Supply Chain and Logistics Technology
What is logistics?
Logistics is the coordination of the inbound and/or outbound flow, storage, and reconfiguration of goods within a supply chain. Its ultimate purpose is to ensure the on time, safe and cost-effective delivery of goods as is required by internal and external customers.
Dell, Wal-Mart, and Southwest Airlines are just a few of the many firms that have used integrated logistics processes to their advantage. The overall success of these organizations, as well as others, can be directly attributed to their approach to lean and ever evolving efficient logistics practices.
For further information, visit the website of Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals at www.cscmp.org.
How do logistics processes differ from supply chain processes?
The truth is that logistics is a step in the supply chain process. The Supply Chain "link" called Logistics is the process of movement between the "link" of Procurement and the "link" of Manufacturing or creation of goods and the "link" of delivery to the customer/end user.
What is the demand for logistics professionals?
The economic deregulation of interstate transportation in 1980 and intrastate deregulation in 1995 along with subsequent advancements in communications and data technologies throughout the 1990's and the new millennium have increasingly influenced business structure and logistics processes. It became the platform to affect the profitability of a company and new flexible logistics operations. As a result, order cycles as well as logistics costs have been driven to much lower levels as the primary elements of logistics – order fulfillment, inventory, transportation integration, and infrastructure – are managed for better performance.
What is a typical career path in logistics?
- Entry Level (Degreed):
- Activities: Performing or managing a varied group of related tasks associated with day-to-day operations
- Basic Skills: Technical (Data), quantitative (Operational), team participation (Collaboration)
- Job Titles: Transportation Coordinator, Category Analyst, Customer Service Supervisor, Purchasing Agent, Dock Supervisor
- Mid-Level:
- Activities: Planning and overseeing multiple tasks associated with day-to-day operations; managing people; influencing stakeholders external to the department; budgeting.
- Additional Skills: Departmental and project leadership, quantitative financial/budgetary), negotiation, process and information integration
- Job Titles: Director of logistics, warehouse manager, distribution manager, transportation manager, project manager, director of regional or country groups.
- Senior Level:
- Activities: Developing and communicating objectives with one to two-year time horizons; influencing peers and other strategic stakeholders; restructuring; budgeting
- Additional Skills: Strategic leadership
- Job Titles: VP of global logistics, VP of supply chain, Director of global supply chain operations
What salaries typically exist in the logistics field?
The answer to this depends on the industry, size of the company, level of responsibility, and geographic location. An approximation of annual salary in the range of $30k to $50k for entry level degreed positions. Annual salaries for experienced mid-level degreed managers can reach $100k while senior managers attract annual salaries that commonly exceed $150k per year. Mid-level and senior managers are increasingly required to have Masters degrees or better along with their experience in larger companies.
What skills are stressed and developed through the degree program in Logistics Technology?
Through classroom work and the real-world experience gained through internships and senior practicum, students will develop strong competencies in:
- Technical aspects of production, procurement, transportation, distribution, information management, transactions, and quality.
- Conceptual skills associated with of marketing, customer service, least total cost, asset management, process integration, globalization of trade.
- Interpersonal skills such as Leadership, Project Management, and Collaboration