Logistics and Distribution Management

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$389

AUD

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$599 AUD

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
3816 Students

Learn how to improve your company's logistics and distribution management activities, increase customer satisfaction, and improve operational throughput.

Distribution and logistics management is a critical company function. Professionals in this field play a key role in fulfilling customer demands, ordering and managing inventory, controlling inbound and outbound shipments, reducing costs, saving time, and meeting company objectives. This course will not only show you how to create and operate a logistics function, but it will also show you how to achieve success through a combination of strategies and tactics.

All elements of distribution and logistics management will be covered, including physical distribution, warehouse selection, material handling, packaging, order fulfillment, customer service, inventory management, receiving, production stores, and returned goods. The course will also address key technology issues such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), bar coding, electronic data interchange (EDI), electronic commerce (e-commerce), and distribution resource planning (DRP).

Courses are delivered to you through expertly executed lessons, online instruction and interaction with like-minded students. Our courses are designed to deliver all of the benefits of studying in a classroom whilst giving you the flexibility to study at a time and place to suit your needs. You can access your classroom 24/7 from any device with an internet connection.

This course has a 3 month duration. You'll complete comprehensive lessons, quizzes and assignments before submitting your final exam at the end of the course to achieve your certificate. Courses must be completed within the 3 month access period.

Your success in the logistics field depends on planning and facilitating movement of the right things, at the right time, at the right place, and at the right cost. In our first lesson, we'll discuss the nature of logistics, review its history, and examine how it's currently used. You'll learn about the importance of logistics and discover the role of supply chain management.

Today we'll start with a whirlwind tour through the various elements of a logistics system, examining how each element contributes to its overall success. Then we'll look more closely at two of the major elements: warehousing choices and physical distribution. We'll talk about planning, setting up, and operating a warehouse. We'll explore the scope and function of physical distribution, and finally, we'll study carrier transportation modes and methods.

Today's lesson will broaden your horizons regarding material handling, packaging, order entry, and customer service (order fulfillment). You'll learn about the different material handling options and discover several dimensions of packaging. You'll also see how the order fulfillment cycle can benefit your organization and determine how to calculate the order fill and line item fill methods.

Receiving starts the ball rolling for logistics activities. After all, you can't do much until you receive raw materials, equipment, and supplies. Today we'll discuss receiving, production stores, and ways to address inbound delivery problems. You'll learn the specific steps of the receiving function, and see that there are two types of production stores arrangements—the closed and open system. You'll also discover different ways to store materials and find out the difference between expediting and tracing. Finally, you'll obtain a few strategies to bring lost shipments in on time.

As a logistics practitioner, you're responsible for controlling inventories. To help you do this effectively, today's lesson will cover two key techniques: the ABC classification and the economic order quantity (EOQ) formula. ABC helps you classify inventories based on their characteristics. The EOQ formula balances the cost of obtaining with the cost of keeping inventory. You'll also find out how to set and manage an inventory budget so you come in at or under budget.

Logistics systems move products, material, and equipment in and out of organizations. So, it's important to maintain documentation that reflects the pattern of movement and also designates ownership. Doing so will allow you to effectively manage customer returns. You'll learn how to do this today. We'll also talk about the customer return process and study basic transportation documents, including the bill of lading and the freight bill.

Once upon a time, people had to take, fill, ship, and bill orders without the use of computer technology. But today, it's hard to remember a time when computers weren't used in logistics. We'll start this lesson with an overview of how computers and technology are used. We'll also address specific forms of information technology, including electronic data interchange (EDI), electronic commerce (e-commerce), bar coding, and enterprise resource planning (ERP).

The regulatory reform that took place in the logistics field during the late 1970s brought about great change. Revisions in laws and regulations opened the doors for new opportunities. Today we'll explore the events connected with these changes. We'll also examine how shipping rates are set and used, and finish up by looking at public warehouses and evaluating the pros and cons of outsourcing warehousing activities.

Today we'll focus on the managerial pieces of logistics. We'll start with planning because just about everything you do should begin with a plan. Then we'll move on to the counterpart of planning: control. We'll consider the purpose of organization and then discuss motivation and leadership. You'll learn how to effectively delegate so your requests are completed on time and with the desired performance.

Selecting the right location for distribution facilities is one of the most critical decisions logistics professionals make. It involves huge expenditures of money that you make in a context filled with volatile events. Today you'll learn about the benefits of forecasting, long-range planning, capacity planning, and facility selection. We'll cover factors you need to consider for a general and a specific location and how to evaluate them. You'll also discover how distribution resource planning (DRP) can effectively synchronize demand and supply.

Logistics personnel have frequent opportunities to work on projects, ranging from improving ongoing operations to opening a new distribution center. Today we'll discuss the need for project management. We'll differentiate projects from programs and tasks, explore the temporary and unique aspects of projects, and look at how critical scope definition is to a project's success. Finally, we'll examine the phases of the project life cycle and critique elements of project management that will help you position your project for success.

