Sustainable Logistics

Sustainable logistics in business set up implies that processes and activities contributing to success of an enterprise are interdependent and each event in the chain of business operation leads to functionality of another. The process involves planning, implementation and controlling the efficiency of business operations. Business operation activities comprise the control and ease of products flow and cost of services in the entity, ways and means of storing the raw materials to either ensure their safety during transportation or while in permanent storage.

The logistics outline availability of particular business activities giving details of every product from goods to services. The information also focuses on the origin of raw materials, means of transportation to industries, processing and finally how it is consumed. The success of a company depends on how sustainable its activities are in relation to stipulated organization objectives. Some of such factors include; transportation, energy, human resources, communication or accessibility to information, resource management, organization culture and the application of technological innovations. In this essay, the main point of focus for sustainability will be transportation.

As a way of achieving global sustainability, companies have focused on transport issues in their operational management to attain sustainable logistics. The transport sector has undergone various changes from one century to another, and this has made companies to undergo modifications to fit industrial demands. Technology has contributed much to the transport sector as a global sustainability issue and thus making it complicated to address. Companies that have not adopted the modern transport logistics have experienced drawbacks in handling their operational management.

Sustainability

The process of sustainable logistics creates a cycle of activities which in return complete their functional means. Through structuring logistics, it will be possible to plan for the future of a business. By the analysis of the challenges a company is likely to face and its operational management, business managers will be able to point out possible opportunities. Such analysis facilitates taking the calculated risk for the business in future.

Sustainability implies that when one of the operational activities fails it leads to the failure of other operational activities within a business model. The researchers dealing with sustainable logistics and executive management are facing new challenges in addressing needs and the success of logistics in operational control. In the past, the operational business management experienced a buildup of pressure in various sectors of the business environment (Bowersox, Donald J., David J, & M. 2002 p.58).

Structure and focus of business changed in recent days to address effects of products and services in the environment with regards to resources. Additionally, both product processing and production facilities are considered. One of the significant matters in achieving sustainable transport is addressing how best companies can relate to people and the landscape, while still making profits without interfering the condition of the existing environment.

Resulting challenges in this process comprise; integration of issues regarding the environment, how safe products can be regarded and their health impacts founded on a designed concept. It creates a significant difference of modern business operations management as compared to the activities of recent times, which majorly focused only on the ways of making profit disregarding the environmental impacts it may cause. The global sustainability transport issues have been contributed majorly by climate change issues in recent days. Companies are more vigilant now and are taking measures to avoid more consequences to the environment. Transport as a global issue has been addressed by the businesses enterprises in the following sections of the sustainable logistics and operational management (Kleindorfer, Paul R., Kalyan & Luke 2005 p 492).

Focus on Product Development and Chain of Supply

In the process of meeting particular modern market needs, companies diversify their means and ways of ensuring their customers get the best from them; this has resulted to scenarios where the companies focused on upgrading their competencies and the level of know how. The companies develop better ways of reaching and meeting the needs of the customers through creation of the locus of the value chain which connects the suppliers who are the providers of the raw materials for business to producers who are company owners. After processing of the products from the raw materials, the distributors and the retailers collects them and take the market for ease of access by the customers. Such a situation results in sustainable operational management where every unit depends on the other to operate. Therefore, this leads to a cyclic circle of operations. It can thus be argued that transportation, as a sustainable logistic, is dependent on other factors in the chain.

The sustainable executive management ensure that development does not only focus in present objectives but also future generations. In the current days, business enterprises are focusing on the adoption of the concept of sustainable logistics to ensure the business does not run on unintended loses which could be avoided (Cooper, Martha C., Douglas and Janus D 1997 p 14).

The product development in every business enterprise originates from the environment which is the part of the planet which is experiencing the adverse effects of the climate change resulting from the industrialisation and neglect of better ways of production in business operations. Introduction of the manufacturing industries in the late ninetieth century has resulted in various adverse effects on the environment and the sustainable logistics of the different business. Such manufacturing industries focus on the development of new products for the market neglecting the situation leading to unsustainable developments. The new companies are addressing environmental issues by ensuring their employees improve their interest in making change through their work to the company (Bechtel, Christian & Jayanth 1997 p 34).

In the modern world, business find it difficult to operate successfully without addressing needs of the environment which is the source of the raw materials for processing. When handling the development of the product, transport sustainability is addressed. Various companies focused on the packaging material of the product to ensure it fits the transport system they have opted. One of the changes made is the portability of the product being produced. The shape, content of the product and the style of packaging is considered.

Supply chains Transport business model

To achieve the sustainable logistics and the operational management in regards to the creation of the sustainable developments within the globe, the business changed their way of approaching the business concepts from the old ways of majoring on profit and neglecting the customer needs. Trending ways of marketing products have structured the manner in which companies handle the transport issues in a global sustainability issue. Majorly they focused on the customer satisfaction as the essential issues that determine the way in which the products are moved from one point to another.

