Module 1. What is Logistics?

Tune In

1. What is Logistics? What do you associate the word with?

Reading 1

1. Look at the picture. Predict what it has to do with ‘logistics’.

2. a) Read the text to see whether your predictions were correct.

b) While reading the text, draw the shoes’ route.

What is Logistics?

The answer to this is on your feet! Look at the shoes you are wearing; they may look simple, but it took a complex process to get them from raw materials to a product you can wear. The functions in this process are what make up logistics.

Let’s say you are wearing running shoes imported from Taiwan, made of leather and man-made materials. The soles may have been manufactured from synthetics made in India and formed into soles in Malaysia, then sent to Taiwan. The uppers may be leather taken from cattle raised in Argentina, cut in China, and sewn to the soles in Taiwan. The laces may be manufactured in Romania. The tongue may be made from the synthetics in India, but sewn in Pakistan.

The pieces are manufactured into the final product in Taiwan, and trucked to a port where they are shipped via ocean to, say, Vancouver. From there they go by train to Calgary, where they are unloaded into a warehouse for a large retail chain. As stores place orders, the shoes are shipped out to a store where you shop and eventually purchase them.

(taken from http://wordiq.com)

4. In the text, highlight the words and phrases which mean the same as these phrases:

• through;

• to buy smth;

• to remove load from a vehicle, ship;

• to take smth somewhere by a large road vehicle;

• to deliver goods or make them available for people to buy;

• a commercial building for keeping goods;

• selling goods in shops to customers.

5. Logistics – success or failure? Here are some definitions of Logistics. Read and find the most appropriate. Explain your choice.

• ‘movement of goods’

• ‘the process of strategic managing and storage of materials or products and related information from any point in the manufacturing process through consumer fulfillment’

• ‘practical arrangements that are needed in order to make a plan or activity successful’.

• ‘the art and science of managing and controlling the flow of goods, energy, information and other resources’.

• ‘a delivery of the required goods at the required place, at the required time, in the required state and to the required person… efficiently.’

• ‘the process of designing, managing and improving such supply chains which might include purchasing, manufacturing, storage and, of course, transport’.

Pronunciation

1. a) Listen to the tape and practise saying these words.

Taiwan Vancouver Calgary

Malaysia Argentina China Romania India Pakistan

b) Listen to the sentences and complete the table with countries, capitals/large industrial cities and nationalities.

Country	Capital/Large city	Nationality
		Thai
	Peking
Malaysia
Romania
	Delhi
		Argentinian
	Islamabad
Canada
	Taipei

2. a) Here is a list of some more countries. Complete the chart with the capitals and nationalities. Make use of a dictionary if necessary.

Country	Capital	Nationality
Turkey
Spain
Japan
Sweden
Switzerland
Austria
Belarus
Syria
Portugal
Greece
Italy
Poland

• Ok. So, we’ll purchase Taiwanese leather. I will contact Mr. Lee.

• Oh, I’ve heard he’s not in Taipei at the moment. He’s in Warsaw if I’m not mistaken.

• Poland? What’s he doing there? Hmmm… Anyway, if he’s not back by the beginning of the next week, what shall we do?

• Stop saving on the quality of raw materials and buy leather in Italy!

b) Read and act out the following conversation.

c) Choose any 3-5 words from the table in ex.2a) (any columns) and make up a similar conversation.

Language Focus: Grammar

1. In the text, find all the verbs.Underline all the active forms and circle all the passive forms.

2. Compare pairs of sentences. Trace the change of meaning. What are the differences in emphasis between the sentences in each pair?

• The expert monitors the process of shipping, if there are orders.

• If there are orders, the process of shipping should be monitored.

• In 1989, Mr. Tibbet and Mr. Britten established “Unique Logistics International”.

• “Unique Logistics International” was established in 1989 in the UK.

• Explosives and flammables are not permitted for transportation.

• The Government doesn’t permit people to transport explosives and flammables.

3. Transform active into passive and vice versa.

   Active	Passive
   1. Logistics managers regulate the retail chain.	1. The retail chain ….
   2. Stores are placing orders at the moment.	2. … by stores.
   3. They ….	3. Goods were unloaded into a warehouse.
   4. The company has purchased textile raw materials.	4. … recently.
   5. They will ship products via ocean.	5. These days ….
   6. Indians can make synthetics.	6. If there is demand ….
   7. The Portuguese ….	7. The shirts may have been manufactured from silk in Portugal.

4. Look back at ex. 5, p. 2., paraphrase the sentences concerning the definitions of logistics using Passive Voice, as in the example.

EXAMPLE: Logistics is movement of goods. = Logistics is the process when goods are moved.

Reading 2