Economic globalization
Economic globalization has promoted the development of international logistics. This article discusses the characteristics, development process and international logistics system of international logistics. Finally, it puts forward the measures that our country should take to deal with international logistics. measures.
The information revolution and the rise of e-commerce have accelerated the process of world economic integration, promoted the development of the world economy, and enabled international logistics to develop greatly. At present, transnational corporations and their branches are spread all over the world, and the output value of transnational corporations has accounted for 40% of the total output value of developed countries [1]. Transnational corporations are developing in the direction of coordinated management and integration around the overall strategy, thus exerting a great influence on the international community. Logistics has put forward higher requirements. If my country's large enterprises want to be among the strongest companies in the world, they must also improve my country's international logistics support capabilities. After my country joins the World Trade Organization, international trade and transnational operations are facing new opportunities and challenges. In order to make our country occupy a favorable position in the world trade pattern and improve the competitiveness and operating advantages of our country's multinational companies, it is of great significance to strengthen the research on international logistics management. In this context, this article puts forward some immature opinions and discusses them with everyone.
1. Overview of international logistics
1. 1 The concept of international logistics
International logistics is a concept of cross-border logistics. It refers to the rational organization of the flow of goods internationally, that is, what happens in Logistics activities in different countries and regions. The essence of international logistics is to realize the flow and exchange of goods internationally in accordance with the principles of international division of labor and international logistics practices and standards, using international logistics networks, logistics equipment and logistics technology. To promote the optimal allocation of world resources and the coordinated development of regional economies.
International logistics is the logistics between different countries in the world. This kind of logistics is an inevitable part of tangible commodities in the world. International logistics can realize trade activities between countries. The purpose of international logistics is to serve international trade and cross-border operations, that is, to transport goods from suppliers in one country to another country in the best possible way, with minimum cost and risk, in good quality and quantity, and in a timely manner. demand side.
1. 2 Characteristics of international logistics
Compared with domestic logistics, international logistics has the following characteristics:
(1) There are differences in the logistics environment. A very important feature of international logistics is the difference in logistics environments between countries, especially the differences in the soft logistics environment. Different laws applicable to logistics in different countries make international logistics much more complex than a country's domestic logistics, and may even block international logistics; different economic and technological development levels in different countries will cause international logistics to be supported by different technological conditions, and even Some areas are simply unable to apply certain technologies, which forces a decline in the level of the entire international logistics system; different countries' different standards also cause difficulties in international "integration", making it difficult to establish an international logistics system; the customs and humanities of different countries also make international logistics Very limited. Differences in logistics environments force an international logistics system to operate in several environments with different laws, humanities, customs, languages, technologies, and facilities, which will undoubtedly greatly increase the difficulty of logistics and the complexity of the system.
(2) The scope of the logistics system is wide. As mentioned before, the functional elements of logistics itself and the communication between the system and the outside world are already very complex. International logistics adds elements from different countries to this complex system. This is not only the vastness of the region and space, but also the vastness of the involved areas. There are more internal and external factors, and it takes longer. The direct consequences of the broad scope are increased difficulty and complexity, and increased risks.
Of course, it is precisely because of this that once international logistics is integrated into modern system technology, its effect will be more significant than before. For example, after the opening of a certain "continental bridge", the speed of international logistics will be doubled and the efficiency will be significantly increased, which illustrates this point.
(3) International logistics must be supported by an international information system. The international information system is a very important support method for international logistics, especially international transport. The difficulty of establishing an international information system is due to management difficulties, huge investment, and because some areas in the world have higher levels of logistics information and some areas have lower levels, so the information level will be uneven and the establishment of information systems will be more difficult.
A better way to establish the current international logistics information system is to connect with the public information systems of the customs of various countries to grasp the actual status of various ports, airports, intermodal transport lines and stations in a timely manner, and provide Provide support for supply or sales logistics decisions. International logistics is the first field to develop "electronic data interchange" (EDl). International logistics based on EDI will have a significant impact on the internationalization of logistics.
(4). International logistics has higher standardization requirements. To make international logistics smooth, unified standards are very important. It can be said that without unified standards, the level of international logistics cannot be improved. At present, the United States and Europe have basically achieved unified standards for logistics tools and facilities, such as pallets using 1000×1200 mm, several unified specifications for containers, and barcode technology. This has greatly reduced logistics costs and reduced transshipment costs. Difficulty. Countries that do not move closer to this standard will inevitably spend more time and money in many aspects such as transshipment and vehicle replacement, thereby reducing their international competitiveness.
