What is the practical significance of logistics management?

Logistics management refers to the planning, organization, command, coordination, control and supervision of logistics activities in the process of social production according to the flow law of material entities, in order to achieve the best coordination and cooperation between logistics activities, reduce logistics costs and improve logistics efficiency and economic benefits. Modern logistics management is based on system theory, information theory and cybernetics.

The concept of logistics

Explanation 1:

Logistics refers to the whole process of planning, implementing and managing raw materials, semi-finished products, finished products and related information of commodities from the place of origin to the place of consumption by means of transportation, storage and distribution at the lowest cost.

Logistics composition: commodity transportation, distribution, warehousing, packaging, handling, distribution and processing, and related logistics information.

The specific contents of logistics activities include the following aspects: user service, demand forecasting, order processing, distribution, inventory control, transportation, warehouse management, layout and location of factories and warehouses, handling, procurement, packaging and intelligence information.

Explanation 2:

In the definition of China's national standard "Logistics Terminology", it is pointed out that logistics is "the physical flow process of goods from the supply place to the receiving place, which organically combines the basic functions of transportation, storage, loading and unloading, handling, packaging, distribution processing, distribution and information processing according to actual needs."

Explanation 3:

The "thing" in logistics is the part of material data that has the characteristics of material entity and can be physically displaced in the world of material data. "Flow" is a kind of physical movement, which has a limited meaning, that is, the physical movement relative to the earth with the earth as the reference system, called "displacement". The range of flow can be a large-scale geography, a micro-movement or a small-scale displacement in the same area and environment. The combination of "thing" and "flow" is an advanced form of movement based on natural movement. The interrelation between them is to find the law of motion between economic purpose and physical object, between military purpose and physical object, and even between some social purposes and physical object. Therefore, logistics is not only a combination of "things" and "flows" under the above limited conditions, but more importantly, it is a combination limited to military, economic and social conditions, and it is to observe the transportation of things from the military, economic and social perspectives to meet certain military, economic and social requirements.

Explanation 4:

Stream: In the chemical production process, materials that need to undergo chemical or physical changes often participate in the production process in gaseous or liquid state and are transported through pipelines, so the raw materials, intermediate products and products involved in the process are called logistics. Solid materials that are continuously added or discharged during continuous operation can also be called logistics.

Logistics management has four main characteristics.

(1) Take customer satisfaction as the first goal;

(2) Taking the overall optimization of the enterprise as the goal;

(3) taking information as the center;

(4) Pay more attention to efficiency and effectiveness.

[Edit this paragraph] The purpose of implementing logistics management

The purpose of implementing logistics management is to achieve the established customer service level with the lowest possible total cost, that is, to seek the dynamic balance between service advantage and cost advantage, thus creating the strategic advantage of enterprises in the competition. According to this goal, the basic problem to be solved in logistics management is simply to provide customers with the right products at the right time and place with the right quantity and price.

Logistics management emphasizes solving problems with systematic methods. Modern logistics is generally considered to be composed of transportation, storage, packaging, loading and unloading, distribution processing, distribution and information. Each link has its own functions, benefits and concepts. The systematic method is to make use of modern management science and technology to make each link enjoy the whole information, organize and manage each link as an integrated system, and make the system provide competitive customer service at the lowest possible total cost. According to the system method, the benefit of the system is not only the sum of the benefits of its local links. Systematic method is to analyze and evaluate all the influencing factors for a certain problem. Starting from this idea, the logistics system does not simply pursue the lowest cost of each link, because there is a tendency of mutual influence and restriction between the interests of each link of logistics, and there is an alternating and fragile relationship. For example, overemphasizing the saving of packaging materials may lead to the increase of transportation and loading and unloading costs because of its easy breakage. Therefore, the systematic method emphasizes the analysis of total cost and avoids the analysis of suboptimal effect and cost balance, so as to achieve the lowest total cost and meet the established customer service level.

