For any business involved in today's supply chains, logistics services are critical. Companies have to decide whether to retain their own logistics operations or place their trust in third-party suppliers. This potential move away from the traditional approach of managing these processes internally can lead to improved service and reduced cost although this isn't always the case. The Logistics Outsourcing Handbook provides step by step guidance on the process of logistics outsourcing and explains how to apply this information for commercial success. Vital advice is given on benchmarking existing operations, how to shortlist companies, produce a request for a proposal, choose the optimum supplier and implement and manage the contract. The Logistics Outsourcing Handbook analyses outsourcing from both an industry wide perspective, while also drilling down into specific individual considerations. The book provides valuable guidance in terms of contractual relationships, cost models and the integration of information technology systems. By analysing current statistics and surveys, looking into factors behind why contracts are awarded and terminated important insights can be acquired. This book contains tools, models, online resources and case studies on the outsourced relationships of companies including Intel KFC and BA to further develop the reader's knowledge which makes this book an informative and essential resource.

This book studies the urban logistics system from the perspective of reliability, based on the theory of urban logistics and system reliability, with the research of urban logistics system reliability as the main line, with matter element analysis and ant colony algorithm as the main research tools. On this basis, this book closely focuses on the connotation, influencing factors, measurement, optimization, and other issues of the reliability of urban logistics systems. By analyzing the influencing factors and constituent contents of the reliability of urban logistics system, the reliability measurement is researched, and the reliability optimization model of urban logistics system is established, which is suitable for popular science reading or in-depth study by readers with a certain foundation.

Includes a balanced coverage of modeling as well as applications of layout, materials handling, and warehousing Presents automated materials handling and warehousing along with queuing, queuing network, and basic simulation modeling Introduces new material on supply chain designing and management, aggregate planning and stochastic inventory control, transportation, and logistics/distribution Provides Layout-iQ software and data files from the authors own website Offers a solutions manual and PowerPoint slides for qualified textbook adoption

This textbook introduces logistics from a broad perspective to include all activities throughout the product and service life cycle pertaining to supply chain and logistics management, the physical supply and distribution of products, and the corresponding maintenance and support. It recognizes the mutual interdependence of the major functional areas of the organization including marketing, production, and finance. The emphasis throughout the text is on logistics in the context of a total business system design process. It views the business as a "system", managing logistics within that system, and thus transforming their Supply Chain. Pedagogy to aid learning is incorporated throughout every chapter, with chapter objectives, case studies, and concept checks. This text is intended for both upper-level undergraduate and lower-level graduate students in both Business and Engineering on logistics and supply chain tracks. It can also serve as a reference for practitioners actively engaged in day-to-day management of logistics and supply chain activities. Supplementary online resources include an instructors' manual, chapter-by-chapter PowerPoint slides, glossary, and a test bank of exam questions.

This textbook introduces logistics from a broad perspective to include all activities throughout the product and service life cycle pertaining to supply chain and logistics management, the physical supply and distribution of products, and the corresponding maintenance and support. It recognizes the mutual interdependence of the major functional areas of the organization including marketing, production, and finance. The emphasis throughout the text is on logistics in the context of a total business system design process. It views the business as a "system", managing logistics within that system, and thus transforming their Supply Chain. Pedagogy to aid learning is incorporated throughout every chapter, with chapter objectives, case studies, and concept checks. This text is intended for both upper-level undergraduate and lower-level graduate students in both Business and Engineering on logistics and supply chain tracks. It can also serve as a reference for practitioners actively engaged in day-to-day management of logistics and supply chain activities. Supplementary online resources include an instructors' manual, chapter-by-chapter PowerPoint slides, glossary, and a test bank of exam questions.

Our daily lives are permeated by the activities of logistics and supply chain, from food and clothing to doorstep deliveries. As these processes have the ability to significantly impact the natural environment, it has never been so important to develop and implement sustainable principles and practices. Sustainable Logistics and Supply Chain Management is an essential textbook for undergraduate and postgraduate students for understanding sustainability as it pertains to logistics operations. This book covers the direct environmental impacts of logistics and supply chain processes, including emissions and waste, as well as how wider changes such as globalization need to be given similar considerations. Presenting different pathways to guide readers, case studies and supported by extensive research, this book provides all the support needed to understand and implement a sustainable approach. Now in its third edition, Sustainable Logistics and Supply Chain Management is fully updated with the latest research and data including trends in logistics and supply chain management and new cases. Online resources include instructor manuals, lecturer slides and a complied list of figures and tables.

