The Importance of Supply Chain Management in the Global Economy

Supply Chain Digest has a 2-part article (Part 1 - Part 2) about how modern global businesses use supply chain efficiencies to gain "competitive advantages".

Part 1 is an overview on the importance of supply-chain management in the global economy. From the article:

Achieving market leadership in today’s global economy requires a global supply chain - suppliers, carriers, agents, customs and government agencies, and distribution networks – that can react quickly to changes in the global environment and adapt to longer unforeseen developments. To be a world class participant in the global economy requires supply networks that are efficient, streamlined and are able to move quickly to balance the three variables; price, quality and service, to meet consumer driven demand. Depending on the organization the exact configuration of the global supply network will be a shifting blend of domestic and global manufacturing and sourcing.

Part 2 focuses on the role of Information Technology in supply chain management. From the article:

To be lean requires knowledgeable people and strong business processes. However, without the proper integrated information technology environment to support the vast amount of data that flows from a simple sourcing transaction most if not all the benefits of going global will be lost. Achieving an agile and adaptable organization is a function of having the right information at the right time for the right people to make important short term tactical and long term strategic decisions as relates to global commerce initiatives.