Supply chain processes, views

Whatever the forum, the trend is toward a broadened definition of the supply chain. One view holds that the supply chain is all that happens to a product from dirt to dust. In this view, the supply chain begins with mining ores or growing crops, extracting raw material from Mother Earth. The chain continues through conversion and distribution processes that deliver the product to the end-user. It also includes the activities required to maintain the product during use. The supply chain ultimately ends with disposal of the product after it is used up — presumably returning to Mother Earth in some form somewhere. 

The quotation above provides reengineering expert Michael Hammer s view of the need for operational improvement. Certainly, these operational improvements include supply chain processes, and our own observation would support Hammer s position that creativity and execution are indeed lacking. One obstacle is the inability to look beyond budgetary cost controls to link supply chain operations with the strategies we use to improve competitive position. The purpose of this chapter is to describe assessment tools to make these links. We cover three types of assessment tool, each of which has a dedicated section in this chapter ... 

Each problem can be addressed from multiple perspectives or views, such as data, process, space, and time. The data perspective characterizes the information required to make and implement supply chain configuration decisions. It also describes the structure of the supply chain configuration problem. The process perspective describes supply chain processes in relation to supply chain configuration. The space perspective addresses issues of locating supply chain units and other physical aspects of supply chain configuration. The time perspective allows analyzing of dynamic properties of supply chain configuration. 

Additional theories can also be appHed in these analyses (Omta et al, 2001). The supply chain is viewed as a system that integrates raw material supphers, factories, distribution services and consumers. Furthermore, the network concept refers to when organizations are directly involved in different processes that add value in the elaboration of goods and services up to the final consumer. 

This section provides a high-level view of the recommendations to improve the three supply chain processes at TLC. The comments are related to those recommendations that hold lessons for SCM. Other recommendations, not discussed here, addressed other areas of the company. Each recommendation required TLC managers to evaluate alternatives and set priorities to increase sales and improve cash flow. 

Push/Pull View of Supply Chain Processes... 

All supply chain processes discussed in the two process views and throughout this book can be classified into the following three macro processes, as shown in Figure 1-8 ... 

Interviews with clinical and administrative staff in public sector facilities in both countries about their experiences of procurement beiie the image in the aggregated data above, of deariy segmented supply chains. The view from beiow was not of a single linear public sector ordering process, but was more like navigating an interactive maze while constantly distracted by dinical demands. 

With a clear view of the supply chain s risk profile, a brainstorming session on potential risk mitigation measures should follow. As outlined above, it is ill-advised to provide a predefined, potentially incomplete list of measmes to choose from. Instead, the decision making team is prompted to think about as many cause-oriented (e.g., eliminating unrehable suppliers to reduce supply risk) and impact-oriented measures (e.g., safety stock) as possible. Mitigation measures can be implemented at the strategic level (e.g., alternative supphers), the tactical level (e.g., improved demand forecast) as well as at the operational level (e.g., business continuity plans). The result of this step is a list of different options to mitigate the most severe risks in the supply chain processes. 

There are two main success factors for a company in the market ftom the point of view of the supply chain. One is to bring the product with the right quality at the right time to the customer. The other is to have the best and most cost-effective processes. Therefore, there is always pressure to optimize the processes with respect to both product quality and cost effectiveness... 

In this brief review, the microscopic point of view will be used primarily. Also in view of the fact that the other participants at this symposium will discuss extensively the heavy particle aspects of discharges i.e., the chemistry, it would appear appropriate in this report to emphasize the role of the electron in discharges. In the final analysis the electron is the sine qua non of a gas discharge, the agent which transfers the energy from an electrical power supply to the gas, the producer of the ions which will engage in the ion chemistry, and the exciter of molecules which will dissociate to form the free radicals from whence originate the chemical chain processes. 

IPPC addresses the effects of pollution once a manufacturing process has been carried out. However, sustainable development also needs to address the control of substances in the overall supply chain. These are both the substances that are used as raw materials for the manufacture of other substances and the resulting products themselves. Controlling the input and use of chemicals in the environment is a central theme of a holistic view of sustainable development and has key implications for the social aspects of sustainable development. 

This chapter presented an overview of ERP from the outside and from the inside. The outside view clarified the connection between ERP, electronic commerce, and supply chain management. The inside view describe the functional and implementation elements of ERP systems, particularly in the context of manufacturing enterprises, and identified the points at which ERP interacts wifli other software applications in manufacturing enterprises. Finally, we looked at open research problems surrounding ERP and identified those that are important to fitting ERP systems into current and future business processes. 

Supply chains look different from each company s perspective because management of each company sees its firm as the focal company and views membership and network stmcture differently. Thus, the perceived supply chain network stmcture is arbitrary. However, because each firm is a member of the other s supply chain, it is important for management of each firm to understand its interrelated roles and perspectives. This is because the integration and management of business processes across company boundaries wfil be successful only if it makes sense from each company s perspective (Cooper et al. 1997b). 

How do retailers define their supply chain Is it determined by the extent of their contractual obligations or by the traditional view of the textile processes (spinning, fabric production, coloration, and garment making) or is it determined by the full life-cycle analysis ... 

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