In terms of logistics information transmission technology, European countries have not only achieved standardization within enterprises, but also achieved standardization between enterprises and in the European single market. This has made the systems of European countries more advanced than those in Asia and Africa. Communicating with other countries is simpler and more effective.
2. The development history of international logistics
Although the concept of international logistics was only recently proposed and received people's attention, international logistics activities have developed with the development of international trade and transnational operations. The development of international logistics activities has gone through the following stages.
The first stage - from the 1950s to the early 1980s. At this stage, logistics facilities and logistics technology have been greatly developed. Distribution centers have been established, computers are widely used for management, three-dimensional unmanned warehouses have appeared, and some countries have established their own logistics standardization systems, etc. The improvement of the logistics system has promoted the development of international trade, and logistics activities have exceeded the scope of one country. However, the trend of logistics internationalization has not yet received people's attention.
The second stage--from the early 1980s to the early 1990s. With the development of economy and technology and the increasing expansion of international economic exchanges, the trend of internationalization of logistics has begun to become a common problem worldwide. Posox, a professor at Michigan State University in the United States, believes that in the 1980s, the U.S. economy has lost the momentum of vigorous development and has fallen into a long-term recession crisis. Therefore, we must emphasize improving international logistics management, reducing product costs, improving services, expanding sales, and winning in the fierce international competition. At the same time, Japan is in a mature period of economic development. It is a country founded on trade. It needs to realize the internationalization of logistics that is compatible with its foreign trade. It has also adopted a series of measures such as establishing a logistics information network and strengthening total quality management of logistics to improve the internationalization of logistics. chemical efficiency. The trend of logistics internationalization at this stage is limited to the United States, Japan and some developed countries in Europe.
The third stage--from the early 1990s to the present. At this stage, the concept and importance of international logistics have been generally accepted by governments and foreign trade departments of various countries. Trading partners are all over the world, which inevitably requires internationalization of logistics, that is, internationalization of logistics facilities, internationalization of logistics technology, internationalization of logistics services, internationalization of cargo transportation, internationalization of packaging, internationalization of circulation and processing, etc. Countries around the world have extensively carried out bold explorations in the theory and practice of international logistics. People have formed a common understanding: Only by extensively carrying out international logistics cooperation can we promote world economic prosperity, and logistics knows no borders.
3. International logistics system
The international logistics system is composed of subsystems such as packaging, storage, transportation, inspection, circulation processing of goods, as well as their before and after sorting, repackaging and international distribution. composition. Transportation and storage subsystems are the main components of logistics systems. International logistics realizes its own time and space benefits through the storage and transportation of commodities, and meets the requirements of international trade activities and multinational companies' operations.
(1) Transportation subsystem
The function of transportation is to move the use value of commodities through space. The logistics system relies on transportation operations to overcome the spatial distance between the place where goods are produced and where they are needed, creating a Product space efficiency. International cargo transportation is the core of the international logistics system. Goods are transferred from the seller to the buyer through international freight operations. International cargo transportation has the characteristics of long routes, many links, wide coverage, complicated procedures, high risks, and strong timeliness.
Transportation costs account for a large proportion of the price of internationally traded goods. International transportation mainly includes the selection of transportation methods, processing of transportation documents, insurance and other related aspects.
(2) Warehousing subsystem
Commodity storage and custody keep commodities in a state of relative stagnation for a long or short period of time during their circulation. This kind of stagnation is completely necessary. . Because commodity circulation is a continuous circulation process from dispersion to concentration, and then from concentration to dispersion. Commodities in international trade and cross-border operations are centrally transported from production plants or supply departments to shipping ports, and sometimes must be temporarily stored for a period of time before being shipped for export. This is a process of collection and dispersion. It is mainly carried out in bonded areas and bonded warehouses in various countries, and mainly involves the bonded systems and bonded warehouse construction of various countries. From a logistics perspective, storage time and storage quantity should be minimized, the turnover of goods and funds should be accelerated, and high-efficiency operation of international logistics should be achieved.
