Supply Chains

1>is now undertaken by the high-level management of
Provides a range of topics about supply chains, asthe company. Their verdict on the supply chain is final
well as information on how to improve and optimizeand employees are bound to adhere to their
your supply chain network.decisions to bring about efficiency in the supply chain.
A supply chain, also called a supply network is aSupply chains are managed on three different levels
system that consists of people, organizations,such as the operational, tactical, and strategy level.
activities, resources, and information to move aThe operational level involves very short-term
product or service from the supplier to the customer.decisions, the tactical level is for medium-term
All supply chains initiate with the accumulation of rawdecisions, and the strategic level is for long-term
materials and include further links of production suchdecisions.
as the construction of components, their assemblyThe supply chain management system addresses
and merger, before the product is moved forcertain problems such as management of the
storage and other processes, before finally reachingdistributor network vis-a vis the quantities and the
the customer.locations of people who take part in the processes
The people involved and the activities of a supplyof a supply chain.
chain transform raw materials and other componentsCustomers, suppliers, production facilities,
into a finished product, which is ultimately delivered towarehouses, and distribution centers also take care
the customer. However, it is important to note thatof the strategies employed for distribution, the
companies, no matter how big they are in size, dointegration of systems and processes through supply
not control the entire process of a supply chain.chains to share significant information such as
Companies reap profits only if their supply chain isforecasts, transportation, and inventory.
well managed.The flow of supply chain management is bi-directional
This means to plan, implement and monitor theand SCM manages the movement of material,
everyday processes of a supply chain. It is actually toinformation, and finances of the supply chain. There
keep a track of availability of raw materials, theirare a number of supply chain procedures that are a
processing into finished products, and finally theirvital part of the supply chain and these procedures
distribution through the supply chain, if managedare customer service management, product
wisely, would bring laurels to the company anddevelopment and commercialization, distribution, and
enhance its business, since it would then be able topartnerships.
provide a very high level of satisfaction to theThe above mentioned processes and activities
customers.involved in supply chains have made the supply and
In recent times, supply chains have become a littledemand management processes much more
more complicated than before and their coordinationsimplified.