Should There be Reservations in the Private Sector and the Alternatives for Social Justice
The Vexatious Issue of Reservations in the Indian Private Sector Every now and then, the vexatious issue of Reservations in the Private Sector crops up in India and more so, in the run up to the elections that are held every five years or less. This issue that polarizes Indian society and policymakers apart from […]
Factors behind the Rise of the Swiss Economy
Western Europe has been an economic powerhouse. Superpowers like Germany and Great Britain have been a part of this region. However, the small landlocked country of Switzerland has turned out to be a more viable economic model when compared to these so-called superpowers. For many years, economists have been completely baffled by this stupendous growth […]
How to Use a Fishbone Diagram
The fishbone diagram, which also goes by a couple of other names like the Cause and effect diagram and the Ishikawa diagram is one of the seven basic tools of quality management. It has wide ranging applications in almost all six sigma projects. The Fishbone diagram is a simple but highly effective tool in problem […]
Total Quality Management Models
Total Quality Management is a combined effort of both top level management as well as employees of an organization to formulate effective strategies and policies to deliver high quality products which not only meet but also exceed customer satisfaction. Total Quality management enables employees to focus on quality than quantity and strive hard to excel […]
Ecommerce and Internet Enabled Supply Chains
Internet Technology has impacted our day to day life beyond imagination. It has changed the way we make purchase decisions, the process by which we compare products and finally buy the product. All this has been enabled instantly by the click of a mouse, sitting in the comfortable environs of your home. Lets take the […]
Supply Chain Management is a broad-based function that encompasses all business and operational processes involved in but not limited to Procurement, Manufacturing, and Finished Goods Transportation, warehousing & Distribution and Inventory Management.
In a globalized business scenario characterized by Geographically spread markets, raw material procurement sources across the world and cheaper manufacturing and labor markets being available in developing world, the business of meeting demand with supply is constantly changing and evolving.
Global business has been fuelled and enabled by the IT Technology which has redefined all aspects of business today. All businesses today are run on ERP - Enterprise Resource Planning which provides the organizations with tools to manage all the functions including procurement, production, sales, and finance management in seamless and integrated manner.
These software systems like SAP, Oracle, People soft, etc., have taken over and enhanced the business processes that were traditionally being managed manually.
Demand planning, Forecasting, Global procurement management are some of the enabling tools on which the Global procurement strategies are built and managed. The availability of these sophisticated systems has further enabled companies to implement good and cost effective manufacturing practices like JIT, Kanban, VMI, etc.
Finished goods distribution, transportation, and inventory management, besides sales process is again driven by the various ERP modules combined with additional specific applications as required.
ERP has enabled companies to manage their business processes in different markets and countries under one common business process thus providing standardization and control.
The complex network of various processes, software platforms and applications and different software tools used by various vendors and agents in the entire chain drive the supply chain of the companies.
E commerce has further redefined the way business is carried on. Online purchase has impacted the way supply chains are organized and markets are driven. Customer behavior and preferences are changing as online marketing is establishing a one to one contact with the customer and can offer a personalized experience. The instant delivery of the information through internet elicits immediate response and action from the customer. The sales lead time is rapidly decreasing. The demanding customer, therefore, needs to be serviced immediately at the same speed.
The internet technology has further opened up the geographical boundaries for the companies. Any person sitting in any corner of the globe can purchase a product online at the click of a button. The companies have to be well equipped with the logistics and supply chain network to be able to service the customer.
When in a global scenario, goods and services move through multiple chains involving very many agents including transporters, forwarders, customs, distribution centers, distributors and lastly the retail outlets, availability of data, documentation and information becomes the lifeline for the organization to be able to take decisions and ensure seamless processes and control the supply chain.
IT is one of the most important enabler of the Supply chain in complex modern world of Global Businesses.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