Joseph Juran, noted quality expert, said, "If you don't measure it, you don't manage it." The flip side is, if you do measure it, you manage it, and that means you can improve it. So in our final lesson, we'll examine performance measurements—a way to keep track of progress. We'll start off by looking at human nature and performance measurements. Then we'll consider what makes a performance measurement effective. We'll finish up by discussing traditional and progressive measurements of performance.

Tony Swaim

Tony Swaim has helped many clients, colleagues, and students reach their professional and personal goals. He has been an online instructor since 1998 and has taught at colleges and universities across the United States since 1981. His focus areas ... Read more

Read Tony Swaim's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Online learning is a flexible way to study that fits around your schedule, giving you the freedom to learn at your own pace from anywhere in the world. You'll have 3 months to complete the course and can take the multiple-choice questions and final exam whenever it suits you.

If you need help, you can contact us anytime. You can also join the discussion area where you can interact with other students. The discussion area for each lesson is open for the entire duration of the course.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

We do not offer extensions or transfers for this self-paced course. However, you will have 3 months to complete the course, and if you need to cancel within the first 10 days of enrolment, we offer a money back guarantee.

What people are saying about our courses

I am very glad that courses like this are available to help those of us that have been in this field many years, catch up with the latest trends and refresh our knowledge of the basics.

Verified Student

I completed this class just in time to receive the assignment to write a paper on our logistics operation. I am an inventory management specialist. Thanks to you, I am so ready to write this paper as well taking a greater role in the Logistics and not just inventory.

Verified Student

I enjoyed this course, as I am in transportation and felt that I needed this course.

Verified Student

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The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Logistics and Distribution Management you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

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Our Values

Learn At Your Own Pace

We believe in personalised learning. That's why we provide all the tools and support you need to succeed at your own pace. With flexible learning, you'll stay motivated and retain more information. Plus, you can balance your studies with work and family commitments to make your dreams a reality.

We Won't Break The Bank

Education should be accessible to anyone who wants to learn. That's why we offer some of the most competitive prices in the industry with payments plans for just $25 per week. Investing in your future is a smart choice and doesn’t have to break the bank.

Industry-Led Courses

There's no better way to learn than from experts with years of experience in your field. That's why each of our 200+ industry-led courses are designed to give you a real-life perspective on your industry. With our expert mentors, you'll learn from people who have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and who are passionate about sharing it with you.

Get The Personal Support You Deserve

At Vibe Learning, we're real people who are dedicated to providing you with personal support every step of the way. Our industry experts are not only professional and knowledgeable but also incredibly passionate about sharing their expertise with you. With their guidance, you'll gain invaluable insights and practical knowledge to help you succeed.

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Logistics and Distribution Management

$599

$389AUD

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Publish and Sell E-Books

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
1515 Students

Learn how to use free tools to publish an e-book, and then list and sell your e-books in the world's largest online bookstores.

E-books are blazing through the publishing world like a speeding comet, with thousands of previously undiscovered authors as the bright glowing lights in its tail. Independentâ€”indieâ€”authors are becoming overnight sensations in the New York Times and USA Today, on Amazon, and well, everywhere e-books are sold. In this course, you'll see how you can join their ranks by learning how to publish and sell your own e-book.

It's no secret that e-books now regularly outsell traditionally published books in online bookstores around the world. This is great news for authors, who no longer need a large budget to self-publish and promote their books. In fact, in this course, you'll learn step by step how to use free tools to turn your manuscript into a professionally published e-book ready for distribution. Or, if you don't consider yourself a ""techie,"" this course will give you the information you need to select the right publishing services to help you as you convert your manuscript so you're ready to sell it as an e-book.

Whether you're a first-timer or have already put out an e-book or two, this course puts you inside the publishing industry, sharing the tricks of the trade used by traditional publishers to make sure their books are in the best position to be found by readers. You'll learn how to target your reading audience, select bookstores, get your book distributed around the world, and even have your book added to your local library's virtual shelves. By the end of this course, you can have your publishing dreams come true by selling an e-book. Make it happen today!

Course Revised June 2013

E-book sales climb higher every day. In fact, e-book sales have put millions of dollars in the hands of previously unpublished authors, midlist authors who've had modest print sales, and established authors who've decided to strike out on their own. When you publish your own e-book, you can earn up to 10 times higher royalties! In this first lesson, we're going to do a whirlwind tour of the rise of e-books. We'll follow that with an overview of the major players in the industry and look at e-book readers. By the time you're finished this lesson, you'll be ready to start self-publishing your own e-book.

In this lesson, you're going to start getting your e-book ready for publication, much like you would prepare a great manuscript for an editor at a publishing house. You want to make sure you have a great story that hangs together or a nonfiction book that's error-free. One of the best starts you can give your e-book when you send it off into the world is to make sure it's up to today's standards—with proper grammar, spelling, and style. In this lesson, you'll find out how to use tools to make this task simple and fast!

Today, we'll start the first steps in the publishing process. You'll learn how to create a reader profile describing your ideal reader and apply what you've learned to your marketing plan. I'll share two of my book profiles with you and show you how they helped me write the book descriptions, select the titles, and create the covers. I've filled this lesson with lots of tips that will help you find readers for your book when it's launched.

