物流专业英语（第2版）Chapter V

1、Chapter VLogistics InformationOutline-1Part I Information System Information functionality Information management Forecasting method Forecasting logistics needsOrder processing systemOutline-2Part II Advanced Information TechnologyElectronic Data InterchangeInternet and E-commerceOpen system compute

2、r networksWireless communicationBar coding and scanning Point of sale Outline-3Part III Supplementary ReadingCiscos E-Commerce-ConnectionStarting of Ciscos e-commerce systemVirtual order of the systemAdvantages of the e-commerce systemBenefits from the Ciscos e-commerce-connectionPart I Information

3、System Information Functionality Part of an organizations ability to use logistics as a competitive weapon is based on its ability to assess and adjust actual logistics performance real time. This means the ability to monitor customer demands and inventory levels as they occur, to act in a timely ma

4、nner to prevent stock-outs, and to communicate potential problems to customers. This requires excellent, integrated logistics information systems. These systems impact all of the logistics activities presented earlier, and must be integrated and take into account marketing and production activities.

5、 Such systems also must be integrated with other members of the supply chain, to provide accurate information throughout the channel from the earliest supplier through the ultimate customer. Logistics information systems (LIS) may link a variety of information technologies, as is the case with Wal-M

6、art. Wal-Mart uses EDI to communicate with suppliers, receiving information such as shipment, timing, quantities, and even invoicing. It uses bar coding to scan sales as customers make their purchases. The bar-code information is thus captured at the point of sale. Wal-Mart then downloads the inform

7、ation to suppliers. Suppliers use these data to determine the orders they need to supply to Wal-Mart, rather than having Wal-Mart create the orders. This system provides suppliers with rapid feedback on sales, so that they can anticipate production requirements based on accurate, near real-time sale

8、s data. Wal-Mart also benefits because it no longer has to place orders with many suppliers, and it can keep its inventory levels to a minimum.Information Management One of the by-products of the computer era is that managers are often faced with more information than can be effectively used for dec

9、isions. This abundance of data has several detrimental effect, among which are slower decisions, confused decisions, and the obscuring of important information. For example, a warehouse manager at a consumer products company receiving weekly reports from corporate management. If a computer output of

10、 great bulk is delivered with important and unimportant information mixed, inexpert managers will have difficulty finding the data that they really need. Expert managers will find the decision-relevant information, but will lose time developing the search expertise to do so. Both novice and experien

11、ced managers may simply stack the report in a corner of the office, to read when they have time. Of course, the managers will continue making decisions based on some other source of information and when reading time becomes available much of the formerly relevant information will be obsolete. Decisi

12、on support systems screen out irrelevant information, so managers can have the precise data they need to deal with the issue at hand.Forecasting Methods One management task that is greatly aided by an LIS is forecasting. By having better data available, analysts can generate more timely and accurate

13、 forecasts that more closely reflect environmental realities. A number of standardized forecasting methods are available. These have been categorized into three groups: qualitative, historical projection, and causal. Each group differs in terms of the relative accuracy in forecasting over the long r

14、un versus the short run, the level of quantitative sophistication used, and the logic base (historical data, expert opinion, or surveys) from which the forecast is derived.Forecasting Logistics Needs Generally, the logistician need not be directly concerned with the broad spectrum of available forec

15、asting techniques. Because forecasted information, especially the sales forecast, is needed by various segments of the organization, the forecasting activity is often centralized in the marketing, planning, or business analysis area of the firm. Forecasts of medium- or long-term time periods usually

16、 are provided to the logistician. Unless there is a need to develop specific long-term forecasts, the logisticians need is limited to the short-term forecasts that assist in inventory control, shipment scheduling, warehouse load planning, etc. Indeed, “simple” models of the time-series variety often

17、 predict as well or better than more sophisticated complex versions. Order Processing system One way that an order can be placed is for the customer to write it up by hand and mail or give it to a sales representative who takes it back to the firm. Alternatively, the buyer could fax or telephone the

18、 order to a clerk who then writes it. Another approach is for the customer to place his or her order over the phone to a salesperson who simultaneously inputs it directly into the computer. Finally, by utilizing some preprogrammed criteria, orders can be placed automatically by the buyers computer d

19、irectly to the sellers system without human involvement. There are clear trade-offs in each situation between cost and information quality. When the ordering process is completely manual, the cost is relatively low but the procedure is slow and prone to errors. As the order placement activity become

