Supply Chain Management

Supply Chain is a very important aspect in the Project management world. It is essential to address all issues properly and with care in order to have a successful and operational project. Integrating Supply Chain Management into Project Management can significantly enhance the effectiveness of project management. The term Supply Chain Management encompasses a wide range of processes which help in delivering the product or service as required by the customer.(Dani) “The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a leading US institute researching supply chain issues defines ‘supply chain’ as the flow of materials, information and funds between different parties or organizational functions” (Metz, 1998). However this view of the ‘supply chain’ is not the only definition. Others highlight a multitude of definitions of supply chain, from the process of supplying customers from the factory to the total process from raw materials to the customer. However, both point out that supply chains are intended to satisfy customers. These differences demonstrate a significant lack of consensus in the scope and understanding of the term ‘supply chain’ in many organizations, across all sectors. Taking the broadest definition of the supply chain as representing all activities from resource extraction to the customer (and back again), this indicates a significant lack of integrated supply chain thinking within many organizations. A little background regarding Supply Chain Management studies show the leading institutions in supply chain issues are predominantly in the United States and these include State University of Ohio, State University of Michigan, University of North Florida, MIT and the University of Stanford. Besides the US, some recognized work in Supply Chain Management is carried out in Japan, however, the Japanese tend to be more focused on the technical aspects e.g. modelling, while the UK or US tends to focus on managerial implications.

Some major components

References: Charter, M. (2001). Supply Chain Strategy and Evaluation. R&d Report. Dani, S. S. (2011). Supply Chain Project Management - a structured collaborative and measurable approach 2nd edition, by J. B. Ayers. International Journal Of Production Research, 49(21), 6587-6588. doi:10.1080/00207543.2010.534583