ECONOMICS - LOGISTICS

Logistics Planning

Logistics Planning

Introduction

Logistics planning is described as a framework of business planning, particularly for the organization of information, service, material, and capital flows. It entails growingly intricate information, control and communication systems needed in the current business environment. It is also regarded as maintenance, procurement, allocation, and replacement of material and personnel. An ideal logistics scaffold comprises of internal operations, physical supply, and physical distribution of goods and services (N.S.D.C., n.d., pp. 5). According to Collins (2000, n.d.), the knowledge of the supplying, movement, and forces in the area of the organization of materials and services flow throughout a firm, initiating from raw materials to the completed (finished) products. It can also be defined as the comprehensive planning and management of certain large intricate operation.

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate a comprehensive understanding about the concepts of technology as enabler of business decisions, matching the transport to the product, warehouse solutions, and outsourcing logistical function. A technology product is selected i.e. Apple, in order to comprehend these concepts in a pragmatic manner.



Discussion

A Brief Overview of the Company (Apple)

Apple Inc., previously known as “Apple Computer Inc.,” is multinational company based and initiated its operations in the USA. The company's headquarter is located in “Cupertino, California” and it plans, formulates, develops, and does trade in consumer electronics, which include personal computers and computer software. One of its renowned hardware products includes the iPod music player, the Mac line of computers, the iPhone Smartphone, and the iPad tablet computer. The software integrated in its consumer electronic product includes iOS operating systems and the OS X, the Safari web browser, the iTunes media browser, and the iWork creativity, and the iLife and productivity suites. The organisation was established on 01st April, 1976 and integrated as “Apple Computer, Inc.,” on 03rd January, 1977. On 09th January, 2007, the term “Computer” was eradicated from its name and on the similar day, Steve Jobs launched the iPhone, replicating its budge focus towards consumer electronics (www.forbes.com).

Corporate Mission Statement

The “official” mission statement of Apple Company focuses on entirely the current time product offerings, which already subsist. As a corporate mission is believed to describe the future vision of the company, thus, it is probably that an inside unprinted corporate mission statement of Apple Company in fact operates the business of Apple. As a pioneer in beauty along with innovation, the corporate mission statement of the Apple Company must be uniformly inspiring, innovative and rather haughty, however, unofficially and officially mission of Apple Company is barely a mission at all. Nevertheless, the mission statement of Apple Company can be signified as Apple is dedicated to designing and launching the experiences of most excellent personal computing to consumers, creative professionals, educators, and students all over the globe by its innovative hardware and beautiful exterior, internet offerings, and software (www.forbes.com).

Fundamental Factors of Success

There are a number of internal strengths that have made Apple a competitive and successful technology product in the ...