倉儲業務和國際運輸商
(7) Increasing multiple distribution channels
(7)增加多配送渠道
The international transport and the international logistics are same things in some way. So, when the international trading involved, the firm must establish international logistics systems to provide the products and service demanded. The most significant development in international logistics will be the increasing sophistication information system adopted and independent departments to operate.
從某些方面講，國際運輸等同於國際物流。因此，當涉足國際貿易領域時，企業必須建立國際物流系統以提供需要的產品或服務。國際物流的更重要的發展在於大力采用先進的信息系統和實行獨立的部門運作。
4.Packaging. Packaging performs two basic functions–marketing and logistics. In marketing the packaging acts promotion and advertising. Its size, weight, color, and printed information attract customers and convey knowledge of the product. When firms are involved in international marketing, packaging becomes even more important. Products sold to foreign countries travel greater distances and undergo more handling operations. The logistics package is to protect the products during the process of logistics.
包裝。包裝執行兩個基本的功能—營銷和物流。就市場營銷而言，包裝承擔促銷和廣告的功能。其尺寸、重量、顏色和印制的信息會對顧客產生吸引力並將產品信息傳達給顧客。當企業涉足國際市場營銷時，包裝就顯得更為重要。出口到國外的產品需要運輸更長的距離，經歷更多的裝卸搬運。而物流包裝在物流過程中起到了保護產品的作用。
Scrap disposal. The logistics process must effectively and quickly handle, transport, and store waste products. If they can be reused or recycled, logistics company should arrange and move them to the re–production and re–processing locations.
廢棄物處理。物流過程中的活動也應當包括高效快速地對廢棄物進行裝卸、運輸和倉儲。如若廢棄物能夠重新利用或回收，物流企業應當合理安排並將其運送到再生產或再加工地點。
Return goods handling. The handling of return goods is often called reverse distribution. Buyers may return items to the seller for a number of reasons. Most logistics systems are not good enough to handle such cases. In many industries, consumers return products for warranty repair, replacement, or recycling, reverse distribution costs may be very high. Reverse distribution will become more important as customers demand more flexible and favorable return policies.
退貨處理。退貨處理通常叫做反向配送。買方可能因各種原因將產品退回賣方。多數物流系統未能對此類事件作出足夠妥善的處理。在很多行業，消費者因維修保證、更換或回收而退回產品，因而反向配送的成本可能會很高。由於顧客對退貨政策的要求更加靈活、更加實惠，反向配送將更加重要。
5.Third Part Logistics ( TPL)
第三方物流
Third Part Logistics provides all the logistics services. They act as a bridge or facilitator between the first part( supplier or producer) and the second part( buyer or customer). The primary objectives of third part logistics providers are to lower the total cost of logistics for the supplier and improve the service level to the customer.
第三方物流提供了所有的物流活動。他們在第壹方（供應商或生產商）和第二方（買方或顧客）之間扮演著橋梁或設施供應商的角色。第三方物流提供商的基本目標是降低供應商的整體物流成本，提高顧客服務水平。
Third Part Logistics have been growing rapidly. Cost reduction and demands for batter and cheaper services are the main drives behind the growth. A third part logistics provider will be in a position to consolidate business from several companies and offer frequent pick–ups and deliveries, whereas in–house transportation cannot. Other reasons are as follows:
第三方物流增長十分迅速。成本降低和對更好更便宜的服務的需求是增長背後的動力。第三方物流提供商能夠將來自幾家企業的業務進行整合，並能提供頻繁的提貨和交貨，而企業內部運輸無法做到。（第三方物流發展的）其它原因如下：
* The company does not specialize in logistics;
* 企業並不專長於物流
* The company does not have sufficient resources;
* 企業自身沒有足夠的物流資源
* Eager to implement better logistics operation or does not have time to develop the required capabilities in–house;
* 對實施更好的物流運作的期盼，或沒有時間開發內部物流所需要的能力
* The company is venturing into a new business with totally different logistics requirements;
* 企業正投資壹項新領域，該領域有著不同的物流需求
* Merger or acquisition may make outsourcing logistics operations more attractive than to integrate logistics operations.
* 外包物流運營可能比整合物流運營更加有吸引力
6.Global Logistics
全球物流
Developed countries often deal with globalization in two ways: to be more cost competitive with third world countries, and to look for new partners in other countries to manufacture components, subassemblies and even the final products. The second approach forces most developed countries to get into a new area called “ global logistics”.