Distribution management is the first of a quintet of books specially written for South African undergraduate marketing students. The other books in the series deal with marketing research, production management, pricing and integrated marketing communications. The objective of the series is to place specific marketing topics in perspective and it is the indigenous flavour of examples and case studies that localise the content and enhance the discussions. Distribution management was written to fulfil the requirements of the modular system that is used by all the South African universities. The text is easy to read and embraces the full spectrum of distribution topics that are covered in undergraduate studies at tertiary level.

'Work hard, have fun, make history' proclaims the slogan on the walls of Amazon's warehouses. This cheerful message hides a reality of digital surveillance, aggressive anti-union tactics and disciplinary layoffs. Reminiscent of the tumult of early industrial capitalism, the hundreds of thousands of workers who help Amazon fulfil consumers' desire are part of an experiment in changing the way we all work. In this book, Alessandro Delfanti takes readers inside Amazon's warehouses to show how technological advancements and managerial techniques subdue the workers rather than empower them, as seen in the sensors that track workers' every movement around the floor and algorithmic systems that re-route orders to circumvent worker sabotage. He looks at new technologies including robotic arms trained by humans and augmented reality goggles, showing that their aim is to standardise, measure and discipline human work rather than replace it. Despite its innovation, Amazon will always need living labour's flexibility and low cost. And as the warehouse is increasingly automated, worker discontent increases. Striking under the banner 'we are not robots', employees have shown that they are acutely aware of such contradictions. The only question remains: how long will it be until Amazon's empire collapses?

This book presents a specific technical solution, called intermodal transport, which became the basic technological solution that made it possible to provide global interregional transport. Every day, new technical, technological, and organizational solutions appear that significantly affect the further development of this industry. However, there are certain local differences between regions. In addition, an essential factor is the exchange of experience between scientists from different countries. Accordingly, the purpose of this monothematic book is to acquaint readers with the achievements of scientists dealing with this topic and living in different regions. Scientists and specialists from Poland, Germany, Great Britain, USA, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, Italy, Kazakhstan, and Lithuania participated in the writing of individual chapters of this book. This book is intended for professionals, teachers, students, and others who are interested in new approaches to solving transport problems.

**Winner of the UALE Book Award 2021** Amazon is the most powerful corporation on the planet and its CEO, Jeff Bezos, has become the richest person in history, and one of the few people to profit from a global pandemic. Its dominance has reshaped the global economy itself: we live in the age of 'Amazon Capitalism'. 'One-click' instant consumerism and its immense variety of products has made Amazon a worldwide household name, with over 60% of US households subscribing to Amazon Prime. In turn, these subscribers are surveilled by the corporation. Amazon is also one of the world's largest logistics companies, resulting in weakened unions and lowered labor standards. The company has also become the largest provider of cloud-computing services and home surveillance systems, not to mention the ubiquitous Alexa. With cutting-edge analyses, this book looks at the many dark facets of the corporation, including automation, surveillance, tech work, workers' struggles, algorithmic challenges, the disruption of local democracy and much more. The Cost of Free Shipping shows how Amazon represents a fundamental shift in global capitalism that we should name, interrogate and be primed to resist.

The marketing of luxury goods faces a fundamental challenge: balancing sales growth against exclusiveness. In today's digital world, this trade-off has become even more challenging. A luxury brand's fragile concept of exclusiveness is seemingly incompatible with the ubiquitous availability provided by the mass medium Internet. The author addresses this trade-off both conceptually and empirically. First, the author conceptually examines the specific marketing-mix for luxury goods in terms of product, price, communications, and distribution management. Second, this marketing-mix is applied to the online environment. Third, the author empirically tests the effects of the online accessibility of luxury goods on consumer perceptions of scarcity and desirability.

