Modern Logistics Management Tutorial: Intermediate

Author: Chu Xuejian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-03-01
Features: Modern logistics, regarded as the "third profit source," is thriving under the drive of economic globalization and the information technology revolution. Speed and efficiency, as its proudest characteristics, imply a transformation in the operational structure of enterprises. Today, the internet has played a catalytic role in logistics to a significant extent, enabling products and services to reach end-users directly. Modern logistics companies, operating with the internet, communication, and computers as their carriers, will continue to face intense pressure from rapid changes. Many traditional operational guidelines familiar to the transportation, warehousing, and freight forwarding industries will be questioned or revised. Numerous new business practices, such as those emerging like waves in the tide, are reshaping the operational strategies of the logistics industry. For example: shifting from single storage and transportation functions to integrated comprehensive logistics; moving from general service positioning to personalized service positioning; transitioning from "push" services to "pull" services; and evolving from localized competitive strategies to international competitive strategies, etc. With China's entry into the WTO, the logistics industry will be fully opened to the international market, making it one of the most competitive sectors. The burgeoning logistics boom has already swept across the country, and the "Tenth Five-Year Plan for the National Economic and Social Development of Shanghai" has identified modern logistics as a key emerging industry to be nurtured. To address international competition after joining the WTO and alleviate the supply-demand gap for logistics professionals, the "Office for Scarce Talent" under the Shanghai Municipal Organization Department, Personnel Bureau, Education Commission, and Adult Education Commission has specifically established the "Modern Logistics Training and Assessment Program" to meet Shanghai's demand for logistics talent. This textbook was proposed by Mr. Chu Xuejian for the overall framework and was finalized after multiple discussions by an expert group. It reflects innovative concepts and strong practical applicability. It is intended for readers with a college degree or higher who wish to work in logistics, including grassroots operational managers and non-logistics industry managers (e.g., government departments, financial systems, education systems, consulting, software development, etc.).