Sunday, June 19, 2016

How To Implement Effective Supply Chain Management

By Frank Ellis


The supply chain is a term that is used to refer to the movement of goods, financial resources and information from the producer to the consumer. Intermediaries (wholesalers and retailers) are often part of the chain as well. Supply chain management (SCM) is the act of overseeing this process and making sure that the movement is seamless. The process will be deemed as being effective if there will be a reduction in inventory.

There are three types of flows that have to be considered individually and collectively: product flow, information flow and financial flow. Product flow refers to the movement of goods and services from the supplies to the end consumer. Information flow is the transmission of orders and updating consumers on the status of their orders as they are transported to them. Financial flow concerns title ownership arrangements, consignments, payment schedules and credit agreements.

In a bid to make the process more efficient, most SCM firms have adopted the use of web based applications. The applications that are used here are of two main types: those used for planning and those that make execution possible. Planning applications are designed as algorithms that help in the filling of orders. Execution applications, on the other hand, help in product tracking, management of various materials as well as the relevant financial information.

One of the most commonly used data plans is what is termed the open data model. With this plan, data is shared between different departments in an enterprise as well as between enterprises doing business with each other. Information is stored in data warehouses that will be typically located in different companies. The act of sharing data has been demonstrated to significantly reduce the time-to-market of products.

Business integration is another step that should be taken so as to make the most use of SCM. What this means is that rather than focusing on the management of individual units, the focus should be on integrating different departments and related enterprises. Suppliers, customers, product developers and other stakeholders should be facilitated to communicate each other if this is to be successful.

Sustainability and social responsibility are issues that have to be addressed by all companies. As a supply manager, you need to ensure that all the enterprises involved meet the minimum requirements. Environmental sustainability is in particular an important factor in modern businesses. Consumers are becoming increasingly environmental conscious and are likely to favor products from companies that share their beliefs. Choose suppliers that care about their environmental.

Supply chain managers need to be certified to increase their chances of securing employment opportunities. The first step in this regard is to acquire the relevant skills and knowledge in all the relevant areas. Such include, for example, transportation, warehousing of goods, inventory management and business continuity skills among others. Most countries have professional bodies that take care of the registration process.

Managing the supply chain ensures that goods and services move from the supplier to the consumer as intended. Delays within the chain will affects all the players involved. It is important that information is shared between departments in an enterprise and between different enterprises working together to make the process seamless.




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