Logistics and Politics

Case Assignment

Trade restrictions affect logistics firms directly. In many cases, the firms are not only complying with government policy, but working as de facto government agents; distributing forms, collecting fees in advance, and so forth. A logistician cannot avoid making difficult decisions about these issues.

The bare-bones options are as follows:

Comply, by

Helping block restricted trade.

Trying to make controlled trade as cheap and painless as possible for everyone

Circumvent restrictions by

Using legal channels, such as transshipment through a third country

Using questionable procedures, such as shell companies

Ignoring restrictions, and hoping for the best.

These decisions aren't straightforward. Consider two extreme cases.

A shadowy company tells you, quite candidly, that it wants you to help them send Stinger anti-aircraft missiles to the so-called Islamic State, and will pay you a fortune in exchange for running the risk of hard time in a Federal prison. Are you even tempted?

Pfizer Pharmaceuticals and the Gates Foundation want your help in getting critically needed drugs to victims of an epidemic. The epidemic is located in a war-torn corner of Africa. The local militia chieftains, who are the closest thing to a national government, are demanding massive bribes, plus carte blanche to give the drugs only to the people who support them. The UN is helpless. Assuming you have contacts and assets in Africa, do you assist?

Please discuss the issues involved in how an international logistics company deals with trade restrictions. Make full use of sources.

Assignment Expectations

Write a well-constructed essay. Feel free to use tables and bulleted lists, if appropriate.

The readings may not provide specific answers. In that event, will need to "fill in the gaps," using your understanding of the material presented in the Module, and the background sources.

Style and format must comply with the Writing Style Guide. (TUI Guide, n.d.) This is not an English course; however, errors in spelling, grammar and style will be penalized.

Provide citations and references. Use of APA style is encouraged, but not required. Please see the TUI Writing Guide, or visit the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL, 2015).

There is no page requirement. Write what you need to write, neither more nor less.