Supply chain - Definition and Overview

A supply chain is a network of facilities and distribution options that performs the functions of procurement of materials; transformation of these material into intermediate and finished products; and distribution of these finished products to customers. (Source: Ganeshan & Harrison - Introduction to Supply Chain Management)

A supply chain essentially has three main parts, the supply, manufacturing and distribution:

• The supply side concentrates on how, where from and when raw materials are procured and supplied to manufacturing.
• Manufacturing converts these raw materials to finished products and
• Distribution ensures that these finished products reach the final customers through a network of distributors, warehouses and retailers.

The chain can be said to start with the suppliers of your suppliers and ends with the customers of your customer.

See also

• distribution
• logistics
• marketing
• manufacturing
• supply chain management
• trade item
• transportation

External links

• Supply Chain Council (http://www.supply-chain.org/)
• Council of Logistics Management (http://www.clm1.org/)
• [1] (http://www.cio.com/research/scm/edit/012202_scm.html)
• The Supply Chain Doctor network (http://www.thesupplychaindoctor.com/)

One of the most interesting industry publications is SupplyChainDigest, a free, very informative and lively on-line newsletter. The SupplyChainDigest web site is also very informative. http://www.scdigest.com