aggregate Combining the creation of many similar products into one relevant measure of activity for the organization. Click here for Hint aggregate or logistics or load distance?

air charter Transportation by an aircraft hired expressly for that trip, operating outside the scheduled flights of an air carrier. Click here for Hint LTL or freight consolidation or air charter?

customs The governmental agency responsible for controlling the flow of goods in and out of a country, enforcing that country’s trade laws and collecting associated taxes. Click here for Hint customs or NIMBY or RFID?

dispatching Assigning work in real- time, often in the context of mobile resources. Click here for Hint logistics or dispatching or dispatching?

e-commerce Buying and selling product through electronic transactions. Click here for Hint RFID or e-commerce or EDI?

economies of scale Decreasing average unit cost by increasing volume. Click here for Hint variable cost or outsource or economies of scale?

electronic data interchange (EDI) The linking of two information systems from two different organizations to transfer data and conduct transactions. Click here for Hint ERP or EDI or 3PL?

enterprise resource planning (ERP) A strategic information system that integrates all functional areas of an organization. Click here for Hint ERP or EDI or 4PL?

fixed cost Cost incurred regardless of the volume of associated activity. Click here for Hint variable cost or fixed cost or economies of scale?

fourth-party logistics (4PL) Logistical consulting provided by a firm without logistical assets. Click here for Hint 3PL or 4PL or LTL?

freight consolidation A third-party logistical service that groups small shipments of several clients into a larger shipment to achieve economies of scale in transport. Click here for Hint 4PL or intermodal container or freight consolidation?

freight forwarders Third-party logistics providers that facilitate shipments for clients. Click here for Hint freight consolidation or freight forwarders or ERP?

geographic information system (GIS) A database for analyzing and presenting information about a location. Click here for Hint GIS or ERP or EDI?

goods Tangible products. Click here for Hint goods or pipeline stock or LTL?

hub-and-spoke network A transportation network in which a set of destinations is connected to a central hub, so that any pair of destinations can connect by travel through the hub. Click here for Hint hub-and-spoke network or inbound logistics or outbound logistics?

inbound logistics Management of flow into a facility or other system. Click here for Hint hub-and-spoke network or inbound logistics or outbound logistics?

incoterms ® Standardized sets of terms accepted worldwide for transportation of goods, established and trademarked by the International Chamber of Commerce. Click here for Hint LTL or incoterms or outsource?

intermodal container A standard freight container designed to be loaded by the shipper and unloaded at its destination. Click here for Hint intermodal container or incoterms or freight consolidation?

linear averaging A numerically weighted evaluation method used in situations such as awarding contracts, selecting locations, or ranking candidates. Click here for Hint point of indifference or NIMBY or linear averaging?

last-mile (or last- kilometer problem) The challenge of completing delivery of a good or a service, especially if the destination is remote or disrupted by disaster. Click here for Hint last-mile problem or outbound logistics or inbound logistics?

less-than-load (LTL) A shipment sufficiently small so as to not require the entire capacity of a logistical assets, also known as less-than- truckload or less-than- carload. Click here for Hint LTL or pipeline stock or RFID?

load distance A quantity multiplied by the distance that the quantity will travel, to create an overall expression of the work required by that action. Click here for Hint variable cost or linear averaging or load distance?

logistics Management of flow between locations, typically the transportation of products, personnel, or other resources. Click here for Hint logistics or outbound logistics or inbound logistics?

maritime shipping Transportation by sea or other waterway. Click here for Hint outbound logistics or maritime shipping or intermodal container?

NIMBY Not in my backyard; a grass-roots political effort to block the planned location of a facility by area residents. Click here for Hint GIS or customs or NIMBY?

outbound logistics Management of flow departing a facility or other system. Click here for Hint hub-and-spoke network or inbound logistics or outbound logistics?

outsource To subcontract an internal process to an external provider. Click here for Hint 3PL or 4PL or outsource?

pipeline stock Inventory currently in transit between locations. Click here for Hint pipeline stock or dispatching or maritime shipping?

point of indifference When two alternatives have identical merit. Click here for Hint LTL or point of indifference or aggregate?

radio frequency identification (RFID) The tagging of objects with devices that may be detected and interrogated for information by remote electronic readers, allowing identification and tracking without contact. Click here for Hint RFID or GIS or EDI?

third-party logistics (3PL) Outsourcing logistics activities to a provider. Click here for Hint 4PL or 3PL or outsource?

variable cost Cost that varies with volume of associated activity. variable cost or aggregate or fixed cost? Click here for Hint