Globalization? Not Without the Logistics!

Ever since the end of the 1990s, the buzzword “globalization” has given the cause for lively discussions. In the course of these discussions, scientists from various disciplines, journalists, and politicians keep on coming up with new theories as well as new insights about the actual origin of the term, the true definition of the word, predictions about the future, etc. At the same time, opinions diverge as to whether it was the Chinese, the ancient Egyptians, Vasco da Gama, Columbus or even Theodore Levitt, in his essay “Globalization of Markets,” who ushered in the age of globalization. However, these questions only play a marginal role in the following chapter. My approach is based on the theory that there exists a symbiosis between globalization and logistics; and although both profit from each other, logistics still serves as the foundation of this relationship. At this point, I consciously still opt for the term “logistics,” because “Supply Chain Management (SCM)” implies a much more complex level of interlinking between producers, suppliers, and consumers, which will be explained in more detail later on in the scope of this chapter. The aim of this chapter is to show that globalization and logistics initiate each other and, accordingly, one of them would be unthinkable without the other. Furthermore, the fundamental role of communication using IT is discussed as well.