The article participated in the 4th edition of the “Pen of the Logistician” competition.
How much logic is there in logistics, or a brief summary
The development of science and its connection with practical activity can only occur through the continuous expansion and improvement of various areas of knowledge, among which is logistics. Investing in knowledge is becoming the best way today to achieve success in all areas of life. Changes in the business environment at the end of the 20th century forced scientists and managers to seek new challenges for enterprises and companies that want to occupy a significant place in the market with increasing competitiveness in the new century. The dynamics of the changes that have occurred and are occurring in enterprise management have meant that they have encompassed logistics activities. Logistics, as a theory and practice of enterprise activity, has undergone transformations over the last fifty years. The directions of changes in logistics activity were determined primarily by technical innovations that are entering our daily lives. They are directly related to novelties that aim to improve and make the company function more effectively in all areas, including the area of logistics activity.
The situation in global and European markets in the areas of logistics activity has been changing very dynamically in recent years. Among the traditional concepts of logistics management, which include: Just-in-Time, KANBAN, new ones are appearing. Quality management, Lean Production, Lean Management, Lean Manufacturing, Outsourcing, Reengineering, Benchmarking, Time Compression Management, Fast Cycle Response, Just for You – JFY, Make or Buy, Mass Logistic Customization, and others force the creation of a single-criterion interdependence between management and logistics. In practice, this necessitates the development of a new approach and the creation of new logistics concepts.
Authors in their works compete in introducing new logistics concepts. Regardless of the number of new concepts, however, logistics will always remain the guardian of logical solutions that, in practice, bring profit maximization, cost minimization, and customer satisfaction.
Logistics as a theory and practice grew out of systems theory. Its roots reach back to the military. A thorough analysis indicates strong links between the theoretical approach to the system and practical solutions in logistics systems. Logistics draws on the scientific achievements of other sciences, such as: organization and management theory, cybernetics, economics. As a field of knowledge, it strives beyond the organizational divisions of enterprises towards their integration. In this way, it shapes multidimensional network logistics chains that create the infrastructure of logistics processes. Considered as a system of action, it creates logistics systems.
In summary, one can attempt a systemic definition of logistics.
Logistics is a field of knowledge, considered in terms of theory and practice as a system of action dealing with the rational management of the flows of material and immaterial goods – treated as integrated logistics chains – from the places of their acquisition to the places of their consumption, as well as the information accompanying them – referred to as logistics information – giving them logistics value added.
The author is aware of the imperfections of the proposed definition but hopes that it will become the basis for a broader discussion.
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