A Look at History

No two supply chains are alike. They come in many forms and definitions. While companies may argue on the definition of a supply chain, no one in manufacturing and distribution organizations will disagree that it matters. Over the last 30 years, it has become clear that supply chain practices both build and destroy brands. While failure can have a quick and deleterious impact, success can be seen only over many, many years. Although the stories of the losers fill headlines, the untold story is the one of quiet leaders using supply chain processes over the course of many years to improve corporate viability. 

This book shares insights from these stories. To write this book, we interviewed 75 supply chain leaders from a variety of industries. These pioneers charted the path. They worked in apparel, automotive, chemical, consumer products, and high-tech and electronics industries. To better understand the evolution of supply chain management, we asked them three questions  

In your career, what were the primary tipping points  

During the last six months of 2011, we captured their experiences to understand the evolution. Here, we tell their stories. 

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I would like to throw this question to you. If you take a look at history and the many attempts we have made to get close to a synthetic fuels industry, there has always been something. 

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