快递服务业概述外文文献原文及翻译.docx

1、快递服务业概述外文文献原文及翻译快递服务业概述An Overview of Express Delivery ServicesMaterial Source :A Report By US-ASEAN Business Council,2005Author : James I. Campbell Jr.ACharacteristics of an Express Delivery CompanyFour major integrators : UPS, FedEx, TNT, and DHL, account for almost 85 percent of the worlds expres

2、s shipments. The services that these companies provide generally share the following characteristics which differentiate them from other traditional forms of delivery services:Door-to-door delivery : this includes the seamless transfer across multiple modes of transport . the “integrated” aspect of

3、the service offered frees the customer from the need to make complex transportation arrangements for pick-up and delivery. Close custodial control : Using sophisticated information systems that enhance security , EDS firms maintain close custodial and administrative control over all shipments. This

4、is particularly important to reduce the risk of loss or damage to goods in transit.Track and trace technology : Shippers and consignees may track the precise movement and location of their shipments and confirm delivery with the use of sophisticated track and tracetechnology that an EDS firm provide

5、s.Facilitation of customs clearance : EDS firms assist with customs clearance so that customers do not have to navigate bureaucratic customs regimes and the required paperwork.High level of reliability : EDS firms promise that packages will arrive at the required destination , on time ,this is parti

6、cularly important for shipments of high-tech components due for production lines , as well as essential financial documents. Global service : the major EDS firms offer their customers delivery to market and cities worldwide through an intricate network of air hubs and stations. EDS is a network busi

7、ness. Speed of delivery : Most importantly , Overnight and Second-day express services reduce overall inventory and warehousing needs , and imize supply chain efficiency . the average shipping time form the U.S . to Southeast Asia is about 2-3 working days door-to-door . Together , these characteris

8、tics bring businesses timely , secure , and guaranteed worldwide delivery of documents , products , components , and spare parts to assist with efficient supply chain management.B. Benefits to Businesses Air cargo represents 40 percent of the value of global trade . The bulk of this is handle by EDS

9、 firms . Servicing the needs of both multinational corporations and the emergent small and medium enterprise SME sector in their manufacturing , import , and export activities , this industry has been an important engine for economic growth . Sectors which heavily rely on EDS to remain competitive a

10、re knowledge-based and technologically advanced , including that of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology , information technology and telecoms , textiles , automotive & transport , engineering , financial and business service , and traditional manufacturing .To remain competitive , companies today focu

11、s not only on product performance but also factor in how well costs can be managed and reduced through distribution and production , and how quickly parts can be brought together , assembled , and distributed to global markets . EDS firms help with the smooth orchestration of these activities and ar

12、e therefore part of the critical infrastructure for efficient supply chain management .Reducing Inventory and Other Indirect Costs .With the support of EDS , companies no longer have to maintain large inventories and can therefore carry out better concentration , rationalization , and location of wa

13、rehouses . In a study conducted by Gausch and Kogan 2001 , companies in developing countries were found to have 2-5 times more inventory holdings in the manufacturing sector than companies in the U . S .Having these inventories could consequently reduce unit production costs by 20 percent . In a typ

14、ical Asian emerging market , logistics supply chain costs is as high as 22-24 percent of total production costs for manufacturers . In another study , it was found that for every $1 spent on express transportation , companies would save $1.50 in warehousing and inventory cost . For manufacturers ,ta

15、king advantage of the availability of EDS allows for more efficient stock management and production techniques to be practiced , including the ability to respond more quickly to stock outages , and production interruptions . These indirect costs are not always visible and often overlooked but are cr

16、itical to SMEs in emerging economies . Other immediate cost savings can also be realized through greater flexibility in sourcing . The flexibility allows companies to source from a wider array of suppliers and reduce their input costs .Introducing Flexibility into Business StructureEDS allows for mo

17、re flexible business solutions . Relying on EDS to bridge distances removes the traditionally important time-to-market consideration and allows companies to make strategic decisions on where to locate their business units based on factors of competition , proximity to supporting industries , and com

