The field of logistics continues to develop at a remarkable pace. Until recently, logistics was barely considered in long-term plans of even major companies, but its strategic role is now recognised and it lies at the heart of long-term plans in almost every business. There are many reasons for this change: communications and information technology are offering new opportunities; world trade is growing; competition is forcing operations to adopt new practices and become evermore efficient; and there is increasing concern for the environment. Add to this the increased emphasis on consumer satisfaction, flexible operations and time compression, and it becomes clear why it is so important to get logistics right. This edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to reflect the latest trends, best practices, and cutting-edge thinking on global logistics. This leading title provides guidance on important topics, including agile supply chains, IT, sustainability and performance management, collaboration, outsourcing and humanitarian logistics.