【正文】
. Concerning marketing, preferences for finished goods and broad assortments in forward markets often conflict with economies offered through a total system evaluation. In 1969, Bowersox questioned what techniques or persuasive forces could be applied to encourage greater channel efficiency. He stated the channel appears to have been one of the most elusive of marketing subjects, adding that the function of physical distribution extends far into channel domains. Certainly, this would include the topic of service, including inventory control and the costs involved in maintaining an adequate inventory. JustInTime, or the Kanban technique, an idea borrowed from the Japanese, is an inventory policy which requires needed parts be available at the necessary time and that they be on hand the minimum needed time to operate the production line. JIT inventory has also been described as the production of goods just in time to be sold. As the JustInTime philosophy is considered, it seems essential it be regarded as a behavioral concept to encourage a cooperative spirit among channel members in their efforts to develop an effective and efficient physical distribution system. This is similar to the current emphasis of the physical distribution approach。 namely, the various activities involved should be managed as an integrated system to provide a defined level of customer service at the lowest total cost for performing all of the activities necessary to provide that level of service. Channel management is concerned with the overall design and administration of distribution channels and involves planning and management of the major channel flows。 physical distribution primarily involves the product flow. However, an effectively administered marketing channel cannot exist without an efficient flow of products through the channel members and to the target customers in the right quantities, at the right times and places. Physical distribution service standards refer to kinds and levels of service to be offered to channel members. A major managerial decision is to arrive at inventory standards offered to channel members at both wholesale and retail levels. In general, inventory control theory deals with the determination of optimal procedures for procuring stocks of modities to meet future demand. The objective is to minimize total inventory costs subject to demand and service constraints. The basic tradeoffs which must be measured are those associated with acceptable stock out risk and the risk derived holding and ordering inventories. A principal function of inventor is its ability to increase profitability through manufacturing and marketing support. The ideal concept of inventory would consist of manufacturing a product to the specifications of a customer after an order is placed. Such a system would not require stockpiles of raw materials or finished goods in anticipation of future sales. Though a zero inventory system is not generally feasible, each dollar invested in inventory should be mitted to achieve a specific objective. A safety stock is generally placed into the system to protect against unexpected delivery delays or greater than anticipated sales. Critical to the maintenance of adequate inventory service is a review procedure designed to evaluate, on a continuous basis, vendors, transportation suppliers, back orders, and damaged merchandise. A principal advantage of physical distribution system monitoring is its usefulness in identifying developing trends. Changes in customer preferences and changes due to petitive act