CTL Certificate Program

Spring 2007

The CTL Certificate

• All CTL candidates must be members of AST&L® and have a bachelors degree or three years of professional experience.

• The CTL designation may be used just as similar recognitions are employed in accounting, insurance, medicine, law, and other professions.

• Either the full expression or the initials may be used after the individual’s name on business cards, stationery, etc.

• The CTL credential remains valid with active membership in AST&L.

Registration Process

• Complete the ASTL membership application

• Complete the exam registration form

• Mail the membership application and exam registration form to ASTL

• Receive password to access the online study guide

• Study well and take exam

The Six Exams

• 4 required modules, 2 elective modules• You are allowed 4 hours for each exam.• Examination Form and Format

Exam questions may be in either essay or objective format. The exam series includes questions relating to definitions, understandings of concepts, discussion of the relative merits of various issues, as well as development of approaches to hypothetical situations. See the current study guides for examples of questions.

• Time LimitFive years from the first exam

• PassingA score of 70% or higher is required to pass the exam; a candidate who scores

below 70% may take the exam again.

Four Required Areas

• General Management Principles and Techniques

• Transportation Economics and Management

• Logistics Management

• International Transport and Logistics

The Elective Areas

• Pick two

• The Creative Component– CSU Maritime students are not eligible ffor this

option

• Logistics Analysis

• Supply Chain Management

• Logistics and Supply Chain Strategy

General Management Principles and Techniques

• The intent of this module of the AST&L® certification is to provide a basis for assessing the candidate’s overall understanding of the logistics function and contemporary logistics management. The increasing integration of all functions of the firm requires that logistics managers must be aware of the impact that logistical decision-making has on other elements of the firm’s strategic goals and objectives. In addition, the current logistics professional must have an awareness of the changes in and increased use of technology, emphasis on strategic planning, and supply chain integration as a competitive imperative.

• The first requirement is that candidates have an understanding of the basic elements of the logistics function. The candidate must also have a firm grasp on the impact of decisions that have been made regarding each of these functions, on the total cost and operating effectiveness of the whole logistics system. The second requirement is that candidates be able to view a broader managerial perspective of the importance of network design, the financial impact of logistical decision making, and the relationship development and management needed for effective 3rd party logistics partnerships.

• The use of technology and information systems to provide the basis for firm- and supply chain-wide integration and cooperation is necessary for successful operations. The relationship of firm-level logistics with the broader perspective of the supply chain must be understood. It is important that the candidate have a broader perspective than that of the firm.

Transportation Economics and Management

• An understanding of transportation economics is fundamental to sound transportation management decision-making by both users and providers. This module has three primary areas of emphasis: (1) application of demand, cost, and pricing principles to transportation; (2) the operating, service and financial characteristics of the various modes and types of transportation; and (3) managerial issues in transportation.

• More specifically, the exam will address the following topics or subjects: the economic role of transportation in society; demand for transportation; costing and pricing in transportation; rate making in practice; transportation regulation; carrier operations and terminals; transportation quality, value, and customer satisfaction; private transportation; future directions of transportation; and selected contemporary issues in carrier management.

Logistics Management

• Logistics is the science of effective design and management of the firm’s inbound (materials management) and outbound (distribution) flow of physical goods and related information. Often studied and managed as two distinct components, the trend is now to take advantage of trade-offs and other economies that are available in the individual legs of materials management and distribution. True efficiencies and corporate strategic advantages are not gained until both are fully integrated into one single logistics system.

• The logistics system module is designed to (1) cover each logistics management and planning task in depth, and (2) provide an integrative perspective on logistics. The nature of the exam is attuned to those problems and activities found in middle and top level distribution management. Since the field continues to evolve through organizational change, adoption of greater responsibilities, and application of new concepts, the candidate should generally be prepared for many questions that call for the development of proposals and supporting arguments dealing with such changes. A truly effective logistics manager not only knows what changes need to be implemented, but also is persuasive in gaining top management approval of such changes.

International Transport and Logistics

• The objectives of this module are to familiarize candidates with the logistics processes required in moving goods and people across international boundaries, the transportation modes used in such movement, and current logistics issues in the global environment. The objective will be accomplished through systematic study of components of international logistics systems, including: the ocean shipping industry, international air transportation, seaports and airports, other participants in international logistics, laws and regulations, situational factors, and policy issues.

• Reading materials will include textbook and current trade publications on international logistics. It is expected that after completing the course of study leading to the International Transport and Logistics Exam, a candidate will be knowledgeable about the processes and professional players required in the importing and exporting of goods, and with current problems and issues in international transportation and logistics.

• The study material will be structured from the perspective of importing into and exporting from the United States, but much of the material can be generalized to other countries.

Logistics Analysis

• The logistics systems analysis module of the CTL examines decision-making tools and skills as they apply to logistics and supply chain management. The module stresses developing skills to analyze technical problems and their interrelationships within logistics, a company or enterprise, and across a supply chain.