Serious problems and risks can be observed in European freight transportation development. However, the transport and logistics sector shows a lack of tradition in utilising systematic innovation management to overcome these problems. Hence, this volume puts forward a specific and comprehensive Systemic Migration-Oriented Innovation Management Method. Within the scope of this research, seven case studies of European freight transport innovations have been conducted using this method. They offer a broad, comprehensive and up-to-date view concerning different carriers, degrees of automation, and corridors across Europe. These case studies demonstrate how implementations of innovations may be performed successfully.

Modern warehouses are capitalizing on cutting-edge technologies, new operating models and innovative practices to maximize their role in the wider supply chain. Understand how to successfully manage these warehouses with this bestselling guide. The fourth edition of Warehouse Management is fully updated to include up to date information across the board. The latest technologies in warehousing, such as robotics, cobots and AI, are explained and their impact is situated alongside discussions on the future of warehousing. There are new case studies from companies who have achieved improvements and cost savings through the introduction of new technology and equipment, leaner processes and environmental initiatives. Gwynne Richards provides expert advice with clear and easy to grasp solutions. Warehouse Management guides the reader through all aspects of successfully managing a warehouse, its operations and distribution. This bestselling book covers an extensive range of key topics from defining the modern warehouse, detailing management processes, strategies and practices to outlining how to tackle environmental challenges to ensure a sustainable supply chain. With practical insights into how to improve operating costs, increase efficiency and reduce costs, this is a must read for optimizing warehouse performance. New and updated online resources include PowerPoint slides and a bonus chapter on outsourcing.

This book serves as a primer on freight transportation and logistics, providing a general and broad coverage of concepts, mathematical models and methodologies available for freight transportation planning at strategic, tactical and operational levels. It is aimed at graduate students, and is also a reference book for practitioners in the field. The book includes preliminaries, such as mathematical modeling and optimisation algorithms. The book also features case studies and practical real-life examples to illustrate applications of the concepts and models covered, and to encourage a hands-on and a practical approach. The author has taught and published extensively in the field and draw on state-of-the-art scientific research. He has also been part of a number of practical research projects, which underpin the real life examples in the book.

Firms in the clothing industry engage in global sourcing and operate in global markets. Their global production networks have often been subject to scrutiny as the power relationships between buyer firms in developed countries and supplier firms in developing countries raise issues concerned with "fast fashion," the role of brands, labor standards in developing countries, job losses among the most vulnerable workers in Europe and the US, and the growing differentiation within the bloc of developing countries between the least developed and fast developers, such as China and India.
This book analyses the way British, American and German firms in the clothing industry (manufacturing and retail) co-ordinate and govern their global production networks/value chains. It offers a multi-level study, concerned with processes of economic interaction between international, regional, and national economic institutions and actors. This combines an analysis of international/regional regulatory systems, global markets and conditions in the developing countries where suppliers are found, with a focus on the recent development of the clothing industry in three western countries. The analysis of firms' global networks focuses on the power relationships between western producers and retailers on the one hand and between buyer firms in developed and supplier firms in developing countries on the other, as well as their impact on labour.
Utilising over one hundred interviews in six countries on three continents, it follows the value chain from developed to developing countries and studies the many issues which confront students of globalization at the current time. The study combines theoretical perspectives from economic sociology, political economy and management and seeks to utilise the complementary strengths of the Varieties of Capitalism approach and that of Global Production Networks/Value Chains. It will appeal to advanced students and academics interested in processes of economic globalization and the way firms manage them, as well as to those looking for a study of the clothing industry which combines theoretical depth with broad empirical coverage.

Several years have passed since the 'store wars' over barriers to foreign products at Japanese distribution firms. Yet among English-speaking readers, how these firms operate remains a puzzle. In this book, the best Japanese scholars in their fields attempt to unravel that puzzle. Avoiding culture-based explanations, they employ a systematic and rigorous economic logic---yet, since they also avoid mathematical notation, the argument remains accessible to generalist readers.

