Study On Capability Assessment And Realization Of Logistics Quick Response

The difference between modern logistics and traditional logistics lies in its quick response capability. Logistics quick response can satisfy the typical multi-variety, small lot requirement from the manufacturers and customers, and thus lower inventory level,save logistics cost, shorten delivery time and improve customer service through means of optimizing logistics activities and information distribution between manufacturers and customers and of utilizing information technology. Therefore, it is significant to do some studies on logistics quick response.Book review reveals that researches have been done separately and unsystematically on quick response and logistics management. This makes it urgent and important to comprehensively study logistics quick response based on theories of quick response, supply chain management and logistics management. Initial analysis directs the study to two areas: one is to assess logistics quick response capability based on supply chain management and logistics system engineering to provide data for decision making process, the other is to build up a set of means for logistics quick response capability realization to improve the performance.As a result, this paper focuses on the research subject of logistics quick response assessment and realization based on analysis and understanding of assessment and realization of quick response and logistics performance. The study aims at building up the assessment index architecture and the assessment model;proposing a set of means for logistics quick response capability realization; and a case study on Haier logistics quick response verifying the study results. The study achieves the following results and innovations:1.Logistics quick response realization thoughts were collected from basic logistics theory composed of sub-theories of logistics value, logistics service and logistics strategy, system engineering theory composed of sub-theories of system, controlling, information and operations research, supply chain management theory to collaboratively provide theory support of our study. Studies on logistics quick response have to be based on basic logistics theory, system engineering theory and supply chain management theory.2.A set of rules of analyzing logistics quick response capability was proposed, and a series of factors was summarized by fish bone chart. The Delphi methodology was applied to the factors to calculate the importance fuzzy set to draw the importance sequence based on which an initial assessment index architecture was formed to justify logistics quick response capability, after the reliability of relating the factors to the assessment index being verified. Data were collected from a variety of interviewees at different levels through designed questionnaires for SPSS reliability, component, and validity analysis to clarify the logistics quick response capability assessment index architecture.3.Considering many quanlitative and qualitative indexes, fuzzy integral was applied to build an assessment model to judge logistics quick response capability, after comparing some regular assessment methods. The actual calculation procedure was analyzed and a calculation example is introduced in the paper to clarify the detailed assessment process, and thus, testifying that the built model can well do logistics quick response capability assessment.4.Analytic hierarchy process was applied to study the factors affecting logistics quick response capability to construct the key factor architecture based on the weights, which helped propose the realization means for logistics quick response, falling into 5 areas:information technology, supply chain management, cost controlling, logistics hardware, and human resources.Detailed realization ways were proposed for each specific area.5.The logistics quick response capability assessment index architecture and the model were applied to Haier logistics and some other 10 logistics companies, and the calculation results testified the research results, verifying the reliability and usability. Analysis of Haier logistics quick response realization ways also vertified the feasibility of the proposed realization means for logistics quick response.