For this lesson, we'll look at a few things you should do before publishing your book. First, we'll discuss copyright registration. This will ensure that you're compensated if someone uses part of your book once it's in the bookstores! To make your book available in bookstores, you'll also want to get an ISBN, which stands for International Standard Book Number. This identifies your book worldwide. I'll tell you how that works, and what your options are, as well. And finally, we'll examine CIP, or Cataloging in Publication, data. This is the information librarians add to their catalog so that they can circulate your book to their patrons. It's exciting to think about, isn't it? Pretty soon, you'll have a catalogued book!

This lesson takes you "under the covers" of your book to your title page and all the front and back matter you want to add. You'll need to consider the author name you want to use, or whether you want to use your own name at all. This is a big decision, so we'll look at a number of things you should consider. Once that's done and you've typed all the information into your book and formatted it, you'll learn how to add a table of contents and hyperlinks, so your reader can move around easily. This lesson will give you lots to think about and lots to do—and when you're done, you'll have included everything you'll find in any traditionally published book.

Today you'll learn how to add your cover to your book, along with any other essential images. Images aren't always perfect, so you'll learn some basic steps on how to adjust them. And you'll also learn how to check the file size of your book and ensure that it meets bookseller and distributor requirements. Once you've got everything just the way you want it, you'll learn how to convert your book file to a PDF, the most popular document file on the Web. And you'll even learn how to password protect PDFs to sell from your site!

What are your options for converting your manuscript into an e-book that users can read on e-readers? Your choices range from hiring a service that does it all to doing it all yourself. In this lesson, we'll look at the pros and cons of paid services and free services, and I'll show you how to use Sigil—free open source editing software—to convert your book to EPUB format and add metadata that will help with sales at online retailers. Not sure what metadata is? We're going to go into detail on that too, and you'll learn how to use the same tools as traditional publishers in the brick-and-mortar world to give your e-book an inside advantage. By the end of this lesson, your e-book will be ready to read on many popular e-readers!

In this lesson, you'll learn how to use an e-book management tool to do a number of different things, from organizing your own e-book library to converting your e-book to a multitude of formats. The name of the tool is Calibre. Calibre lets you add stars and comments to the books you've downloaded, as well as convert unprotected e-book files from one format to another, so you can read books you've purchased on your smartphone, tablet, or e-reader. By the end of this lesson, you'll know how to use Calibre to fine-tune your EPUB file and convert it to MOBI for the Kindle reader. You'll be amazed at how easy Calibre is to use—just follow the steps, and you'll have your e-book ready to upload to online bookstores in no time!

Publishing your own e-books is a business, and in Lesson 9 we'll look at the business end of things. There's always some paperwork required to start up a business, particularly on the Internet where you're dealing with online bookstores that could be anywhere in the world. Amazon is the world's biggest bookstore, and its headquarters are in the United States, so we'll look at their requirements first. They don't make the rules though—they only implement the ones set down by law. We'll also go through the business decisions you'll have to make, including adding DRM, pricing your book, and whether you want to make your title exclusive to one store. We'll wrap up the lesson by walking step-by-step through the questions you'll answer as you upload and publish your book!

This lesson opens up many virtual bookshelves for your new book as you learn how to select and work with an e-book distributor or aggregator. Even if you're an international author, aggregators can get you into any bookstore you want! It's an exciting time to be self-publishing, as there are many different options and tailor-made solutions. Even if you're starting out with a publishing budget of $0, your book can reach millions of readers. And if you're concerned about your technical skills, don't! In today's lesson, you'll also learn how a distributor can take care of everything for you.

When you decided to self-publish your book, you eliminated the publisher—who would have gotten the biggest share of income from your hard work. In this lesson, I'll show you how you can eliminate the bookstore too. That leaves all the money from sales in your hands! There are other advantages to selling your books directly, and we'll take a look at those, as well as some of the disadvantages. I'll outline the three main considerations for direct sales, and we'll do a quick overview of the many options you'll have for collecting money online and delivering books to your buyers.

This may be the last lesson of the course, but it's also one of the most exciting. We're going to look at additional ways to get your book in readers' hands. One of the first, of course, is libraries. How would you like to see your name and book come up when you search your library's online catalog? We'll also talk about getting into school libraries, and the Google Books Library Project that aims to digitize all the books in the world. Interested in your multimedia options? We'll cover this today as well, and we'll discuss your options for printing your book so traditional print readers can also have access to it. So be prepared to come away with new ways to have your books reach readers!

Linda Aksomitis

Linda Aksomitis has a master's degree in adult vocational/technical education, with a minor in English. She has published 25 books for readers of all ages (fiction and nonfiction), including numerous e-books, and she has a few thousand publication... Read more

Read Linda Aksomitis's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

What people are saying about our courses

The course clarified what I needed to know about getting a book on the market in one way or another, and that was my chief objective. The instructor was everything she should be and more and I learned far more than I anticipated. I had no idea the area was so complex.

Verified Student

A very well-done course. Gave me exactly the knowledge and experience I was after.

Verified Student

I LOVED the class and I'm so excited to have a detailed to-do list now to prepare my books for publishing!!

Verified Student

See More Reviews

The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Publish and Sell E-Books you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.