Preface
Most of the companies have identified supply chain management as a route to competitive advantage. Through supply chain (SC), firms aim to achieve two polemic goals: cost-effectiveness and customer satisfaction. In fact, supply chain serves as a road map to enterprise success. Supply chain encompasses all the functional areas of an enterprise. Integration of areas such as procurement, processing and distribution is possible through proper management and control of supply chain operations.
Technology plays a vital role in managing supply chain and making it efficient and effective in all its operations. Information Technology (IT) has helped in seamless integration of supply chain. Decisions in supply chain are mostly information-based and IT contributes to speed in collection, processing and distribution of information at various decision-making points across the supply chain.
Some of the supply chain strategies are based on the physical assets and industry in which the companies operate and dictated by the firm's place in the value chain, namely, upstream, mid-stream or down-stream. There are four generic supply chain strategies for gaining competitive advantage: rationalization, synchronization, customization and innovation. In today's context, it is not the product or enterprise that competes, but rather it is the supply chain of one company that is pitted against the supply chain of another. Hence, all business managers and those aspiring for careers in supply chain should have an in-depth knowledge about its functioning.
Spread over 29 chapters, the book is divided into seven parts as follows:
- Supply Chain Basics
- Supply Chain Sub-systems
- Tactical and Operational Decisions
- Strategic Approach
- Measurement and Controls
- Sustainability Processes and Practices
- Cases
Each chapter is amply supported by cases, illustrations and an exhaustive pedagogy of summary, review questions, internet exercises, video links, project assignments and bibliography. A comprehensive Glossary of SC terms and Sources on SC Information are included as Annexures. In addition Web supplements for the book comprising of Instructor's Manual, PowerPoint Slides, Teaching Notes and Multiple-Choice Question Banks can be accessed at http://www.pearsoned.co.in/vinodvsople.
This book is targeted at students of MBA, PGDM and PGPM who have ‘Supply Chain Management’ as one of their main or optional subjects in their curriculum. Comments and suggestions to improve upon the quality of the contents may be mailed to me at [email protected].
Vinod V. Sople