Organising For Physical Distribution

This report discusses the problem of how to organise the activities of the firm in order to achieve efficient logistics performance. In reviewing over 50 books and articles (professional and academic) published before 1975, the author identifies seven major themes, ranging from timing the establishment of logistics departments to modern theories of “matrix” organisations. The results of a survey conducted by the author in 1974 are presented, and the difficulties of developing definitive conclusions or guides to action in this area are discussed. (This report was written while the author was a graduate student at the Harvard Business School.)