http://books.google.com.sg/books?hl=en&id=GTPenhwzDSgC&dq=Logistics&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=uw1ASWrVzm&sig=DUYPkErY7JfMmE0-tUMgQPo5WTU#PPP1,M1
http://books.google.com.sg/books?hl=en&id=9I8HvNfSsk4C&dq=Logistics&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=ZSBPC9KYFZ&sig=r5X83hyCyyjltf4RkdHmvYlorywhttp://books.google.com.sg/books?hl=en&id=_sN-Wedb7rQC&dq=Logistics&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=tDSkcHfTFu&sig=5MWYKRcXYHkDeOUBbuuOziiE5PYLogistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods, information and other resources, including energy and people, between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet the requirements of consumers (frequently, and originally, military organizations). Logistics involve the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material-handling, and packaging.
Origins and definition
The term "logistics" originates from the ancient Greek "λόγος" ("logos"—"ratio, word, calculation, reason, speech, oration").
Logistics is considered to have originated in the military's need to supply themselves with arms, ammunition and rations as they moved from their base to a forward position. In ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine empires, there were military officers with the title ‘Logistikas’ who were responsible for financial and supply distribution matters.
The Oxford English dictionary defines logistics as: “The branch of military science having to do with procuring, maintaining and transporting material, personnel and facilities.”Another dictionary definition is: "The time related positioning of resources." As such, logistics is commonly seen as a branch of engineering which creates "people systems" rather than "machine systems"....
Logistician
Logistician is the profession in the logistics & transport sectors, including sea, air, land and rail modes. Professional qualifications for the logisticians can carry post-nominal letters. Common examples include FCILT/CMILT/MILT (by The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport) (CILT), EJLog/ESLog/EMLog (by European Logistics Association) (ELA), PLog (by Canadian Professional Logistics Institute), CML/CPL (by International Society of Logistics) (SOLE), JrLog/Log/SrLog (by China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing) (CFLP), FHKLA/MHKLA (by Hong Kong Logistics Association) (HKLA), PLS/CTL/DLP (by American Society of Transportation & Logistics) (AST&L). However, some universities and academic institutions do help in producing logisticians, by offering academic degree programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, too.
Military logistics
In military logistics, logistics officers manage how and when to move resources to the places they are needed. In military science, maintaining one's supply lines while disrupting those of the enemy is a crucial—some would say the most crucial—element of military strategy, since an armed force without resources and transportation is defenseless.
The defeat of the British in the American War of Independence, and the defeat of Erwin Rommel in World War II, have been largely attributed to logistical failure.[citation needed] The historical leaders Hannibal Barca, Alexander the Great and the Duke of Wellington are considered to have been logistical geniuses.
Another field within logistics is called Medical logistics.
Logistics management
Logistics management is that part of the supply chain which plans, implements and controls the efficient, effective forward and reverse flow and storage of goods, services and related information between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet customers' requirements. A professional working in the field of logistics management is called a logistician.
The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (CILT) was established in the United Kingdom in 1919 and was granted the Royal Charter in 1926. The Chartered Institute is one of professional bodies or institutions for the logistics & transport sectors, that offers such professional qualification or degree in logistics management.
Logistics Management Software
Software is used for logistics automation which helps the supply chain industry in automating the work flow as well as management of the system. There are very few generalized software available in the new market in the said topology. This is because there is no rule to generalize the system as well as work flow even though the practice is more or less the same. Most of the commercial companies do use one or the other custom solution.
But there are various software that are being used within the departments of logistics. Few department in Logistics are namely, Conventional Department, Container department, Warehouse, Marine Engineering, Heavy haulage, Etc.
The softwares that are used in these departments are,
Conventional department : CVT software / CTMS software /
Container Trucking: CTMS software /
Warehouse : WMS /
Business logistics
Logistics as a business concept evolved only in the 1950s. This was mainly due to the increasing complexity of supplying one's business with materials and shipping out products in an increasingly globalized supply chain, calling for experts in the field who are called Supply Chain Logisticians. This can be defined as having the right item in the right quantity at the right time at the right place for the right price and is the science of process and incorporates all industry sectors. The goal of logistics work is to manage the fruition of project life cycles, supply chains and resultant efficiencies.
