第8单元 物 流
Unit 8 Logistics
Text A
Ⅰ．课文导读
物流管理是商业运作中非常重要的一环，也是供应链中最富挑战性的一环。消费者们对物流有相当高的期望和要求。物流的实质是用最少的成本对原材料、半成品和成品的运输和储存进行管理。它包括订单处理、库存管理、运输配置和入库、装卸、包装等。从物流系统的角度出发，成本、速度和准确度是运输中最基本的因素。入库、装卸、包装则是和存货、运输联系在一起的。此外，设施和网点需根据业务数量和地理情况来建立，从而高效整合货物信息和运载能力。
Ⅱ．Text
No other area of business operations involves the complexity or spans[1]the geography of logistics．A ll around the globe，24 hours of every day，7 days a week，during 52 weeks a year，logistics is concerned with getting products and serviceswhere they are needed at the precise time desired．It is difficult to visualize[2]accomplishing any marketing，manufacturing，or international commerce without logistics．Most consumers in highly developed industrial nations take a high level of logistical competency for granted．When they purchase goods—at a retail store，over the telephone，or via the Internet—they expect product delivery will be performed as promised．In fact，their expectation is for timely，error-free logistics every time they order，even during the busiest periods．They have little or no tolerance for failure to perform．
Although logistics has been performed since the beginning of civilization，implementing 21st century best practices is one of the most exciting and challenging operational areas of supply chain management[3]．Because logistics is both old and new，we choose to characterize the rapid change taking place in best practice as a renaissance[4]．
Logistics involves themanagement of order processing[5]，inventory，transportation，and the combination of warehousing，materials handling，and packaging，all integrated throughout a network of facilities．The goal of logistics is to support procurement[6]，manufacturing，and customer accommodation supply chain operational requirements[7]．within a firMthe challenge is to coordinate functional competency into an integrated supply chain focused on servicing customers．In the broader supply chain context，operational synchronization[8]is essential with customers as well asmaterial and service suppliers to link internal and external operations as one integrated process．
Logistics refers to the responsibility to design and administer systems to controlmovement and geographical positioning of raw materials，work-in-process[9]，and finished inventories at the lowest total cost．To achieve lowest total costmeans that financial and human assets[10]committed to logisticsmust be held to an absolute minimum．It is also necessary to hold operational expenditures[11]as low as possible．The combinations of resources，skills，and systems required to achieve superior logistics are challenging to integrate，but once achieved，such integrated competency is difficult for competitors to replicate[12]．
It is through the logistical process thatmaterials flowinto themanufacturing capacity of an industrial nation and finished products are distributed to consumers．The recent grow th in global commerce has expanded the size and complexity of logistical operations．
Logistics adds value to the supply chain process when inventory is strategically positioned to achieve sales．Creating logistics value is costly．Although difficult to measure，most experts agree that the annual expenditure to perforMlogistics in the United States in 2007 was approximately 10．1 percentof the$ 13．84 billion Gross Domestic Product(GDP)，or$ 1，398 billion．Expenditure for transportation in 2007 was$ 857 billion，which represented 61．3 percent of total logistics cost．
Despite the sheer size of logistical expenditure，the excitement about logistics is not cost containment[13]or reduction．The excitement generates froMunderstanding how select firms〇10 use logistical competency to help achieve competitive advantage．Firms having world-class logistical competency enjoy competitive advantage as a result of providing theirmost important customers superior service．Leading performers typically utilize information technology capable ofmonito-
〇10 select firms:杰出的公司ring global logistical activity on a real-time basis．Such technology identifies potential operational breakdowns and facilitates[14]corrective action prior to delivery service failure．In situations where timely corrective action is not possible，customers can be provided advance notification of developing problems，thereby eliminating the surprise of an unavoidable service failure．In many situations，working in collaboration with customers and suppliers，corrective action can be taken to prevent operational shutdowns[15]or costly customer service failures．By performing at above industry with respect to inventory availability，speed and consistency of delivery，and operational efficiencies，logistically sophisticated firms are ideal supply chain partners．
In the context of supply chain management，logistics exists to move and position inventory to achieve desired time，place，and possession benefits at the lowest total cost．Inventory has limited value until it is positioned at the right time and at the right location to support ownership transfer or value-added creation[16]．If a firMdoes not consistently satisfy time and location requirements，it has nothing to sell．For a supply chain to realize the maximuMstrategic benefit froMlogistics，the full range of functional work must be integrated．