[Edit this paragraph] Development experience of logistics management

The development of logistics management has experienced three levels: distribution management, logistics management and supply chain management. Logistics management originated from the storage and transportation mode and technology developed by the Institute of Military Transportation Materials and Equipment in World War II. After the war, these technologies were widely used in industry, which greatly improved the operational efficiency of enterprises and won more customers for enterprises. At that time, logistics management was mainly aimed at the distribution part of the enterprise, that is, how to quickly and efficiently deliver the products to customers through the distribution center after the finished products were produced, and keep the lowest inventory as much as possible. The American Logistics Management Association was then called the Logistics Management Association, and the Canadian Supply Chain and Logistics Management Association was called the Canadian Logistics Management Association. At this initial stage, logistics management only passively caters to the needs of customers after producing a given number of finished products, transports products to the places designated by customers, optimizes the utilization of resources in the transportation field, and reasonably sets up the inventory of each distribution center. Accurately speaking, logistics management did not really appear at this stage, only transportation management, warehousing management and inventory management. At that time, the position of logistics manager did not exist, only transportation manager or warehouse manager.

Logistics management in the modern sense appeared in the 1980s. It is found that it is very effective to observe, analyze and solve the problems in enterprise management by using cross-functional process management. By analyzing the whole circulation process of materials from raw materials to factories, flowing through various stations on the production line, producing finished products, then transporting them to distribution centers and finally delivering them to customers, enterprises can eliminate many local optimization behaviors that seem to be efficient, but actually reduce the overall efficiency. Because every functional department wants to use its own production capacity as much as possible, leaving no surplus, once the demand increases, it will become a bottleneck everywhere, leading to the interruption of the whole process. For another example, the Ministry of Transport, as an independent functional department, always tries its best to reduce its transportation costs. However, if an order that must be accelerated by sea instead of air is delivered, it will save freight, but it will lose customers and lead to overall failure. Therefore, the traditional vertical function management is no longer suitable for modern large-scale industrial production, while the horizontal logistics management can comprehensively manage different functions in each process to achieve the overall optimal coordination.

At this stage, the scope of logistics management extends to demand forecasting, procurement, production planning, inventory management, distribution and customer service except transportation, so as to systematically manage the operation of enterprises and maximize the overall benefits. The book Goal written by Godrat is popular in the global manufacturing industry, and its essence is to manage production from the perspective of production process. Accordingly, the American Logistics Management Association was renamed as the American Logistics Management Association in the mid-1980s, and the Canadian Logistics Management Association was renamed as the Canadian Logistics Management Association in 1992.

A typical manufacturing enterprise, its demand forecasting, raw material procurement and transportation links are usually called incoming logistics, the flow of raw materials between processes in the factory is called production logistics, and the distribution and customer service links are called delivery logistics. The key of logistics management is to systematically manage the whole process from raw materials, work-in-process to finished products, so as to ensure the smooth procurement, transportation, processing, transportation and delivery of materials to customers under the condition of minimum inventory. For enterprise shareholders with efficient logistics management, this means doing the biggest business with the least funds and generating the biggest return on investment.

[Edit this paragraph] The content of logistics management

The content of logistics management includes three aspects: the management of various elements of logistics activities, including transportation and storage; The management of logistics system elements, that is, the management of six elements such as people, money, goods, equipment, methods and information; The management of specific functions in logistics activities mainly includes logistics plan management, quality management, technical management and economic management.

Logistics management science is a new discipline that has emerged abroad in the last decade or two, and it is a new important branch of management science. With the improvement of production technology and management technology, the competition among enterprises is becoming increasingly fierce. People gradually find that the competition among enterprises to reduce production costs seems to have come to an end, and product quality is just a stepping stone for an enterprise to enter the market and participate in the competition. At this time, the focus of competition began to shift from the production field to the non-production field, and turned to the scattered and isolated fields that were ignored as auxiliary links, such as transportation, warehousing, packaging, loading and unloading, distribution and processing. People began to study how to reduce logistics costs, improve service quality and create "the third profit source" in these areas. Since then, logistics management has been separated from the traditional production and sales activities of enterprises and has become an independent research field and subject scope. The birth of logistics management science makes the logistics system hidden in economic activities appear. It reveals the internal relations of all links in logistics activities, and its development and perfection is the magic weapon for modern enterprises to win in market competition.

