物流英语课文正文.docx

物流英语课文正文.docx

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物流英语课文正文

第一单元GeneralIntroductiontologistics物流概论

Logisticsisauniqueglobal“pipeline”thatoperates24hoursaday,sevendaysaweekand52weeksayear,planningandcoordinatingthetransportanddeliveryofproductsandservicetocustomerstheworldover.

Comingintobeingwiththeadventofcivilization,logisticsisanythingbutanewbornbaby.However,whenitcomestomodernlogistics，mostprofessionalsinthebusinessconsideritoneofthemostchallengingandexcitingjobs,invisibleasitis.

Modernlogisticsisrelatedtotheeffectiveandefficientflowofmaterialsandinformationthatareofvitalimportancetocustomersandclientsinvarioussectorsoftheeconomicsociety,whichmayincludebutbynomeansislimitedto:

Packagingwarehousingmaterialhandlinginventorytransportforecastingstrategicplanningandcustomerservice

Packagingistheouterwrappingofaproduct.Itistheintendedpurposeofthepackagingtomakeaproductreadilysellableaswellastoprotectitagainstdamageandpreventitfromdeteriorationwheninstock.Furthermore,packagingisoftenthemostrelevantelementofatrademarkandconducestoadvertisingorcommunication.

Warehousingissometimesneeded,andcanbeprovided,tocomplementinboundandoutboundtransportationservices.Thereare4distincttypesofwarehousingavailable,dependinguponloadcontent:

forfinishedgoods;forrawmaterials;forconsumerfulfillment;andforvendor-managedinventory（VMI）.

Materialhandlingisanykindofmethodsformovingmaterial.Materialcanbemoveddirectlybypeopleliftingtheitemsorusinghandcarts,slingsandotherhandlingaccessories（manualliftingandhandling）.Materialcanalsobemovedbypeopleusingmachinessuchascranes,forklifttrucks,andotherliftingfixtures（mechanicallifting）.

Inventoryisadetailedlistofalltheitemsinstock,suchasacompany’smerchandise,rawmaterials,andfinishedandunfinishedproductswhichhavenotyetbeensold.

Transportisthemovementofpeople,goods,signalsandinformationfromoneplacetoanother.

Forecastingistoestimatethelikelihoodofaneventtakingplaceinthefuture,basedonavailabledatafromthepast.

Strategicplanningisplanningwhichfocusesonlonger-rangeobjectivesandgoals.Itisessentiallydirectionsettingandoftenfocusesonnewproductsandnewmarkets.

Customerserviceisthesetofbehaviorsthatabusinessundertakesduringitsinteractionwithitscustomers.Itcanalsorefertoaspecificpersonordesk,whichissetuptoprovidegeneralassistancetocustomers.

AsystematicdefinitionoflogisticsissuppliedbytheCouncilofLogisticsManagement:

“Logisticsisthatpartofthesupplychainprocessthatplans,implementsandcontrolstheefficient,effectiveflowandstorageofgoods,serviceandrelatedinformationformthepointoforigintothepointofconsumptiontomeetcustomers’requirements.”Althoughthisdefinitionfailstoincorporateallspecifictermsusedinthestudyoflogistics,itdoesreflecttheneedfortotalmovementmanagementformpointofmaterialprocurementtolocationoffinishedproductdistribution

第二单元AnImportantFactor一个重要因素

Itisuniversallyacknowledgedthatproductsareoftwokinds,productsforcustomersandproductsforindustrialuse.Asindustrialproductsarenotthekeyfactorsinplanningaphysicaldistributionstrategy,theywillnotbementionedinthistext.

Animportantcharacteristicofanyproductisitsavailabilityattheplacewhereacustomerwishestoconsumeit.Andthisiswhatlogisticsischieflyconcernedwith.Productsareofanyvaluewhenandonlywhentheyaremovedtotherightplacewhereitisavailabletothecustomer.Thus,weshouldmakeananalysisofproducts,dependingonwhousesthemandhowtheyareused.

Consumerproductsarethosethataredirectedtoultimateconsumers.Accordingtothethreedifferentwaysinwhichconsumersselectgoodsandservicesandwheretheybuythem,consumerproductscanbeputintothreecategories:

convenienceproducts,shoppingproducts,andspecialtyproducts.

Convenienceproductsarethosegoodsandservicesthatconsumerspurchasefrequently,immediately,andwithlittlecomparativeshopping.Typicalproductsarebankingservices,tobaccoitem,andmanyfoodstuffs.Theseproductsgenerallyrequirewidedistributionthroughmanyoutlets.Distributioncostsaretypicallyhighbutaremorethanjustifiedbytheincreasedsalespotentialthatisbroughtaboutbythiswideandextensivedistribution.Customerservicelevels,asexpressedintermsofproductavailabilityandaccessibility,mustbehightoencourageanyreasonabledegreeofcustomerpatronagefortheproducts.