20、s more automated, customer requests can be handled more quickly and with fewer mistakes, but the initial costs increase with the sophistication of the system. Processing an order requires the flow of information from one department to another, as well as the referencing or accessing of several files

21、 or databases, such as customer credit status, inventory availability, and transportation schedules. The information system may be fully automated or manual, most are somewhere in between. The order processing system sets many logistics in motion, such as: l Determining the transportation mode, carr

22、ier, and loading sequence. l Inventory assignment and preparation of picking and packing lists. l Warehouse picking and packing. l Updating the inventory file, subtracting actual products picked. l Automatically printing replenishment lists. l Preparing shipping documents (a bill of lading if using

23、a common carrier). Shipping the product to the customer. New Words and Phrasescustomer demand stock-out feedback 5fi:dbAk n. real-time detrimental 7detri5mentl obscure Eb5skjuE decision-relevant information logistician novice 5nCvis inventory control客户需求缺货反馈实时有害的，不利的遮掩，搞混决策相关信息物流从业人员，物流管理人员，新手，初学者库存

24、控制 obsolete 5CbsEli:t standardized 5stAndEdaIz adj. medium-or long-term time periodsshipment scheduling warehouse load planning prone to errors prEun sophistication sE9fIstIkeIFEn 过时的，已不用的，废弃了的标准化了的 中期或长期运输时间安排仓库积载计划易出错的复杂，高级，先进Part II Advanced Information Technology Introduction of EDI Electronic d

25、ata interchange (EDI) is the electronic, computer-to-computer transfer of standard business. EDI transmissions allow a document to be directly processed and acted upon by the receiving organization. Depending on the sophistication of the system, there may be no human intervention at the receiving en

26、d. EDI specifically replaces more traditional transmission of documents, such as mail, telephone, and even fax, and may go well beyond simple replacement, providing a great deal of additional information. There are a couple of key points to note about the definition of EDI given above. First, the tr

27、ansfer is computer to computer, which means that fax transmissions do not qualify. Also, the transmission is of standard business documents/forms. Some of the purchasing-related documents that are currently being transmitted by EDI include purchase orders, material releases, invoices, electronic fun

28、ds transfer (EFT) for payments, shipping notices, and status reports. Thus E-mail and sending information over the Internet, which is nonstandard, tree-form data, does not fit the definition of EDI. EDI Standards For EDI to function properly, computer language compatibility is required. First, the u

29、sers must have common communication standards. This means that documents are transmitted at a certain speed over particular equipment, and the receiver must be able to accept that speed from that equipment. In addition, the users must share a common language or message standard or have conversion ca

30、pabilities. This means that EDI trading partners must have a common definition of words, codes, and symbols; and a common format and order of transmission. Internet and E-commerce The use of the Internet to conduct electronic commerce is the natural outgrowth of the integration of information techno

31、logy in corporate operations. As security issues are resolved. It is becoming more common for firms to use the net for logistics purposes such as EDI transmissions, ordering and payment services, and shipment tracking. In fact, the conducting of buying and selling over digital networks is clearly th

32、e wave of the future as evidenced by the fact that US companies alone are currently spending nearly $9 billion to lay the infrastructure for electronic commerce. In the process, they are fundamentally changing the way consumers and companies interact, as well as transforming business-to-business sup

33、ply chains. By 2000, it is projected that nearly $120 billion worth of goods and services will be transacted over digital networks. Clearly, logistics systems will be affected dramatically by the move to electronic commerce. Companies, suppliers, partners, and banks will all be tied together resulti

34、ng in streamlined support operations, reduced manufacturing and distribution costs, and increased outsourcing of non-core function, in fact, information can be updated in real-time all along the supply chain, which will result in shorter order-cycle times, better speed and service quality, and impro

35、ved ability to handle complexity without errors. For several years, Texas Instruments has used digital technologies to link its global manufacturing, engineering, and product development operations on three continents, so that they can run 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As a result, product cycl

36、es have been reduced, and high efficiencies have been gained. Many more companies will follow the example: Business-to-business commerce over the Internet is expected to grow to US$66 billion dollars in three years. Open-systems computer networks Multiple vendors, multiple operating system environme

37、nts are becoming more common as firms move toward the use of computers running a variety of operating systems. These machines are connected via local area networks (LANs), which are in turn connected through bridges or routers to wide area networks (WANs) covering vast geographic regions. Because LA

38、Ns and WANs provide connectivity between these disparate systems, issues regarding such things as multiple EDI “standards” can be handled.Wireless communication Wireless technology will redefine logistics information systems in general. For example, a wireless modem has recently been introduced whic