A few days ago, chinahr. com. Based on the online job vacancy monitoring data of the past year, this paper analyzes and summarizes the annual workplace market in 2005. The data shows that the workplace experienced a process from slow development to rise last year. At the end of the year, the employment index exceeded 750 for the first time, IT technicians were the most popular, advertising and public relations talents showed an upward trend, real estate talents suffered a cold spell, FMCG talents were upgraded, the gap of high-end financial management talents was large, and logistics management talents had a high annual salary.

According to some data, logistics talents have been listed in China's 12 category, such as logistics planners, logistics managers, logistics researchers and logistics engineers. Many enterprises need a master's degree or above, more than 3 years of management experience and about 5 years of industry experience when recruiting logistics management talents, preferably working in the logistics department of a large foreign company.

Fiberhome data also shows that in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, where the logistics industry is relatively developed, the median annual salary of storage and transportation managers is about10-127,000 yuan, and the high salary is about 21-260,000 yuan; The median annual salary of the director of import and export affairs (business function) is about 58-66 thousand yuan, and the high salary is about 80.1-95 thousand yuan; The average annual salary of logistics administrators (IT industry) is 530,000-62,000 yuan, and the highest salary can reach170,000-200,000 yuan.

[Edit this paragraph] Three stages of logistics management

Logistics management can be divided into three stages according to the order of management, namely, planning stage, implementation stage and evaluation stage.

First, the management of logistics planning stage

A plan is a number of considerations in advance as the basis for action. Logistics planning is the preparation for realizing the expected goal of logistics.

Logistics planning must first determine the goal to be achieved by logistics and the order of all the work to achieve this goal.

Secondly, it is necessary to analyze and study any external influences, especially unfavorable factors, that may occur in the process of realizing logistics objectives, and determine countermeasures against these unfavorable factors.

Third, formulate specific measures to implement and guide the realization of logistics objectives from the aspects of manpower, material resources and financial resources.

Second, the implementation of logistics stage management

Logistics implementation stage management is to manage the ongoing logistics activities. It has the most prominent position in the management of all stages of logistics. This is because at this stage, the plan will be tested through concrete implementation. At the same time, it also closely combines logistics management with specific logistics activities.

(A) the organization and command of logistics activities

The organization of logistics refers to the reasonable combination of interrelated links in logistics activities to form an organic whole, so as to give full play to the roles of various departments and logistics workers in logistics. Logistics command refers to the unified dispatch of all logistics links, departments and institutions in the process of logistics.

(B) supervision and inspection of logistics activities

Through supervision and inspection, we can understand the implementation of logistics, expose the contradictions in logistics activities, find out the existing problems, analyze the causes of the problems, and propose ways to overcome them.

(C) supervision of logistics activities

In the process of implementing the logistics plan, there will always be imbalances in various departments and links of logistics. Faced with the above problems, it is necessary to make a new comprehensive balance of the capabilities of all logistics departments and links according to the influencing factors of logistics, and rearrange the forces to achieve logistics goals. This is the norm of logistics activities.

Third, the management of logistics evaluation stage

In a certain period of time, people compare and analyze the results of logistics implementation with the original planned logistics objectives, which is the evaluation of logistics. Through the comprehensive analysis of logistics activities, people can determine the scientificity and rationality of logistics planning, and confirm the achievements and shortcomings of logistics implementation stage, thus providing valuable experience and information for making new plans and organizing new logistics in the future.

According to the different scope of logistics evaluation, logistics evaluation can be divided into special evaluation and comprehensive evaluation. According to the relationship between logistics departments, logistics evaluation can be divided into vertical evaluation and horizontal evaluation. It should be pointed out that no matter what evaluation method is adopted, its evaluation means must rely on specific evaluation indicators. This kind of indicators are usually manifested as physical indicators and comprehensive indicators.

[Edit this paragraph] Four cores of logistics management

In order to establish a reasonable and efficient chain logistics system, let's dissect the logistics system first. The four cores of logistics system are: procurement, warehousing, distribution and transportation.