18、plementary industry hubs . This is particularly relevant for knowledge-based industries in the biomedical and pharmaceutical field . In a survey conducted of European companies in Germany on the usage of EDS , 80 percent of survey respondents reported the importance of being based in locations provi

19、ding “imum participation in leading research associations .” Decentralization of research & development units to hubs where these laboratories , testing centers , hospitals , patent registration offices , and research think tanks are located allows business to benefit from an environment of innovati

20、on important to product development . At the same time , product development units rely on EDS to ship samples to markets for clinical trials , deliver highly classified and proprietary legal documents and patent applications , ship urgently needed drugs to hospitals , and maintain “just-in-time” st

21、ock-management practices for its laboratories .C . Economic BenefitsIn many parts of the world , the EDS sector has been a catalyst to trade and investment growth , generating profound multiplier effects for the wider economy . For ASEAN countries looking to extend their reach to global markets , ne

22、tworks that EDS firms build are critical . These networks render supply chains more efficient and contribute greatly to export growth , stimulate foreign direct investment , and foster regional development and SME growth .Facilitating Export GrowthIn ASEAN , intra-regional trade accounts for about 2

23、0 percent of overall trade .This is considerably less than in most regions . The main reasons for the limited intra-regional trade are the “pattern of logistics costs and institutional barriers to land-based trade .”This phenomenon makes countries of the region effectively closer to industrial count

24、ries than to each other .To fully realize the benefits the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement AFTA , bringing lagging economies and landlocked countries in the region up to median performance levels is key .There is a causal link between connectivity and overall growth in trade , and an even stronger correl

25、ation between transportation and logistics infrastructure and export performance .Transportation and logistics-related costs in ASEAN continue to represent a substantial percentage of the actual costs of goods .A country with high logistics costs is far , in an economic sense , from international ma

26、rkets . In the study “Towards a Geography of Trade Costs ”Hummel 1999 which compared sales by manufacturers of similar products , exporters with 1 percent lower shipping costs enjoy a 5-8 percent higher market share . In another study conducted by the McKinsey Group , annual GDP for one Asian countr

27、y is forecasted to increase by 1.5 to 2 percent by 2010 if logistics costs are reduced by 15 to 20 percent . This is in contrast to an ongoing $10 billion infrastructure project which would only generate 0.7 to 1 percent GDP growth over the same period . Indeed , injecting competition into the indus

28、try to lower logistics costs can give a significant competitive edge to producers in an open economy . Efficient inter-modal transportation , including the use of EDS , would result in more efficient supply chain management .These efficiencies undoubtedly replicate gains in the export sector . A stu

29、dy conducted by the Economic Strategy Institute conducted that further development and liberalization in the air express industry could result in percentages gains for exports per year from 2004-2008 between 0.386-0.562 percent per year for Singapore : 2.895-4.215 percent per year for Malaysia , Tha

30、iland , and the Philippines ；and 3.86-5.62 percent per year for Vietnam and Indonesia .Facilitating FDI and Promoting Regional Development EDS firms play a critical role in influencing company decisions on how much and where to invest .This is especially applicable to remote markets where EDS firms

31、assist in overcoming problems of geography and weaker transportation infrastructure . Fifty-eight percent of participating companies in a survey conducted for the report “The Economic Impact of Express Carriers in Europe” Oxford Economic Forecasting , 2004 consider easy access to markets , customers

32、 or clients , as “absolutely essential” when deciding where to locate .In the EU , the importance of EDS is compelling without EDS , 35percent of those interviewed for a study in Portugal said they would have to relocate ; 15 percent of the UK and 10 percent of the Italian companies surveyed would c

33、onsider relocating abroad ; and 30 percent of the French companies and 10 percent of the Belgian firms surveyed would consider outsourcing . The EDS industry now supports 530000 direct and indirect jobs in the EU . Their presence has injected the much needed downstream investment for creating jobs in the 10 new EU member states