The main objective of performance measurement is to provide valuable information which allows firms to improve the fulfillment of customers’ requirements and to meet firm’s strategic goals. It is therefore important to measure how effectively the customers’ requirements are met and how resources are efficiently used to reach a certain level of customer satisfaction. Supply chain performance measurement is used to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of organizational structures, processes and resources not only for one firm but also for the entire supply chain. It provides some basis for understanding the whole system, influence the behavior and supply information about the performance of the supply chain participants and stakeholders.… Read the rest
Supply Chain Management
Evolution of Logistics and Supply Chain Management (SCM)
The evolution of logistics and Supply Chain Management (SCM) in the 1990s can be traced back to “physical distribution management” in the 1970s when there was no coordination among the various functions of an organization, and each was committed to attain its own goal. This myopic approach then transformed into “integrated logistic management” in the 1980s that called for the integration of various functions to achieve a system-wide objective. Supply Chain Management (SCM) further widens this scope by including the suppliers and customers into the organizational fold, and coordinating the flow of materials and information from the procurement of raw materials to the consumption of finished goods.… Read the rest
Case Study: Supply Chain Management of Walmart
The world’s largest retailer Wal-Mart was founded by Sam Walton in the year 1962. He opened his first store in Rogers, Ark. On 31st October 1969, the company was incorporated as Wal-Mart Stores. Key success factor was the guidance of Sam. Presently they are operating in fifteen countries with more than 8,000 stores with 2.1 million employees (2009). Major features of Wal-Mart stores are its store area, cleanliness and its shelves which is filled with varieties of quality items that includes health care products, family apparels, electronic items, automotive products, hardware items, jewelry etc.
Wal-Mart is giving more emphasis for customer needs and tried to reduce cost through the effective usage of supply chain management system.… Read the rest
Introduction to Supply Chain Management (SCM)
Definitions of Supply Chain Management
Supply chain management (SCM) is the management of a network of interconnected businesses involved in the ultimate provision of product and service packages required by end customers (Harland, 1996). Supply Chain Management spans all movement and storage of raw materials, work-in-process inventory, and finished goods from point of origin to point of consumption (supply chain).
Another definition is provided by the APICS (The Association for Operations Management) Dictionary when it defines Supply Chain Management as the “design, planning, execution, control, and monitoring of supply chain activities with the objective of creating net value, building a competitive infrastructure, leveraging worldwide logistics, synchronizing supply with demand, and measuring performance globally.”… Read the rest