Becoming a Supply Chain Leader

Becoming a Supply Chain Leader

Author: Sourya Datta

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2021-10-28

Total Pages: 389

ISBN-13: 1000427145

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The book explains how to emerge and grow as a supply chain leader and details supply chain and procurement processes and operational activities in real-work scenarios across multiple supply chain verticals. The book defines what an entry-level supply chain professional must do to excel in various types of supply chain verticals such as IT, electronics manufacturing, pharmaceutical, retail, and consumer goods. Apart from helping professionals understand vertical specific nuances, this book helps them to set both short-term goals for annual performance review and longer-term career planning. In addition, for a mid- or senior-level supply chain professional, the book offers ideas on ways to launch initiatives and demonstrate leadership to foster career growth. It offers ideas about unlocking new values for the organization and creating a data-driven decision support platform to gain financial efficiency for better management of CapEx and OpEx spend, thus improving the bottom line. The book includes a tool kit which includes operational data models, financial models, and presentation templates for creating and socializing proposals intended for cross-functional teams and demonstrating supply chain leadership. The book is divided into four major parts. In Part I, the book starts with an overview of key concepts in a manufacturing supply chain and procurement organization. It describes current forms of modern global supply chain and corporate procurement organizations. The objective of Part II is to provide a framework for a self-directed supply chain manager to understand how a large organization evaluates the contribution of supply chain managers and where it expects them to create value. To foster career growth as a supply chain professional, the book identifies six key knowledge pillars for demonstrating supply chain mastery: Technical and market knowledge of the end product and its constituents. Knowledge of internal product development and sustaining processes and supporting consumption data. Health and market condition of the supplier. Ability to create value. Ability to build internal and external executive relationships with key influencers. Ability to obtain best cost without compromising on quality and lead time. Negotiating cost, sourcing material, and then the logistics of moving the raw material through multiple stages and finally finished materials across the globe are some of the key areas which need continuous improvement. As a sentinel of efficiency, removing any kind of wastage leads to immediate value creation and contributes to the margin by improving the bottom line. In Part III, the book reviews twelve such verticals namely printer, medical, IT, energy, automotive, cloud, dairy, data management, avionics, biotech, apparel and start up and the supply chain nuances through the lenses of the framework created in Part II. In Part IV, the book goes back to focus on the professional growth of an individual supply chain person in an industry agnostic way. It provides examples of financial and operational efficiencies that a supply chain professional can create.


Book Synopsis Becoming a Supply Chain Leader by : Sourya Datta

Download or read book Becoming a Supply Chain Leader written by Sourya Datta and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2021-10-28 with total page 389 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book explains how to emerge and grow as a supply chain leader and details supply chain and procurement processes and operational activities in real-work scenarios across multiple supply chain verticals. The book defines what an entry-level supply chain professional must do to excel in various types of supply chain verticals such as IT, electronics manufacturing, pharmaceutical, retail, and consumer goods. Apart from helping professionals understand vertical specific nuances, this book helps them to set both short-term goals for annual performance review and longer-term career planning. In addition, for a mid- or senior-level supply chain professional, the book offers ideas on ways to launch initiatives and demonstrate leadership to foster career growth. It offers ideas about unlocking new values for the organization and creating a data-driven decision support platform to gain financial efficiency for better management of CapEx and OpEx spend, thus improving the bottom line. The book includes a tool kit which includes operational data models, financial models, and presentation templates for creating and socializing proposals intended for cross-functional teams and demonstrating supply chain leadership. The book is divided into four major parts. In Part I, the book starts with an overview of key concepts in a manufacturing supply chain and procurement organization. It describes current forms of modern global supply chain and corporate procurement organizations. The objective of Part II is to provide a framework for a self-directed supply chain manager to understand how a large organization evaluates the contribution of supply chain managers and where it expects them to create value. To foster career growth as a supply chain professional, the book identifies six key knowledge pillars for demonstrating supply chain mastery: Technical and market knowledge of the end product and its constituents. Knowledge of internal product development and sustaining processes and supporting consumption data. Health and market condition of the supplier. Ability to create value. Ability to build internal and external executive relationships with key influencers. Ability to obtain best cost without compromising on quality and lead time. Negotiating cost, sourcing material, and then the logistics of moving the raw material through multiple stages and finally finished materials across the globe are some of the key areas which need continuous improvement. As a sentinel of efficiency, removing any kind of wastage leads to immediate value creation and contributes to the margin by improving the bottom line. In Part III, the book reviews twelve such verticals namely printer, medical, IT, energy, automotive, cloud, dairy, data management, avionics, biotech, apparel and start up and the supply chain nuances through the lenses of the framework created in Part II. In Part IV, the book goes back to focus on the professional growth of an individual supply chain person in an industry agnostic way. It provides examples of financial and operational efficiencies that a supply chain professional can create.

