中英文翻译原文Logistics costs and controllingAbstractLogistic costs are defined differently in companies. In many cases, the reported logistic costs of companies even within the same business differ more than justified by their operations. Some companies do not count interest and depreciation on inventories as logistic costs. Others include the distribution costs of their suppliers or the purchasing costs. In some cases, even the purchase value of the procured goods is included in the logistic costs (Baumgarten et al. 1993; Gudehus and Kotzab 2004; Weber 2002).Logistic costs are defined differently in companies. In many cases, the reported logistic costs of companies even within the same business differ more than justified by their operations. Some companies do not count interest and depreciation on inventories as logistic costs. Others include the distribution costs of their suppliers or the purchasing costs. In some cases, even the purchase value of the procured goods is included in the logistic costs (Baumgarten et al. 1993; Gudehus and Kotzab 2004; Weber 2002).Another problem, which arises not only in logistics, is costing and pricing of intangible goods. Intangible goods, such as logistic services, provide immediate utility and are generally not storable. Therefore, the conventional methods ofaccounting, costing and pricing, which have been developed for tangible goods, are of limited value for logistics (Cooper 1992; Horvàth 1999; Johnson 1987).More appropriate for the calculation of performance costs are process-related cost accounting and activity based costing. However, in logistics as well as in other areas of business, the definition and calculation of process costs differs (Bragg 2001; Hicks 2002; Horvàth 1999; Pohlen and LaLonde 1994; Poist 1974). This holds especially for the performance costs of multifunctional logistic systems, for pricing of integrated performances and for the consideration of fixed costs.As long as they are defined, measured and calculated differently, logistic costs, cost rates and prices cannot be compared. Any benchmarking based on such doubtful indicators is misleading (see Sect. 4.5). Hence, reported market volumes and market shares of logistics are at best educated guesses (Baumgarten et al. 1993; Kille and Klaus 2007; Müller-Steinfahrt 1998).The situation in logistic controlling and supply chain controlling is even worse (Cooper and Kaplan 1998; Manrodt et al. 1999; Seuring 2006). Only a minority of companies records and monitors logistic costs separately and continuously (Weber 2002). Whereas in industry the total logistic costs range between 5 and 15% of turnover, in trade companies they make up between 10 and 25% of turnover (Baumgarten et al. 1993; Gudehus 1999/2007). For retailers, logistic costs can use up more than one third of the profit margin. Despite this, it is still the exception for retailers to record and monitor the logistic costs from the ramp of the suppliers to the point of sales.Logistic controlling does not only include calculation, budgeting and recording of costs, but also the monitoring of performance and quality. Controlling should consult management in the planning, set up and operation of optimal systems. To enable this, it has to determine and specify for improvements in service, performance, quality, and costs (Cooper 1992; Darkow 2001; Horvàth 1999; Johnson 1987; Weber et al. 1993, 2002).Where and with what accuracy costs, performances and quality should be recorded and monitored depends on the contribution of logistics to the value creation, on the core competencies and objectives of the company, and on current projects. In logistic controlling, as in other areas, less is more: it is better to control a small number of meaningful key performance indicators (KPI) with adequate accuracy in longer time spans, than to monitor all possible performance, quality and cost data with high precision permanently without knowing the demand for these information(Manrodt et al. 1999). For controlling, not the precision of the performance and cost data, but their practical use and application are decisive.In this chapter, the logistic costs are consistently defined, the fundamental issues of logistic costing are presented, and practicable methods for the calculation of use dependent cost rates are developed. This includes a discussion of the fixed-cost dilemma of logistics, the relationship between logistic costs and performance rates and the most effective options for reducing logistic costs. Using the results of this chapter, in the following chapter cost-based prices and pricing systems for logistic performances and services are derived.Cost Accounting and Performance CostingCorresponding to the stationary or structural aspect and to the dynamic or process aspect, two different types of accounting are necessary. Cost accounting for longer periods keeps a stationary point of view, while performance costing for shorter periods reflects the dynamic perspective.Logistic Cost CalculationAs the general cost calculation of a company, the logistic cost calculation comprises standard cost calculation, accompanying cost calculation and final cost calculation (Horváth 1999; Weber 2002; Wöhe and Döring 2008).Standard Cost CalculationSubjects of standard cost calculation or planned cost calculation are the future operating costs for an existing or a planned system. Results are standard logistic costs and target performance costs.Standard cost calculation is necessary for investment decisions, for planning systems, processes and projects, for cost accounting and benchmarking of future periods and for the calculation of prices and tariffs.Accompanying Cost CalculationAccompanying cost calculation aims for a continuous control of all costs caused by the execution of logistic tasks and services during the current accounting period. The result of accompanying cost calculation is information for management about the current costs and utilization of resources.Knowing the costs and the utilization of the resources allows initiating appropriate measures for reducing costs, adaptation of resources and improving capacity utilization in due time. The results of the accompanying cost calculation can be used also for invoicing and compensation of logistic service providers, if costs-based prices have been agreed.Final Cost CalculationSubjects of final cost calculation or post calculation are the operating costs of closed periods in the past. The real logistic costs and cost rates can be compared with the respective target values and benchmarks. This allows conclusions for standard costing and pricing.Most important causes for deviations of real costs from the target values in logistics are:●Cost factors, especially personnel costs, have been planned, assumed orexpected too high or too low.