This book illustrates the applications of mobile robot systems in warehouse operations with an integrated decision framework for their selection and application. Mobile robot systems are an automation solution in warehouses that make order fulfillment agile, flexible and scalable to cope with the increasing volume and complexity of customer orders. Compared with manual operations, they combine higher productivity and throughput with lower operating costs. As the practical use of mobile robot systems is increasing, decision-makers are confronted with a plethora of decisions. Still, research is lagging in providing the needed academic insights and managerial guidance. The lack of a structured decision framework tailored for mobile robot system applications in warehouses increases the probability of problems when choosing automation systems. This book demonstrates the characteristics of mobile robot systems which reinforce warehouse managers in identifying, evaluating and choosing candidate systems through multiple criteria. Furthermore, the managerial decision framework covering decisions at strategic, tactical and operational levels in detail helps decision-makers to implement a mobile robot solution step-by-step. This book puts special emphasis on change management and operational control of mobile robots using path planning and task allocation algorithms. The book also introduces focus areas that require particular attention to aid the efficiency and practical application of these systems, such as facility layout planning, robot fleet sizing, and human-robot interaction. It will be essential reading for academics and students working on digital warehousing and logistics, as well as practitioners in warehouses looking to make informed decisions.

Supply Chain Management and Cost Management are important developments helping companies to respond to increased global competition and demanding customer needs. Within the 23 chapters of the book, more than 35 authors provide insights into new concepts for cost control in supply chains. The frameworks presented are illustrated with case studies from the automotive, textile, white goods, and transportation industry as well as from retailing. Academics will benefit from the wide range of approaches presented, while practitioners will learn from the examples how their own company and the supply chains which they compete in, can be brought to lower costs and better performance.

The convergence of the Internet and mobile telephony in the late 1990s produced a revolutionary business management tool: mobile marketing. Yet despite an increasing number of research publications and books focused on general business issues, many key concepts have seldom been explicated thoroughly. This book offers the first comprehensive coverage of mobile marketing from a theoretical and practical perspective, arguing that pragmatic mobile marketing tools need to be understood in terms of "why" so that theories can be advanced. Questions relating to a theoretical framework of mobile marketing, factors influencing the adoption of mobile marketing, and other applications and cases of mobile marketing are provided alongside historical background. This is a student-friendly text with up-to-date examples and issues presented throughout. Bibliographic references as well as a comprehensive glossary are provided at the end of the book.

An award-winning journalist's investigation into Amazon's true impact on inequality. The market value of Amazon.com has exceeded one trillion dollars. In 2020, its annual revenue increased by over 100 billion dollars. As the company insinuates itself ever further into our lives, Alec MacGillis investigates how it is reshaping society. With empathy and breadth, he tells the stories of those who've thrived and struggled in this rapidly changing environment, and shows how Amazon has even become a force in Washington, DC. The result is an intimate account of contemporary capitalism: its drive to innovate, its dark, pitiless magic, and its remaking of our world with every click.

The convergence of the Internet and mobile telephony in the late 1990s produced a revolutionary business management tool: mobile marketing. Yet despite an increasing number of research publications and books focused on general business issues, many key concepts have seldom been explicated thoroughly. This book offers the first comprehensive coverage of mobile marketing from a theoretical and practical perspective, arguing that pragmatic mobile marketing tools need to be understood in terms of "why" so that theories can be advanced. Questions relating to a theoretical framework of mobile marketing, factors influencing the adoption of mobile marketing, and other applications and cases of mobile marketing are provided alongside historical background. This is a student-friendly text with up-to-date examples and issues presented throughout. Bibliographic references as well as a comprehensive glossary are provided at the end of the book.

Prepare for your SIAM(TM) Foundation exam and understand how SIAM can benefit your organization!SIAM (service integration and management) is an evolution of how to apply a framework for integrated service management across multiple service providers. It has developed as organizations have moved away from outsourced contracts with a single supplier to an environment with multiple service providers. SIAM supports cross-functional, cross-process and cross-provider integration. It creates an environment where all parties: Know their role, responsibilities and context in the ecosystem Are empowered to deliver Are held accountable for the outcomes they are required to deliver Service Integration and Management (SIAM(TM)) Foundation Body of Knowledge (BoK), Second edition has been updated to reflect changes to the market and is the official guide for the EXIN SIAM(TM) Foundation certification. This book will help candidates pass their Foundation certification, as well as serve as a useful reference guide once they are implementing SIAM practices. Suitable for anyone working in ITSM (IT service management), IT, service integration and project management, the book introduces the EXIN SIAM(TM) Foundation syllabus and provides essential reading for the Foundation exam. It also offers a detailed introduction to the SIAM methodology for those who do not want to undertake formal certification.