In business, logistics may have either internal focus (inbound logistics), or external focus (outbound logistics) covering the flow and storage of materials from point of origin to point of consumption (see supply chain management). The main functions of a qualified logistician include inventory management, purchasing, transportation, warehousing, consultation and the organizing and planning of these activities. Logisticians combine a professional knowledge of each of these functions so that there is a coordination of resources in an organization. There are two fundamentally different forms of logistics. One optimizes a steady flow of material through a network of transport links and storage nodes. The other coordinates a sequence of resources to carry out some project.
Production logistics
The term is used for describing logistic processes within an industry. The purpose of production logistics is to ensure that each machine and workstation is being fed with the right product in the right quantity and quality at the right point in time.
The issue is not the transportation itself, but to streamline and control the flow through the value adding processes and eliminate non-value adding ones. Production logistics can be applied in existing as well as new plants. Manufacturing in an existing plant is a constantly changing process. Machines are exchanged and new ones added, which gives the opportunity to improve the production logistics system accordingly. Production logistics provides the means to achieve customer response and capital efficiency.
Production logistics is getting more and more important with the decreasing batch sizes. In many industries (e.g. mobile phone) batch size one is the short term aim. This way even a single customer demand can be fulfilled in an efficient way. Track and tracing, which is an essential part of production logistics - due to product safety and product reliability issues - is also gaining importance especially in the automotive and the medical industry.
物流，最早是在二战中，围绕战争物资供应，美国军队建立的「后勤」（Logistics）理论为原型的。当时的「后勤」是指将战时物资生产、采购、运输、配给等活动作为一个整体进行统一布置，以求战略物资补给的费用更低、速度更快、服务更好。后来，将“后勤”体系移植到现代经济生活中，才逐步演变为今天的物流。物流系统也可像互联网般，促进全球化。在贸易上，若要更进一步与世界连系，就得靠良好的物流管理系统。我们手上的商品很多是‘游历’各国后才来到的。原料可能来自马来西亚和泰国，加工可能在新加坡，生产却在中国，最后才入口到美国。产品的「游历」”路线就是由物流师计划、组织、指挥、协调、控制和监督，使各项物流活动实现最佳的协调与配合，以降低物流成本，提高物流效率和经济效益。目标就是要快且低开销。
物流是一个控制原材料、制成品、产成品和信息的系统。
物质资料从供给者到需求者的物理运动，是创造时间价值、场所价值和一定的加工价值的活动。
物流是指物质实体从供应者向需求者的物理移动，它由一系列创造时间价值和空间价值的经济活动组成，包括运输、保管、配送、包装、装卸、流通加工及物流信息处理等多项基本活动，是这些活动的统一。
物流师
物流师（Logistician）即是负责物流系统管理的专才。物流师就是一个专家，地位与会计师、律师、医生或工程师同等。
1919年，英国成立了专业的物流组织，并在7年的时间内 (1926年)，就取得英皇的认同，成立了英国皇家特许物流与运输专院 (The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport) (CILT)。英国皇家特许物流与运输专院院士 (Chartered Member) 就是一个专业物流师。如今，世界上也有其他专业的物流组织，如欧洲专业物流协会 (European Logistics Association) (ELA)，香港物流协会 (Hong Kong Logistics Association) (HKLA)，中国物流与采购联合会 (China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing) (CFLP)，美国国际专业物流协会 (International Society of Logistics) (SOLE) 及 美国运输与物流协会 (American Society of Transportation & Logistics) (AST&L) 所检定及认可的专业物流师。
物流管理
物流管理是指在社会再生产过程中，根据物质资料实体流动的规律，应用管理的基本原理和科学方法，对物流活动进行计划、组织、指挥、协调、控制和监督，使各项物流活动实现最佳的协调与配合，以降低物流成本，提高物流效率和经济效益。如今，物流管理的专业知识被运用在贸易上，连系了整个世界。
参见
第一方物流
第二方物流
第三方物流
第四方物流
第五方物流
供应链
物流管理
后勤学（军事物流学）
物流系统论
现代物流技术
集装单元装卸搬运技术
散料装卸搬运技术
自动仓储系统技术
流通加工技术
物流包装技术
物流信息技术
条码技术
EDI技术
地理信息系统GIS
全球卫星定位系统GPS
智能交通系统ITS
射频识别RFID
可追溯性 (物流)
物流企业