The global environment that charac- terises the business world highlights the importance of developing strate- gies that go beyond the geographical boundaries of one country. Wage-rate differentials, expanding foreign mar- kets and improved transportation break down barriers of time and space between countries and force the logistics function to take on a global dimension. Global logistics is the response to the increasing integration of international markets as firms try to remain competitive. The term ‘sup- ply chain management’ has been extensively used to depict the new managerial challenge to compete in the marketplace. The humanitarian world relies on logis- tics for the same basic reasons. It also requires a process for managing the flow of goods, information and finances from the.
