1st Edition

Basics of Supply Chain Management

By Lawrence D. Fredendall, Ed Hill Copyright 2001

    Supply Chain Management (SCM) was once a "pie in the sky" concept that could not be fully achieved. A key barrier was the cost of communicating with and coordinating among the many independent suppliers in each supply chain. SCM is possible because of three changes: technology has developed that simplifies communication, new management paradigms have developed that are shared among supply chain members and simplify their coordination efforts, and the development of a highly trained workforce.

    Managers recognize that costs can be reduced while customer satisfaction is increased when production and inventory decisions are based on analysis of the total system of delivering products and/or services. Gradually, firms have begun to see themselves as a system of closely linked processes which deliver products and/or services to customers and to recognize that the entire firm is one link in a chain of firms that serve the customer. By increasing the integration in the entire supply chain, all the firms in the chain can increase their profits.

    Competition in the workplace has pushed firms to make SCM a reality. Those who master it gain a competitive edge. Therefore, SCM means money and jobs. The Basics of Supply Chain Management will give you the tools you need to master this crucial subject.

    Features

    History and Introduction
    Introduction
    The Basics
    Management Basics
    Performance Measures
    The Importance of Variance
    Basics of Quality Management
    Operating Environments
    Customer Order Cycle
    Customer Linkages
    Design and Management of the Transformation
    Managing for Improvement in the Supply Chain
    Partnering with Suppliers
    Quality Management
    Work Teams
    Materials Management
    Purchasing
    Distribution

    Biography

    Lawrence D. Fredendall, Ed Hill

    "Anyone wanting to gain a basic understanding of just-in-time production, total quality management, or supply chain functions will find this work useful. It is must reading for managers in every segment of the distribution system…"
    -CHOICE, October 2001


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