The structure and business model of the modern business focus on the appreciation of customers, by improving willingness of customer to pay for services and goods which are easily available. It will enable business enterprises to measure and balance costs, revenues and assets. The business models will be completed through introduction of transport channels to enable transfer of products from the suppliers, producers, distributors to ultimate customers. Transport system plays a significant role in contributing to the sustainable logistics and operational management (Carter, Craig and Dale 2008 p 387).

The sustainability of transport systems in global businesses has been influenced by modern technology that keeps changing from time to time, the mode of transport to be established has to fit the needs and conditions of advanced technology. Technological advancements have realized secure, faster and sustainable means of product transportation. The transport system is essential in facilitating needs and the satisfaction of customers. Introduction of the modern ways of communication has impacted the supply chain process and as well as the business model. During traditional business enterprises transport systems, before the introduction of the technology; companies used to rely on the trustworthy of drivers to deliver their products to customers or fetch raw materials from suppliers to production units (Blackburn, Joseph D., et al. 2004 p 22).

In the recent past, it was easy for drivers to get involved in fraudulent activities along transport lines and mostly during transportation of ready finished products of business enterprises. Tracking movement of company goods during transportation was not possible before the technology paradigm shift. Establishment of technology into the business enterprise led to restructuring of business model from old operational management structure to modern architectural designs. Transport logistics is one of the operations that has been changed by introduction of technology that has led to ease in transportation of company products and raw materials from one destination to another.

Application of the tech-related transport systems has led to reduction of fraud operation in the business enterprises; this has been made possible through the tracking system during transportation. Additionally, application of technology in transport system has led to a reduction of the business size operational model. Customers can access products and services from online platforms, and this has helped target customer location, as well meet their specific needs and hence satisfaction (Bowen & Frances 2001 p 103).

Sustainability in Supply Chains

The economic order keeps changing from time to time in consideration to the changing market of the customers. As a result, the sustainability of the logistics and the operational management influences the structure and the mode of the supply chains significantly. Economic unfolding makes the entrepreneurs realise that the profits and the profitability are the most crucial and essential parts of a business enterprise to be successful. In the recent days, internal and the external forces have experience different interest, as company thrive hard to make sure it makes profits, the external forces of the planet pull in to break the chain (Dekker & Rommert et al. 2013 p 234).

The future of the society and its environment surpasses the internal forces of the business enterprise, therefore its very crucial for every business to consider the best ways of making profits while in the same case taking care of the people's interest and as well the be best treating and handling the planet. Through the consideration of balancing the three priorities, it will be able to win the trust of the employees, customers and the communities within the geographical locations where the business operations are based. Business enterprises operate on the concepts of the viable economic franchise; this is where the business enterprise can generate enough cash to run the operational management of the business as for make surplus cash which is the profit. The modern codes and the doctrines of every company focus on the functional drivers of the market to make the profit and how it relates to the people and the planet, and this has resulted to an ordering of the supply chains to address the needs for sustainability for every successful business operations. For every focus on the viability of the business, it’s always essential to put consideration on the transportation logistics of the company. Effective transit will achieve a successful way of moving the raw materials and the finished products completing the supply chain. Sustainability of the mode of transport is a very crucial and critical aspect for consideration in dealing with the viability of the supply chain of a company (Debo, Laurens, Beril & Luk 2005 p 1205).

New Conceptual Framework for the Supply Chain Management.

Challenges affecting the business enterprises such as the globalisation of supply and markets, increase in supply chain insecurity, IT and technological innovation. Other issues are; e-commerce, time compression, product complexity and the shrinking life cycles, environmental impacts and the risk management in the be recent days has resulted in the reaction from the business enterprises to solve these problems. Therefore the new conceptual framework of the supply chain management comprises of;

o Processes in business activities

o Management of supplies

o Management components

o Structures in the chain of supply

The new conceptual framework has been adopted in various business enterprises to address the challenges on the trend in the business world. The business processes are primarily geared towards creation of value to customers. Therefore these process addresses the needs of the customer and hence satisfaction. Management components functions of the business are the components by which the business process are made to possible to function in a way that leads to making the profit for the company. Such elements manipulate the operations of the business processes to ensure they are rightful in the manner they are applied in the business (Caro, Felipe, et al. 2003 p 306).

The supply structure in new conceptual framework of business operations outlines best ways of reaching customers, either through supplying products or through customer responses on how goods have been delivered. Therefore, these components act as the engine that runs the activities of the frame. All these components pull together to address the needs of the customers are at given time and season. The management element is comprising of the various process that helps in addressing the needs of the customer. The process entails; building a good relationship with customers, efficient management of products/services in relation to demand, order fulfilment, development of products, commercialisation, management manufacturing and procurement processes (Atasu, Miklos, and Luk 2008 p 174).