Order Processing
The importance of accurate information to achieving superior logistical performance has historically been underappreciated．Whilemany aspects of information are critical to logistics operations，the processing of orders is of primary importance．Failure to fully comprehend this importance resulted froMnot fully understanding how distortion and operational failures in order processing impact[17]logistical operations．
In most supply chains，customer requirements are transmitted in the forMof orders．The processing of these orders involves all aspects ofmanaging customer requirements，including initial order receipt[18]，delivery，invoicing[19]，and collection．The logistics capabilities of a firMcan only be as good as its order processing competency．
Inventory
The inventory requirements of a firMare directly linked to the facility network and the desired level of customer service．Theoretically，a firMcould stock every iteMsold in every facility dedicated to servicing each customer．Few business operations can afford such a luxurious inventory strategy because the risk and total cost are prohibitive．The objective of an inventory strategy is to achieve desired customer service with the MinimuMinventory comMitment．Excessive inventoriesmay compensate for deficiencies in basic design of a logistics systeMbut will ultimately result in higher-than-necessary total logistics cost．
Logistical strategies should be designed tomaintain the lowest possible financial investment in inventory．The basic goal is to achieve maximuMinventory turn[20]while satisfying service commitments．A sound inventory strategy is based on a combination of five aspects of selective deployment:(1) core customer segmentation[21]，(2) product profitability，(3) transportation integration，(4) time-based performance，and(5) competitive performance．
Transportation
Transportation is the operational area of logistics that geographically moves and positions inventory．Because of its fundamental importance and visible cost，transportation has traditionally received considerablemanagerial attention．Almost all enterprises，big and small，havemanagers responsible for transportation．
Transportation requirements can be satisfied in three basic ways．First，a private fleet of equipmentmay be operated．Second，contractsmay be arranged with dedicated transport specialists．Third，an enterprisemay engage the services of awide variety of carriers that provide different transportation services as needed on a per shipment basis．FroMthe logistical systeMviewpoint，three factors are fundamental to transportation performance:(1) cost，(2) speed，and(3) consistency．
Warehousing，Materials Handling，and Packaging
The first three functional areas of logistics—order processing，inventory，and transportation—can be engineered into a variety of different operational arrangements．Each arrangement has the potential to contribute to a specified level of customer service with an associated total cost．In essence，these functions combine to create a systeMsolution for integrated logistics．The fourth functionality of logistics—warehousing，materials handling，and packaging—also represents an integral part of a logistics operating solution．However，these functions do not have the independent status of those previously discussed．Warehousing，materials handling，and packaging are an integral part of other logistics areas．For example，inventory typically needs to be warehoused at selected times during the logistical process．Transportation vehicles requirematerials handling for efficient loading and unloading．Finally，the individual products aremost efficiently handled when packaged together into shipping cartons[22]or other unit loads．
Facility Network Design
Classical economics neglected the importance of facility location and overall network design efficient business operations．In business operations，however，the number，size，and geographical relationship of facilities used to perforMlogistical operations directly impacts customer service capability and cost．Facility network design is a primary responsibility of logisticalmanagement，since a firm's facility structure is used to ship products and materials to customers．
Facility network design is concerned with determining the number and location of all types of facilities required to perforMlogistics work．It is also necessary to determine what inventory and how much to stock at each facility as well as the assignment of customers．The facility network creates a structure froMwhich logistical operations are performed．Thus，the network integrates information and transportation capabilities．Specific work tasks related to processing customer orders，warehousing inventory[23]，andmaterials handling are all performed within the facility network．
Ⅲ．Notes