• The module has several objectives due to the comprehensive nature of logistics and supply chain management. These objectives include:

– Understanding the techniques available for modeling logistics and supply chain systems

– Analyzing logistics and supply chain systems by using several operations research techniques

– Interpreting the results obtained by employing operations research techniques in a supply chain setting

– Forecasting and determining inventory requirements for dependent and independent inventory systems and across multiple echelons of supply

– Simulating and optimizing network processes commonly encountered in logistics and supply chain management

Supply Chain Management

• This module is designed to test the candidate’s knowledge and understanding of supply chain management as it implemented in today’s organizations. The module has recently been added to the certification program because of the tremendous changes which have occurred in the global business environment over the past few years. It should be noted that the module views supply chain management as a wider concept than logistics. In particular, the module reflects the belief that supply chain management builds upon functional expertise and seeks to achieve linkages and coordination between the processes of other entities in the supply chain, and the organization itself.

• The base knowledge portion of this module is meant to focus on these key business processes that can be integrated across a firm’s supply chain (e.g., customer relationship management, customer service management, demand management, manufacturing flow management, order fulfillment, supplier relationship management, product development and commercialization, and/or returns management). Thus, the base knowledge portion of the exam presupposes a familiarity with basic business functional areas and methods for integrating suppliers and customers into an organization’s operations. Of particular importance is an understanding of the cross-functional contributions to managing key business processes across the supply chain. In addition, the exam requires knowledge of pertinent and timely aspects of supply chain management as reported in leading practitioner periodicals.

Logistics and Supply Chain Strategy

• The purpose of this module is to enhance student understanding of international value-creating networks. Our increasingly competitive and globalized business environment is forcing more and more firms to explore and implement strategies for increasing collaboration and integration across their supply chains. The vision of an integrated, collaborative network of suppliers, manufacturers, and retailers across a distribution network focused on maximizing value for customers is moving from a competitive advantage to a competitive necessity. This module will present issues, challenges, strategies, and practices to assist firms in succeeding in these value-creating networks.

• Challenges and issues will be explored, to include performance measurement; inventory positioning; lead time management; synchronization of activity between firms; managing international networks; and risk management. Capstone topics include the implementation of the value chain vision among supply chain partners, and challenges to be faced in leveraging this vision into a competitive capability.

The Creative Component

• Transportation and logistics professionals are increasingly called upon to communicate in a myriad of formal and informal ways. The evolving complexity of the field, the development of electronic information systems, technological innovations, and the development of different management structures and styles, calls for creative communications skills. The Creative Component provides the candidate the opportunity to develop and display communications skills by writing through either a paper on a logistics, transportation, formal research paper or an academic thesis.

• The candidate must write an original, documented paper of 3,000 to 5,000 words in length on a special aspect of traffic, transportation, logistics or distribution management. Grading will be on a pass-fail basis. The candidate must submit the title and outline to be reviewed and approved by the Examiner. The subject should be one with which the candidate is familiar by virtue of employment, or one in which he/she is particularly interested or specifically qualified to write. A work-related case study would be a good choice for many candidates. It is recommended that the paper thoroughly cover a narrow subject, rather than superficially treat a "broad" one.

• Masters or Doctoral Theses: The Society will accept a copy of a candidate's thesis as a qualifying submission if it directly addresses a facet of transportation, logistics, or supply chain management. The candidate must submit the title and outline to be reviewed by the Examiner tosubstantiate that the paper directly relates to the thrust of AST&L® research papers. Upon acceptance of the outline, the candidate then submits a copy of the actual thesis to the AST&L®.

Relevant Textbooks• General Management Principles and Techniques (GMPT): Business: A Changing World, 4th ed, by Ferrell and

Hirt, ISBN 0-07-246917-X, publisher McGraw Hill Higher Education, New York. Each textbook includes a CD with sample questions.

• Transportation Economics Management (TEM): Transportation, 6th ed., Coyle, John J., Edward J. Bardi, and

Robert A. Novack, Thomson Southwestern Publishing, 2005. ISBN 0-324-20214-8. www.swlearning.com to obtain a copy of the text, the instructor materials, and the test bank.

• Logistics Management: - Fundamentals of Logistics Management, by Lambert, Stock, and Ellram Irwin-McGraw Hill ISBN 0-256-14117-7

• ITL: International Transportation and Logistics: International Logistics, by Pierre David, ISBN 1-59260-053-0 Publisher, Atomic Dog, contact, Matt Walker 1-800-310.5661 ext 331 or matt@atomicdog.com

• Logistics Analysis: - Business Logistics Supply Chain Management, 5th ed.,/e, by Ronald H. Ballou, , Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-131-07659-0.

• Supply Chain Management: Supply Chain Management – Processes, Partnerships, Performance, 2nd ed. Douglas M. Lambert,. Editor Copyright - 2004ISBN: 09759949-0-5 Available at www.amazon.com and www.scm-institute.org

• Logistics and Supply Chain Strategy: Christopher, Martin (2005), Logistics and Supply Chain Management: Creating Value-adding Networks 3rd Edition Christopher, Martin, London, UK: Pitman Publishing. ISBN 0-273-68176-1