The Importance of Logistics in the UK Economy

Abstract

In recent years, interest in logistics has been growing rapidly, mainly because it is believed to be one of the few areas remaining in business where substantial economies may be made. Despite this interest, comparatively little attention has been directed towards establishing the overall importance of logistics in the UK—an omission this paper seeks to rectify. Logistics is defined by Bowersox as: “… a term which denotes a total approach to the management of the distribution process including all of those activities involved in physically moving raw materials, in process inventory and finished goods inventory from point of origin to point of use or consumption”. In other words, logistics combines the traditionally defined areas of materials management and physical distribution, as shown in Figure 1.

Citation

Childerley, A. (1980), "The Importance of Logistics in the UK Economy", International Journal of Physical Distribution & Materials Management, Vol. 10 No. 4, pp. 185-192. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb014473