1．Renaissance(文艺复兴)． The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century，beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe．The terMis also used more loosely to refer to the historical era，but since the changes of the Renaissance were not uniforMacross Europe，this is a general use of the term．As a culturalmovement，it encompassed a flowering of literature，science，art，religion，and politics，and a resurgence of learning based on classical sources，the development of linear perspective in painting，and gradual butwidespread educational reform．
2．Gross Domestic Product(GDP)(国内生产总值)．Gross domestic product(GDP) refers to themarket value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period．GDP per capita is often considered an indicator of a country's standard of living．Gross domestic product is related to national accounts，a subject inmacroeconomics．GDP can be determined in threeways，all of which should，in principle，give the same result．They are the product (or output) approach，the income approach，and the expenditure approach．
Ⅳ．Useful Expressions
1．have no tolerance for:不容忍……
2．in the context of:在……方面
3．hold sth．to an absoluteMinimum:将．．．保持在最低值
4．on a real-time basis:在实时基础上
5．prior to:在……之前
6．in collaboration with:与……合作
7．with respect to:关于
8．in essence:本质上
9．logistical process:物流处理
logistical operations:物流运营
logistical expenditure:物流费用
logistical competency:物流能力
logistical activity:物流活动
logistical strategies:物流策略
logistically sophisticated firms:物流先进的企业
logisticalmanagement:物流管理
Ⅴ．Reading CoMprehension
Questions
1．What is logistics？
2．What does itmean by‘the complexity or spans the geography of logistics'？
3．Why is logistics an essential part of the business？
4．What does‘the logistical competency of the select firms'refer to？
5．Could you explain the statement of“Creating logistics value is costly”？
Decide whether each of the following statements is true or false．
1．Logistics is a small part in businesswhich manages the distribution of the cargo．( )
2．Themore developed the nation is，the higher its logistical competency is． ( )
3．Logistics is one of the most exciting and challenging operational areas of supply chain management． ( )
4．The main functions of logistics include order processing，inventory，transportation，and the combination of warehousing，materials handling，and packaging． ( )
5．Logistics is a channel of the supply chain which adds the value of time and place utility．( )
6．Logistics as a business concept evolved in the 1950s，the beginning of the renaissance．( )
7．It is necessary to hold operational expenditures as low as possible． ( )
8．Companieswith a lower logistical competency enjoy a competitive advantage．( )
9．Logistical strategies should be planned tomaintain a high financial investment in inventory． ( )
10．Logistics combines all its functions to meet customer and legal requirements．( )
Ⅵ．Discussion
If you are a customer or supplier，how do you choose an ideal logistics company？
Text B
BEC Reading Texts
PART ONE
Questions 1—8
·Look at the statements below and the five extracts about a logistics strategy froMan arti-cle．
·Which extract(A，B，C，D or E) does each statement(1—8) refer to？
·For each statement(1—8)，make one letter(A，B，C，D or E) on your Answer Sheet．
·You will need to use some of these lettersmore than once．
1. What is involved in developing a logistic strategy？
2. The logistics strategy should examine the structural issues of the logistics organization，such as the optimuMnumber of warehouses and distribution centers．
3. The key to developing a successful logistics strategy is howit is to be implemented across the organization．
4. Why shall we implement a logistics strategy？
5. The supply chain constantly changes and thatwill affect any logistics organization．
6. When a company creates a logistics strategy it is defining the service levels atwhich its logistics organization is at itsmost cost effective．
7. Any strategy should review how each separate function in the logistics organization is to achieve functional excellence．
8. What are the components to examine when we develop the logistics strategy？
A. The plan for implementation will include development or configuration of an information system，introduction of new policies and procedures and the development of a changemanagement plan．
B. Because supply chains are constantly changing and evolving，a company may develop a number of logistics strategies for specific product lines，specific countries or specific customers．
C. To adapt to the flexibility of the supply chain，companies should develop and implement a formal logistics strategy．Thiswill allow a company to identify the impactof imminent changes and make organizational or functional changes to ensure service levels are not reduced．
D. A company can start to develop a logistics strategy by looking at four distinct levels of their logistics organization．By examining the company's objectives and strategic supply chain decisions，the logistics strategy should review how the logistics organization contributes to those high-level objectives．