Supply Chain Leadership

Supply Chain Leadership

Author: Peter W. Robertson

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2022

Total Pages: 190

ISBN-13: 9781003084044

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"Supply Chain leaders are key to achieving sustainable supply chain excellence and long-term competitive advantage. This book addresses 'big-picture' supply chain leadership and provides a roadmap and practical advice to help Supply Chain leaders successfully navigate this challenging social and technical environment. The book describes crucial leadership characteristics and explains the actions necessary to develop and appraise the skills in both new and existing leaders. It presents a socio-technical framework, which includes the key aspects of supply chain relationships, the supply chain business environment, overall supply chain competitiveness, supply chain sustainability, and supply chain risks. The book works through the recruitment, training and development of leaders as well as obstacles and risks, to offer a fresh, people-centred approach. Pedagogy to aid learning is incorporated throughout, including an introduction to each chapter explaining the key learnings; tables, diagrams and equations to help visualise the concepts and methods covered; real-life case studies and examples; and end of chapter review questions and assignment tasks. This textbook should be essential reading for Advanced Undergraduate and Postgraduate students of Supply Chain, Logistics and Operations Management. The practice-based and applied approach also makes it valuable for operating Supply Chain leaders and those studying for professional qualifications. Online resources include chapter-by-chapter PowerPoint slides, a test bank of exam questions, and suggested tutorial topics"--


Book Synopsis Supply Chain Leadership by : Peter W. Robertson

Download or read book Supply Chain Leadership written by Peter W. Robertson and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2022 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Supply Chain leaders are key to achieving sustainable supply chain excellence and long-term competitive advantage. This book addresses 'big-picture' supply chain leadership and provides a roadmap and practical advice to help Supply Chain leaders successfully navigate this challenging social and technical environment. The book describes crucial leadership characteristics and explains the actions necessary to develop and appraise the skills in both new and existing leaders. It presents a socio-technical framework, which includes the key aspects of supply chain relationships, the supply chain business environment, overall supply chain competitiveness, supply chain sustainability, and supply chain risks. The book works through the recruitment, training and development of leaders as well as obstacles and risks, to offer a fresh, people-centred approach. Pedagogy to aid learning is incorporated throughout, including an introduction to each chapter explaining the key learnings; tables, diagrams and equations to help visualise the concepts and methods covered; real-life case studies and examples; and end of chapter review questions and assignment tasks. This textbook should be essential reading for Advanced Undergraduate and Postgraduate students of Supply Chain, Logistics and Operations Management. The practice-based and applied approach also makes it valuable for operating Supply Chain leaders and those studying for professional qualifications. Online resources include chapter-by-chapter PowerPoint slides, a test bank of exam questions, and suggested tutorial topics"--

Leadership Strategies for Global Supply Chain Management in Emerging Markets

Leadership Strategies for Global Supply Chain Management in Emerging Markets

Author: Dwivedi, Ashish

Publisher: IGI Global

Published: 2020-05-22

Total Pages: 333

ISBN-13: 1799828697

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In recent decades, the rapid expansion of trade and investment among developing countries has resulted in a scenario wherein firms from developing countries account for an increasing share of capital, goods, and wealth in the global economy. Industry leaders from developing countries have observed that firms in developing countries need to identify and develop key supply chain capabilities in order to succeed in emerging markets. It is argued that customers in emerging markets are likely to have different needs and supply chain expectations as compared to customers in developed economies. Reaching into these emerging markets, understanding the customer diversity, and translating it into effective segmentation schemes are critical for the efficient design of supply chain operations. Leadership Strategies for Global Supply Chain Management in Emerging Markets is a pivotal reference source that provides vital research on creating efficient supply chain operations in emerging markets. While highlighting topics such as consumer behavior, global operations, and information transparency, this publication investigates the needs of consumers in emerging markets as well as the methods of designing effective operations. This book is ideally designed for supply chain managers, logistics managers, operations and warehousing professionals, industry practitioners, academicians, students, and researchers.