I. Procurement

Any enterprise can't do without purchasing, so can chain enterprises. Commodity procurement is the starting point of chain enterprises' business activities. The purchase of chain enterprises must be the purchase plan of the whole chain store. After the distribution center summarizes the procurement plans put forward by each chain store, it makes the procurement plan according to the requirements of the headquarters and the market supply situation, and purchases materials from the market in a unified way. For chain enterprises, the procurement link is a creative department, and the goods they operate need to be introduced through the procurement link to create benefits. However, the current situation of many chain enterprises during the Spring Festival is that it is difficult to accurately grasp the commodity and procurement information of headquarters and subordinate supermarket chains, which often affects sales because of insufficient inventory. Sometimes even because of the long purchase and transaction time, the goods are out of stock for a long time.

Second, warehousing.

Chain stores, like other stores, need to have goods that are sold all the year round and need to sell goods that are produced and sold in different periods. If the goods sold all the year round are purchased in the market by the distribution center after the chain stores send out the request for goods, it will inevitably increase the cost and purchasing expenses, and it will not be able to enjoy the bulk discount to the maximum extent. This requires the distribution center to purchase a large number of goods within the limits of ensuring the storage quality of goods, and directly dispatch and distribute them after the chain stores put forward the requirements for goods. For seasonal goods, the distribution center should also maintain a certain inventory to ensure the needs of different sales.

Third, distribution.

As one of the basic functions of chain logistics, distribution plays a very important role. Practice has proved that the development of chain operation can not be separated from logistics distribution. Reasonable logistics distribution can realize unified procurement, unified distribution and unified price in chain operation. Whether a highly specialized and socialized logistics distribution center can be established is related to whether the scale benefit of chain operation can be fully exerted. The construction of distribution center is the focus of the whole logistics system, so it is necessary for us to elaborate it.

Large chain enterprises should attach importance to the construction of distribution centers, reasonably determine the scale of distribution centers according to their own operating conditions, and provide safe, reliable and efficient distribution systems. Actively develop socialized third-party logistics distribution centers, make full use of and integrate existing logistics resources, break industry boundaries and regional blockades through asset alliance, reorganization and professional transformation, and meet the business needs of chain enterprises.

(1) Construction of Logistics Distribution Center

To develop chain enterprises, we should speed up the construction of distribution centers. After many domestic chain enterprises develop to 30 ~ 40, it is logistics that restricts their development. If we speed up the investment in logistics and distribution, it will undoubtedly make China's chain enterprises tend to develop healthily. However, at present, the material basis of socialization in China is not very developed, and the distribution in chain enterprises is small in quantity and scale, while foreign countries are large logistics, large distribution centers and large radiation areas. For example, a distribution center of Wal-Mart has to manage 100 stores with a radiation radius of 200 kilometers, and the area of a distribution center exceeds 654.38+10,000 square meters. It can be seen that strengthening the infrastructure construction of distribution centers is important for chain operation.

I. Self-built distribution center

This method is suitable for chain enterprises that have reached a certain scale. There is a proportional relationship between the distribution center and the store area. From the practice of chain industry development in the world, when a convenience chain company has 20 stores with a total area of 4,000 square meters, it can consider building a distribution center. When a supermarket chain company has 10 stores with a total area of 5000 square meters, it is necessary to establish a distribution center. Considering the factors such as distribution income and distribution cost, the distribution center industry should have the corresponding distribution economic scale. Generally speaking, the judgment standard should be: the quantity discount and the income of accelerating capital turnover obtained by the expansion of branch size in the normal operation of distribution centers are enough to offset the cost of the construction of distribution centers and distribution facilities.

Some large chain companies have their own distribution centers. For example, Wal-Mart is the largest commercial chain company in the United States, with 25 large distribution centers and 23,000 container trucks. Its Chicago distribution center building

The logistics distribution facilities in Europe and Germany are world-class, but their considerable logistics costs lead big retailers to hand over their logistics business to third-party professional distribution companies. At present, in the delivery business of major chain retailers in Europe, except for 30% delivered by retailers' own distribution centers, 665,438+0% is controlled by third-party professional distribution companies, that is, chain delivery activities are handed over to social logistics distribution centers.

