Is the term ‘Green Logistics’ an oxymoron Essay

Is the end focus greens logisticals an oxymoron? An oxymoron is a depot in which contradictory words appear in conjunction with one another much(prenominal) as bitter sweet or a deafening silence. In an crusade to answer this question we must commencement exercise throttle what the term thousand Logistics means. When the term is broken down into its composite move logistics is simply delineate by spud and Wood (2011) as the part of the append cosmic string which plans, implements and controls both the advancing and turn anyplace flows of goods, services and information between the point of origin and the point of purpose in an efficient and frameive manner. However, the term young is much more than equivocal when defined in a business sense. In 1996 McDonagh and Prothero proposed that there atomic number 18 several dimensions of atomic number 19 which not that cover ecological, sustainability and conservation issues solely also political, integrated favorc apable responsibility, fair trade and equality matters. Since these topics argon very broad it is hard to define car park in a logistics sense. As a result of this uncertainty over the definition of green, it is helpful to tincture at the definition of colour on a consumer return direct.Ottman (2006, p.24), suggested that while whole products inevitably have some effect on the environs, Green products are those which cipher to minimise this adjoin by conserving push and resources and limiting pollution and abandon. This definition builds on Reinhardts (1998, p.46) keep an eye on that a Green business creates products that provide greater environmental acquires, or that impose smaller environmental costs, than standardized products. When we combine these definitions we arse view Green Logistics as the activities which facilitate the forward and reversal flows of goods, services and information by dint of a supply chain in a expressive style which is not yet efficien t and effective in achieving organisational goals unless also aims to minimise the environmental refer and promote sustainability.When we define and consider Green Logistics this way, I believe the term is not an oxymoron and when aligned with an appropriate higher level corporate strategy can really a major free-enterprise(a) gain for organisations who are able to achieve it. The corpse of this essay will provide mulish precedents of organisations who are successfully using the concepts of Green Logistics to not only minimise environmental impacts but also create and restrain a competitive advantage against competition. integrity concept which is becoming more openhanded in Green Logistic networks is the  dress of prohibit logistics. Reverse logistics can be simply defined as goods satiny backwards by dint of the supply chain from the consumer to the scorers and suppliers. Tompkins (2010) provides multiple Green benefits which arise from practicing reverse lo gistics much(prenominal) as increase sustainability passim the supply chain and reduced waste products, as well as producing an increased level of customer service through after-sales support.An example of reverse logistics in traffic pattern is the South Australian Governments policy of paying 10 cents for every glass, plastic and tin container returned to collection depots. By doing this the Government is able to facilitate the cycle of materials which ultimately has a positive benefit on the environment. This provides a clear example of how logistics processes can be Green by promoting greater environmental benefit than similar products existing in different logistics shackles. An Australian Associated Press article revealed that in 2010, 80 percent or 49,800 tonnes of all containers are recycled in Australia which reveals both obvious environment and financial benefits arising from the practice of green logistics. other common and relatively simple way for organisations to Green their logistics processes while also bring down financial costs is to re build their logistics chains with increased considerations for route optimisation and coaction throughout the supply chain. Blanco and Cotrill (2013) make unpatterned one example of this through a case study of the agricultural concerted Ocean atomiser (based in refreshful Jersey with a distribution eye in Florida) and competitor Tropicana who is based in Florida with a distribution center in juvenile Jersey. Tropicanas third companionship logistics provider approached Ocean Spray and suggested that sort of of Ocean Spray delivering to their distribution concentrate via road, they make use of Tropicanas path links between the two cities and put on the fire train carriages returning from New Jersey to deliver to their distribution centre in Florida. This agreement allowed Ocean Spray to lower both their logistics costs and environmental emissions and saved Tropicana the cost and emission s associated with returning empty rail carriages to Florida.Apart from the physical front end of goods, a debaucheds logistics trading operations also incorporates store strategies. The storage of goods whitethorn be overlooked when considering the environmental impacts of logistics chains. construe 8.1 taken from McKinnon et al. (2013) shows the increasing usage of warehousing and its associated impacts. McKinnon et al. (2013) also proposed three ways in which firms can reduce the environmental impact of warehousing practices. Firstly firms should improve the might efficiency of the lighting and particularly estrus methods used in warehouses (as shown in manikin 8.4. McKinnon, 2013). Secondly, firms can harness green vigor to generate energy from low nose candy emitting or renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind and biomass. Finally, and most importantly, firms should design sustainability into their warehouses, meaning that the buildings not only produce gree n energy more expeditiously but also use less(prenominal) of it.If an organisation is successful in doing this it is able to not only fulfill the logistical goals of operating efficiently and effectively but also minimise impacts on the environment. succession reverse logistics, route optimisation and energy efficient warehousing strategies are only a small example of Green Logistic practices, which also include environmental packaging considerations, paperless order processing and improvements in vehicle energy efficiency, these practices may be ineffective in achieving Green outcomes unless the corporate strategies of the organisation also align. Reinhardt (1998) suggests that for an organisation to leave environmentally friendly practices as a competitive advantage it must early consider whether this strategy is viable in the industry in which it operates. If a firm does consider environmental product speciality an option it must then visit customers are willing to pay for environmental quality, establish and convey the environmental benefits of its product and finally these benefits must be defensible against imitation competition. Only then can an organisation enjoy the benefits of a growing green trend in expenditure (Peattie, 2010).If this is strategy alignment is adopted and retained by an organisation, then Green Logistic practices can provide substantial competitive advantages for the organisation while reducing impacts on the environment. Modern organisations can no lasting afford to view Green Logistics as an oxymoron and perhaps Henry Fords (1903) famous oxymoron A business that makes nix but money is a worthless business may be more applicable.ReferencesBlanco, E & Cotrill, K, 2013, Delivering on the hope of green logistics, MITSloan Management Review, December 2013.McDonagh, P & Prothero, A, 1996, Green trouble A reader, The Dryden Press, London.McKinnon, A. Browne, M. Whiteing, A. 2012, Green logistics Improving the environm ental sustainability of logistics, Kogan Page, London. white potato vine Jr PR & Wood, DF 2011, Contemporary Logistics global Edition, 10th edn, Pearson, Boston.Ottman, J, 1997, Green marketing probability for innovation, TC / Contemporary Books, Lincolnwood.Peattie, K, Green consumption Behaviour and norms, Annual Review of surroundings and Resources, Vol. 35, Issue 1, pp. 195-228.Reinhardt, F.L. 1998, Environmental product distinction Implications for corporate strategy, California management review, vol. 40, no. 4, pp. 43-73. Tompkins, J, 2010, Reverse logistics is not the reverse of logistics, Material Handling and Logistics, November 2010.Big resile in container recycling in SA, AAP world(a) News Wire, July 22, 2010.