"Logistics refers to the overall process of managing how resources are acquired, stored, and transported to their final destination. Logistics management involves identifying prospective distributors and suppliers and determining their effectiveness and accessibility. Logistics managers are referred to as logisticians."

Understanding Logistics in Management and Business

In simple terms, the goal of logistics management is to have the right amount of a resource or input at the right time, getting it to the appropriate location in proper condition, and delivering it to the correct internal or external customer.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Logistics is the overall process of managing how resources are acquired, stored, and transported to their final destination.
• Poor logistics in a business can impact its bottom line.
• Logistics is now used widely in the business sector, particularly by companies in the manufacturing sectors, to refer to how resources are handled and moved along the supply chain

Special Considerations

The tasks for which a logistician is responsible vary depending on the business. Primary responsibilities include overseeing and managing inventory by arranging for appropriate transportation and adequate storage for the inventory.

A qualified logistician plans out the logistics process, coordinates the steps as inventory, and resources move along the supply chain.

Specialized training in supply chain management and logistics are often core or elective courses, or even discrete programs of study, in business education. A business degree that emphasizes these skills—or in some cases, a technical degree in systems analysis or database management—is usually necessary to begin an often well-paid career as a logistician.