21st Century Logistics: Making Supply chain Integration a Reality

21st Century Logistics: Making Supply Chain Integration A Reality is a book written specifically for managers who face the challenge of developing corporate competitiveness in the coming decade through the power of supply chain management. 21st Century Logistics presents a framework to help you recognize and overcome the common obstacles that undermine both internal and external integration of value-added logistical operations. This integration is essential to provide maximum value to end-customers. Although 21st Century Logistics is based on empirical research, it is presented as a story, a very readable narrative that interprets the research findings in a way that provides managers with insight into how the discipline of logistics contributes to supply chain effectiveness. The research: Reconfirms the capabilities and competencies that engender superior logistics and extends them into a more comprehensive structure. Substantiates that leading logistical practice generalizes across industries, along the supply chain, and across cultural boundaries. Provides additional insight into how best logistical practice relates to superior financial achievement. Extends and updates the assessment diagnostic and the related benchmark previously introduced in World Class Logistics to assist managers who are implementing continuous and meaningful improvement in both internal and cross enterprise integrative management. It is important to clarify that this is not a book about the characteristics of logistics work. Many excellent texts listed as reference materials are available which explore such specific knowledge. This research-based book focuses on why the work of logistics is fundamental to supply chain success. Its most important contribution is an updated and more comprehensive framework for achieving effective logistics change management.To facilitate interest and ease of reading, 21st Century Logistics uses a continuing dialogue of Charlie Change and his hypothetical firm, Spartan Enterprises, to help describe each area of supply chain integration. The case dialogue follows Charlie from chapter to chapter as he and an integrated change management team first identify performance improvement areas, create action plans, and then suggest strategies to more effectively achieve integrative management. Presented in this manner, the Charlie Change dialogue illustrates for the reader how logistical performance can most often be significantly improved. The researchers provide many examples to illustrate a specific point or practice. They have refrained from naming specific companies in order to retain confidentiality and avoid what might otherwise appear to be partiality. For most best practice examples, a variety of different firms could have been specified.Enclosed with the book is a compact disk which contains an assessment diagnostic and comparative benchmark data. The book provides complete instructions concerning use of the compact disk.