E. When exaMining the four levels of logistics organization，all components of the operation should be examined to ascertain whether any potential cost benefits can be achieved．There are different component areas for each company but the list should at least include the following:transportation，outsourcing，logistics system，competitors and information．
PART TWO
Questions 9—14
·Read the text about the logistical operating arrangements．
·Choose the best sentence to fill each of the gaps．
·For each gap(9—14)，mark one letter(A-H) on your Answer Sheet．
·Do not use any lettermore than once．
Logistical Operating Arrangements
The potential for logistical services to favorably impact customers is directly related to operating systeMdesign．The many different facets of logistical performance requirements make operational design a complex task，as an operating structure must offer a balance of performance，cost，and flexibility．(9)．．．，it is astonishing that any structural siMilarity exists．But keep inmind thatall logistical arrangements have two common characteristics．First，they are designed to manage inventory．Second，the range of logistics alternatives is limited by available technology．(10)．．．Three widely utilized structures are echelon，direct，and combined．
Echelon systems utilize warehouses to create inventory assortments and achieve consolidation economies associated with large-volume transportation shipments．Inventories positioned in warehouses are available for rapid deployment tomeet customer requirements．(11)．．．A breakbulk facility typically receives large-volume shipments froMa variety of suppliers．Inventory is sorted and stored in anticipation of future customer requirements．Food distribution centers operated by major grocery chains and wholesalers are examples of break-bulk warehouses．(12)．．．Consolidation is typically required bymanufacturing firms thathave plants at differentgeographical locations．Productsmanufactured at different plants are consolidated at a central warehouse facility to allow the firMto ship full-line assortments to customers．Major consumer product manufacturers are prime examples of enterprises using echeloned systems for full-line consolidation．
(13)．．．Direct distribution typically uses the expedited services of premiuMtransport combined with information technology to rapidly process customer orders and achieve delivery performance．This combination of capabilities，designed into the order delivery cycle，(14)．．．Examples of direct shipments are plant-to-customer truckload shipments，direct store delivery，and various forms of direct-to-consumer fulfillment required to support Internet shopping．Direct logistical structures are also commonly used for inbound components and materials tomanufacturing plants because the average shipment size is typically large．
A. In contrast to inventory echeloning are logistical systems designed to ship products direct to customer's destination froMone or a limited number of centrally located inventories
B. proceeds through a common arrangement of firms and facilities as itmoves froMorigin to final destination
C. A consolidation warehouse operates in a reverse profile
D. reduces time delays and overcomes geographical separation froMcustomers
E. The use of echelons usually implies that total cost analysis justifies stocking some level of inventory or perforMing specific activities at consecutive levels of a supply chain
F. When one considers the variety of logistical systems used throughout the world to service widely diversemarkets
G. These two characteristics tend to create commonly observed operating arrangements
H. Typical echelon systems utilize either break-bulk or consolidation warehouses
PART THREE
Questions 15—20
·Read the following article on just-in-time techniques．
·For each question(15—20) mark one letter(A，B，C or D) on your Answer Sheet for the answer you choose．
Just-in-Time(JIT)techniques have received considerable attention and discussion in recent years in all areas related to supply chainmanagement．Sometimes referred to as just-in-time purchasing，and frequently referred to as just-in-time delivery，the goal of JIT is to time-phase activities so that purchased materials and components arrive at themanufacturing or assembly point just at the time they are required for the transformation process．Ideally，raw material and workin-process inventories are MiniMized as a result of reducing or eliMinating reserve stocks．The key to JIT operations is that demand for components and materials depends on the finalized production schedule．Requirements can be determined by focusing on the finished product being manufactured．Once the production schedule is established，just-in-time arrival of components and materials can be planned to coincide with those requirements，resulting in reduced handling andminimal inventories．The implications of JIT are numerous．Obviously，it is necessary to deal with supplierswho have high and consistent levels of quality，as their componentswill go directly in to the finished product．Absolutely reliable logistical performance is required and eliminates，or at least reduces，the need for buffer stocks ofmaterials．JIT generally requiresmore frequent deliveries of smaller quantities of purchased inputs，whichmay requiremodification of inbound transportation．Clearly，to make JIT work，theremust be very close cooperation and communication between manufacturers' purchasing organization and suppliers．In JIT operations，companies attempt to gain the benefits of backward vertical integration but avoid the formal tie of ownership．They achievemany of the same ends through coordination and process integration with suppliers．