All these processes and stages focus on enabling customer needs, customer relationships management majors on identifying the critical customer target markets and then developing programs that best suit the customer’s needs. These customers’ services provide information about the goods or orders to the customers online; this will facilitate the interactions of the products and services with the customers. Additionally, the views of the customers can be used in improving the quality and conditions of the services and the goods before delivering them to the market. These conditions enhance the production and distribution status of products with vital customer information as well, a feedback system that directs necessary product changes. Demand management can determine the amount of output needed to meet the needs of the customer at any specific time, through this strategy the business can run on the profitability and avoid losses (Brigden & K 2005 p 78).

Components that make up the supply chain are similar across businesses enterprises globally acting as primary factors that contribute to production in any business. Different scholars have tried to address the components that make up business management. Management of supply chain has components that vary from time to discuss the current issues and crisis affecting the industry. The critical elements of supply chain managed according to (Houlihan, 1985 p 105) comprises of the following; planning and control unit, a facility structure on flow of products, perceptions/values, information technology, values and business management styles employed (Ganeshan & Ram et al. 1999 p 879).

These components were applicable in the business at the eightieth century and as the globe proceeds to the next days where technology influences significant aspects of the company, some of the components of the management structure changes to adapt the operational conditions in the different environment. Stevens (1989) gives a separate list of management elements made up of structures relating to work/processing, control, facility production flow, management/ organization and communication channels. In this set up of the management components, the values and attitudes have been eliminated as compared to the previous Houlihan list. It implies before the end of the nineteenth century; the business structure has taken a different shape of operations (Stevens, George 1992 p 911).

Movements towards an Integrated Supply Chain and sustainable logistics

In consideration of the new conceptual frameworks of the supply chain management, a lot has changed in the process of addressing the satisfaction and the needs of the customers. The first essential area of focus on coming up with an integrated chain is the inter-organisational integration to complete the functionality of the company. To achieve a complete functional independent sustainable logistics and the operational management the company has to address the internal issues within the organisation before sending the external forces which may affect the business if the internal effects are not well dealt with (Lee & Hau 2004 p 113).

In this integration of the operational activities, use of innovation and design in services and products marketing will improve the customer’s response and satisfaction. Change can be incorporated in production of new goods, particularly the process of designing. After the event of the product through innovation, creative design is used in packaging to meet the requirements and conditions of different factors. The primary element of consideration in packaging the process of transportation, the manner in which goods are transported to various retailers and distributors is essential for review. Products transported by road are differently packaged as compared to those carried by, some specification is aligned to the transport system.

Sustainable warehousing and transport

In the changing world of technology, warehousing plays a key role in global transportation and supply chain. Storage has been introducing in the recent days to facilitate the way goods are treated before or distributed to the customers. Companies have adopted the new structure of warehousing. Activities of the warehouse are modified to function as an industry to ensure the raw materials are received, processed, manufactured and stored in the same location to reduce the transportation activities.

Office works of companies are also made to fit the warehouse location to ensure the paper works are efficiently processed to facilitate faster movement of goods. Sustainable warehousing has reduced the transportation issues, by providing minimum transportation activities are undertaken. Through this measures and policies of the modern warehousing consumption of fuels has been minimised by strategising the location of the warehouse. Additionally, making activities located in the same place reduces the operational management of the company thus sustainable transport.

Planning and controlling

Companies have as well established better planning and control of the essential global sustainability contributing issues. The business operates on the demand and supply concept. Satisfying the needs of the customers, companies address the transport issues by ensuring the products reach the customers on time. Planning that’s is inclusive ensures that the companies meet the needs of the customer. Introduction of gasoline-electric that uses no petrol to operate has contributed significantly to a reduction of the transport issues of increase petrol consumption. Transportation has led to declining in petroleum reserves thus global unsustainability towards the future. Use of modern technology by ensuring the customers can assess the goods quality via the internet has reduced the need for mobility of the people. Reduction of movement has resulted in a natural way of addressing the needs of the customers.

Conclusion

Marketing of products and services are mainly influenced by presentation and aesthetical quality of the package. Different shapes of products packaging are eye appealing in comparison to others, and as well the colour of the box plays a significant role in attracting attention from the customers. Therefore, innovation and the design are control and manipulated by the market needs; the customers are more attracted to what they perceive as aesthetical and useful to them. In this way, transportation process, especially of products to the market, should ensure proper packaging and that the appearance is aesthetic by considering safety of products. Sustainable operations management should be designed in a way that it enables organisation growth concerning agility, adaptation to market fluctuations striking a balance between the environment and making profits. There thus need to be the formulation of an operational structure which not only works to meet a company’s objectives but also community interests. Upon the adoption of sustainability, the executive management of companies should ensure policies for integration into its organization culture and human resource personnel. Specific models based on concepts and operational success should be utilized in order that objectives of the company are met as well that profitability is achieved.

Transportation should not only be considered in improving the outcome of a company but also in its environmental sustainability. The choice of means of transport should not be one that contributes to production of harmful gases to the environment and at the same time, it should be safe to surrounding communities.

Through sustainable modern transport, the traditional problems of enterprises have been resolved such as safety, speed, reduced fraud and ecological impacts. In return, there has been a consequent improvement in profitability and operational cost reduction in companies.

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