Supply Chain Management

Some Definitions … “A supply chain is the alignment of firms that bring products or services to market.”—from Lambert, Stock, and Ellram. “A supply chain consists of all stages involved, directly or indirectly, in fulfilling a customer request. The supply chain not only includes the manufacturer and suppliers, but also transporters, warehouses, retailers, and customers themselves.”—from Chopra and Meindl

More Definitions “Supply chain management is the coordination of production, inventory, location, and transportation among the participants in a supply chain to achieve the best mix of responsiveness and efficiency for the market being served.”—Michael Hugo

Defining ERP Systems Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are core software programs used by companies to integrate and coordinate information in every area of the business. ERP (pronounced “E-R-P”) programs help organizations manage company-wide business processes, using a common database and shared management reporting tools.