Marketing 4580 International Transportation - Essay Example

Chapter 11 How do product characteristics influence packaging and materials handling considerations? In packaging products, the most important aspect to consider is the physical characteristic of the package. Either each package exists in solid, gas or liquid and each physical state has a specific mode of packaging. A good example is metal cylinders used to package gases while pails package liquids. The density of a product is another aspect that affects the packaging conditions. The last aspect is the ability of the product to withstand different elements.

The fact that salt piles cannot withstand rain while coal can determines how differently packaging of the products should be.10. What environmentally friendly packaging strategies might a firm adopt?Postconsumer recycled content are environmental friendly and a firm could use these materials in packaging. Another environmental friendly strategy that a firm could apply would be the reduction of packaging materials used and instead use just one material for packaging. In order to keep the cycle going the firm should also have an environmental friendly system to collect the materials used in packaging for recycling.

The last effective strategy would be to use materials that could be under use again after cleaning like refillable beverage bottles.12. How can reducing packaging inefficiencies improve the performance of a logistics system?Logistics have been existent since civilization and it is both exciting and challenging. If the packaging inefficiency were under reduction, there would be a great ease because logistics deals with getting products wherever they are in need at the right time. This is only possible; by the way, the products are stored.18. Of the 10 materials handling principles discussed in this chapter, which two are most surprising to you. Why?The first principle that states that materials should be handled as less as possible surprises me most.

I fail to understand the aim of handling materials without really handling them, but the results of this principle stand out for themselves. The other principle that surprises me is the principle of moving optimum units in one package. I would argue that it is more risky to move a huge number of goods in one unit due to risk of destruction and huge losses.Chapter 42. Compare and contrast the fragmented and unified logistics organizational structures.In fragmented logistics, activities are under management in many different offices in an organization while in unified logistics as the name suggests multiple activities under execution in one department and managed as a single unit.5. From a logistics perspective, how is network organizational design manifested in terms of relevancy, responsiveness, and flexibility?

Every participant in the network organization has their specific duty to carry out under their department. If everyone is doing their duty, then the agility of the whole system should be precise and accurate on timing and coordination. One principle of logistics is not to affect the production of the product. If a network is efficient the relevancy, responsiveness and flexibility is under good management and does not confuse the whole network.9. What are some potential challenges to improving productivity by getting more output from existing assets?

The major challenge of trying to get more output from existing assets would be straining of the asset. If for example one had a gun, manufacturing company to increase the production of the goods would require a bigger company or bigger and stronger machinery. The other challenge is that the management of the asset would be quite confusing as it is a small asset with a bigger output.19. Discuss the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism(C-TPAT).It came to after the bombing of the world trade center.

This partnership is voluntary and the main aim of its formation was to prevent any other disruption of world trade even in presence of terrorism. This partnership aims at making sure the economy of the world and currency strength remain strong unlike the 2001 bombing aftermath.Work citedMurphy, Paul R, and Donald F. Wood. Contemporary Logistics. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall, 2011. Print.