發達國家常在兩個方面實施全球化:在第三世界國家謀求更大的成本優勢,以及在其他國家尋找新的合作夥伴生產零配件、半成品甚至制成品。這第二個方面迫使發達國家不得不進入壹個叫做“全球物流”的新領域。
Benefits of global operations include cheap raw materials and end products, lower labor cost, better quality, increased internal competition and better customer service. Some of the disadvantages are unreliable delivery, poor communication and longer time from design to finish production. Challenges are often cultural and linguistic differences, legal requirements, logistics suppliers or manufacturers, exchange rates.
全球經營的利益包括(獲得)廉價的原材料和終端產品,降低的勞動成本,更好的質量,提升國際競爭力以及更好的客戶服務。其缺點主要是交貨的不可靠性,艱難的溝通以及從產品的設計到產品的生產完成需要更長的時間。面臨的挑戰經常來自於文化和語言的差異,法律要求,物流支持,尋求合適的全球供應商或生產商,外匯匯率等。
There are three major flows involved in global logistics: material flow, document flow and cash flow.
全球物流涉及到三種流轉:物料流轉,單據流轉和資金流轉。
7.Logistics into the Future
物流走向未來
Logistics is changing at a rapid and acceleration rate. There are two reasons are its rapid growth:
物流正以高速改變著。其高速增長原因有二:
Firstly, pressure to change by the development of the system itself
第壹,因自身系統的發展而被迫變革
(1) High–speed computing and data transmission can instantly transmit and react to user demand
(1)高速計算機系統和數據交換系統能持續地對用戶需求實行流轉和操作
(2) More flexible and accurate logistic planning and control through computers and data processing
(2)通過計算機和數據加工能實現更加靈活的精確的物流計劃和管理
(3) Flexible computer facilities help problem solving and increase decisions accuracy
(3)柔性計算機設施有助於問題的解決和提高決策的精確度
(4) Awareness of total cost measurement and management accounting
(4)對整體成本衡量和財務管理的清醒認識
Secondly, pressures for changes from the wider economy.
第二,來自範圍經濟變革的壓力。
(1) Be flexible in handling markets of different sizes for better competition
(1)為了謀求更大競爭力,對於不同規模市場的處理需要有靈活性
(2) There is increasing specialization in markets and growth in retailing.
(2)市場規格和零售增長的大幅度提升
(3) Life cycles for products are shortening. Logistics systems need to be more efficient, faster and more flexible
(3) 產品的生產周期縮短。物流系統就要更高效、更快、更靈活
(4) Move from mass production towards flexible manufacturing system( FMS). These systems enable a company to switch production quickly from one product to another
(4) 從規模生產轉向柔性生產系統(FMS) 。這些系統能使企業從壹種產品的生產迅速轉向另壹種產品的生產
(5) Competitive pressures lead to more efforts to improve customer service.
(5)競爭的壓力導致企業更加努力地提高客戶服務水平。
8.The process of logistical integration can be divided into four stages:
物流整合的過程可分為四個階段:
Stage 1. Began in the early 1960s in the USA and involved the integration of all activities associated with distribution. Separate distribution departments were to coordinate the management of all processes within physical distribution management( PDM).
第壹階段:開始於0世紀60年代的美國,涉及到所有相關的配送活動的整合。分離的經銷部門得協調與貨物配送管理(PDM)相關的所有過程的管理。
Stage 2. PDM was applied to the inbound movement of materials, components, and subassemblies, generally known as “ materials management”. By the late 1970s, many firms had established “ logistics department” with overall responsibility for the movement, storage, and handling of products upstream and downstream of the production operation.
第二階段:PDM應用於物流、部件和半成品的往返流轉活動,通常稱之為“物料管理”。至20世紀70年代晚期,很多企業業已建立了“物流部門”以全權負責與生產運作相關的上遊和下遊產品的搬運、倉儲和裝卸等。
Stage 3. Logistics plays an important coordinating role, as it interfaces with most other functions. With the emergence of business process re–engineering( BPR) in the early 1990s, the relationship between logistics and related functions was redefined. “ System integration” occurred. Cross–functional integration should achieve greater results.
第三階段:因其成為面對眾多功能的接口,物流承擔起重要的協調作用。隨著20世紀90年代早期業務流程再造(BPR)的出現,物流及其相關功能的關系被重新定義。“系統整合”開始出現。功能交叉整合應該大幅度實現?