Book Synopsis Leadership Strategies for Global Supply Chain Management in Emerging Markets by : Dwivedi, Ashish

Download or read book Leadership Strategies for Global Supply Chain Management in Emerging Markets written by Dwivedi, Ashish and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2020-05-22 with total page 333 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In recent decades, the rapid expansion of trade and investment among developing countries has resulted in a scenario wherein firms from developing countries account for an increasing share of capital, goods, and wealth in the global economy. Industry leaders from developing countries have observed that firms in developing countries need to identify and develop key supply chain capabilities in order to succeed in emerging markets. It is argued that customers in emerging markets are likely to have different needs and supply chain expectations as compared to customers in developed economies. Reaching into these emerging markets, understanding the customer diversity, and translating it into effective segmentation schemes are critical for the efficient design of supply chain operations. Leadership Strategies for Global Supply Chain Management in Emerging Markets is a pivotal reference source that provides vital research on creating efficient supply chain operations in emerging markets. While highlighting topics such as consumer behavior, global operations, and information transparency, this publication investigates the needs of consumers in emerging markets as well as the methods of designing effective operations. This book is ideally designed for supply chain managers, logistics managers, operations and warehousing professionals, industry practitioners, academicians, students, and researchers.

Digital Supply Chain Leadership

Digital Supply Chain Leadership

Author: David Kurz

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2021-02-25

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 100035329X

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Strong leadership is necessary to drive the transformational change required to build and apply digital capabilities across organizations. Digital transformation in the supply chain is a leadership problem first and foremost. This book draws out some of the key digital business strategies supply chain leaders must become familiar with as they take on the responsibilities of leading transformations within their firms. The central rationale of the book is to establish a clear business case for the performance shifts and opportunities of the Digital Supply Chain. The benefits of a digital supply chain for firms can be summarized as uniquely reducing the amount of trade-off between costs and customer satisfaction. The challenges, complexity, and management involved in transforming to a digital supply chain have slowed many firms in their implementation. The key to unlocking this value and advantage is a new, robust, and digitally aware supply chain leadership mindset. It will provide readers with a practical Digital Supply Chain Leadership Road Map that will accelerate actions in technology, analytics, talent and business models. The road map to digital transformation will step the reader through these critical dimensions and illustrate how they can support their own organizational transformation by developing greater levels of maturity. This book will be most valued by supply chain leaders in medium to large scale organizations, as well as consultants and academics interested in digital business and supply chain transformation. The book will also be valuable for students studying digital transformation, supply chain, and operations.


Book Synopsis Digital Supply Chain Leadership by : David Kurz

Download or read book Digital Supply Chain Leadership written by David Kurz and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2021-02-25 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Strong leadership is necessary to drive the transformational change required to build and apply digital capabilities across organizations. Digital transformation in the supply chain is a leadership problem first and foremost. This book draws out some of the key digital business strategies supply chain leaders must become familiar with as they take on the responsibilities of leading transformations within their firms. The central rationale of the book is to establish a clear business case for the performance shifts and opportunities of the Digital Supply Chain. The benefits of a digital supply chain for firms can be summarized as uniquely reducing the amount of trade-off between costs and customer satisfaction. The challenges, complexity, and management involved in transforming to a digital supply chain have slowed many firms in their implementation. The key to unlocking this value and advantage is a new, robust, and digitally aware supply chain leadership mindset. It will provide readers with a practical Digital Supply Chain Leadership Road Map that will accelerate actions in technology, analytics, talent and business models. The road map to digital transformation will step the reader through these critical dimensions and illustrate how they can support their own organizational transformation by developing greater levels of maturity. This book will be most valued by supply chain leaders in medium to large scale organizations, as well as consultants and academics interested in digital business and supply chain transformation. The book will also be valuable for students studying digital transformation, supply chain, and operations.

