Contents

• Introduction 2
• Supply Chain Management 3
• Main Processes 5
• Optional Processes 7
• Physical Movement of Supply Chain 8
• Security Issues in Supply Chain 10
• Technology in Supply Chain - GPS and RFID 12
• Recommendations & Conclusion 13
• References 15

Description

Supply chain management is one of the most important components of business or industries. Supply chain management can be called as the management of network of interconnected businesses that facilitate the provision of goods and services to from the source point to the consumption point (Harland, 1996). Some times supply chain management and logistics management are used synonymously but logistics is essentially different and logistics just refers to movement of goods and services. Logistics can be called as a component of supply chain management (Lambert, 2004). The main purpose of supply chain management is to move products or services from source point to the end point keeping the aspects of safety and timely delivery as the core focuses. Some of the products require intermediate storages in warehouses before the products are delivered to the consumption point. The source point could be an ancillary supplying parts of a product and end point is almost all the times a consumer. Supply chain management requires effective management of materials, transport medium, inventory management, efficient movement of cash flow. Cash flows moves the opposite direction of supply chain management. Supply chain management has been there since we know of existence of any industry. However, the process got a name in the form of ‘Supply Chain Management’ only in 80s. This management area was given more prominence in the 90s when IT infrastructure was used to increase the efficiency of operations (Harland, 1996). Traditionally supply chain management was active between any two nodes or members of the network at any given point of time. Not all members were aware of movement and flow of material. When IT infrastructure was installed in the network the movement and flow of goods and services became more visible to all the members of the network, bringing in more efficiency to the system. ERP was another software application that was widely used in high end supply chain management networks. ERP greatly integrated different operations within the network to make a wholesome operation. There are many technological advancement that have found use in the current supply chain management systems (Cooper et al., 1997). There are many security devices too that find use in the flow of goods and services. This paper first discusses supply chain management and its growth into becoming an important component of industries. The paper then dwells into the modern day needs of time management and security in the operations of supply chain management. The paper then dwells into some of the technological innovations that have found place in supply chain management utilities. The paper finally makes recommendations on how to involve more technology into the operations of supply chain management in the present scenario as well as in the future.