Text 7. Logistics
Logistics is the art and science of managing and controlling the flow of goods, energy, information and other resources like products, services, and people, from the source of production to the marketplace. It is difficult to accomplish any marketing or manufacturing without logistical support. It involves integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging. The operating responsibility of logistics is geographical repositioning of raw materials, work in process, and inventories. They are required at the lowest cost.
Logistics as a concept evolved from the military's need to supply the Armed Forces moving from their base forward. In ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine empires, there were military officers with the title “Logistikas”. They were responsible for financial and supply distribution matters. Military logistics first appeared in the 19th century. However, only in World War II logistics theory and practice became sophisticated. As the conflict was carried out with an unprecedented deployment of personnel, equipment and supplies, logistics played a central role in ensuring success for the Allies. Logistics as its own concept in business appeared only in the 1950s. This was mainly due to the increasing complexity of supplying business with materials and shipping out products in an increasingly globalised supply chain.
The main functions of a logistics manager include purchasing, transporting, warehousing, organising and planning. Logistics managers combine general knowledge of each function to coordinate the resources of the organisation. There are two fundamentally different forms of logistics. The first one optimises a steady flow of material through a network of transport links and storage nodes. The other coordinates a sequence of resources to carry out some projects.
Questions for discussion:
1. What is logistics?
2. What integration does logistics involve?
3. How can you describe the operating responsibility of logistics?
4. What did logistics as a concept evolve from?
5. What did the word “Logistikas” mean?
6. How can you characterize the role of logistics in World War II?
7. When did business logistics appear?
8. What factors caused the appearance
9. What are the primary functions of a logistics manager?
10. What are the main forms of logistics?
Module V: Ecology
Text 1: Ecology and Environmental Protection
Ecology is the study of the environment and the way plants, animals, and humans live together and affect each other. This word came from the Greek ‘oikos’ which means ‘home’.
The problem of protecting nature is of primary importance today. Through their daily activities people pollute water, air, soil. If we do not stop these activities the damage may become irreversible.
The Earth is suffering many ecological problems. One of them is air pollution. Urban air pollution continues to expand as a result of the increased number of motor vehicles. Exhaust fumes from the engines of automobiles contain a number of polluting substances. Tokyo has such a serious air-pollution problem that oxygen is supplied to policemen who direct traffic at busy interchanges. Milan, Ankara; Mexico City, and Buenos Aires face similar problems. Air pollution destroys the ozone layer which protects the Earth from the dangerous light of the Sun. In accordance with the Kyoto agreement it was suggested to introduce a special carbon tax in order to reduce the greenhouse effect.
One of the climatic effects of air pollution is acid rain. It is damaging to water, forest, and soil resources. It is blamed for the disappearance of fish from many lakes, for the widespread death of forests in European mountains, and for damaging tree growth throughout the world. Acid rain has been reported in areas as far apart as Sweden and Canada, and in parts of the Russian Federation from Moscow to the Urals.
The second important problem is water pollution. Plants and factories put trash into seas lakes and rivers. Many birds and fish die because of the polluted water.
Another acute problem is water shortage resulting from the abuse of arable lands in agriculture.
People also concern over the dangers resulting from massive releases of radioactive materials from nuclear weapons, which, if used on a major scale, could seriously endanger all of humanity. Another concern is accidents at nuclear power plants. In 1978 a nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania suffered a severe accident leading to partial meltdown of its radioactive core. In 1986 the Chernobyl nuclear power plant near Kiev suffered a fire and partial meltdown, resulting in a major release of radioactive particles. Much of northern and eastern Europe experienced heavy nuclear fallout.
Industries located along waterways downstream contribute a number of chemical pollutants, some of which are toxic. Another form of pollution typical for industrial societies is noise.
Waste is an enormous problem too. One third of all waste is burnt which leads to contamination of air, water and soil. That is why waste recycling is so important in most European countries
In recent years the pollution problems have received great publicity. The media have begun to campaign against tin cans and trash. Protection of natural resources and wildlife is becoming a political programme in every country. Numerous anti-pollution acts adopted in different countries have led to considerable improvements in environment. Non-political environmental organisation Greenpeace has gained widespread trust and support.
In
many countries purifying systems
for treatment of industrial waters have been installed and measures
have been taken to protect rivers and seas from oil waters. 
To protect nature people should change their attitude to it. Man should stop taking from it everything he needs, he must give it his love instead. Otherwise the payoff will be too high. It is good that eventually people started to realize that they should keep air and water clean by establishing strict pollution control. Efforts are being made to reduce pollution from automobiles by developing pollution-free engines which may eventually eliminate more serious air pollution problems. Moreover, the strong public reaction can facilitate the exercise of the absolute pollution control in various contaminated industries.
Questions for discussion:
1. How do people pollute land, water and air?
2. Why does urban air pollution continue to expand?
3. What was suggested to introduce in order to reduce the greenhouse effect.
4. What do acid rains cause?
5. What accidents at nuclear power plants are mentioned in the text?
6. When were the attempts to control pollution initiated?
7. What systems have been installed in many countries?
8. What is being made to reduce pollution from automobile engines?
9. What should people do to protect nature?
10. What can facilitate the exercise of the absolute pollution control?