Supply Chain Secrets

Supply Chain Secrets

Author: Rob O'Byrne

Publisher:

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 190

ISBN-13: 9781921630552

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How to save your business millions!!! The international expert and author Rob O’Byrne gives his powerful and essential tips and insights based on over 1,200 client assignments across 22 countries. This book shows you how to find the greatest potential for massive savings and increased bottom line. You’ll Learn:* How to access the big ticket items to reduce costs* 5 critical tips on measuring for superior performance* Balancing cost and service for more effective distribution* How to stop inventory investment blow outs* 3 key steps to developing a game winning supply chain strategy* The 5 key steps to improving warehousing effectiveness* Avoiding the stuff that screws your supply chain performance


Book Synopsis Supply Chain Secrets by : Rob O'Byrne

Download or read book Supply Chain Secrets written by Rob O'Byrne and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How to save your business millions!!! The international expert and author Rob O’Byrne gives his powerful and essential tips and insights based on over 1,200 client assignments across 22 countries. This book shows you how to find the greatest potential for massive savings and increased bottom line. You’ll Learn:* How to access the big ticket items to reduce costs* 5 critical tips on measuring for superior performance* Balancing cost and service for more effective distribution* How to stop inventory investment blow outs* 3 key steps to developing a game winning supply chain strategy* The 5 key steps to improving warehousing effectiveness* Avoiding the stuff that screws your supply chain performance

On Time, In Full

On Time, In Full

Author: Timothy McLean

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2017-04-21

Total Pages: 221

ISBN-13: 1351650130

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"On Time-In Full" is an important work. Tim McLean provides an easy to follow practical approach to building a highly performing supply chain" -Drew Locher, Shingo Prize Winning Author and Lean Thinker The most fundamental requirement for a manufacturing or distribution business is to deliver to customers what they want, in the quantity they want, when they want it. It doesn’t matter how good your product is, how much the customer likes your salesperson, how slick your marketing campaign is: If your customers can’t get what they want when they want it, they will get it elsewhere, and your business will be in serious trouble. On Time in Full: Achieving Perfect Delivery with Lean Thinking in Purchasing, Supply Chain and Production Planning is a step-by-step practical guide to designing a Lean Supply Chain that will deliver what your customers need, when they need it, every time. Timothy McLean shares his three decades of Lean supply chain experience -- In simple straightforward language, he explores the reasons why supply chains fail to deliver and what you can do about it. On Time In Full includes practical guidance for tackling the big issues affecting supply chains including: How to understand your extended supply chain with a value stream map The role of forecasting in your supply chain and how to get a meaningful forecast Calculating the right level of inventory for your business Scheduling daily production to meet demand Managing suppliers and your supply chain at home and internationally Selecting and making the best use out of an ERP system Designing an efficient distribution network The book is full of practical case studies and examples as well as references for further study. On Time, In Full is the complete guide to setting up a supply chain that works.


Book Synopsis On Time, In Full by : Timothy McLean

Download or read book On Time, In Full written by Timothy McLean and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2017-04-21 with total page 221 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "On Time-In Full" is an important work. Tim McLean provides an easy to follow practical approach to building a highly performing supply chain" -Drew Locher, Shingo Prize Winning Author and Lean Thinker The most fundamental requirement for a manufacturing or distribution business is to deliver to customers what they want, in the quantity they want, when they want it. It doesn’t matter how good your product is, how much the customer likes your salesperson, how slick your marketing campaign is: If your customers can’t get what they want when they want it, they will get it elsewhere, and your business will be in serious trouble. On Time in Full: Achieving Perfect Delivery with Lean Thinking in Purchasing, Supply Chain and Production Planning is a step-by-step practical guide to designing a Lean Supply Chain that will deliver what your customers need, when they need it, every time. Timothy McLean shares his three decades of Lean supply chain experience -- In simple straightforward language, he explores the reasons why supply chains fail to deliver and what you can do about it. On Time In Full includes practical guidance for tackling the big issues affecting supply chains including: How to understand your extended supply chain with a value stream map The role of forecasting in your supply chain and how to get a meaningful forecast Calculating the right level of inventory for your business Scheduling daily production to meet demand Managing suppliers and your supply chain at home and internationally Selecting and making the best use out of an ERP system Designing an efficient distribution network The book is full of practical case studies and examples as well as references for further study. On Time, In Full is the complete guide to setting up a supply chain that works.

