Should There Be a Supply Chain Function

As the enterprise s product or products move to the Growth quadrant, structured processes and the accompanying accountability become a necessity. At this point, the traditional functional structure takes shape. Profits are still plush in the growth market, driven by the newness of the 

In quadrant B, competition stiffens growth slows. Cost becomes a dominant consideration. Perhaps new products have been introduced along the way, and the company markets a broad product line to multiple markets. 

Responsibility for customer care is delegated to the functional organizations. Competitive initiatives increasingly center on cost reduction across the supply chain. Innovations in tiie supply chain — more than in the product itself — may represent the fastest pa to competitive advantage. The product that has moved to quadrant D has become commoditized. It faces extinction if nothing is done to reinvigorate it. 

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