●Utilization of resources, such as transport means, storage systems,machines, and production facilities, has been planned or expectedfalsely.●Empty runs of transport means and filling degrees of transport and loadunits were incorrectly planned.●The actual utilization structure of the logistic system differs from theanticipated structure.The first two reasons for differences between real and target costs are normally caused by the planner and the operator of a logistic system. A too high share of empty runs and bad utilization of storage capacities is in many cases also the result of unqualified planning or poor scheduling. However, this can be caused also by a user, who changed transport relations, demand structure or stock levels. Aninsufficient utilization can also be initiated by a wrong demand forecast or false information from the customers.For a dedicated logistic system, which is used for a longer period of time by one or a small number of companies based on individual contracts, the users must bear the risk of changing demand and the cost differences resulting from a deviating utilization of the ready held resources. Final cost calculation for dedicated logistic systems can be used for the utilization based allocation of surpluses or additional costs to the different usersFor a multi-user logistic system, where tasks and services are offered on the market and used only for shorter periods of time by many different customers, the risk for changing demand and insufficient utilization is born by the logistic service provider. This risk is compensated by the chances for higher profit from better utilization or favorable demand structure. Furthermore, the service provider can influence the demand by his sales efforts and by offering utilization dependent prices. For multi-user logistic systems the structure and utilization risk are incorporated in the pricesComponents of Logistic CostsThe total logistic costs are a sum of specific logistic costs, additional logistic costs and administrative costs:●Specific logistic costs are all costs of a performance station, a profit centeror a company, which are caused by executing the genuine operativelogistic tasks transport, handling, storing and commissioning.●Additional logistic costs are caused by executing additional operative taskswhich are directly connected with the genuine logistic tasks, such aspacking, labeling, loading and unloading, quality control or handling ofempties.●Administrative logistic costs are costs for related administrative services,such as scheduling, quality management and controlling, which go alongwith the execution of logistic performances and additional services.Costs for non-logistic tasks, such as research and development, construction, production, assembling, marketing, sales and general administration, are not part of the logistic costs. Also, the costs for buying and procuring merchandise, parts, material and equipment are not logistic costs as long as they are not directly caused by the execution of logistic tasks and related services. For instance, the costs for packing sales units are production costs, whereas the costs for packing material, pallets, bins and load carriers are material costs of logistics.When designing and optimizing company logistics as well as when scheduling orders and inventories, it is necessary to keep in mind that many logistic activities also have an effect on non-logistic costs and revenues. They influence setup costs, out-of-stock costs, disruption costs and ordering costs as well as prices, profit margins and turnover. Hence, logisticians always have to bear in mind the economic principle:Logistic activities as all other activities in the company should maximize the difference between revenues and costs at lowest capital investment.Elements of Logistic Costs●Personnel costs: wages for workers and salaries for employees with logisticresponsibilities, including personal taxes, vacation, illness, absence, etc.●Space and area costs: Depreciation and interest for the owned assets andbuildings, rents and leasing fees for external buildings, halls and areas,including related heating, climate, maintenance and surveillance costs.●Route and network costs: Depreciation and interest for own and fees forexternal driveways, routes, roads, highways, railroads and transshipmentpoints●Costs for logistic equipment: Depreciation, interest and operating costs forown as well as rental fees and leasing costs for external logistic equipmentsuch as racks, forklifts, transport means, cranes, conveyors and handlingequipment, control systems and process computers, including theequipment-caused energy, cleaning, repair and maintenance costs.●Load carrier costs: Depreciation and interest for own as well as rental feesand leasing costs for external load carriers, such as pallets, bins, barrels,racks, cassettes and containers, including the costs for cleaning, repair,maintenance and empties management.●Logistic material costs: Expenditures for packing material, transportpacking, load securing, labels and other material, which is needed in orderto perform logistic tasks and services.●Logistic IT-costs: Depreciation, interest and operating costs for ownIT-systems as well as costs for external IT-systems as far as used forlogistic purposes.●Third party logistic expenses: Freights, rental fees and other expenses forlogistic service providers.●Taxes, duties and insurance fees, which accumulate during the execution oflogistic tasks and services, as far as related to logistic purposes.●Planning and project costs: Depreciation and interest on activated expensesfor planning, project management and implementation accumulated up tothe start of the economic utilization of a logistic system.●Inventory holding costs: Interest and write offs on all stationary andmoving inventories, in stocks, on buffer places and in transport.In some companies the inventory holding costs include only the interest caused by the capital commitment. Obsolescence costs as well as write-offs due to non-marketability, deterioration or stock decline are often neglected. However, the write-offs on inventories of fashion, perishable, high value or electronic goods can be as high as or even higher than the interest.译文物流成本和控制物流成本定义在不同公司是不同的。