Supply Chain and Logistics For The Present Day Business

We are living in an era of competition which is increasing day by day. Transportation comprises of key area where logistics companies can truly differentiate themselves and prove with, reduce costs, and build real competitive advantage. Logistics outsourcing can offer business men with measurable cost and efficiency advantages, yet often overlooked as a viable option due to the inherent difficulties in implementing the practice in a manageable, consistent manner. Third-party logistics (3PL) providers tend to apply the same approach to businesses of every type, oblivious to the unique needs - and opportunities - present in specific customer scenarios. Logistics have existed since ancient time but not be called so where invention of wheel was a starting point of logistics which allowed people to move raw material as well as finished goods. Population began moving from rural to urban areas and to business centres. No longer did people live near production centres, the concept of starting business near to the raw material availability location was replaced due to the comfort of shifting the required material from one place to another with the help of research done on the logistics related problems, nor did production take place near residence centres. The geographical distance between the point of manufacturing and point of consumption increased, this is how logistics gained importance. The present paper tries to highlight the importance of logistics in the present day business development. Here the author gives a briefing about the present logistics position in India and also the problems/hurdles for the slow growth of Indian logistics system. The author also want to highlight the scope of logistics in Indian business and how it can cope for better business development with other developed nations all over the globe. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V.