Supply Chain Management For Dummies

Supply Chain Management For Dummies

Author: Daniel Stanton

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2017-11-29

Total Pages: 360

ISBN-13: 1119410193

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Everyone can impact the supply chain Supply Chain Management For Dummies helps you connect the dots between things like purchasing, logistics, and operations to see how the big picture is affected by seemingly isolated inefficiencies. Your business is a system, made of many moving parts that must synchronize to most efficiently meet the needs of your customers—and your shareholders. Interruptions in one area ripple throughout the entire operation, disrupting the careful coordination that makes businesses successful; that's where supply chain management (SCM) comes in. SCM means different things to different people, and many different models exist to meet the needs of different industries. This book focuses on the broadly-applicable Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) Model: Plan, Source, Make, Deliver, Return, and Enable, to describe the basic techniques and key concepts that keep businesses running smoothly. Whether you're in sales, HR, or product development, the decisions you make every day can impact the supply chain. This book shows you how to factor broader impact into your decision making process based on your place in the system. Improve processes by determining your metrics Choose the right software and implement appropriate automation Evaluate and mitigate risks at all steps in the supply chain Help your business function as a system to more effectively meet customer needs We tend to think of the supply chain as suppliers, logistics, and warehousing—but it's so much more than that. Every single person in your organization, from the mailroom to the C-suite, can work to enhance or hinder the flow. Supply Chain Management For Dummies shows you what you need to know to make sure your impact leads to positive outcomes.


Book Synopsis Supply Chain Management For Dummies by : Daniel Stanton

Download or read book Supply Chain Management For Dummies written by Daniel Stanton and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2017-11-29 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Everyone can impact the supply chain Supply Chain Management For Dummies helps you connect the dots between things like purchasing, logistics, and operations to see how the big picture is affected by seemingly isolated inefficiencies. Your business is a system, made of many moving parts that must synchronize to most efficiently meet the needs of your customers—and your shareholders. Interruptions in one area ripple throughout the entire operation, disrupting the careful coordination that makes businesses successful; that's where supply chain management (SCM) comes in. SCM means different things to different people, and many different models exist to meet the needs of different industries. This book focuses on the broadly-applicable Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) Model: Plan, Source, Make, Deliver, Return, and Enable, to describe the basic techniques and key concepts that keep businesses running smoothly. Whether you're in sales, HR, or product development, the decisions you make every day can impact the supply chain. This book shows you how to factor broader impact into your decision making process based on your place in the system. Improve processes by determining your metrics Choose the right software and implement appropriate automation Evaluate and mitigate risks at all steps in the supply chain Help your business function as a system to more effectively meet customer needs We tend to think of the supply chain as suppliers, logistics, and warehousing—but it's so much more than that. Every single person in your organization, from the mailroom to the C-suite, can work to enhance or hinder the flow. Supply Chain Management For Dummies shows you what you need to know to make sure your impact leads to positive outcomes.

Modeling and Benchmarking Supply Chain Leadership

Modeling and Benchmarking Supply Chain Leadership

Author: Joseph L Walden

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2009-06-24

Total Pages: 230

ISBN-13: 1420083988

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What is motivational dysfunction? You have seen it, you may even have experienced it, and you have certainly felt the effects of this dysfunction in your workplace. Often undiagnosed, employees suffering from motivational dysfunction have lowered motivation caused by a lack of excitement for their job. This serious issue can cost companies billions


Book Synopsis Modeling and Benchmarking Supply Chain Leadership by : Joseph L Walden