Originally，JIT was applied to manufacturing processes characterized as MTP，since the effective functioning of the systeMis dependent upon a finalized production schedule．However，as manufacturing strategies have evolved with more emphasis on flexibility，reduced lot-size production quantities，and quick changeovers，JIT concepts have evolved to accommodate ATO and MTO manufacturing as well and in manufacturing is nowreferred to as lean，as discussed above．In many situations，lead suppliers are used by manufacturers to sort，segregate，and sequencematerials as they flowinto assembly operations．The goal is to reduce handling and facilitate continuous JIT．
Some organizations，seeing the benefits of JIT systems and recognizing the benefits of supplier integration，have gone so far as to bring their suppliers' personnel into their production plants．The supplier personnel are empowered to use the customer's purchase orders，have full access to production schedules，and have responsibility for scheduling arrival ofmaterials．
15.Bytheword“work-in-process”(l ine5，paragraph1)，theauthormeans_____．
A. partly completed products
B. products being assembled
C. seMi-manufactured products
D. made-up products
16. What do JIT operations depend on？
A. Reserve stocks
B. The finalized production schedule
C. Manufacturing or assembly point
D. The efficiency ofmanufacturers
17. Which of the following is NOT the description of Just-in-Time(JIT)techniques？
A. It is to time-phase activities．
B. Suppliers'components go directly in to the finished product．
C. JIT generally requires more frequent deliveries of smaller quantities of purchased inputs．
D. In JIT operations，companies attempt to gain the benefits of backward vertical integration．
18. Which of the following terMismentioned in the passage？
A. MTP
B. ATO
C. MTO
D. FOB
19. Which of the following is NOT right？
A. MTP is concerning manufacturing processes．
B. ATO is the iteMused for suppliers．
C. The effective functioning of JIT is dependent upon a finalized production schedule．
D. JIT has numerous implications．
20. Whatmight be themost appropriate title of the passage？
A. The Goal of JIT．
B. Just-in-Time Techniques．
C. The Implications of JIT．
D. The Advantages of JIT．
PART FOUR
Questions 21—30
·Read the article below about the importance of inventory．
·Choose the correctword to fill each gap froMa，B，C or D．
·For each question(21—30)，mark one letter(A，B，C or D) on your Answer Sheet．
Inventory in Logistics
Inventory typically represents the second largest component of logistics cost to transportation．The risks associated with(21)．．．inventory increase as productsmove down the supply chain closer to the customer because the potential of having the product in the wrong place or forMincreases and costs have been(22)．．．to distribute the product．In addition to the risk of lost sales due to(23)．．．because adequate inventory is not available，other risks include obsolescence，pilferage，and damage．Further，the costof carrying inventory is significantly influenced by the cost of the capital(24)．．．up in the inventory．Geographic specialization，decoupling，supply/demand balancing，and buffering uncertainty provide the basic rationale formaintaining inventory．While there is(25)．．．interest in reducing overall supply chain inventory，inventory does add value and can result in lower overall supply chain costswith appropriate trade-offs．
FroMa supply chain logistics perspective，themajor(26)．．．inventory elements are replenishment cycle stock，safety stock，and in-transit stock．The appropriate replenishment cycle stock can be determined using an EOQ formula to reflect the trade-off between storage and ordering cost．Safety stock depends on themean and variance of demand and the replenishment cycle．Intransit stock depends on the transport(27)．．．
Inventory management uses a combination of reactive and planning logics．Reactive logic is most appropriate for items with low volume，high demand，and high performance cycle uncertainty because it(28)．．．the risk of inventory speculation．Inventory planning logic is appropriate for high-volume itemswith relatively(29)．．．demand．Inventory planningmethods offer the potential for effective inventory management because they take(30)．．．of improved information and economies of scale．
21. A. holding B. supporting C. maintaining D. keeping