Shoppingproductsarethoseforwhichconsumersarewillingtoseedandcompare:

comparinginmanylocationstheprice,quality,andperformance,andmakingapurchaseonlyaftercarefuldeliberation.Typicalproductsinthiscategoryarefashionclothes,automobiles,homefurnishings,andmedicalcare.Becauseofthecustomer’swillingnesstoshoparound,anindividualsuppliermaystockgoodsorofferservicesinonlyafewoutletsinagivenmarketarea.Distributioncostsforsuchsuppliersaresomewhatlowerthanforconvenienceproducts,andproductdistributionneednotbeaswidespread.

Specialtyproductsarethoseforwhichbuyersarewillingtoexpendasubstantialeffortandoftentowaitasignificantamountoftimeinordertoacquirethem.Buyersseekoutparticulartypesandbrandsofgoodsandservices.Examplescanbeanytypeofgoodsrangingfromfinefoodstocustom-madeautomobilesoraservicesuchasmanagementconsultingadvice.Becausebuyersinsistonparticularbrands,distributioniscentralizedandcustomerservicelevelsarenotashighasthoseforconvenienceandshoppingproducts.Physicaldistributioncostscanbethelowestofanyproductcategory.Becauseofthis,manyfirmswillattempttocreatebrandpreferencefortheirproductline.

第三单元Transportation运输

Transportationisavitalcomponentinthedesignandmanagementoflogisticssystems.Itmayaccountforone-thirdtotwo-thirdsoftotallogisticscosts.Thechoicesavailabletotheuserstypicallyincludethefivemajortransportmodes（air,truck,rail,water,andpipe）andtheircombinations.Usersmayhiretheservicesorownthemeansoftransportation.

Transportservicesarebestdescribedbytheircostandperformancecharacteristics.Thesedistinguishonetransportservicefromanother,anditiswhatauserbuysfromthetransportationsystem.Thecostcharacteristicsvaryfromonemodetoanotheranddeterminetheirratestructures.Ratesarebasedprimarilyonthreefactors----distance,shipmentsize,andcompetition.Ontheotherhand,carrierperformanceisbasedontheextentofshipmenthandlingatterminalsandinherentspeedofthecarrier.Itisadequatelydescribedintermsofaveragetransittime,transit-timevariability,andlossanddamage.

Costallocationisoneofthefactorsthataffectpricing.Theshipper’sperspectiveaboutitisimportant,thoughitischieflysomethingthatthecarriersshouldpayattentionto.

Onekindofcostiswhatiscalledvariablecosts.Theyarethosecoststhatchangeinapredictable,directmannerinrelationtosomelevelofactivityduringatimeperiod.Variablecostscanbeavoidedonlybynotoperatingthevehicle.Asideformexceptionalcircumstances,transportratesmustatleastcovervariablecosts.Thevariablecategoryincludesdirectcarriercostsassociatedwithmovementofeachload.Theseexpensesaregenerallymeasuredasacostpermileorperunitofweight.Typicalcostcomponentsinthiscategoryincludelabor,fuelandmaintenance.Onapermilebasis,truckloadcarrier’svariablecostsrangefrom$0.75to$1.50pervehiclemile.Asexplainedinanyelementaryeconomicstext,itisnotpossibleforanycarriertochargebelowitsvariablecostandexpecttoremaininbusiness.

Internationaltransportationisanareaofgrowinginterestandconcerntothelogistician.Thetransportationequipmentisthesameasthatuseddomestically,withtheexceptionthatcertainelementsofthetransportsystemhavebecomemoreimportant.Forexample,containerizationispopularininternationalmovement.Theuseroftheinternationaltransportationsystemmayfeeloverwhelmedbytheincreaseddocumentation,bydifferencesincarrierliability,byvariouscustomsproceduresandtheuseofforeigntradezones.Fortunately,thereexistmiddlemen,agents,freightforwarders,andbrokerstoassisttheshipperwithinternationalmovement.

第四单元LogisticsStrategy物流战略

Inventoryisviewedasplayingaroleinthevalue-addedprocess.Thisdoesnotmeanthemoreyouhaveintheformofinventory,thericheryouare.Ifyoukeepanoverstockoftheinventory,expenseswillincurnotonlyinwarehousing,butalsoinmanyaspects,suchasthecapitalcostandtheinterestaccruingonit,taxes,insurance,obsolescencecostandstoragecost.

Ontheonehand,capitalcostincreaseswiththelotsize.Ontheotherhand,theinterestaccruesonthecapitalinvestedinthecarryinginventory,whichis,inmanycases,computedaccordingtotheprimeinterestrateoraspecifiedratepeggedtotheprimeinterest.Thelogicbehinditisthatthecashtoreplacecapitalinvestedininventorycanbepurchasedinthemoneymarket.

Inmanycountries,taxesareleviedontheaverageinventorylevelonaspecificdayoftheyear.

Insurancecostisadirectlevynormallybasedonestimatedriskorexposureovertime.

Obsolescencemeansthedeteriorationofproductinstoragewhichisnotcoveredbyinsurance.

Thestoragecostincursinrespectofproductholding,whetheryoustorethegoodsinapublicwarehouse,rentedpri