What is logistics? -- A collection of Logistics Definitions from LogisticsWorld

What is logistics?

"Logistics means having the right thing, at the right place, at the right time."

Logistics - (business definition) Logistics is defined as a business planning framework for the management of material, service, information and capital flows. It includes the increasingly complex information, communication and control systems required in today's business environment. -- (Logistix Partners Oy, Helsinki, FI, 1996)

Logistics - (military definition) The science of planning and carrying out the movement and maintenance of forces.... those aspects of military operations that deal with the design and development, acquisition, storage, movement, distribution, maintenance, evacuation and disposition of material; movement, evacuation, and hospitalization of personnel; acquisition of construction, maintenance, operation and disposition of facilities; and acquisition of furnishing of services. -- (JCS Pub 1-02 excerpt)

Logistics - The procurement, maintenance, distribution, and replacement of personnel and materiel. -- (Websters Dictionary)

Logistics - 1. The branch of military operations that deals with the procurement, distribution, maintenance, and replacement of materiel and personnel. 2. The management of the details of an operation.
[French logistiques, from logistique, logic (perhaps influenced by loger, to quarter), from Medieval Latin logisticus, of calculation.] -- (American Heritage Dictionary)

Logistics - ...the process of planning, implementing, and controlling the efficient, effective flow and storage of goods, services, and related information from point of origin to point of consumption for the purpose of conforming to customer requirements." Note that this definition includes inbound, outbound, internal, and external movements, and return of materials for environmental purposes. -- (Reference: Council of Logistics Management, http://www.clm1.org/mission.html, 12 Feb 98)

Logistics - The process of planning, implementing, and controlling the efficient, cost effective flow and storage of raw materials, in-process inventory, finished goods and related information from point of origin to point of consumption for the purpose of meeting customer requirements. -- (Reference: Canadian Association of Logistics Management, http://www.calm.org/calm/AboutCALM/AboutCALM.html, 12 Feb, 1998)

Logistics - The science of planning, organizing and managing activities that provide goods or services. -- (MDC, LogLink / LogisticsWorld, 1997)

Logistics - Logistics is the science of planning and implementing the acquisition and use of the resources necessary to sustain the operation of a system. -- (Reference: ECRC University of Scranton / Defense Logistics Agency Included with permission from: HUM - The Government Computer Magazine "Integrated Logistics" December 1993, Walter Cooke, Included with permission from: HUM - The Government Computer Magazine.)

Logist - To perform logistics functions or processes. The act of planning, organizing and managing activities that provide goods or services. (The verb "to logist." Eg. She logisted the last operation. I will logist the next operation. I am logisting the current operation. We logist the operations. The operations are well logisted.) -- (MDC, LogLink / LogisticsWorld, 1997)

Logistic - Of or pertaining to logistics. -- (MDC, LogLink / LogisticsWorld, 1997)

Logistical - Of or pertaining to logistics, logistics-like. -- (MDC, LogLink / LogisticsWorld, 1997)

Logistics Functions - (classical) planning, procurement, transportation, supply, and maintenance. -- (United States Department of Defense DOD)

Logistics Processes - (classical) requirements determination, acquisition, distribution, and conservation. -- (United States Department of Defense DOD)

Business Logistics - The science of planning, design, and support of business operations of procurement, purchasing, inventory, warehousing, distribution, transportation, customer support, financial and human resources. -- (MDC, LogLink / LogisticsWorld, 1997)

Cradle-to-Grave - Logistics planning, design, and support which takes in to account logistics support throughout the entire system or product life cycle. -- (MDC, LogLink / LogisticsWorld, 1997)

Acquisition Logistics - Acquisition Logistics is everything involved in acquiring logistics support equipment and personnel for a new weapons system. The formal definition is "the process of systematically identifying, defining, designing, developing, producing, acquiring, delivering, installing, and upgrading logistics support capability requirements through the acquisition process for Air Force systems, subsystems, and equipment. -- (Reference: Air Force Institute of Technology, Graduate School of Acquisition and Logistics.)

Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) (1) - ILS is a management function that provides planning, funding, and functioning controls which help to assure that the system meets performance requirements, is developed at a reasonable price, and can be supported throughout its life cycle. -- (Reference: Air Force Institute of Technology, Graduate School of Acquisition and Logistics.)

Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) (2) - Encompasses the unified management of the technical logistics elements that plan and develop the support requirements for a system. This can include hardware, software, and the provisioning of training and maintenance resources. -- (Reference: ECRC University of Scranton / Defense Logistics Agency Included with permission from: HUM - The Government Computer Magazine "Integrated Logistics" December 1993, Walter Cooke.)

Logistics Support Analysis (LSA) - Simply put, LSA is the iterative process of identifying support requirements for a new system, especially in the early stages of system design. The main goals of LSA are to ensure that the system will perform as intended and to influence the design for supportability and affordability. -- (Reference: Air Force Institute of Technology, Graduate School of Acquisition and Logistics.)

Please submit any additions or corrections to this page to: info@logisticsworld.com

Source: What is logistics? www.logisticsworld.com/logistics.htm