39、h provides connectivity of serial input-output devices, in any combination, to a host computer. Fixed scanners, weight scales, remote printers batch terminals, point-of-sale terminals, PCs running dedicated applications, and PCs running terminal emulation programs can be integrated into this wireles

40、s data communication systems. Bar Coding and Scanning Auto Identification (ID) systems such as bar coding and electronic scanning were developed to facilitate logistics information collection and exchange. Typical applications include tracking receipts at warehouses and retail sales. Bar Coding and

41、Scanning Auto Identification (ID) systems such as bar coding and electronic scanning were developed to facilitate logistics information collection and exchange. Typical applications include tracking receipts at warehouses and retail sales. These ID systems require significant capital investment for

42、users, but necessarily replace former paper-based information collection and exchange processes that were error-prone and time-consuming. In fact, increased domestic and international competition is driving shipper, carriers, warehouses, wholesalers, and retailers to develop and utilize Auto ID capa

43、bility to compete in todays marketplace. Point-of sale (POS) data gathering is simply the scanning of bar codes of items sold, generally at the retail level. The data may be transmitted to the relevant supplier, who can replenish the inventory based on sales. This allows the retailer to “skip” order

44、 placement and to transfer responsibility directly to the supplier. This type of system is used by Wal-Mart. In other cases, the retailer may prefer to intervene and use POS data to place the order itself. Point-of-sale New Words and PhasesIntervention 7intE(:)5venFEn n. purchase orders material rel

45、eases invoices electronic funds transfer (EFT) Electronic data interchange (EDI) tree-form data compatibility kEm7pAti5biliti n. emulation kEm7pAti5biliti n. Auto Identification (ID) systems ai7dentifi5keiFEn Point-of-sale (POS) Intervene 7intE5vi:n 干涉，介入，插手采购订单资料的发放发票电子资金转帐 电子数据交换树形数据图一致，兼容 竞争，模仿 自

46、动识别系统 销售时点信息 干涉，插进，调停Part III supplementary readingCISCOs E-commerce ConnectionStarting of Ciscos E-commerce system Cisco developed the worlds largest e-commerce site.In 1997, Cisco sold more than $1 billion of a total $6.4 billion worth of routers, switches, and other network interconnect devices o

47、ver the Web. Ciscos Web site () has developed over several years, beginning with technical support for customers and developing into one of the worlds largest e-commerce sites. Today, Cisco offers nearly a dozen Internet-based applications to both end-use customers and reseller partners. Cisco began

48、 providing Internet support in 1991. Software downloads, defect tracking, and technical advice customers and reseller partners were logging onto Web site about one million times a month to receive technical assistance, check orders, or download software. The on-line service has been so well received

49、 that over 70% of all customer service inquiries are delivered on-line, as are 90% of software updates.Advantages of the E-commerce system Advantages for both Cisco and its customersWith on-line pricing and configuration tools, about 98% of the large orders go through Ciscos system, saving time for

50、both Cisco and its customers. Lead times were reduced, down from 4 to 10 days to only 2 to 3 days, and the productivity of customer order increased an average of 20%. In the first 5 months of the systems operation in 1996, Cisco booked over $100 million in sales on the Internet alone. In 1997, the f

51、igure grew more than tenfold. Cisco closed 1998 with $4 billion in on-line sales. On-line sales grew to 85% of total volume during 1999, reaching $37 million per day.Virtual Order of the system Cisco builds virtually all its products to order, so there are very few off-the-shelf products. Before the

52、 Cisco Web site, ordering a product was lengthy and complicated. Cisco began deploying e-commerce tools in 1995,and by 1996, the Internet Product Center allowed users to purchase any Cisco product over the Web. In 1999, the same customers engineer could sit down at a PC, configure a product on-line,

53、 immediately detect any errors, and route the order to Ciscos procurement department. Ciscos large customers take advantage of immediate and automatic access to Ciscos on-line ordering, configuration, and technical support tools. But, because of their large purchasing volumes, these large customers

54、sought a faster alternative to Ciscos Web site. Therefore, an alternative program was launched in 1997 that interactively links the customers and Ciscos computer systems over the Internet and private networks. In this way the configuration of new system and the price is validated at the customers own PC before the order is placed. Advantages of the E-commerce system Advantages for both Cisco and its customersWith on-line pricing and configuration tools, about 98% of the large orders go through