B, socialized logistics distribution center

The distribution center invested by some large supermarket companies can successfully complete the commodity distribution task of this system. However, some small and medium-sized supermarket companies encounter many difficulties in capital, facilities and talents, and there are many problems in carrying out distribution business, such as lack of standardized operation, lack of standards for various codes (including commodity codes and transportation and packaging codes), lack of electronic scanning equipment for express mail selection, arrival sorting, assembly and distribution, commodity inventory and other operations, and lack of bar codes for transportation and distribution on the outer packaging of express mail, which directly affect the service level of enterprises.

With the progress of science and technology, the division of production is becoming more and more detailed, and many companies specializing in distribution tasks have appeared abroad. Some chain enterprises no longer build their own distribution centers, but rely on socialized distribution centers. Socialized distribution center is especially suitable for China.

(1) At present, the scale of domestic chain stores is generally small, and the income from self-built distribution centers can't realize the scale effect, which is not enough to compensate the construction cost.

(2) Because the relationship between the company undertaking the distribution task and the chain store is service and served, the service quality is directly related to the vital interests of the distribution center. Therefore, in the current situation of poor internal management ability of enterprises in China, it is beneficial to improve distribution efficiency and in turn promote the development of distribution industry to complete distribution tasks by full-time distribution centers. Many enterprises that used to only undertake single transportation and storage can use their own resources to carry out logistics and distribution services, so that social resources can be integrated.

(3) A large number of chain stores in China need a wide variety of goods in different batches, and the trend of multi-variety and small batch is becoming more and more obvious. If we still carry out distribution according to traditional channels and wholesale industries, it will not only increase logistics costs, but also make it difficult for chain stores to cope with the increasing number of distribution vehicles. It will greatly improve the efficiency of chain logistics distribution by mixing the goods delivered to various stores on a truck, which has important practical significance. Use the third-party logistics enterprises or socialized logistics distribution centers to transport a large number of scattered goods or commodities from chain stores in the same area in a centralized way, so as to maximize the efficiency of logistics resources such as personnel, materials, funds and time, realize intensification and save logistics costs.

C. Integrated Logistics Distribution Center

Due to the limited business, the distribution centers of many large chain enterprises have begun to undertake the distribution tasks of other companies more or less. For example, Xiyou Company in Japan, on the basis of self-built logistics distribution system, also distributes goods to other enterprises in society. The distribution center of Westward Journey Company near Tokyo is like a big factory, with machine conveyor belts like assembly lines from top to bottom. Goods without conveyor belts are packed in boxes on the shelves on the fifth floor, with a height of at least 6 meters. The distribution center has a freight yard of 65,000 square meters, all of which are classified by machines, and there are also 3 1.600 square meters. Its assembly line averages per hour 1. 620,000 boxes of goods, providing goods for 250 chain stores nationwide.

(2) the distribution center provides value-added services

First of all, the distribution center should strengthen information construction. The informatization of logistics distribution is manifested in the database and coding of logistics information collection, the electronization and computerization of logistics information processing, the standardization and real-time delivery of logistics information, and the digitization of logistics information storage. Therefore, advanced technologies and management strategies such as barcode technology, database technology, electronic ordering system (EOS), electronic data interchange (EDI), quick response (QR), effective customer response (ECR), radio frequency technology (RF), management information system (MIS) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) should be applied to logistics distribution enterprises in China. Informatization is the foundation of all modern technologies and management means. Only by realizing the informationization of logistics distribution can we undertake the historical task entrusted to the logistics distribution industry by the era of e-commerce.