22. A. caused B. incurred C. aroused D. leaded
23. A. stockouts B. stakeouts C. deficiency D. shortage
24. A. appended B. added C. bound D. tied
25. A. essential B. significant C. substantial D. real
26. A. available B. controllable C. convertible D. viable
27. A. category B. vehicle C. tool D. mode
28. A. postpones B. removes C. overcomes D. ignores
29. A. invariable B. stable C. static D. fixed
30. A. account B. charge C. advantage D. care
PART FIVE
Questions 31—40
·Read the article below about processes in logistics．
·For each question 31—40，write one word in CAPITAL LETTERS on your Answer Sheet．
What is Logistics？
Logistics is themanagement of the floWof goods(31)．．．the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the(32)．．．of customers or corporations．Logistics involves the integration of information，transportation，inventory，warehousing，material handling，and packaging，and often security．
Logistics as a business concept evolved in the 1950s(33)．．．to the increasing complexity of supplying businesses with materials and shipping out products in an increasingly globalized supply chain，leading to a call for experts called supply chain logisticians．Business logistics can be defined as“having the right iteMin the right quantity at the right(34)．．．at the right place for the right price in the right condition to the right customer”，and is the science of process and incorporates all industry sectors．The goal of logistics work is to manage the fruition of project life cycles，supply chains and resultant efficiencies．
In business，logisticsmay have(35)．．．internal focus，or external focus covering the flow and storage ofmaterials(36)．．．pointof origin to pointof consumption．The(37)．．．functions of a qualified logistician include inventory management，purchasing，transportation，warehousing，consultation and the organizing and planning of these activities．Logisticians combine a professional know ledge of each of these functions(38)．．．coordinate resources in an organization．There are two fundamentally different forms of logistics:one optimizes a steady floWof material through a network of transport links and storage nodes; the(39)．．．coordinates a sequence of resources to(40)．．．out some project．
PART SIX
Questions 41—52
·Read the text below about logistics value generation．
·In most lines(41—52)，there is one extra word．It either is grammatically incorrect or does not fit in with the sense of the text．Some lines，however，are correct．
·If a line is correct，write CORRECT on your Answer Sheet．
·If there is an extra word in the line，write the extra word in CAPITAL LETTERS on your Answer Sheet．
Logistics Value Generation
41. The key to achieving logistical leadership is to master the art ofmatching with operating competency and commitment to key customer expectations and requirements．This customer
42. commitment，while in an exacting cost framework，is the logistics value proposition．It is a unique
43. commitment of a firMto either an individual or selected customer groups．The typical enterprise
44. seeks to develop and implement an overall logistical competency that satisfies customer expectations at a realistic total cost expenditure．Very seldoMwill either the lowest total cost or
45. the highest attainable customer service constitutes the appropriate logistics by strategy．Likewise，
46. the desired combination will bemore different for different customers．A well-designed logistical
47. effortmust provide high customer impactwhile is controlling operational variance and minimizing
48. inventory comMitment．And，most of all，itmust have relevancy to specific customers．Significant advances have been made in the development of tools to aid management in the measurement
49. of cost/service trade-offs．Formulation of a sound strategy requires a capability due to estimate
50. operating cost required to achieve alternative service levels．Likewise，alternative levels of systeMperformance aremeaningless unless viewed in terms of overall business unit customer
51. accommodation，manufacturing，and procurement strategies．Leading to firms realize that a well-designed logistical systeMcan help achieve competitive advantage．In fact，as a general
52. rule，firms that obtain a strategic advantage based on logistical competency establish against the nature of their industry's competition．
【注释】
[1]span:跨越
[2]visualize:设想
[3]supply chain management:供应链管理
[4]renaissance:重生，复活
[5]order processing:订单处理
[6]procurement:采购
[7]customer accommodation supply chain operational requirements:客户服务供应链业务要求
[8]synchronization:同步性
[9]work-in-process:半成品
[10]human assets:人力资产，指通过人力投资所形成的资本
[11]operational expenditures:业务费用
[12]replicate:复制
[13]containment:控制，遏制
[14]facilitate:促进
[15]shutdown:关闭;停工
[16]value-added creation:增值创造
[17]impact:冲击;对……有不良影响
[18]initial order receipt:初始订单收据
[19]invoicing:发票
[20]inventory turn:库存周转
[21]customer segmentation:客户细分
[22]shipping cartons:运输纸板箱
[23]warehousing inventory:仓库库存
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