Download or read book Modeling and Benchmarking Supply Chain Leadership written by Joseph L Walden and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2009-06-24 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What is motivational dysfunction? You have seen it, you may even have experienced it, and you have certainly felt the effects of this dysfunction in your workplace. Often undiagnosed, employees suffering from motivational dysfunction have lowered motivation caused by a lack of excitement for their job. This serious issue can cost companies billions

Lean Supply Chain Management Essentials

Lean Supply Chain Management Essentials

Author: Bill Kerber

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2017-07-27

Total Pages: 262

ISBN-13: 1439891222

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Presenting an alternate approach to supply chain management, Lean Supply Chain Management Essentials: A Framework for Materials Managers explains why the traditional materials planning environment, typically embodied by an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, is an ineffective support system for a company that wants to adopt Lean practices.


Book Synopsis Lean Supply Chain Management Essentials by : Bill Kerber

Download or read book Lean Supply Chain Management Essentials written by Bill Kerber and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2017-07-27 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presenting an alternate approach to supply chain management, Lean Supply Chain Management Essentials: A Framework for Materials Managers explains why the traditional materials planning environment, typically embodied by an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, is an ineffective support system for a company that wants to adopt Lean practices.

Surviving Supply Chain Integration

Surviving Supply Chain Integration

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2000-03-23

Total Pages: 162

ISBN-13: 0309173418

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The managed flow of goods and information from raw material to final sale also known as a "supply chain" affects everythingâ€"from the U.S. gross domestic product to where you can buy your jeans. The nature of a company's supply chain has a significant effect on its success or failureâ€"as in the success of Dell Computer's make-to-order system and the failure of General Motor's vertical integration during the 1998 United Auto Workers strike. Supply Chain Integration looks at this crucial component of business at a time when product design, manufacture, and delivery are changing radically and globally. This book explores the benefits of continuously improving the relationship between the firm, its suppliers, and its customers to ensure the highest added value. This book identifies the state-of-the-art developments that contribute to the success of vertical tiers of suppliers and relates these developments to the capabilities that small and medium-sized manufacturers must have to be viable participants in this system. Strategies for attaining these capabilities through manufacturing extension centers and other technical assistance providers at the national, state, and local level are suggested. This book identifies action steps for small and medium-sized manufacturersâ€"the "seed corn" of business start-up and developmentâ€"to improve supply chain management. The book examines supply chain models from consultant firms, universities, manufacturers, and associations. Topics include the roles of suppliers and other supply chain participants, the rise of outsourcing, the importance of information management, the natural tension between buyer and seller, sources of assistance to small and medium-sized firms, and a host of other issues. Supply Chain Integration will be of interest to industry policymakers, economists, researchers, business leaders, and forward-thinking executives.


Book Synopsis Surviving Supply Chain Integration by : National Research Council

Download or read book Surviving Supply Chain Integration written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2000-03-23 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The managed flow of goods and information from raw material to final sale also known as a "supply chain" affects everythingâ€"from the U.S. gross domestic product to where you can buy your jeans. The nature of a company's supply chain has a significant effect on its success or failureâ€"as in the success of Dell Computer's make-to-order system and the failure of General Motor's vertical integration during the 1998 United Auto Workers strike. Supply Chain Integration looks at this crucial component of business at a time when product design, manufacture, and delivery are changing radically and globally. This book explores the benefits of continuously improving the relationship between the firm, its suppliers, and its customers to ensure the highest added value. This book identifies the state-of-the-art developments that contribute to the success of vertical tiers of suppliers and relates these developments to the capabilities that small and medium-sized manufacturers must have to be viable participants in this system. Strategies for attaining these capabilities through manufacturing extension centers and other technical assistance providers at the national, state, and local level are suggested. This book identifies action steps for small and medium-sized manufacturersâ€"the "seed corn" of business start-up and developmentâ€"to improve supply chain management. The book examines supply chain models from consultant firms, universities, manufacturers, and associations. Topics include the roles of suppliers and other supply chain participants, the rise of outsourcing, the importance of information management, the natural tension between buyer and seller, sources of assistance to small and medium-sized firms, and a host of other issues. Supply Chain Integration will be of interest to industry policymakers, economists, researchers, business leaders, and forward-thinking executives.