Secondly, logistics distributors should change the concept of single distribution, use e-commerce to help customers complete after-sales service and provide more value-added services, such as tracking product orders, providing sales statistics and reports. The customized distribution center faces some customers with high professional needs. The distribution center can participate in the transaction process between the buyer and the raw material supplier, such as placing orders with suppliers instead of the buyer, arranging transportation for incoming raw materials and outgoing finished products, providing final product assembly and testing operations for customers with warehouse facilities, and expanding the service scope of the distribution center. For customers' transnational transactions, the distribution center can also help them with customs declaration and tax payment procedures. Logistics distributors and customers should develop long-term strategic partnership, strengthen information communication between the two sides, think from the customer's standpoint, and tap more potential cooperative interests.

Encourage logistics distribution centers to carry out "package" logistics services, open up new areas of logistics services, and enhance the competitive advantage of chain enterprises in China. Compared with the threat of foreign advanced technology and powerful retail chain business, China chain industry should seize its own market and start with providing more detailed services. China chain industry should focus on the new logistics field of "terminal logistics"

"Package" logistics service, also known as one package logistics service, is a new logistics system sprouting from the efficient purchase of goods to the display of store shelves. One-package logistics is a logistics mode to complete the operation of stores in the transit distribution center as much as possible, with the goal of greatly reducing the operation in stores. Package logistics system is a way to establish logistics from the shelves of stores. A logistics center with an enclosed distribution should have the processing functions of sorting, packaging, labeling, unpacking, bundling, repackaging and even assembling the products to be bundled and promoted into final products. In other words, a closed distribution center can directly connect the shelves from manufacturers to retail stores through a closed distribution center, which shows the possibility of establishing an efficient supply chain system. Provide added value to customers. In order to improve the efficiency of distribution, the distribution center can include the handling of goods from the front of the retail store to the shelves in the store, the disassembly and shelving of packaging, and even the cleaning of the store before and after handling. It saves the time and waste of people in the process of assembling goods, so that the staff in the store can better devote themselves to their work and serve customers better. At the same time, it is also conducive to the division of responsibilities between distributors and consignees for damage to goods.

Finally, it is necessary to strengthen the awareness of environmental protection and do a good job in waste logistics, such as recycling waste paper boxes, to give play to social effects.

Case: Six Distribution Forms of Wal-Mart

Let's learn about Wal-Mart's delivery methods.

Wal-Mart has six types of distribution centers: one is the "dry goods" distribution center, which is mainly used for the procurement, sub-packaging, storage and distribution of daily commodities other than fresh food. At present, the company has the largest number of distribution centers in this form. The second is the food distribution center, including beverages and other foods that are not easy to deteriorate, as well as fresh foods that are easy to deteriorate. It needs special refrigeration and transportation facilities to send them directly to the store. The third is the distribution center of Sam member stores, which combines wholesale and retail. One-third of the members are small retailers, and the content and way of distributing goods are different from other formats, using independent distribution centers. Since the number of such shops started at 1983, some shops use the services of third-party distribution centers. Considering the high service cost of the third-party distribution center, Wal-Mart has decided to replace it with the self-built Sam member store distribution center after the contract expires. The fourth is the clothing distribution center, which is not directly distributed to stores, but distributed to other distribution centers. The fifth is the distribution center of imported goods, serving the whole company. Its main function is to import a large number of goods to reduce the purchase price, and then send them to other distribution centers according to demand. The sixth is the return distribution center, which receives goods returned by shops for various reasons, some of which are returned to suppliers, some are sent to discount stores, and some are processed on the spot. Its income mainly comes from the income from selling boxes and the handling fees paid by suppliers.

From the case, we can see that Wal-Mart has six distribution centers, and each distribution center is set up to meet the needs of its different commodities or chain stores. Strictly distinguish the distribution methods of different commodities and chain stores and implement standardized management. It not only greatly improves the distribution efficiency, but also saves the procurement cost and reduces the management and logistics costs. It coincides with the standard principle of logistics system management, one of the three principles of chain operation that we advocate.

Four. transport

Due to the relatively scattered distribution and the large number of chain stores, it is impossible to equip enough vehicles due to traffic conditions or economic considerations. This requires that the distribution center can reasonably arrange the dispatching force according to the information of each store obtained by the computer network, and deliver the goods to each store in time to fully meet the sales requirements of each store.