(3) Commodity inspection subsystem
Since international trade and cross-border operations have the characteristics of large investment, high risk, and long cycle, commodity inspection has become an important subsystem in the international logistics system. system. Through product inspection, it is determined whether the delivery quality, quantity and packaging conditions comply with the contract provisions. If problems are discovered, responsibilities can be clarified and claims can be made to the relevant parties. In the sales contract, there are generally commodity inspection clauses, the main contents of which include inspection time and location, inspection agency and inspection certificate, inspection standards and inspection methods, etc.
(4) Commodity packaging subsystem
DuPont’s Law (proposed by DuPont Chemical Company of the United States) believes that 63% of consumers purchase products based on their packaging and decoration. The international market and Consumers know a company through its products, and the trademarks and packaging of the products are the face of the company, which reflects the comprehensive scientific, technological and cultural level of a country.
(5) International logistics information subsystem
The main function is to collect, process and transmit information on international logistics and business flow. Without a well-functioning information system, international trade and cross-border operations will be difficult to carry out. The main content of international logistics information includes the operation process of import and export documents, payment method information, customer profile information, market information, supply and demand information, etc.
The characteristics of the international logistics information system are large amount of information, frequent exchange; large transmission volume and strong timeliness; many links, many points, and long lines. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a technologically advanced international logistics information system. The development of EDI in international trade is an important trend. Our country should strengthen the promotion of the application of EDI in international logistics and build a highway for international trade and transnational operations.
The above-mentioned main systems should be organically linked with the distribution system, loading and moving system, and circulation processing system, and should be considered and comprehensively planned to establish an international logistics system that meets the requirements of international competition.
4. Measures my country has taken to deal with international logistics
(1) Establish and improve my country’s logistics network and promote the rationalization of international logistics
International logistics system network It refers to the organic whole of the logistics abstract network composed of multiple "nodes" for receiving and shipping and the connections between them, as well as the accompanying information flow network. To establish our country's international logistics system network, first of all, When planning the number, location and scale of warehouses within the network, it is necessary to focus on the needs of commodity transactions and my country's overall plan for international trade; secondly, it is necessary to clarify the supply scope, hierarchical relationships and supply or acquisition quantities of warehouses at all levels, paying attention to The organic connection of warehouses; thirdly, the planning of international logistics outlets must consider the development of modern logistics technology and leave room for future expansion.
(2) Strengthen the construction of logistics facilities
In order for my country's logistics business to develop internationally, it must modernize its logistics and increase investment in the construction of logistics facilities. Currently, shipping is one of my country's external The main mode and way of transportation, so we should focus on investing in port construction. When building ports, we must not only pay attention to the containerization of the port, but also consider the loading and unloading of large quantities of bulk energy and materials such as oil, coal, raw materials, construction materials, etc.; It is necessary to build dedicated terminal cargo stations, automated three-dimensional warehouses, etc., and gradually realize packaging standardization, loading and unloading mechanization, and transport container shrimp. It is necessary to promote and popularize computer application technology, establish an efficient information transmission system and a global logistics information network, and realize nationwide Based on the operation of logistics information network, it gradually develops abroad to realize the rapid transmission of logistics information around the world, creating a good environment for participating in international competition and realizing logistics internationalization.
(3) Accelerate the cultivation of open logistics talents
To realize the internationalization of logistics, it is necessary to have a team of high-quality logistics talents with both open awareness and professional knowledge and skills. At present, my country's education and training in this area is still relatively backward. In order to adapt to the requirements of my country's logistics development, the training of international logistics talents should be accelerated. Secondly, education and training for on-the-job employees of logistics companies must be strengthened. Not only short-term training must be organized, It is also necessary to organize systematic and overall training. For the cultivation of international logistics talents, we must not only focus on the teaching of basic theoretical knowledge of logistics, but also focus on strengthening the improvement and supplement of knowledge on computers, networks, international trade, communications, standardization, etc. In addition, facing the world In the battle for talent on a wide scale, China must actively improve living and working conditions to attract high-level foreign logistics talents.
5. Conclusion
With the advent of the knowledge economy and information age, the logistics industry will inevitably develop in the direction of internationalization. Our country must stand out in the increasingly fierce competition in the international economy. To gain a foothold, we must vigorously cultivate a team of high-quality logistics talents, create a group of logistics elites, and establish a complete and sound logistics system. Provide high-quality, efficient services for our country to participate in international economic competition, and promote the rapid development of our country's economy. growth, enhance our country's comprehensive strength, and thereby improve our country's international status. This article puts forward some immature views and discusses them with colleagues. It is hoped that they will have certain reference significance in strengthening our country's logistics construction.